madagascar motorcycle tour

Madagascar Motorcycle Tour

• Duration: 9 Days (approx.)
• Product code: mtt-6-en

NOTE: THIS TOUR INCLUDES A SPOTTER CAR AND DRIVER (SUPPORT CAR)

DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO ANTANANARIVO

Arrival to Ivato International

Airport. Visa formalities and customs. Guests are welcomed by our representative and transferred to the hotel. Checking into the hotel.

Night at Les 3 Métis hotel

DAY 2 : ANTANANARIVO – ANTSIRABE ( 170 kms)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Before the departure to Antsirabe visit of the old city of the capital of the big Island. Departure to Antsirabe past along the famous and majestic National Route 7. On the road, panoramic view of the rice fields in steps and the tombs of the Highlands of Madagascar. Stop in Ambatolampy, famous for the presence of the third highest point of the island,  Ankaratra hill, and  a visit to a place where aluminum pots are manufactured.

Night at Chambre du Voyageur hotel or similar

DAY 3: ANTSIRABE – AMBOSITRA : (90 km)

Departure early in the morning to reach the town of Ambositra, the capital of  Malagasy handicrafts and wood carving. Visit of a few craft shops in the city. Then, continuing to Ambositra across the mountainous landscapes and towering famous rice terraces of Bestileo.

Night at Artisan  Hotel

DAY 4: AMBOSITRA – AMBALAVAO  (205 km)

Leaving Ambositra in the morning to continue to Ambalavao. Visit of Fianarantsoa city and the old city classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage. Then, continue to Ambalavao.

Night at Zongo hotel or similar

DAY 5: AMBALAVAO - RANOHIRA (241 km)

Road to the south of the Big Island. After 4hours, You will cross  Ihosy  and  the Bara’s territories  and the  Mesa of Horombe , to reach the village of Ranohira, the door to the extraordinary  Isalo national park.  Arrival at the end of the afternoon in Ranohira.

Night at H1 Hotel or similar

DAY 6: RANOHIRA

Breakfast at the hotel. 

Departure to go to the  Isalo National Park . A one-day visit to admire the fauna and flora in the park, and also the natural pools. The park is known for its diverse landscape, and also the big canyon; Late in the afternoon, sunset in the famous  "window of Isalo”.

DAY 7: RANOHIRA –TULEAR – IFATY (273 km)

Departure to the deep south of Madagascar. View of the first baobabs. Admiration of the arid landscape and ethnic Mahafaly tombs. Stop in Tulear for a visit to the market and the city. Continuing our journey to the village of fishermen for a stay in the beautiful beach town, Ifaty.

Night at Belle Vue hotel or similar

DAY 8: IFATY- TULEAR - ANTANANARIVO

Morning free, possibility to visit villages in Ifaty. In the afternoon transfer for the airport for the national flight.

Night at les 3 métis hotel or similar

DAY 9: ANTANANARIVO – DEPARTURE (international flight)

Breakfast at the hotel. Last purchase in the craft market, the largest market in the capital. Transfer to Ivato airport for international flight. Boarding formalities

END OF OUR SERVICES

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

-       Transfer airport - hotel - airport

-       Hotel with breakfast during all the tour

-       Car 4wd with driver speaking English or French to follow you as a spotter

-       Fuel during all the tour

-       Entrance fees with local guide during the excursion mentioned on the program

-       Motorbike with fuel during all the tour 

-       Domestic Flight Tulear - Tana

NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

-       Lunch and diner

-       Drink

-       Tips

-       Personal expenses

-       Visa and taxes at the airport, medical and travel insurance

*Motorcycle riding is one of the most dangerous single activities in general worldwide, period. You MUST have travel insurance that specifically and comprehensively covers this activity, and prove it to us, in order to participate.

**YOU assume ALL risk, liability, and payment and consequences for any accidents you are involved in, fall victim to, or cause, and release and indemnify MTT and all its agents, associates, affiliates, staff, and drivers from liability.

***If the bike undergoes a breakdown or malfunction underway, which in Madagascar the roads and wear and tear may cause, we will endeavor to replace it midway with a suitable alternative. However, you are not entitled to any refunds in any circumstance in this or any situation. Thanks for understanding.

****You need a license to do this trip. You need experience. You need coverage under travel insurance. You need to accept responsibility, risk, and utter and total liability for the severe injury or accidents that can occur in motorcycle riding. YOU are driving the motorcycle, not us.

Booking questions - Please write to MTT at [email protected]

Yes, we can beat and match any operator in Madagascar, including the ones blatantly copying off our website, and our routes, which will be fairly obvious while you're shopping around. We always low price guarantee, however please note that we match only within parameters of safety, and on the basis of the same vehicles inclusions and hotels. The same route can have very different costs depending on the bikes and the accommodation and dining.

Want to ride across ALL of Madagascar - ALL in? - Try this one - CLICK HER E

More useful information - 

 RN7 is to Madagascar what Road 66 is to the United States: from the north to the south and from east to west, it will transport you to the heart of the Red Island. From the high green plateaus to the southern desert plains, you will motocross an incredible diversity of landscapes. At each step, you will discover the many riches natural and cultural that Madagascar contains: waterfalls and legendary lakes of highlands, forest reserves, tea plantations, Isalo national park ... along the 1100 km of this descent to the Great South, you will not miss any of the enchantments that Madagascar reserves for its most curious travelers.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL > Easy

Other Optional (but free) sites to visit in more depth here:

- Geysers and Ampefy waterfalls - Discovery of Antsirabe - Ambositra capital of Malagasy crafts - Sahambavy tea plantations - Isalo Park - Tulear

- A recent trail / road motorcycle specially prepared for your trip. - Liability insurance in the event of an accident with your motorcycle - A guide experienced in accompanying motorcycle raids - Accommodation in the listed hotels, in a double / twin room (standard or superior category according to your choice) - Full board meals (breakfast and dinner at the hotel, packed lunches for lunch) outside of transfer days - Entrance and guide fees for visiting the parks and monuments planned for during your trip. - Airport - hotel transfers - Tourist taxes and stickers.

- the assistance 4 × 4 with its fuel and the internal flight province - Antananarivo.

Not Included: 

 - Additional insurance for your stay in Madagascar, such as repatriation insurance - Visa fees - International and domestic flights and airport taxes - A deposit of 1000 euros in checks or cash for the use of your motorcycle. - Personal expenses (drinks, tips, various purchases) and meals on transfer days - Entrance fees to monuments and parks not provided for in the travel program.

Trail and Route motorcycles without guide starting at (depending on time of year and number of people): 

5 HONDA 190 XR = 66 € / day and up

2 HONDA 250 XR = 66 € / day 

1 YAMAHA 600 XTE = 72 € / day 

2 HONDA 650 TRANSALP = 77 € / day 

4 HONDA 750 AFRICA-TWIN = 88 € / day 

Enduro Motorcycles with guide only: 

10 KTM 350 EXCF (2019) =176 € / day 

6 KTM 450 EXCF (2019) = 176 € / day 

6 KTM 790 Adventure R (2019) = 198 € / day 

Guide: 198 € / day (all costs included) divided among the pilots

Conditions: Have a motorcycle driving license Have medical evacuation insurance Security deposit by VISA-Mastercard: € 1,500 per motorbike 30% deposit to confirm the reservation MTT staff are motorcycle professionals, with over 25 years of experience according to demand, and we guarantee the quality of the service. Please keep your eyes on the road and collaborate and help us to keep you safe. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to avoid a crash, and we will be there to help.

Start Booking Now

Please enable cookies in your browser to place a booking how do I enable cookies?

Enter Number of Participants *

Choose a preferred date and time *.

