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Deutsch LA RN7, LE NORD ET NOSY BE
Sunreef Travel Madagascar
National 7, the North and Nosy Be
Routes : Antananarivo- Antsirabe- Ambositra- Ranomafana- Fianarantsoa- Ranohira- Tuléar- Anakao- Tuléar- Antananarivo- Nosy Komba- Nosy Tany Kely- Nosy Be- Ankify- Ankarana- Diégo Suarez- Antananarivo.
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THE NATIONAL 7, THE NORTH AND NOSY BE – 18 Days
Welcome to Madagascar !
For your first trip, we suggest you follow the black ribbon of the Nationale 7 to discover the many faces of the Big Island. Discover the Highlands and the beaches of the South-West. Then set off on an adventure for an original journey of unusual discoveries, rich in contrasts. From the verdant agricultural regions of the central highlands to the arid landscapes of the south-west.
Then, discover Nosy Be by going up to the North and the waterfront of the Mozambique Canal. It is called “the island of perfumes, cosmopolitan and cheerful”. Then, witness a great diversity of landscapes. This includes spectacular Tsingy de l'Ankarana with the splendid decor of the 3 bays with the Emerald Sea as a backdrop.
Climat:
Novembre to April: rany season
May to October: dry season
Period:
May to October: idéalement pour voyager dont la saison sèche
Flight to Antananarivo. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by your guide. Then a private transfer will take you to your hotel in town. On this, the guide will explain the details of your trip. It will give you all the necessary information and information you will need.
Road to Antsirabe. We start crossing the landscapes of the highlands. The latter take a winding road lined with fields of various crops and rice terraces. We go through Ambatolampy and will visit the manufacturers of pots and other aluminum kitchen utensils. Then, lunch at the restaurant and continuation to Antsirabe in the early afternoon. Arrival at the end of the day, we settle at the hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Travel to Ambositra to discover Zafimaniry crafts. This forest people is home to 25,000 souls including art, sculpture and marquetry. Moreover, it is classified intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
Afterwards, on the way to Andina, the Orange Valley and the amphitheatres of Ivony. Since time immemorial, Betsileo farmers have been cultivating rice terraces inherited from our Indonesian ancestors. This is a know-how that the peasants of Ivony master perfectly. They shape the surrounding mountains into beautiful cultivated terraces unique in their kind: hence the surprising name of Amphithéâtre d'Ivony. In all, an original and unique landscape with its rice terraces of 170 floors. For the record, in Sumatra, the highest rice fields have only 120 landings.
We continue towards Andina and the Valley of the Orange Trees where we go to discover all the varieties of citrus grown in the country. From May to September, visitors can enjoy a variety of citrus fruits with the hospitality of the producers. Lunch and picnic. Then, return to Ambositra and continuation in the afternoon to Ranomafana where we arrive at the end of the day.
A day's hiking in Ranomafana National Park: we follow well-marked paths through the tropical rainforest. Then it's off to discover the varied endemic fauna and flora. These include lemurs, chameleons, batrachians, birds, ferns, orchids and medicinal plants.
The park is dedicated above all to the protection of a specific species of lemur, the golden lemur (Hapalemur aureus). In fact, it is the only living creature that feeds on cyanide without being affected by it; cyanide is secreted by an endemic species of bamboo.
Our local guide will teach us how to identify the other species of flora and fauna we encounter. Then lunch in a restaurant, followed by an afternoon visit to the village to meet the farmers. Ranomafana means hot water. Hot water gushes from the bowels of the mountain and a spa built below with a hot water pool. This is a source of delight for spa visitors and holidaymakers alike.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Early departure for Fianarantsoa, where we will take a short tour of the town. We'll also stop in Ambalavao to visit the Antemoro paper factory. An age-old process invented by the first Arab migrants to transcribe the Koran, which had been badly damaged by the sea crossing.
Antemoro paper is currently one of the jewels in the crown of Madagascan craftsmanship. It is made from the pulp of a wild mulberry tree called Avoha. From its scientific name Bosqueia danguyana, which grows throughout the forest corridor forming the eastern coast of Madagascar.
Next up is a visit to the Anja village community reserve. This little green paradise is home to small colonies of Lemur catta. These ring-tailed lemurs are virtually the emblem of the Big Island. They spend a lot of time on the ground and are not overly shy, making them easy to observe.
The proceeds from the Anja site are managed by the AMI association (Anja Miray). They are also donated to economic and social projects. Their objectives, aimed at improving agricultural yields, developing crafts, health and education for villagers.
Continuing our programme, we head south towards Ihosy in the Bara region (Zebu breeders). We then cross the wide open savannahs of the Horombe plateau before reaching Ranohira in the early evening.
Overnight in a hotel.
Discovery of the Isalo National Park. Transfer by car to the foot of the massif. We walk up the plateau «drawn» by erosion, for a beautiful morning hike. This massif of sandstone has been shaped and sculpted since the Jurassic in strange ruiniform forms.
Historically, these lands belong to the Bara people, an ethnic group of herders of zebu from the South. The presence of Bara burials makes the mystical touch of the circuit. It is the live slideshow of plants «adapted» through the geological transformation of the Isalo.
One example is Pachypodium rosulatum gracilis. This is closely related to the periwinkle (family Apocynaceae), but physically very different. Then there's Aloe vera, sought after for its cosmetic virtues.
In short, you'll also see other varieties of plant, each as strange as the next. Afterwards, our walk will take us to a place known as ‘the natural swimming pool’.
