Travel to Southern Road

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Southern Road, Madagascar

The Southern Road leads from Tananarive to Tulear or vice versa. It is a pleasant road to cross from the capital town to Tulear, passing through Ifaty.

From Tulear, you will discover Ambatolamp, then Antsirabe, Fianarantsoa, Ambalavao, Ranohira and the Isalo massif, before arriving at Tulear.

The road is winding and quite hilly, the landscape is filled with rice fields and is very green until the Isalo massif. Then, the Southern Road, also known as National 7, becomes smooth.

Along the road, the houses are no longer the same and as you progress you will see that they are built with different materials, it is possible to stop in the villages to have a closer look.

Remember to take pens, T-shirts, or even soap, shower gel, shampoo and cakes with you. The local villagers will be happy. Some may even ask you to take photos of them and send them afterwards. In Madagascar, especially along the Southern Road, people are still spared from the tourism influx; they are extremely friendly.

The multitude of offers for excursions
The magnificent landscape (the Isalo massif)

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The sinuosity of the road from Antananarivo to Ranohire

Visit Southern Road

To see

Throughout the Southern Road, you can discover the grandiose and authentic landscapes of the High Lands and admire the construction of the houses and countless rice fields. Located 105 miles from Antananarivo, Antsirabe characterises the uplands and has turned into an important town. Nicknamed the "Madagascan Vichy", it is famous for its seven mineral springs of quality water and its sparkling water "Visy Gasy" and its thermal baths, which are still running today but deserve overall renovation. Quite popular, the Hotel des Thermes is a building of magnificent architecture, which once was the place of residence of King Mohammed V. Know that in Antsirabe there are nearly 8,000 rickshaws crossing through the town, which is the biggest ratio of rickshaws to people in the world.

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To do

You can stop at Ambatolamp, with all its pines and grassland, located 14 miles from Antananarivo where you can see artisans working with iron. Ambatolamp is also a good starting point for hiking. In Ranohira, the Isalo massif is a mountain range affected by erosion that constitutes the most original natural range in Madagascar. Quite wild, rugged and mysterious, it is protected by a National Park spreading on 247,000 acres which contains endemic flora and fauna representing and important touristic and scientific richness. It offers beautiful walks and all along the road, you will be attracted by the reserves of lemurs.

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To think about

Consider bringing along pens, shampoo, shower gel and T-shirts if you stop in the villages. Local people will be delighted.

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To avoid

Avoid taking the road too late in the afternoon; plan sufficient time for journeys between Tana and the Isalo massif, especially to Fianarantsoa as the road is winding and is not always in very good condition. The cyclone period (late December-early April) is to be avoided.

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To try

We advise you to have breakfast on the terrace at the Relais de la Reine, located in the Isalo massif. Built on a rock, the hotel offers a breathtaking view.

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To bring back

Located some 255 miles from the capital, Fianarantsoa is famous for its precious stone carvers. Fianarantsoa is also the Catholic and the academic centre of Madagascar. 35 miles from Fianarantsoa, Ambalavao is the place of Antaimoro paper manufacturers, a paper made from the bark of the avoha, a shrub whose fibre is impressively strong.

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