Booking Software by Rezdy.com | Agent login

Motorcycle trip Madagascar

Motorcycle Tour Madagascar

Welcome to Madagascar, also called as the “Great Red Island”. On a Royal Enfield Trip in Madagascar, you will find yourself in the midst of a nature that is unique in the world. From the North to the South, you will cross one of the biggest islands in the world. In the Madagascar territory, the savannah dotted with baobabs reminds us of Africa, and the tracks wind through exquisite landscape. A few kilometres to the southwest of Antsiranana, also known as Diego-Suarez, you will discover the magnificent Tsingy rouges. You will ride on small mountain roads and bush land trails. You will then venture out towards Antananarivo, the ethnically diverse capital situated in the highlands. A ride in the surrounding areas to visit Zafimaniry villages with their picturesque houses and their zebu-driven ploughs. Situated off the African coast, Madagascar is home to a unique flora and fauna in the world including lemurs such as in the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. Discovering Madagascar atop a motorcycle is like setting off on a highly authentic human adventure. You will meet a mosaic of people originating from various immigrant communities from Indonesia and Africa. A motorcycle tour of Madagascar is for adventure lovers, for those who know no fear. At the end of the trip, you will enjoy seaside activities at Ifaty and Nosy Be.

When should one travel in Madagascar?

The climate in Madagascar is distinguished by two alternating seasons: a dry season from April to November and a wet season from December to Mars. The best season for a motorcycle trip in Madagascar is in spring and autumn, when the climate is less hot and the weather quite dry. Avoid travelling at all costs to Madagascar between December and March. At that time, most of the regions are affected by the rainy season and even cyclones. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. During the austral winter, from June to August, it can be cold in the Highlands while from March to May and from September to November, the temperatures are more pleasant, neither too cold, nor too hot. The West coast is the sunniest part of Madagascar. In the South, the weather is hot throughout the year. The East coast gets more rain, with a winter monsoon in the months of July and August. It is however the best season to observe the whales at Saint Marie. Madagascar can be visited only during the dry season. During a motorcycle trip, you will ride on bush land trails that become impassable under the rain.

Geography Madagascar

Situated to the south of the Equator, in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar is the fifth largest island in the world. During a motorcycle trip in Madagascar, you will discover its highly diverse terrain. The Central Highlands, the true backbone of the country, represent more than three-fourths of the territory. Isalo National Park in the centre of the island is a must. There is a coastal strip on the East surrounded by lagoons and a plain in the West. The semi-arid South is divided between limestone plateaus and dry plains. The volcanic North has the highest peak of the country: Tsaratanana reaching an altitude of 2 876 m. The northwestern coast on the Mozambique canal is made up of a number of islands including the Nosy Be Island. With its diversity of terrains and climates, Madagascar has an extremely rich biodiversity with several endemic species of flora and fauna. The emblematic small primate lemurs, chameleons and tortoises and more than 200 endemic species of amphibians. A stunning landscape and natural beauty with all the coral reefs, the dream beaches, the baobab avenues, jungles and savannahs. Not to forget the cities of Diego-Suarez in the North, Tananarive in the centre and Port-Dauphin in the South.

History and culture at Madagascar

The Malagasy people originate from a long period of ethnic mix and reflect the cultural richness of the country. They originally came from Indonesia around 2000 B.C. and from Eastern Africa. We can distinguish the Vazimbas, who live off the forest and the Vezos, near the coastal areas who live from fishing. The mix of these people led to the birth of 18 ethnic groups spread out over the island. Each of these has its own dialect and culture. During a motorcycle trip in Madagascar, you will get an opportunity of get to know this multicultural society. In the 16th century, the Portuguese discovered and became interested in the island. Madagascar was then occupied by several European countries; the Dutch in the late 16th century, then the English in the 17th and the French in 1885 who enforced a protectorate. Independent since 1960, Madagascar island is a country with history full of influences. With an economy mainly based on agriculture, the country tries to develop other sectors including tourism. The main exports are those of coffee, vanilla, prawns, sugarcane and cotton. Today, the Red Island continues to attract travellers looking for a change of scenery and adventure.

Suggested trips

India / himalaya the routes of hinduism, thailand the golden triangle mountains, india / southern india the big crossing, nepal mustang: the legendary expedition.

Sign up for our newsletter to receive the best of our travel inspirations

Thank you for subscribing to the Vintage Rides newsletter!

Please fill in the following information

THE BEST Madagascar Motorcycle Tours

Motorcycle tours in madagascar.

• Sightseeing Tours
• Multi-day Tours
• Walking Tours
• Private Tours
• Photography Tours
• Ports of Call Tours
• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Archaeology Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Skip-the-Line Tours
• Motorcycle Tours
• Hop-On Hop-Off Tours
• Self-Guided Tours & Rentals
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. (east Tour) Andasibe N.p / St. Mary

2. Tsingy / Kirindy Forest

3. TSINGY of BEMARAHA Tour

ONLY FOR REAL ADVENTURERS! MOTORCYCLE TOURS MADAGASCAR WITH AFRICA SCOUT

Are you a motorcyclist through and through love the feeling of freedom, the smell of nature that the wind brings with it. you are concentrated on your bike and yet yours suck pay attention to everything that passes you by. for us it is clear: you have to go to africa the name of our brand “afrikabiker” is probably already familiar to you from the motorcycle industry, known from motorcycle trade fairs or from the media. it stands for safety and the highest quality the mix of foreign cultures, unique wildlife, coastal and gravel roads, deserts, sun, sea paired with delicious food and fun with like-minded people therefore become the journey of your life. asphalt or off-road. everything is possible., book the motorcycle adventure of your life, do you want to ride a motorcycle in madagascar then get in touch with us. so that we can plan your dream trip together with you according to your wishes. click here for the contact form. we look forward to seeing you.

Besides 100% passion we offer you: First class service Competent travel designers Best knowledge of the country Tailor-made trips Very large travel selection environmental and animal welfare Excellent prices Small Group Tours individual trips sports travel work trips motorcycle trips coaching trips incentive trips seminar trips

FOLLOW YOUR SCOUTS! Answer the call of the wild ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM & YOUTUBE

For brilliant travel tips, insider information and pictures that will put a smile on your face.

DESTINATIONS

Types of travel, travel info.

• Harley-Davidson
• Royal Enfield
• Adventure & Dual-Sport
• Sport Touring
• Retro/Vintage
• Trikes, Sidecars & Scooters
• Buyers Guides
• New & Cool
• Electronics
• Parts & Accessories
• Books, DVDs & Other
• Latest News
• Tips & Tricks
• Rallies & Clubs
• Learning To Ride
• Other Features
• Favorite Rides
• Midwest U.S.
• Northeast U.S.
• International
• Favorite Rides & Destinations Digital Edition
• Rider Magazine
• Rider Enewsletter
• American Rider
• Woman Rider
• Powersports Business
• Market Research
• Consumer Panel
• Subscriber Login
• Customer Service

Madagascar Motorcycle Tour

story and photography by Jeremy Bullard

I never set out to ride around the world. I changed my mind in Peru because I was having too much fun and didn’t want to stop. Travel is addictive and a lot more fun than working.

I decided to go to Madagascar after I read Hilary Bradt’s guidebook. She has been there more than 25 times and once wrote about the country, “A motorbike is perhaps the very best way of getting around.” I had to see for myself. The cost to crate and fly my 2003 KTM 640 Adventure over from Johannesburg, South Africa, was too high, so once I got to Madagascar I rented a fairly knackered 1986 Honda XL650 that I christened “Le Heap.” The brakes were crap, the gear lever was welded on, the kickstarter was zip-tied to the frame and it wouldn’t start. Apart from that it was perfect.

Madagascar is about the size of Texas, a very poor country where the average wage is $1 a day. Only four tarred roads leave Antananarivo (Tana), the capital, and none of them links up. You either ride back the same way, fly the bike back to Tana or hit the dirt roads. The quality of the dirt varies from superbly graded surfaces to tracks with trees growing out of them that are only passable on foot. It’s a good idea to get local advice before setting off.

Most tourists come to see the animals. Madagascar has more indigenous species than any other island in the world. Lemurs, fosas and tenrecs are found nowhere else.

Everything is relative in Madagascar. “Quite a few vehicles” on the road to Toliara means at least one every five minutes, and sometimes even more often. The scenery changes frequently. One minute it is very tight, slow curves on a narrow road through the hills. But over the crest it widens into a lush, green valley blanketed in rice paddies. Everyone I met was incredibly warm, helpful and friendly. They waved and smiled back more than in any other country I have visited.

