Biking in Madagascar: What loop route from Antananarivo?

Hello, On the purely cycling aspect, I can’t be of much help, but here are a few thoughts based on your request. For the duration you’re planning, there aren’t many loop routes feasible by bike that also allow for a long stretch along the ocean. To be honest, I don’t see any. Heading north or northeast, there’s no loop that fits your timeframe and includes coastal roads. In the south, west, or east, there will always be very long, very sandy sections that, in my opinion, make it impossible to complete such a trip without some stretches where you’d have to carry your bike. If you’re open to skipping the loop and considering a return flight, it seems possible to go from Tana to Fort Dauphin, following the southeast coast after leaving the RN7 just before Fianarantsoa. For a loop that allows for a *bateau brousse* (bush boat) ride, you could try something like Tana - Ampefy - Antsirabe - Fianarantsoa - Mananjary - *bateau brousse* - Tamatave - Tana. No problem taking bikes on the boat since they’re mostly used for transporting goods. The RN7 is extremely degraded, especially between Tana and Antsirabe, and honestly, cycling it must be a slog. Going via Ampefy lets you avoid that awful stretch (and also takes you through some really beautiful areas). On such rough tarmac and laterite tracks, I’ve no idea how many kilometers seasoned cyclists could manage, but in my opinion, it’s not so much the distance as the long sandy sections that are the issue for most loops—especially along the coast. Happy planning!

Thanks so much for the feedback and all this info 😉 We’ll definitely adapt based on road conditions, and we’ll use the *taxi-brousse* if we need to! See you around

Hi there I hope you’ll give us at least a quick recap of your bike trip in Madagascar—it’s such a great way to explore the country, and not very common. Safe travels with your prep!

hi there, I’m building on rotsaka’s idea: if you can fly back from Fort Dauphin, the east coast is a really great option.

Just so you know, in Madagascar, you’ll need a mountain bike, not a road bike.

Having done it myself—I’m not a "real" cycle-tourist—I’d recommend taking a taxi-brousse from Tana to Fianarantsoa, then to Manakara, and after that what’s called the "bac+10 track": Farafangana, Vangaindrano, Manombondro, Sandravinana (Hotel Cabane du Pêcheur—a little paradise), Maroroy (Chez Louisette), Manantenina (Hotel Le Bleu), and optionally Sainte Luce (watch out for lots of sand), then on to Fort Dauphin. In total, it’s 335 km as the crow flies, and it’s absolutely worth the trip.

There aren’t 10 ferries anymore because bridges have been built, and part of the track has been replaced by road. In 2023, it was under construction, so it shouldn’t be completely wrecked now ;-)

In Farafangana, the owner of Hotel Le Concombre Masqué knows all this inside out and can give you great advice.

happy travels!

edit: a photo of Sandravinany and one of the RN5 when it’s not repaired—that is, most of the time.

Thanks so much!! I was just starting to look into the ferry route, and the tips on accommodation along the coast are really helpful! And cool about the photos—they give a great sense of the vibe and the route 😎 Just one more question: food-wise, can you find places to eat and stock up along the whole route, or are there more remote stretches? I’ll definitely post a trip report on the forum once I’ve done the route 😉

Hello, No complaints about the well-informed advice from Etranger. How long did that route take you? Any photos of RN5 or RN12?

Since you seem like experienced cyclists, in my opinion, you could consider starting your bike ride earlier than Manakara if you're setting out for 20 days.

At first, I’d still recommend biking from Tana to Antsirabe via Ampefy because the traffic isn’t too crazy, the landscapes are stunning, and the road is pretty good. After Antsirabe, you can either hop back on your bikes and continue on the RN7 (the beginning is still fairly busy), or take a *taxi-brousse* to reach either Ambositra, Ambohimahasoa, or Fianarantsoa—since the RN7 is much quieter after those towns. Even if the road isn’t great, it’s not as bad as the Tana-Antsirabe stretch. Or, of course, Manakara as suggested by Etranger.

From Fianarantsoa, you can cross the forest and take the gorgeous descent along the massive Ranomafana waterfall before reaching Manakara after a long stretch through the hills of Madagascar’s far east.

Alternatively, in the dry season, just after Ambohimahasoa and before Fianarantsoa, you can take the RN25 just before the bridge on the left toward Manadroy/Ambalakindresy, then head to Ranomafana via a rural track. It’s a proper dirt road, but it lets you avoid a section of the RN7 and keeps you in a quiet area (though you’ll pass through less forest than if you take the RN45 at Alakamisy Ambohimaha).

For hotels, you can also mark them on Google Maps and plan your stops accordingly.

Exactly, I mixed up with the RN5 (which I didn’t bike, but I saw muddy MTBs there...)—the photo is of the RN12 near Maroroy, and it’s often like that. It’s true that it’d be a shame to miss the Fianar–Manakara descent... Your route suggestions seem really good, even if I’m not a huge fan of the RN7—you know it better than I do in the details. Still, it’s worth keeping a good buffer to wander around on the bac+10. I stayed several days in Sandravinany, for example, and regret not doing the same in other spots. I gave myself 15 days total from Manakara, *moramora*. I had a beat-up bike bought in Tana and did part of the trip with a broken derailleur—only two gears It’s always a tough choice in Mada when you don’t have much time... Cheers,

Additional little question: food-wise, can you find places to eat and stock up along the way, or are there more deserted areas?

