9 Days From the Highlands to the Great South Guided Motorcycle Tour in Madagascar

All of Moto Tour Madagascar's itineraries have been set up with tremendous care. From the small, yet unexplored trails, to atypical accommodations, after hundreds of miles of explorations, Francois Serrano has scrutinized every single step of the tours to offer you only the best there is! Based in Antananarivo, their Franco-Malagasy team of experienced travel consultant and field logistics will take care of you!

National Highway 7 is in Madagascar what Road 66 is in the United States: from north to south and east to west, it will transport you to the heart of the Red Island. From uplands and their paddy field to the desert plains of the South, you will ride a motorbike on an incredible diversity of landscapes. At each stage, you will discover many natural and cultural treasures that Madagascar contains: waterfalls and legendary lakes of the highlands, forest reserve, tea plantation, Isalo National Park ...

All along the 1200 km of this descent to the Great South, you will not miss any of the enchantments that Madagascar reserves to its most curious travelers.

Day 0: Antananarivo

Upon arrival at Ivato International Airport, you are welcomed and driven directly to your hotel.

Day 1: Antananarivo - Ampefy (160 kilometers / 99 miles)

Day 2: Ampefy - Antsirabe (150 kilometers / 93 miles)

Day 3: Antsirabe - Sahambavy (160 kilometers / 99 miles)

Day 4: Sahambavy - Ambalavao (100 kilometers / 62 miles)

After breakfast, you visit the Sahambavy Tea Plantation. The road awaits you again for a short hop to Fianarantsoa and its beautiful old town. Still a few kilometers and you discover at the end of the day the famous vineyards of Ambalavao, your city-stage.

Day 5: Ambalavao - Ranohira (200 kilometers / 124 miles)

You gradually leave the Highlands to discover a sacred mountain range: the Massif of Isalo is not very far away.

Day 6: Isalo National Park (100 kilometers / 62 miles)

You are now a motorcycle hiker for a visit to the Isalo Park. This spectacular site, totally silent and rich of mysteries covers an area of 81,540 ha. More than 400 species, most of them endemic, cover the vast savannah spaces that you visit with a specialized guide.

Day 7: Ranohira - Tulear (240 kilometers / 149 miles)

Dinner and overnight at the hotel: Chez Alain

Day 8: Tulear - Antananarivo (Transfer)

Depending on the time of your flight to Antananarivo, you can visit the busy streets of Tulear and its multicolored markets. A taxi will take you to the airport for your return flight to Tana.

Difficulty:

Medium to Hard (average in the dry season and difficult in rainy season)

Note

Please note that the itinerary is subject to change depending on circumstances.

Skill level(s) required for this tour: intermediate

• can ride for 3-4 hours
• average riding experience
• little assistance required
• comfortable with extreme curves and leans
• average experience with unsurfaced roads
• steep ascents and descents

With 5,000 kilometers of coast and seven peaks over 2000-meter altitude, Madagascar is a mountainous country but also with desert parts, for your greatest pleasure. This tour will take you exploring Madagascar from the foothills of Isalo massif, the lakes of the Vakinakaratra valleys, and the Great South. The Malagasy roads are very limited but it has the essential. The Route Nationale 7 is one of the most beautiful roads in the world. This low road density has created an extraordinary track network.

As big as France and Belgium, each city and each village in Madagascar is connected by a track or a trail of several kilometers. Madagascar is for the bike what Hawaii is for surfing: the best spot!

+−

During this tour, you will be served three daily meals, consisting of breakfast and dinners at the hotels, and picnic basket for lunch.

• Rental motorcycle (KTM exc-f 350/450)
• Fuel
• The guide
• Accommodation in a double or twin rooms
• Breakfast and dinner
• Lunch picnics
• Entrance fees and guiding fees in the parks provided for in the program
• Assistance vehicle (4x4 or minibus) with driver and fuel (shared between pilots)
• Transfers airport / hotel / garage in Antananarivo and Tulear
• The flight ticket from Tulear to Antananarivo at the end of the trip
• 8 nights accommodation

• Compulsory insurance, such as repatriation assistance
• Visa fee
• Locals and international flights and airport taxes
• A refundable security deposit of 2,000 EUR for the motorcycles
• Meals during the transfer days
• Drinks, personal expenses, and tips
• Admission fees to additional visits
• Personal expenses

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 10% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.