The roads are amazing. The 50 miles from Mampikony to Port Berge took me more than three hours to ride, but I loved it. There were hundreds of diversions to avoid collapsed bridges, cavernous potholes and gorges slicing across the road. On one detour I was immediately enveloped in clouds of a weird red dust. It was light yet flowed and splashed like water, creating a bow wave as I rode through.

Nosy Be Island is the most “developed” part of Madagascar. There are no malls, only a few smart shops and a decent pharmacy. On a beach in the north of the island I had a superb three-course buffet lunch for $10.

I returned from Nosy Be to the mainland by speedboat. We were soon surfing the seas at 30 mph with the bike roped down in the middle of the boat. Exhilarating.

I love Madagascar and the Malagasy. It is completely different from anywhere else I have ever been. The warmth of the people, the amazing variety of landscapes, the fun roads, the extraordinary flora and fauna and fantastic food make it totally unique.

Hilary Bradt is right—a bike is best. I’ll be back.

Jeremy Bullard graduated from Exeter University in the United Kingdom in 1982. He started riding a 3-horsepower Puch moped to add excitement to his life as a CPA. After many bikes he settled on big singles and created his own IT consulting business. However, the constant call of freedom faraway could not be ignored….

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Alaska motorcycle ride: discovering america’s last frontier, get your kickstart on route 66, a scenic casa grande, arizona motorcycle ride.

Very good article. I will be facing a few of these issues as well..

Great Story. May I ask who did you rent from and how much did you spen per day? And what route did you take?

What was your accommodations…where did you sleep…do you think bringing a tent would be unwise or unsafe?

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

CURRENT ISSUE

News & reviews, indian scout teaser video released, fasttrack riders track day at laguna seca, march 16-17, 2024 moto guzzi experience tour schedule.

• 7760 France Avenue South, Suite 810 Bloomington, MN 55435
• Phone: (763) 383-4400
• Subscribe to Rider Magazine
• Subscribe to Rider eNewsletter
• Contact Rider
• Advertise With Us
• Privacy Policy

© 2024 - Rider Magazine. All rights reserved.

Madagascar Travel and Tours

EXPEDITIONS @ EARTH’S MOST UNIQUE ISLAND

Main navigation

Madagascar tours & travel packages, list of all tours in madagascar. all tour itineraries you can do in madagascar – master list by long form. national tourism highlights of the island.

Check and Compare possible original tour itineraries in Madagascar. Madagascar Holidays with a Local Operator give you more control and customization, better pricing, security, and safety for your trip to Madagascar. The best tours of Madagascar are on a low to mid-range budget, and quite cheap, however, the island is best enjoyed with extra time, not money. The more remote parts of the island are moderately more intensive and expensive. All Madagascar safari and tour vehicles are checked, cleaned, and maintained, all local guides are extremely serious experts with 30+ years of experience. Our staff and management have been on and regularly run all of these tours, personally. We also all live here, and have live updates and actionable methodical intelligence from the ground faster than most embassies, many more tour options, and exclusive access and insights, and can customize and adapt tours and still assure you have a great time on a Madagascar safari, stay, or soiree.

Commence or Customize Your Trip In Earth’s Most Unique Island!

The Madagascar top destinations and highlights are separated by long distances and domestic travel, including internal flights or rough roads, and the average recommended trip is about 10 to 15 days. Madagascar’s best sites are scattered. When time is short, flying and long transit is needed. Theme tours of wildlife, birds, botany and flora, vanilla production, food fusion, history, and Malagasy culture are best visited in very different parts of the island, with different specialists. Please ask us for recommendations for your goals. For large groups or special interests, we can cater to and cover criteria for scenery, languages, security, science, study, business, and other particular or peculiar criteria. Reach out and ask our low-price-guaranteed, highly-trained team @ Earth’s Most Unique Island and Evolution’s Masterpiece: Madagascar…Browse below, and feel at home!

