Overview

AVAILABLE: ALL YEAR
BEST TIME: FROM MAY TO SEPTEMBER

This tour will bring you with Cycling adventure from the Malagasy highlands to the south coast of Madagascar and of course to make you discover the fourth biggest island in the world. Meet local people, learn about their culture and customs, explore fauna and flora with enjoying your passion “CYCLING”!

DAY 1: ANTANANARIVO

Arrival at Ivato International Airport. You will be welcomed by HT Agency Tours Staff. Once you have cleared customs formalities, our Guide will smooth through the rest of the arrivals process – currency exchange, setting up your phone with a new SIM card, and anything else you need. We will provide 1 SIM cards with internet + National Call + 10mn International call during your stay in Madagascar. It will make our contact easier. Check in at the hotel.

Accommodation: Pietra Hotel (Bed and Breakfast)

DAY 2: ANTANANARIVO -ANTSIRABE

After breakfast, transfer along the national road number 7 to the village of Antanifotsy by car. On the way we visit an aluminum pot making factory in Ambatolampy. From Antanifotsy, we ride on the bicycle to continue our journey. Sometimes, the local bike enthusiasts wave to us. At the beginning of our bicycle journey, we drive on a track with fruit trees and rice fields at the edge. After crossing the track, we will be on the national highway number 7 to reach Antsirabe. Because of its position in the highlands, Antsirabe, 4500ft.

• Distance: 52, 9 kilometers (Can always be managed according to how strong you are)
• How difficult: easy track and asphalt road, some easy climbs
• Type and conditions of trails: National road from the junction to Antsirabe, North East from the city of Antsirabe

Accommodation: Royal Palace (Bed and Breakfast)

DAY 3: ANTSIRABE –ANDRAIKIBA LAKE - TRITRIVA LAKE -ANTSIRABE

After breakfast, we'll take a bike ride. We will visit the Andraikiba lake located at 7 km from Antsirabe; it is a beautiful place to hang out. There are also sellers of semi-precious stones on this site. Lake Andraikiba was also an important center for water sports activities. After we continue with our bike to reach another lake, more spectacular, and full of myth; it is Tritriva lake located 11 km south of Andraikiba lake. This Crater Tritriva lake is the most famous to Madagascar, whose the water level rises during the dry season and decreases during the rainy season. After the visit, we will take the car to get back to Antsirabe. Once there, we'll do the city tour by car; we will also discover the artisans of the city with their finished products.

• Distance: 18 kilometers (Can always be managed according to how strong you are)
• How difficult: easy asphalt road, gravel path with many climbs
• Type and conditions of trails: National road until the junction, West of Antsirabe town

Accommodation: Royal Palace (Bed and Breakfast)

DAY 4: ANTSIRABE-AMBOSITRA

After breakfast we cycle further south on the hilly road to Ambositra. It is situated 93km from Fianarantsoa, the handicraft capital; the region is best-known for its wood work: sculpture, inlays and engravings. The Zafimaniry villages, named for the tribe living in the dense, eastern forests, are especially distinctive. Their fine and delicate woodwork has achieved worldwide acclaim.

• Distance: 93 kilometers (Can always be managed according to how strong you are)
• How difficult: easy asphalt road, a lot of turns and climbs
• Type and conditions of trails: National road from Antsirabe to Ambositra

Accommodation: L’Artisant (Bed and Breakfast)

DAY 5: AMBOSITRA - RANOMAFANA

After breakfast, a transfer by our vehicle takes us to the small village of Camp Robin.  This is at the village of Camp Robin that we take the bicycle to reach the village of Ranomafana. This path is characterized by turns, climbs and descents. Along the way, we will pass in valleys, villages and eucalyptus forests. From the village of Ambohimahasoa, there will be a change in climate, it is tropical humid climate.  It will be the end of this path that there will be a long descent before arriving at our hotel.

• Distance: 84 kilometers (Can always be managed according to how strong you are)
• How difficult: easy track and asphalt road, some easy climbs and descents, 12 Kilometer long descent at the end of the journey
• Type and conditions of trails: Narrow national road between Camp Robin and Ranomafana

Accommodation: Thermal Hotel (Bed and Breakfast)

DAY 6: RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK

The national park of Ranomafana is a full forested park (41 601 Ha) classified World Natural Heritage of Atsinanana, located in the East of Fianarantsoa. You can find there the rare and endangered species of Lemurs. The Varibolomena, a diurnal lemur is the best species of the Park with the Grand Hapalemur. The water of Thermal station of Ranomafana whose sulfur composition is a true therapy for some diseases takes its source in the Park. The relief is hilly and the forest dense cut by beautiful cascades.