After the heat of the day, swimming in the pool is welcome. In addition, we will go to Namaza where we will have our picnic lunch. In addition, in the afternoon, we go to meet the lemurs of the site and visit the Waterfall of the Nymphs. After, return to Ranohira at the end of the day, visit the village.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Road to Tuléar. We cross Ilakaka and Sakaraha. We'll be discovering small, quiet towns until the discovery of a huge sapphire deposit. This has transformed them into veritable mining towns worthy of the epic American Wild West. We'll get our first glimpse of the baobabs and the famous tombs surmounted by funerary sculptures known as ‘Aloalo’. There are also some painted with naïve scenes of life. Arrival in Tuléar at the end of the day.
Transfer to the pier of Tulear then boat to Anakao, one hour navigation. Anakao is a small fishing village located south of Tulear. It is the starting point for several excursions in outrigger canoes such as :
- A visit to the small island of Nosy Ve. This is the only nesting place for phaetons and paille-en-queue in the southern hemisphere.
- Nosy Ve also has one of the most beautiful seabed in southern Madagascar, diving enthusiasts will find their happiness.
- For adventure lovers, a 4×4 trip along the sandy tracks of the south-western coastline to visit Lake Tsimanampesotse National Park. The park is saturated with lime, home to pink flamingos and bordered by a dry deciduous forest. It boasts plants typical of the south (baobabs, euphorbia, various thorny plants, etc.).
- Tsimanampesotse Forest is also home to underground caves populated by an endemic, blind, cavernous fish species, the Tryphleotris madagascariensis.
Free time in Anakao, half-board at the hotel.
Airport transfer, reception and city tour :
- The Museum of the Sea
- The museum of the mythical Mikea people
- The Mahafaly Arts Craft Gallery
After discovering these marvelous symbolic monuments, we will go to the airport of Tulear. Then, we will be welcomed and transferred to the hotel,
Overnight stay and dinner at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport and flight to Nosy Be. Welcome on arrival and transfer to your hotel. Check-in and departure for a visit to HellVille, the island's capital, and its colourful market. You can also visit a number of distilleries producing ylang ylang, the plant for which Nosy Be is famous. The oil extract is exported to the town of Grasse for the perfume industry. In the late afternoon, transfer to Mont Passot, the highest point on the island, for a magnificent sunset.
Day trip by boat to Nosy Komba and Nosy Tany kely. Nosy Komba is known as the ‘lemur island’. In fact, this is where you'll discover the local endemic species. Mainly, the mischievous and not very fussy macaco lemur will be present.
Following the program, you will visit the village where the peasants live from fishing and the women specialized in the embroidery «richelieu». They will proudly display their works.
Nosy Komba is known as the island of lemurs, where you will discover the local endemic species, the mischievous and shy Macaco lemur. Visit the village where the farmers make their living from fishing and the women who specialise in ‘richelieu’ embroidery will be proud to show you their work.
Secondly, we continue our marine journey to Nosy Tany kely. The little island", a marine nature reserve. An area where diving enthusiasts will discover one of the most beautiful seabeds in the north. There's also an explosion of colourful fish to delight divers. Then lunch and a seafood picnic on the beach prepared by our crew. Finally, return to Nosy Be at the end of the day.
Free time in Nosy Be to recover from the fatigue of the journey and enjoy the sea. Half-board accommodation.
Transfer to the port, followed by a boat trip to Ankify, the start of your journey north. Drive to Ambanja.
Along the way, we discover the city and its cathedral. Historically, this monument was built in the early 1900s. It was based on the metal architecture of Strasbourg's old railway station. It was then transferred here piece by piece to lead a second life in the tropics.
In the afternoon, we continue our journey towards Mahamasina, the gateway to the Tsingy of Ankarana. We take the time to stop off in the villages and meet the villagers. They will tell us about their coffee, ylang ylang and cocoa plantations all along the road. We arrive in Mahamasina at the end of the day and check into our hotel,
Overnight stay and dinner at the hotel.
Accompanied by a local guide, we set off on a day's walking tour of the Tsingy National Park. Endemic fauna is everywhere: lemurs, mongooses, bats and owls. The picturesque sites and landscapes are not left behind with the Tsingy Rary, the Cave of the Bats.
Continuing the tour, we return to the village at the end of the walk. We have lunch and then head back north to Diego Suarez. Once we arrive at the end of the day, we settle into our hotel.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel..
Day of discovery of the 3 Bays. Short transfer by car to the village of Ramena then hiking to the 3 Bays:
- Bay of Dunes
– Bay of Pigeons
– Bay of Sakalava.
Then it's off for an easy walk on fine white sand in a splendid setting, to discover this eastern part of Diégo. Afterwards, there's a swim in the Baie des Pigeons. Then, at the end of the hike, we reach the Baie des Sakalava, a famous spot for kit surfing. In the afternoon, our vehicle picks us up to take us back to town.
Lunch and picnic on the beach
We head to the west coast of Diego for the magnificent Baie du Courrier. From here, on foot, we begin our ascent of Windsor Castle, a monolith 391 metres high. The panorama is breathtaking. There is a 360° view from the three bays to the east towards Cap d'Ambre in the far north of Madagascar. Then westwards towards the Mozambique Channel, where the silhouettes of the islands of the Mitsio Archipelago can be seen.
Hiking also allows you to discover endemic plants. For example, discover the northern endemic Pachypodium baronii or Adansonia suarezensis baobab. Then we have a picnic “at the top”. Then we go down to the bay. Finally, back to Diego at the end of the day.
Sleeping at the hotel
To round off your stay in Diego Suarez in style, you'll have some free time to enjoy the city. You will then be transferred to the airport for your flight to Antananarivo.
To round off your stay in Diégo Suarez, you will have some free time to enjoy it. Then you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Antananarivo.
To finish, dinner and evening transfer to the airport. We will serve you as boarding assistance on your international flight.