1. Baobab Avenue Tour

View details / book online, 2. grand tour of madagascar, 3. grand tsingy express (from morondava), 4. madagascar lemurs tour, 5. rainforest route 7 express, 6. abril (april) – 15 dias (days) – espanol – aventura madagascar con comida y vuelos – grupo 4, 7. agosto (august) – 15 dias (days) – espanol – ultimo madagascar con comida y vuelos – grupo 5, 8. august – 15 days – english – madagascar adventure expedition including flights and food – group 2, 9. july – 15 days – english – madagascar adventure expedition including flights and food – group 1, 10. september – 15 days – english – highlights around madagascar including flights and food – group 3, 11. 3 day cruise tour of nosy be – sail the bays of the be, 12. 3 day kayaking trip in madagascar – nosy komba, lokobe park, ecosystems, and lemurs, 13. 3 day kayaking trip in madagascar – party beaches and best resorts, 14. 4-day private yacht charter holiday to mozambique from nosy be, 15. 5 day panoramic cruise tour of nosy be – sail all the blue bays of the be, 16. helicopter, boat, and flight transfers between nosy be, komba, iranja, sakatia, mitsio, saba, ankify, 17. kayaking and camping tour in madagascar (with lemurs), 18. madagascar 11 day value tour from nosy be – north circuit, 19. nosy be 6 day lemurs and lovely beaches tour – 6 day package lokobe, nosy komba, nosy iranja, snorkeling, 20. nosy be aerial adventure (helicopter) and ultimate ground tour of 5 days – nosy be “air & ground” tour, 21. nosy be and northern madagascar 9 day grand tour with ankarana and amber mountains park, 22. nosy be grand island hopping 5 day package tour – nosy be, komba, tanikely, sakatia, and iranja tour, 23. ultimate north madagascar circuit 12 days – nosy be, lokobe, ankarana, amber mountains, diego suarez, coast, 3 bays, nosy komba & tanikely, 24. 10-day nosy be to ile sainte marie scuba diving and whale watching adventure, 25. 6-day ile sainte marie ultimate island hopping and scuba diving adventure, 26. 6-day nosy be ultimate island hopping and scuba diving adventure, 27. aerial tourism, survey, and photography private plane charter tours of madagascar – direct and low price and satisfaction guaranteed – booking portal for clients and agents, 28. east circuit, 29. extended stay – andasibe rainforest, 30. extended stay – sainte-marie island, 31. honeymoon in madagascar, 32. madagascar best birding (birdwatching) and panoramic photography tour (the grand bird tour of endemics), 33. madagascar lemurs tour, 34. mayotte marvel: a 4-day tour of earth’s most unique island, 35. nosy be motorcycle and motorbike rental and touring, 36. pangalanes canal & andasibe-mantadia park: rainforest & river tour, 37. aerial tourism, survey, and photography private plane charter tours of madagascar – direct and low price and satisfaction guaranteed – booking portal for clients and agents, 38. baobab avenue tour, 39. grand tsingy express (from morondava), 40. madagascar best birding (birdwatching) and panoramic photography tour (the grand bird tour of endemics), 41. september – 15 days – english – highlights around madagascar including flights and food – group 3, 42. west circuit – baobab avenue, riverboat voyage, and rainforests, 43. west coast rough road tour – offroading tulear to morondava – hit the beaches and baobabs, 44. august – 15 days – english – madagascar adventure expedition including flights and food – group 2, 45. extended stay – anakao beach, 46. extended stay – ifaty beach, 47. grand tour of madagascar, 48. mada motorcycle tours, 49. madagascar best birding (birdwatching) and panoramic photography tour (the grand bird tour of endemics), 50. makay – the most remote rainforest in mg, tour, 51. nosy be motorcycle and motorbike rental and touring, 52. rainforest route 7 express, 53. september – 15 days – english – highlights around madagascar including flights and food – group 3, 54. south circuit – classic tour route: route 7, anja, isalo mountains, desert dunes, and baobabs, 55. west coast rough road tour – offroading tulear to morondava – hit the beaches and baobabs, 56. 11-days masoala national park msl and antananarivo tour, 57. 4-days masoala national park msl – beach adventure tour, 58. 4-days masoala national park msl tour – rainforest adventure, 59. 6-days masoala national park msl – malagasy culture tour, 60. 8-days masoala national park msl – honeymoon tour, 61. kayaking around manga be and masoala – masoala peninsula and nosy manga be sea kayaking tour from maroantsetra madagascar, 62. madagascar real frontier tour (the toughest trip on the island) – overlanding by off-road car from nosy be south to maroansetra and masoala, 63. madagascar real frontier tour: overlanding by off-road car from tamatave north to maroansetra and masoala, 64. masoala forest and madagascar’s haunted places scary tour, 65. masoala national park and rainforest expedition (east madagascar) tour, 66. 40 to 60 day cycle trip across all of madagascar tip to toe, end to end: bicycle across all of madagascar’s best, 67. antalaha day tour – macolline forest and unesco site, 68. madagascar vanilla coast & marojejy park: tour of sava from sambava, 69. nosy be motorcycle and motorbike rental and touring, 70. sambava day tour – vanilla coast and sava river ride, 71. sava axis of adventure in northeast madagascar: the entire vanilla coast and parks, 72. east circuit, 73. extended stay – anakao beach, 74. extended stay – andasibe rainforest, 75. extended stay – ifaty beach, 76. extended stay – sainte-marie island, 77. grand tsingy de bemahara, baobab avenue, and kirindy forest adventure (west), 78. honeymoon in madagascar, 79. kayaking around manga be and masoala – masoala peninsula and nosy manga be sea kayaking tour from maroantsetra madagascar, 80. mada motorcycle tours, 81. madagascar best birding (birdwatching) and panoramic photography tour (the grand bird tour of endemics), 82. madagascar film and journalism permits services – filming permits and tv/movie production personnel for madagascar, 83. madagascar real frontier tour (the toughest trip on the island) – overlanding by off-road car from nosy be south to maroansetra and masoala, 84. madagascar real frontier tour: overlanding by off-road car and canal boat from tamatave south to farafangana and manakara, 85. madagascar real frontier tour: overlanding by off-road car from tamatave north to maroansetra and masoala, 86. madagascar vanilla coast & marojejy park: tour of sava from sambava, 87. madagascar’s marvelous food tour – 3 days of tasting delight (hotels are included), 88. makay – the most remote rainforest in mg, tour, 89. masoala forest and madagascar’s haunted places scary tour, 90. masoala national park and rainforest expedition (east madagascar) tour, 91. north circuit – l’ankarana tsingy, spike forests, emerald bay, and the amber mountains, 92. pangalanes canal & andasibe-mantadia park: rainforest & river tour, 93. south circuit – classic tour route: route 7, anja, isalo mountains, desert dunes, and baobabs, 94. unveiling madagascar wonders: lemurs, landscapes, and luxuries, 95. west circuit – baobab avenue, riverboat voyage, and rainforests, 96. west coast rough road tour – offroading tulear to morondava – hit the beaches and baobabs, 97. zombitse and isalo national park, spectacular sapphires, and beautiful baobabs tour : zombitse , ilakaka, and southern madagascar’s sapphire mines, 98. 40 to 60 day cycle trip across all of madagascar tip to toe, end to end: bicycle across all of madagascar’s best, 99. 40 to 60 day cycle trip across madagascar – main cultural odyssey and historic siteseeing axis, 100. madagascar real frontier tour (the toughest trip on the island) – overlanding by off-road car from nosy be south to maroansetra and masoala, 101. madagascar real frontier tour: overlanding by off-road car and canal boat from tamatave south to farafangana and manakara, 102. madagascar real frontier tour: overlanding by off-road car from tamatave north to maroansetra and masoala, 103. madathon marathon: kayak hike and bike through all of madagascar overland, 104. amber mountains adventure – montagne d’ambre tour to madagascar’s first park, 105. amber mountains and 3 bays day tour – long day from diego, 106. antalaha day tour – macolline forest and unesco site, 107. cooking & cuisine day tour from tana – malagasy fine foodie madagascar tour, 108. custom day tours from nosy be and attractions near nosy be main island, 109. day excursion or shore tour to the red tsingy from diego suarez, 110. day trip to 3 bays from diego suarez: the bay of sakalava, bay of pigeons, bay of dunes, 111. diego suarez 1 day trip to the emerald bay (baie d”emeraude), 112. diego to montagne des français and ramena, valley of the parakeets, 113. fianaratsoa day trip to sapphires and scenic geologic parks, 114. fort dauphin tôlanaro (ehoala port) culture and culinary discovery day tour, 115. full day reserve of reniala and antsokay arboretum tour from tulear, 116. half day lots of lemurs tour from nosy be (hotel or cruiseport) – private trip | low price guaranteed, 117. half day reserve of reniala tour from tulear, 118. lokobe reserve full day tour with lunch, 119. lokobe reserve half day tour for cruises, 120. luxury private tour from diego with lunch (great for vip’s/luxury bracket travelers), 121. madagascar day tour – andasibe rainforest and vakona forest lodge and reserve, 122. madagascar day tour – antananarivo and lemurs, 123. madagascar day tour – fort dauphin and berenty reserve, 124. madagascar day tour – mahajanga and the cirque rouge (red circuit), 125. madagascar day tour – tamatave (toamasina) and ivoloina park, 126. madagascar day tour – tulear, arboretum reserve, and museum, 127. morondava day tour – baobab avenue, kirindy forest, & lovers baobabs tour, 128. nocturnal visit to black lemurs park and andrafiamena camp, 129. nosy be & nosy komba day tour, boat cruise, & island hop, 130. nosy be wildlife and waterfalls half-day hiking tour, 131. one day excursion from sainte marie day to natural rock pools and ile aux nattes, 132. one day kayaking trip from nosy be/ankify to nosy komba, 133. sambava day tour – vanilla coast and sava river ride, 134. sava axis of adventure in northeast madagascar: the entire vanilla coast and parks, 135. shorex for japanese peaceboat options to berenty and baobab avenue madagascar, 136. shorex for japanese peaceboat options to isalo and baobab avenue madagascar, 137. la digue self guided cycling shore excursion with anse source d’argent access, 138. mahe island shore excursion with takamaka rum tasting, 139. neighbor islands.