• Distance: break
• How difficult: 2-5 hours walk in the park, depend on the ability of participants
• Type and conditions of trails: Visit of the Ranomafana National Park

Accommodation: Thermal Hotel (Bed and Breakfast)

DAY 7: RANOMAFANA – BIKE TOUR TO SAHAMBAVY

We cycle the first km mostly uphill to Andovaka. Then we leave the tarmac and we continue off road. During the trip we see locals selling piles of sand, gained from the nearby river as well as women weaving baskets. On a good gravel road we reach our hotel right in the centre of a tea growing area; tea plantation covering 400ha.

• Distance: 70 Kilometers (Can always be managed according to how strong you are)
• How difficult: 12 kilometers climbs in the first route, many turns, track and asphalt road
• Type and conditions of trails: National road until the junction, stony track between the junction to the hotel

Accommodation: Lac Hotel (Bed and Breakfast)

DAY 8: SAHAMBAVY – FIANARANTSOA - BIKE TOUR IN AMBALAVAO

After breakfast, we leave our hotel by cycling through the city of Fianarantsoa which is situated approximatively 410 km from Antananarivo before we continue southward to Ambalavao. Fianarantsoa is the capital of Betsileo ethnic group. The landscape is beautiful with great views of vineyards, terraced rice paddies and rocky outcrops. Heading south, Ambalavao is the town by some as “the Southern Gateway”; Betsileo and Bara ethnic groups work together to make “Antaimoro paper”. Overnight stay in Ambalavao, the wine region of Madagascar.

• Distance: 77 Kilometers (Can always be managed according to how strong you are)
• How difficult: easy asphalt road full of holes from the hotel to the junction, easy asphalt road from the junction until Ambalavao,
• Type and conditions of trails: Narrow national road between the junction until Ambalavao with many turns and climbs

Accommodation: Tsienimparihy (Bed and Breakfast)

DAY 9: AMBALAVAO - IHOSY - RANOHIRA

After breakfast, back to the national road to reach the south. Gray mountains and red laterite, the landscape of the West American begins to appear. Everything becomes dry. There are many tombs and standing stones on the summits. Discovery of vast steppes conducive to zebu cattle. Small Houses, dry yellow grass and frequent bush fires appear. The road becomes right. The air becomes hot and dry. The city serves as a transition between the green highlands of central Madagascar and dry south. In the afternoon, we cross the vast plate of Horombe to go to Ranohira; those want to bike, you can ride the last kilometers to our hotel situated at the foot of the National Park of Isalo

• Distance: 187 kilometers (Can always be managed according to how strong you are)
• How difficult: Difficult narrow stony track with many ascents, descents and turns between Andringitra and Ambalavao; easy wide tarred road and straight between Ambalavao and Ranohira with many ascents and descents
• Type and conditions of trails: Runway to the first part, wide national road from Ambalavao to Ranohira

Accommodation: Relais de la reine (Half Board)

DAY 10: RANOHIRA ISALO NATIONAL PARK

Isalo is located in the region of Ihorombe, the massif of Isalo is a plateau of continental sandstone dated Jurassic. With our bike that we'll discover some sites of Isalo National Park with its bizarre rock formations and interesting flora. Strongly eroded and cut by deep canyons of many kilometers of length, the park is an extraordinary ecosystem. It is endemic rupicole vegetation made of aloes, euphorbes, pachypodes, kalanchoe grow on the exposed sandstone. We also can find there the Maki and the small bird … We must not forget also the swimwear because we'll visit the natural swimming pool of the National Park of Isalo. It was after this visit that the car expects at the parking lot to take us to the hotel.

• Distance: 21 Kilometer (Can always be managed according to how strong you are)
• How difficult: Easy rocky trail with some slopes, turns and descents
• Type and conditions of trails: Runway passing in small streams

Accommodation: Relais de la reine (Half Board)

DAY 11: RANOHIRA-TOLIARA-IFATY

After breakfast, we continue our bike trip until lunchtime, then the rest of the day by car. In the afternoon, we arrive at Toliara, capital of the southwestern region of Madagascar. The South offers striking images of light and shadows, of people and their villages, of landscape, of plants, of spiny forest, of pale colors and dry smell. Stay 2 nights in Ifaty for relaxing and swimming, on the beach.

• Distance: 108 Kilometer (Can always be managed according to how strong you are)
• How difficult: Easy wide tarred road and straight with slight ascents and descents.
• Type and conditions of trails: National Road

Accommodation: Paradisier (Bed and Breakfast)

DAY 12: IFATY

This day is dedicated for relaxing and enjoying the beach. Free day!!!

Accommodation: Paradisier (Bed and Breakfast)

DAYS 13: IFATY - TULEAR AIRPORT - ANTANANARIVO

Transfer to Toliara Airport and return flight to Antananarivo. Our agent with the car will be waiting for you at the airport of Antananarivo and will take you to craft village: the big traditional market of the capital. You will find all gathered Malagasy crafts. Toward in the afternoon, transfer directly to the airport for your external flight.

NOTE: If however your external flight will be on the next day, WE WILL OFFER YOU one last night accommodation with relaxation activities such as: SPA - POOL - MASSAGE - ...