South — Isalo, Ifaty & Tsingy

The Isalo National Park is Madagascar's most spectacular landscape — an 81,500-hectare sandstone massif that has eroded over millions of years into deep gorges, natural pools, plateaus, and bizarre rock formations. It's called the “Grand Canyon of Madagascar”, but that doesn't do it justice — Isalo has a character all its own.

Highlights in the Park

• Piscine Naturelle (Natural Pool): The quintessential postcard image — an emerald green pool fed by a waterfall, nestled in a narrow gorge with palms and ferns. Swimming is allowed and heavenly after a hot hike.
• Canyon des Makis: A narrow gorge where ring-tailed lemurs (Kattas) frolic on the rocks. One of the best places to see lemurs in the wild.
• Canyon des Rats & Canyon des Singes: More spectacular gorges with pools, lemurs, and grand geology.
• Fenêtre de l'Isalo: The “Window of Isalo” — a natural rock arch through which the setting sun shines. The sunset photo motif. Freely accessible, a few kilometers before the park entrance.

Hiking

The park offers routes from 2 hours to multi-day treks. The most popular tour is the full-day circuit (6–8 hours): Canyon des Makis → Piscine Naturelle → Piscine Bleue, with a lunch break at the pools. The paths are not overly demanding, but the heat (up to 40°C in the dry season) makes sun protection and plenty of water a must.

Practical Information

Isalo is located on the Route Nationale 7, 280 km north of Tuléar. The nearest town is Ranohira, which has hotels ranging from budget to upscale. A guide is mandatory and can be hired at the park entrance. The best time is April to November (dry season) — in the rainy season, some trails may be flooded.

The Avenue of the Baobabs near Morondava is the most iconic image of Madagascar — and one of the world's most unforgettable natural wonders. An unpaved road lined with two dozen giant Grandidier's baobabs (Adansonia grandidieri), up to 30 meters high and 800 years old. At sunset, when the golden light makes the silvery-gray trunks glow, you stand before a scene that takes your breath away.

Visiting the Avenue

• Sunset is the magical time — when the sun sets between the baobabs, creating the photo you see on every Madagascar postcard. Arrive 30 minutes before sunset.
• Sunrise is almost as beautiful, but with fewer visitors. Perfect for photographers.
• Baobab Amoureux: 3 km north of the avenue stand two intertwined baobabs — the “lovers' baobabs”. Romantic and photogenic.

The avenue is located 18 km north of Morondava on an unpaved road. The visit is free, but a small donation (2,000 MGA) is expected at the entrance for the preservation of the trees.

Morondava

Morondava is a sleepy coastal town on the west coast — the starting point for the Baobab Avenue and the Tsingy de Bemaraha. The town itself has few attractions, but a beautiful beach, fresh seafood, and a relaxed atmosphere. At Nosy Kely (a peninsula north of the town), there are affordable beach accommodations.

Getting There

Morondava can be reached by flight from Tana (1h, Air Madagascar, 80–150€), by taxi-brousse from Tana (650 km, 12–16h via RN35/RN34 — an adventurous ride), or by rental car. From Morondava to the Tsingy: see next section.

The Tsingy de Bemaraha are one of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth — a labyrinth of razor-sharp limestone needles, formed over millions of years by the dissolution of limestone by tropical rain. The word “Tsingy” means in Malagasy “to walk on tiptoes” — and that's exactly how it feels when you climb over the razor-sharp rocks.

Grands Tsingy

The main attraction is the Grands Tsingy — an 80 m high needle labyrinth that you traverse via suspension bridges, ladders, and Via Ferratas. The route takes 3–5 hours and is not for the faint-hearted: You climb through narrow crevices, balance over bridges at dizzying heights, and crawl through rock holes. The reward: a panorama like no other — an endless sea of gray stone needles, interspersed with green forest.

Petits Tsingy

The Petits Tsingy are the easier alternative — a shorter route (1–2 hours) through a less high but equally fascinating limestone labyrinth. Good for families and people with a fear of heights. Here too: impressive rock formations and endemic plants growing in the crevices.

Getting There — Part of the Adventure

Reaching the Tsingy is an expedition. From Morondava, it's 200 km — on a track that takes 7–10 hours in the dry season (4x4 required!). Along the way, you cross the Tsiribihina River by ferry (an experience in itself) and pass villages without electricity. The journey is part of the experience — but it requires patience, a good driver, and a sturdy vehicle.

Important: The Tsingy are only accessible from May to November. In the rainy season, the track is impassable and the park is closed.

Ifaty (also Ifaty-Mangily) is Madagascar's most relaxed seaside resort — a sprawling beach north of Tuléar (Toliara) on the southwest coast. Here, three worlds meet: the coral reef offshore, the baobab savannas inland, and the bizarre thorn forests (Spiny Forest) — a type of vegetation found only in southern Madagascar.

Beaches & Sea

The coral reef off Ifaty stretches over 100 km along the coast and protects a shallow, turquoise lagoon. Snorkeling is possible (turtles, clownfish, corals), diving even better — the reef is surprisingly intact. Whale watching is also possible from Ifaty from July to September. The beaches are long, white, and rarely crowded.

Spiny Forest (Thorn Forests)

The Reniala Private Reserve and the Arboretum d'Antsokay offer access to the unique thorn forests — vegetation that looks like it's from another planet. Here grow:

• Didieraceae (Octopus trees): Thorn-covered columns that can reach up to 10 m high
• Pachypodium (Elephant's foot): Thick-stemmed succulents with bizarre shapes
• Baobabs: Several species, some over 1,000 years old
• Euphorbias: Columnar spurge plants that resemble cacti

The thorn forests are home to ring-tailed lemurs (Kattas), Sifakas, radiated tortoises (endangered!), and countless endemic birds. A guided tour through Reniala lasts 1–2 hours and costs about 5–8€.

Tuléar (Toliara)

Tuléar is the capital of the south — a dusty, hot city without particular tourist appeal, but an important logistics hub: airport (connections to Tana), taxi-brousse terminal, and starting point for Ifaty. The market is worth a short visit: spices, dried fish, semi-precious stones. The Musée de la Mer (Sea Museum) showcases the underwater world of the Mozambique Channel.

Getting There

Tuléar is the southern endpoint of the Route Nationale 7 (950 km from Tana, 2–3 days drive with stops). Alternatively: flight from Tana (1.5h, Air Madagascar, 80–180€). Ifaty is 25 km north of Tuléar (30–45 min on a gravel road).