• Click to See All
• North Circuit
• South Circuit
• West Circuit
• East Circuit
• Andasibe Rainforest
• Sainte-Marie Island
• Ifaty Beach
• Anakao Beach
• Motorcycle Tours
• Honeymoon in Madagascar
• Grand Tsingy de Bemahara, Baobab Avenue, and Kirindy Forest Adventure (West)
• Makay – The Most Remote Rainforest in MG, Tour
• Masoala National Park and Rainforest Expedition (East Madagascar) Tour
• Pangalanes Canal & Andasibe-Mantadia Park: Rainforest & River Tour
• Madagascar Vanilla Coast & Marojejy Park: Tour of SAVA from Sambava
• Masoala Forest and Madagascar’s Haunted Places Scary Tour
• Madagascar’s Marvelous Food Tour – 3 Days of Tasting Delight! (Hotels Are Included)
• Kayaking Around Manga Be and Masoala – Masoala Peninsula and Nosy Manga Be Sea Kayaking Tour from Maroantsetra Madagascar
• West Coast Rough Road Tour – Offroading Tulear to Morondava – Hit the Beaches and Baobabs
• Madagascar Best Birding (Birdwatching) and Panoramic Photography Tour (The Grand Bird Tour of Endemics)
• Zombitse and Isalo National Park, Spectacular Sapphires, and Beautiful Baobabs Tour : Zombitse , Ilakaka, and Southern Madagascar’s Sapphire mines
• SAVA Axis of Adventure in Northeast Mada: The Whole Vanilla Coast
• Rough & Remote Mada: Tamatave to Maroantsetra
• Rough & Remote Mada: Tamatave to Farafangana
• Rough & Remote Mada: Nosy Be to Maroantsetra
• Adventure in the Madagascar Islands – a 5 Days Trip
• 3 Day Cruise Tour Of Nosy Be – Sail the Bays of the Be!
• 5 Day Panoramic Cruise Tour Of Nosy Be – Sail all the Blue Bays of the Be!
• Nosy Be Aerial Adventure (Helicopter) and Ultimate Ground Tour of 5 Days – Nosy Be “Air & Ground” Tour
• Nosy Be Grand Island Hopping 5 Day Package Tour – Nosy Be, Komba, Tanikely, Sakatia, and Iranja Tour
• Nosy Be 6 Day Lemurs and Lovely Beaches Tour – 6 Day Package Lokobe, Nosy Komba, Nosy Iranja, Snorkeling
• Nosy Be and Northern Madagascar 9 Day Grand Tour with Ankarana and Amber Mountains Park
• Ultimate North Madagascar Circuit 12 Days – Nosy Be, Lokobe, Ankarana, Amber Mountains, Diego Suarez, Coast, 3 Bays, Nosy Komba & Tanikely
• Madagascar 11 Day Value Tour from Nosy Be – North Circuit
• Mount Maramokotro & Tsaratanana Trekking Tour in Madagascar from Nosy Be/Ambanja
• Nosy Be Motorcycle and Motorbike Rental and Touring
• Kayaking Camping Tour…with Lemurs
• 3 Day Kayaking : Nature & Lemurs
• 3 Day Kayaking : Party Beaches
• Nosy Be, Nosy Iranja, Nosy Sakatia, Nosy Saba, Nosy Mitsio Aviation
• Madagascar to Mozambique by boat crossing service:
• Masoala Park – Rainforest Adventure (4 days)
• Masoala Park – Beach Adventure (4 days)
• Masoala Park – Honeymoon Adventure (8 days)
• Masoala Park – Malagasy Culture Tour (6 days)
• Masoala Park – Explore And Relax Tour (11 days)
• Antalaha Day Tour – Macolline Forest and UNESCO Site
• Rough and Remote Mada: Cycle Across the Entire Island : North to South in 2 months
• Sambava Day Tour – Vanilla Coast and SAVA River Ride
• SAVA Axis of Adventure in Northeast Madagascar: The Entire Vanilla Coast and Parks
• Aerial Tourism, Survey, and Photography Private Plane Charter Tours of Madagascar – Direct and Low Price and Satisfaction Guaranteed – Booking Portal for Clients and Agents
• Madagascar Lemurs Tour
• Extended Stay – Andasibe Rainforest
• Extended Stay – Sainte-Marie Island
• Adventure in the Mayotte Islands – 4 Days Trip
• Baobab Avenue Tour
• West Circuit – Baobab Avenue, Riverboat Voyage, and Rainforests
• Grand Tsingy Express (from Morondava)
• September – 15 Days – Lowest (Direct) Tour Operator Price – Group Trip 3 (South and West)
• South Circuit – Classic Tour Route: Route 7, Anja, Isalo Mountains, Desert Dunes, and Baobabs
• Rainforest Route 7 Express
• September – 15 Days – English – Highlights Around Madagascar Including Flights and Food – Group 3
• August – 15 Days – English – Madagascar Adventure Expedition Including Flights and Food – Group 2
• Mada Motorcycle Tours
• Grand Tour of Madagascar
• Extended Stay – Anakao Beach
• Extended Stay – Ifaty Beach
• Rough and Remote Mada: Cycle Across the Entire Island Track 2
• Madagascar Real Frontier Tour (The toughest trip on the island) – Overlanding by Off-Road Car from Nosy Be South to Maroansetra and Masoala
• Madagascar Real Frontier Tour: Overlanding by Off-Road Car and Canal Boat from Tamatave South to Farafangana and Manakara
• Madagascar Real Frontier Tour: Overlanding by Off-Road Car from Tamatave North to Maroansetra and Masoala
• Madathon Marathon: Kayak Hike and Bike all Madagascar
• Discovering Madagascar’s Aquatic Wonderland: 6-Day Ile Sainte Marie Ultimate Island Hopping and Scuba Diving Adventure
• Discovering Madagascar’s Aquatic Wonderland: 6-Day Nosy Be Ultimate Island Hopping and Scuba Diving Adventure
• Madagascar Marine Adventure: 10-Day Nosy Be to Ile Sainte Marie Scuba Diving and Whale Watching Adventure
• Antananarivo and Lemurs
• Cooking & Cuisine Day Tour From Tana – Malagasy Fine Foodie Madagascar Tour!
• Andasibe Rainforest and Vakona Forest Lodge and Reserve
• Nosy Be & Nosy Komba Day Tour, Boat Cruise, & Island Hop
• Half Day Lots of Lemurs Tour from Nosy Be (Hotel or Cruiseport) – Private Trip | Low Price Guaranteed
• Custom Day Tours from Nosy Be and Attractions near Nosy Be Main Island
• Sea Kayaking Day Tour with Lemurs
• Lokobe Reserve Full Day Tour with Lunch
• Lokobe Reserve Half Day Tour for Cruises
• Nosy Be Wildlife and Waterfalls Half-Day Hiking Tour
• Diego to Montagne des français, Parakeet Valley, and Ramena
• Diego to the Red Tsingy (Tsingy Rouge) Geo Park & Mountains
• 3 Bays (Trois Baies) from Diego Suarez
• Amber Mountains Adventure (“Mouse Lemur Mountains”) from Diego
• Amber Mountains and 3 Bays Combo Tour – Long Day from Diego
• Diego Suarez Emerald Bay – (Baie d”Emeraude)
• Diego Suarez Night Tour : Black Lemur Safari and Andrafiamena Park
• Luxury Private Tour from Diego with Lunch (Great for VIP’s/Luxury Bracket Travelers)
• Tour for the Japanese “Peaceboat” from Ehoala Fort Dauphin
• Tour for the Japanese “Peaceboat” from Tulear Toliara
• Sainte Marie Day Tour to Rock Pools and Ile Aux Nattes
• Tulear , Arboretum Reserve, and Museum
• Fort Dauphin and Berenty Reserve
• Mahajanga and the Cirque Rouge (Red Circuit)
• Tamatave (Toamasina) and Ivoloina Park
• Morondava Day Tour – Baobab Avenue, Kirindy Forest, & Lovers Baobabs Tour
• Half Day Reserve of Reniala Tour from Tulear
• Full Day Reserve of Reniala and Antsokay Arboretum Tour from Tulear
• Fort Dauphin Tôlanaro (Ehoala Port) Culture and Culinary Discovery Day Tour
• Fianaratsoa Day Trip to Sapphires and Scenic Geologic Parks
• Lemurs Tour
• July – 15 Days – Lowest (Direct) Tour Operator Price – Group Trip 1 (South and East)
• August – 15 Days – Lowest (Direct) Tour Operator Price – Group Trip 2 (South and East)
• September – 15 Days – Lowest (Direct) Tour Operator Price – Group Trip 3 (South and West)
• Abril (April) – 15 Dias (Days) – Madagascar Grupo Espanol 1
• Agosto (August) – 15 Dias (Days) – Madagascar Grupo Espanol 2
• Extend: Comoros, Mayotte, Mauritius, Seychelles
• Madagascar Import Agent and Customs Broker
• Private Security Service
• Security Convoy and Escort Service
• Madagascar Film and Journalism Permits Services – Filming Permits and TV/Movie Production Personnel for Madagascar
• Madagascar Real Homestay (With Meals)
• Cargo (Boat and Truck)
• Madagascar Business Registration
• Madagascar Residence Permit Application
• Malagasy / English / French / Chinese / Formal Business Translation
• Madagascar Aircraft Recovery and Search & Rescue SAR
• Madagascar to Mozambique by boat crossing service
• Liveaboard Boat and Diving for Comoros and Mayotte
• Book a Flight (ShareAir Shuttle)
• Book a Flight
• Tsingy Aerial Tour
• Tsingy and Baobab Avenue Maximum Speed Tour from Tana and Back Dash!
• Baobab Avenue Aerial Tour
• Rent An Aircraft
• Helicopter Tour from Nosy Be
• Rental AS350 Helicopter trip in Madagascar
• Helicopter Rental Tour: Soar in the skies of Madagascar
• Comoros Tours
• Mayotte Tours
• La Digue Self Guided Cycling Shore Excursion with Anse Source d’Argent Access
• Mahe Island Shore Excursion with Takamaka Rum Tasting
• Booking Terms & Conditions
• Vehicles and Insurance
• Communications in Madagascar
• Business, Legal, and Rare Products or Opportunities
• Safety Security and Risks
• Madagascar Private Armed Security Services
• Security Escort (Military) Convoy for Solo Travel
• Health and Disease in Madagascar
• Roads and Driving
• Visas Internal Flying and Airport Rules
• Tour Operators and Tour Agency Licensing and Distribution
• Seasons and Weather
• Madagascar Air Charter, Rental, Heli, and Hangar HQ
• Tsingy and Baobab Avenue Aviation
• Rainforest and Malagasy Countryside Aviation
• Rent a Boat
• Hire Security
• Customer Reviews

Used for booking services

Used for upload and booking services

• +261 [0]32 11 028 52
• [email protected]

• Circuits Enduro Sport

Antananarivo, Tulear, Belmont, Manakara, Fort Dauphin, Ranomafana, Lavanono, Itampolo, Anakao

The Wild South

11 Day - 11 nights (10 day motorcycle)

Max 15 people

Southern Madagascar is available to you : between sky and sea, in the middle of a landscape of bush and semi-desert sand, you will discover a culture and nature like no other. This gradual descent from the highlands to the coast of the east you will enjoy a variety of landscapes and types of track : sable, terre, mud punctuate a difficult course but sumptuous.