You can find food all along the route—roadside eateries or vendors. Plan to bring bottled water at every stop. The only deserted stretch is if you take the coastal track starting from Sandravinany (you get dropped off by pirogue on the sandbar opposite). Lots of sand, sketchy GPS, and very few people to ask for directions. I got pretty lost and did a lot of backtracking, but in hindsight, it’s still an amazing memory.

It all depends on your endurance and independence! :) The longest bike-friendly route along the coast is on the east side between Toamasina (Tamatave) and Maroantsetra.

The first part from Toamasina to Soanierana Ivongo is paved and relatively easy. From Mahambo or Soanierana Ivongo, you can head to Île Sainte-Marie. The Antananarivo–Toamasina stretch is quite busy with trucks and transport vehicles, but it’s doable with a bit of caution. We’ve done it several times. You can also take a *taxi-brousse* (shared taxi) to Toamasina if you plan to tackle the more adventurous part after Soanierana Ivongo.

Beyond Soanierana Ivongo, the road is under construction up to Vahibe, but it’s really interesting. Past Vahibe, it’s a whole different adventure—but very practical by bike. You can spend a few days in small villages like Manompana, Antanambe, Siragnambe, Imorono, and Mananara. After Mananara, you’ll continue to Maroantsetra.

If you want a loop route, get ready for another adventure! :) Bike to Fizono and Ankovana at the end of that track. Once there, hire porters to carry your bikes and luggage on foot across the Ambatoledama mountain range—it usually takes just a day on foot. Then, pick up your bike again and ride to Antalaha, Sambava, Vohemar, Ambilobe, (Antsiranana/Diego Suarez), and Nosy Be. You *could* bike back to Antananarivo, but it’ll never be doable in 20 days. I’d recommend taking a *taxi-brousse* back to Tana from Ambanja or Antsohihy instead.

Happy travels!

Thanks so much for this suggestion and this amazing loop! Twenty days might be a bit too tight, but why not do part of it? It’s especially interesting to see that it’s possible to reach the east coast and Antalaha from Maroantsetra with bikes—and with porter support. Anyway, I’ll keep the idea in mind. If not this time, it’ll give me a reason to come back and explore this region! 🙂 Have a great day

Hi there, I just read your post and, well, it makes me a bit nervous—did you really research Madagascar before setting off on a bike trip? It’s a great idea, but even biking along the coast from Tana isn’t exactly easy... there aren’t really proper roads. This year, I’m doing the volcano route via Ampefy—now *that’s* a good road for biking, though you’ll need to hang on tight with all the elevation changes. Other routes like the RN7 are a nightmare—dangerous and polluted. Good luck! Michel

Thanks for the tip about the route via Ampefy—I’ve heard the same from others about how beautiful the road is and how it helps avoid that stretch of the RN7 to the south! It’s exactly what I was talking about with a buddy the other day: the more years go by, the more I "study" destinations, the more I leave room for the unexpected—probably the effect of accumulated experiences... or maybe just a general letting go. 😉 I’ll definitely post an update on the forum when I get back!

Hey everyone,

As promised, here’s a quick recap of my bike trip to Madagascar with a buddy. Just a heads-up—this feedback is from May 2026, and conditions can change fast in the coming weeks or months. I’ll stick to the biking part here, or I’d end up writing a novel 😅

Starting from Tana, we ultimately chose Tulear over Fort Dauphin—mainly because the 3-4 days of *taxi-brousse* (shared taxi) back from Fort Dauphin (if everything goes smoothly) didn’t sound too appealing. Plus, the airline required bike packaging, which we didn’t want to lug around. We could’ve probably found another solution, but we figured it’s just a postponement—Fort Dauphin will be for the next visit 😉

We took a detour via Ampefy to avoid the RN7—great call! Even with some solid climbs between Ampefy and Antsirabe, the road, often along ridges, had smooth tarmac and stunning views. Once back on the RN7, traffic was actually lighter than expected. Sometimes we wouldn’t see a single truck, *taxi-brousse*, or jeep for several minutes—or even longer—especially further south, past Fianarantsoa. Road quality varies (sections under construction, dirt, or gravel), but overall, biking was smooth, and we even kept up with *taxis-brousse* at times 😉

We made a few detours off the RN7 (Ranomafana, the magical Tsaranoro Valley, the gem Anakao—by boat—and Mangily). In total, 1,650 km, with 1,100 km for the Tana–Tulear stretch via Ampefy. All in 16 days of biking, plus a few extra days for sightseeing and surfing. If we’d had another week, we would’ve completed our loop as originally planned, heading back up via the RN9 to Manja and Morondava (apparently mostly redone now). The Morondava–Antsirabe section is more of a rough track, though.

For accommodation, it’s easy to find in towns, with a varied (and sometimes excellent) selection if you’re willing to spend a bit more. In villages, it depends on your standards 😅—bring a sleeping bag liner. Food-wise, every village has something to eat, though options thin out in the south. Aside from small restaurants serving local rice-based dishes, we snacked on fruit, doughnuts, and cassava, which made up most of our diet.

If you’ve got more questions, feel free to DM me. And if you’re on the fence about going—don’t hesitate! With a bit of experience, self-sufficiency, and adaptability, it’s an amazing destination. Thanks again for all the pre-trip tips—they were super helpful!

Wow... Congrats and thanks for the little recap, it's really nice.

It sounds easy when you read it, but knowing the place (in polluting, motorized mode), 2 weeks to do all that with the detours to Ranomafana and Tsaranoro is still quite an achievement.

Awesome, well done!

Awesome! Great ride...