The Highlands
The Highlands
The road linking Antananarivo to Tuléar, depending on the season, crosses the soft green or golden rice terraces and red earth hills, as well as the typical villages with brick huts of the High Plateaux. National Route 7 passes through Ambatolampy, a town perfumed with the fragrance of eucalyptus, filaos, fir and cypress trees, and Antsirabe, considered the Malagasy Vichy, located in a volcanic area and boasting
several thermal springs.
Ranomafana National Park
Ranomafana is a village built in the Namorona valley. It lies between the Betsileo and Tanala regions. Ranomafana, or “hot water”, owes its name to the thermal spring on the banks of the Namorona River. Ranomafana National Park is home to 12 species of lemurs, by far the most popular fauna in the region.
Isalo National Park
The national park is made up of a spectacular “ruiniform massif”, successive deposits of continental sandstone dating from the Jurassic era. Isalo is one of Madagascar’s most spectacular national parks.
The quality and strength of the sandstone, which varies from one part of the park to the next, has givenrise to a wide variety of geometric shapes. In terms of flora, there are no fewer than 340 species, 70% of which are endemic. The fauna is not to be outdone, with seven species of lemurs, 33 species of reptiles, 77 species of birds and 15 species of amphibians, all contributing to the park’s exceptional richness.