KEY SITES :

• Discovery Antsirabe
• Ambositra capital of the Malagasy craft
• Reserve Ranomafana
• Canal des Pangalanes
• Fort Dauphin
• faux Cap / Lavanono
• Réserve naturelle de Tsimanampetsotsa

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE :

• A motorcycle enduro prepared especially for your trip
• Liability insurance in case of accident with your bike
• An experienced guide in accompanying motorcycle raids
• A vehicle 4*4 assistance with driver carrying your luggage and mechanical equipment (for 5 Biker and more)
• Accommodation in double / twin room (standard or superior depending on your choice)
• The Full board (breakfast and dinner at the hotel, Packed lunch for lunch)
• Entrance fees and guide to visit the parks and monuments provided during your trip.
• Airport transfers – hotel
• Taxes and tourist stamps.

OUR SERVICES DO NOT INCLUDE :

• Personal insurance for your stay in Madagascar, such as repatriation insurance
• International and domestic flights and airport taxes
• A deposit of 1 000 Euro check or cash for the use of your bike
• The meals during days of transfer
• Personal expenses (drinks, tips, various purchases)
• Entrance fees to monuments and parks not included in the tour program.

based on rate of a group of 10 including drivers : transfer and hotel on arrival airport , the full board accommodation, rental and fuel the bike, Moto guide Accompanying, the 4×4 assistance with its fuel and internal theft Province – Tananarive.

I1 -TANANARIVE - ANTSIRABE - 200 km (Dirt road - Bitumen)

J2 -antsirabe - ambositra - 140 km (dirt road), j3 -ambositra - ranomafana - 150 km (dirt road - mud), i4 -ranomafana - manakara –150 km (bitumen), j5 –manakara – sandravinany - 230 km (bitumen - earth), j6 –sandravinany – fort dauphin – 100 km (dirt road), j7 -fort dauphin and its surroundings or day off, j8 - fort dauphin - lavanono - 250 km (bitumen - earth - sand), j9 - lavanono - beheloka 250 km, j10 -beheloka -tuléar 250 km, j11 – tulear – antananarivo (transfer), j12 vol international, 0% of guests recommend, write a review cancel reply.

By using this form, you agree the storage and processing of data by this site. *

François Serrano

I grew up in Reunion Island by practicing the slopes of the island Intense motorcycle. I now live in Madagascar, Red Island and I fulfilled myself entirely on the many trails in Madagascar

DIFFICULTY CIRCUIT

Make your reservation.

Alone or in groups, you can decide to reserve the dates of your choice a circuit from our catalog or create your own tracks. We will help you decide the best course for your team!

Your name (mandatory)

Your email address (mandatory)

Your phone (mandatory)

Number of participants(s)

Desired date

Additional need By using this form, you agree the storage and processing of data by this site.

Share this circuit, thank you

Similar tours.

The three lakes 6 days

The 2 lakes 3 days

RD 43 in 6 days

• Català
• Portugès
• $ Dollar USD
• A$ Dollar AUS
• R$ Real BRL
• Fr Swiss Franc

New customer?

Customer Sign In

Motorcycle tour in Madagascar

• 2024 August
• 2024 September
• 2024 October
• 2024 November
• 2025 August
• 2025 September
• 2025 October
• 2025 November

Madagascar Motorcycle dual-purpose and Adventure on Royal Enfield

Home " Travel offers " Motorcycle Tour - The Gates of the Deep South 8 days

Motorcycle trip to the south to the Mozambique Channel

About the trip, the gates of the deep south.

National Road 7 is to Madagascar what Road 66 is to the United States: from north to south and east to west, it takes you to the heart of the Red Island.

From the lush green highlands to the desert plains of the south, you will traverse an incredible variety of landscapes by motorcycle.

On each stage you will discover the many natural and cultural treasures that Madagascar has to offer: Waterfalls and legendary lakes in the highlands, forest reserves, tea plantations, the Isalo and Ranomafana National Park...

During the 1000 km of this route towards the Great South, you will not miss any of the enchantments that Madagascar has in store for its most curious travelers.

Duration: 8 days, including 5 days motorcycle ride.

1000 km on the motorcycle

Type: Road Trip

Recommended motorcycles: KTM 790 Adventure R

Region: West and Southwest

Difficulty: Easy

The travel days in detail

Facts and figures, our services to you include:.

- The rental of the motorcycle (including fuel), KTM Adventure 790 R 2019 or XR 190 T 2019.

- The all-inclusive motorcycle guide (shared by riders)

- Accommodation in a double or twin room with half board (drinks not included)

- Lunch picnics

- Entrance and guide fees in the parks included in the program

- An assistance vehicle (4×4 or minibus) with driver and fuel (shared between drivers).

- Airport/Hotel/Garage Transfers

- The air ticket from Nosy-Be to Antananarivo at the end of the trip

What is not included:

International flight ticket - personal insurance for the pilot - drinks - souvenir items - tips - tickets for parks and nature reserves outside the program, etc.

Contact us and book the tour of your dreams

Pictures gallery.

This is also interesting

Table of contents

• +261 33 12 048 92
• [email protected]
• Villa Sibylle Antananarivo (Madagascar)

SERVICE AND HELP

• Background information
• Madagascar from A-Z
• Privacy agreement
• Data extract
• Delete request
• Check-in Tours
• Mütterthies

Do you have any questions? Simply get in touch with us! Please use the contact form on the right. We will take care of your request as soon as possible.

Do you have any questions? Just get in touch with us! 

Appeal for donations

For madagascar.

Thank you for your donation

I guarantee you that all donations to 100% will reach the people. Kind regards Klaus

Thank you for thinking about donating to the poorest. Maybe you will come back here again.

My Motorcycle World

           difficult roads lead to       beautiful destinations.

Madagascar by motorcycle

Madagascar, a name that evokes adventures and exotic places, scents of spices, atmospheres and environments different from the familiar ones. What idea do we Europeans have today of this island in the Indian Ocean, the scene of an extraordinary evolution defined by the French botanist and naturalist Philibert Commerson as the “promised land of Naturalists”?

How to organize your motorcycle trip through Madagascar

Being the only large urban area and probably the only true city on the island, almost all tourists land in Antananarivo. The capital is at the center of the country and along the main communication route: the  Route National 7 or RN7. Nevertheless, many choose internal flights to move around the country and there is a reason for that.

Most of the roads around the country are in terrible condition, and many sections of the RN7 are no exception: although asphalted (for the entire stretch from Tana to Toliara for what I’ve seen), it’s a one-lane road in each direction and in some areas it’s plagued by dangerous potholes. This has two important implications for what concerns your road trip: you need to choose a bike and plan your trip accordingly.

Renting a bike

Before this trip I gave some thought about Namibia, only to give up in the face of the lack of economically viable ways to rent a motorbike: before trying to draw your itinerary on a map, it’s necessary to verify the actual possibility of having a vehicle available for your journey. In some countries, motorcycle tours are something rather new and the possibilities to rent a motorcycle are few. Madagascar is no exception.

After after meticulous research with some ups and downs, I managed to find a few tour operators dealing with motorcycle rental and I decided to contact the following:

Moto Tour Madagascar 2WheelTravel FlashMoto RandoRaid (in Antsirabe)

How's your French?

First two on the list, no answer. The third one was fun. Not many in Madagascar speak English: even with the tourist information office or with the hotels be prepared to write in French if you do not receive an answer to your email written in English. After two unsuccessful emails in English, I armed myself with Google Translate (my French is not at an acceptable level) and finally got an answer. I wrote again a couple of times, asking if we could speak English, nothing. So I switched to Whatsapp, same script: French -> answer, English -> ignored. Finally he asked me if I needed a guide for my tour. No thank you.

The motorbike I got

The fourth on the list, Rando Raid, was very kind. Although the workshop was located in Antsirabe , a town a few kilometers south of the capital and it was necessary to take a van and pay an advance, I decided to rent the motorbike from him. Jean Marc, the owner, is a very helpful and nice person and has a modern and well-equipped workshop in the town center. The bike, a Pacific 200cc, was in excellent condition, indeed, basically new. I think Pacific is a local brand that makes dirt bikes roughly similar to Honda CRFs using Chinese 2-stroke engines. Though not very fast, that kind of bike was absolutely the most appropriate thing to travel on the roads of Madagascar.

Planning your trip

Unfortunately, if the condition of the national road RN7 is not very good, the others are in such conditions that a journey of many kilometers is not feasible. Most of the roads leading off the RN7 are full of potholes or, much more often, dirt roads . And believe me, it is a kind of dirt road that you will not want to travel on a motorcycle for long stretches: stones, uneven ground and sand are frequent. Fortunately, one of the most popular tours is the one that goes from the capital down south to Toliara and the end of the RN7 on the coast: the tour of the highlands.

I was advised against by many to head north on the RN7 to the tourist resorts of  Antsiranana / Nosy Be . If you want to visit the beautiful north coast, the best idea is to fly to Antsiranana and rent a motorbike there (I think something is available). The tour of the highlands is however very interesting for the beautiful landscapes and the variety of environments that you cross. In addition to the fact that it does not present major difficulties. Unfortunately, for the reasons described, there is no way to plan a circular itinerary and it will be necessary to retrace the road backwards to return the bike. At the time, there was no possibility to leave the bike in another place and then be able to return by plane.

Ambo-something

One of the things you will notice when traveling through Madagascar is that most of the places are called Ambo/a-something or Anto/a-something. Which makes it a bit difficult to find your way around and remember the names of places. Don’t worry, following the RN7 down south from Tana is very easy as there are no alternatives. Only in some towns like Fiana for example, you will need the navigator at a couple of intersections, or to find the hotel. The advice is always to download the necessary maps in advance on your phone or navigator.

Police and gendarmerie checkpoints are a constant along the RN7. Generally, it consists of a kiosk with a couple of chairs and a sign: you always pass without problems, just slow down a bit. Unfortunately, it seems that the stories about police extorting truck and bus drivers seem to be true, but as far as tourists are concerned, it is very rare to be stopped. It happened to me twice around Toliara. I don’t know if all the documents were in order but policemen are very kind with tourists and I got away with it quickly. If you have a European driving license, don’t bother getting an international one: it’s useless here and a waste of money.

Antananarivo

Antananarivo, with its two million inhabitants is the only true metropolis of Madagascar and probably worth taking a day to take a tour. The city is distributed on some hills so it’s difficult to frame it all with a glance. It has a lower and an upper town (Haute Ville). The Avenue dell’Independance starts from the beautiful station and is probably the main course of the lower city, unfortunately a bit spoiled by dirt, garbage and chaos like the rest of the city.

From there you can easily reach the market and the staircase going up to the upper town, where you could find some interesting things to visit: the Rove, the Queen’s Palace, the Presidential Palace, the Andohalo church, the Anosy district with its lake. I didn’t have time for an extended visit, but around the capital it might be worth visiting the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and Andranomandraotra Geysers.

Tana → Antsirabe

Each corner of the island has something unique to offer. The middle: gentle hills, red soil and incredibly green rice paddies, mountains, rain forest. Heading south you pass through a region that looks like a mosaic of lands of different colors: amber, ocher, green, red. The houses appear to be made of the exact same material as the earth they stand on.

The landscape outside the capital to the south immediately becomes rural. The suburbs of Antananarivo are dotted with houses and rice fields. Often you can see piles of bricks on the sides of the road, near improvised ovens used for cooking them or clothes lying on the grass to dry near rivers and rice fields. In the first part of the journey the landscape is quite conventional and the traffic is relatively intense, with many trucks and vans to overtake. Getting to Antsirabe will take around 4 hours of travel.

I traveled this stretch of road by van. As mentioned, the bike was waiting for me in Antsirabe , so I proceeded to book a bus trip to there, not without difficulty. There are various comfort-bus companies to check: Antsirabus, Gasy Car’s, Soatrans, Cotisse. None of these allow you to pay via the web, their websites are often malfunctioning and getting information via email is often frustrating. If you are in my condition, I suggest you to do this: arrive in Tana, allow yourself one day to take a tour of the capital and go in person to the office (which is often found at the reception of some modest hotel) to book your trip.

Antsirabe → Fianarantsoa

Although the town is far from large, with a single main road running through it, Antsirabe is an important economic center where mainly cereals are traded (and where the popular THB beer is produced). In the surroundings there are 4 extinct volcanoes and some nice lakes, but apart from the cathedral I didn’t find many reasons to stay longer than necessary in the city. Considering the time available, I calculated stages that did not require more than 5 or 6 hours of travel and the ideal thing was to reach the city of Fianarantsoa. A journey of 5 and a half hours and 240km. 

Ambositra is a small town particularly known for wood carvers: some villages in its surroundings are home to markets where skilled carvers sell wooden objects. Ambositra itself does offer much if not a chaotic and colorful market along the main street where goods of all kinds are sold. After Ambositra the road goes through a mountain range. 

This stretch of road offers beautiful views: wide cultivated valleys and red or ocher houses, the same color as the land on which they stand. Although there is not a lot of traffic on this stretch, the road is full of potholes. You will find many children begging near deeper ones or women selling vegetables, eggs or other things. A tip: avoid alms to children. If you really want to donate money, do it to some association that takes care of taking children off the street and helping them studying.

Approaching Fianarantsoa you will notice a sign on the left indicating the nearby  Ranomafana Park . While not as spectacular as Isalo’s, it is definitely worth a visit as it covers an area of rather rich rain forest. In the nearby village of Ranomafana (many park guides live there) you can find exceptional typical products, including honey, cinnamon, vanilla and wild pepper.

Fianarantsoa

Fianarantsoa is probably the largest town you’ll find traveling south towards Toliara. Approaching Fianarantsoa you run along the single track railway line (which is said to be working but I never saw any train) you will certainly notice increasing traffic and a coming and going of people and carts. The city, the “capital” of the Betsileo ethnic group, offers some interesting spots for a visit: like Tana it’s spread over a few hills, the “old upper city” with the Queen’s Palace and the cathedral, the “new upper city” where there are banks, shops and newer buildings and the “lower city”. This is perhaps the real heart of the city, with the flashy station, the small football stadium and where a constant bustle of people reigns.

Fianarantsoa → Isalo

There are many parks around Madagascar but the most popular is probably Isalo, or “Ishalu” as it is pronounced by Malagasy people. The nearest village is called Ranohira and it will certainly be a must to stop there if you intend to visit it for one or more days. The advantage of planning a stop there is also that it is more or less halfway between Fiana and Toliara and you will certainly find several small hotels or holiday villages. The nearby towns of Ihosy and Sakaraha are rather conventional places, not really worth a visit. On the other hand, Ranohira is certainly more expensive.

Leaving Fianarantsoa, the road climbs a bit up a mountainous area. On the top you can admire a beautiful landscape over the Ambalavao valley: a mosaic of fields and colors. From here on, the landscape will gradually begin to change, becoming increasingly drier. Nevertheless, the Ambalavao valley and the following road are probably one of the most pleasant stretches.

Famadihana celebrations

Heading towards Isalo, the RN7 passes through large beautiful valleys that are gradually becoming more arid and where the green gives way to gold in the surrounding fields. The town of Ihosy is perhaps the largest center in the area and it casually gave me the opportunity to witness one of the most folkloric celebrations taking place in Africa: the Famadihana , the exhumation ceremony. It’s not typical of a particular place, indeed this festival is celebrated here and there in many African countries. It consists in exhuming the dead, wrapping them in a silk sheet and carrying them in procession through the city. A procession that is rather a colorful festival in which the locals sing and dance with the bones of the dead on their heads, rejoice, eat and drink beer and rum. It is a special occasion to embrace the body of the dearly departed. At Ihosy, not being aware of this custom, I went by motorbike, totally amazed, right through one of these noisy and dancing processions.

After the sunny town of Ihosy the road climbs through a mountain range that offers some beautiful glimpses of the landscape, and then descends on the wide plateau where you can try the parks of Isalo, Zombitse and some other minor ones. Ranohira is probably the ideal base for excursions in the Isalo park.

Each hotel is able to put you in contact with one of the many authorized guides with whom to agree on the route of your visit. None of these are particularly difficult but there are many things to see. Starting with the lemurs, some of which, during the day, are stationed near the only small campsite inside the park, eating, playing, arguing quietly just a stone’s throw from visitors. The only day I spent walking around the park was fantastic, a pleasant walk among animals, savannah, forest, canyons and waterfalls.

• Gallery Item

The "Lemur Catta" aka Ringtail Lemur

The forest down in the valley, by the river is rich and green

Chamaleon, fluorescent for the occasion

The Sifaka Lemur, on of the few Indri you can find down here.

The dry forest down in the canyon

On top of the plateau

The so called "Dwarf Baobab"

The "Blue Pool"

Gallery item name

The "Black Pool"

Isalo → Toliara

After Ranohira, the road continues slowly and quietly towards the south. The valleys are getting wider and the climate becomes more and more arid. It happens to climb up sunny and quiet roads and find yourself traveling across a broad land of yellow fields where settlements are rare and it’s easy to travel for several minutes without encountering any vehicle or person. In this area it often happens to pass through characteristic villages whose houses are built entirely of red clay with a golden thatched roof.

Sapphires of Madagascar

On the way to Sakaraha you will notice more and more bizarre showrooms that carry large blue signs: “saphirs”. Near Ilakaka, decades ago numerous deposits of high quality sapphires were discovered. Although now the mines are running out and the extraction has decreased it is always possible to try to buy them in one of the many shops or book a visit to the mines. I remember passing by one, where a man with a large sack was “ventilating” the tunnels below by emptying the sack full of air into a pipe. 

The last desert

Before Sakaraha it is not difficult to notice a few baobads here and there along the road. But soon the landscape becomes much more desolate. Although there is very little traffic, the road is again studded with dangerous potholes. The rare villages encountered later are truly miserable, with houses made of mud in a desolate landscape where people are forced to cultivate using the “slash and burn” technique. Throughout the journey, in many areas typical local products are sold along the way: honey, eggs, bananas, straw, drinks… To the north near Antsirabe an endless line of stalls selling toy trucks! Villages in this area sold ropes made of woven straw.

Shortly before reaching the coast, the road slowly descends from the plateau. Toliara is a relatively large town and quite lively when compared to the atmosphere of the highlands. My intention was to spend three days relaxing around the far south coast. My hotel was right next to the local “bus station”, basically an absurd bedlam of people, vehicles and rickshaws that invaded the street at all hours. Beyond, although the pedal rickshaws invaded the whole city, there was a fairly tidy and touristy city with some clubs and restaurants (including some very good run by Italians). There was even a supermarket, which I have found very rare in my travels in the third world.

Around Toliara

Inland there is an interesting area called “the thorny forest” which is definitely worth a visit. To the north, on the other hand, I paid a visit to the famous beaches of Ifaty and Mangily, and then quickly returned to one of the mangrove beaches along the way. The beach in Ifaty is nice, parking is paid everywhere (sign of tourism) apparently managed by a random guy without any bagde or other identifying mark. My experience lasted a few minutes: being out of season I was the only European who ventured on a beach entirely populated by locals. In one hundred meters, after all the eyes where upon me, dozens of people came to offer boat trips, barbecues, snorkeling excursions, lobsters, coconuts, necklaces and so on and so forth. The beach at the mangroves was more deserted with only a few fishermen giggling and staring at me for a long time while passing by, probably amazed by the fact a person could use the beach to relax for a couple of hours in the sun.

The tropic line

I read in my guide that south of Toliara there is a fishing village called Anakao, off the main tourist routes and that the opposite island of Nosy Ve is said to have wonderful beaches. Unfortunately, the area is only accessible by boat and the guy at the reception informed me that a trip would cost more than a hundred euros. Anakao lay across a dry river without a bridge and whose only ford had a sinister reputation (later, I would find out it’s so muddy you can get stuck in there). Nonetheless, I decided to check the situation for myself. The road to Anakao passes through a modest village called St. Augustin, famous only for being the landing site of the English two centuries ago. An operation that failed miserably. My attempt to reach Anakao also failed, as the dirt road was so bad that I was forced to drive standing on the pegs. Nevertheless, the Tropic of Capricorn crosses the road at some point and there is a nice monument to delimit the place.

Back to base

As I said, probably one of most uncomfortable aspects of a trip to Madagascar is the impossibility of planning a circular itinerary. At the moment none of the rentals offer the possibility to drop the motorbike in Toliara or any other place. Something that would not be too difficult considering how easy it is to transport the bike on one of the many vans that travel along the RN7. This makes it necessary to travel back along the same road over the last few days. For this, at least three days must be taken into account. It was not particularly annoying for me: a large part of the road is not busy at all and the landscape is very pleasant, so it was definitely worth it!

Amazing detailed travel story! I am thinking of doing the same next month. Did the rental company asked for your moto driving licence ? I have only one for 125cc. Also, I supposed you were traveling with a big backpack fixed on the rack? When you wanted d to stop somewhere, where did you leave the bag safe? Also, I would to a circle circuit, meaning going down the N7 but going back up along the coast to Morondova. Why didn’t you chose doing that? Lack of time or company didn’t allow it?

Thank you very much! To answer your questions, yes, the rental asked to see my driving license, it’s probably a legal requirement for rentals. And to be honest I wouldn’t risk having the bike confiscated by police, so if I was you, I’d go for a 125cc. Yes, I had a bag tied to the bike with a couple of elastic cables, you clearly see that in the cover picture. I use vacuum bags to keep my luggage small. I wouldn’t say Madagascar is a dangerous place but there’s a lot of poverty and beggars around so you don’t want to leave that on the bike. If you visit parks it’s easy to leave your luggage somewhere. Otherwise the best thing is probably to travel from hotel to hotel, then going for visits after you left things in your room. Yeah, a circular route is always the best thing to plan, if possible. But believe me it’s not an easy thing to do in Madagascar. I had two weeks only and it was just enough to get to Toliara and go back. Moreover, while on the east side there is a minor road that travels along the coast, there’s no such thing on the west coast. You can ride along the RN9 that will take you back to the interior, but I’m sure it’s a bad, unpaved road and you will just find poor villages along the way, with no hotels and support should something happen. Plus, there’s no bridge crossing the river close to Tanambao (have a look at Google street view). Apart from that it’s just a matter of time and energy 🙂 Ask the guy you will rent the bike from, he will give you the best advice. Good luck!

An inspiring trip. Did you travel solo? It would be nice to hear your thoughts on personal safety in Mada.

Thank you! Yes it was a solo trip. I would say that Madagascar can be considered a safe place, at least compared to many other African countries. Of course annoying vendors, beggars and petty crime are everywhere, so be more careful in larger towns like Tana, Toliara or Fianarantsoa. A widespread phenomenon are begging children along the RN7: just stop to take a couple of photos and you’ll be surrounded by a swarm of begging kids. Police is generally very tolerant with tourists: you will most likely pass through many checkpoints along the RN7 without a problem. Driving is also not very difficult, especially if you have experience of driving in other African countries or in Southeast Asia: potholes and trucks to overtake are the main threat.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *