3-Week Road Trip in Madagascar

Hello, We’re arriving in Tana, the capital, by plane on the morning of May 22nd after an overnight flight. Does any forum member know this Malagasy driver-guide: Haja Rasolondraibe? The itinerary below might change or evolve—23 days might not be enough. We’ll visit the central region (the highlands: Antsirabe, Atoetra and a Zafimaniry village, Lake Andrianina) and the unmissable west (Kirindy, the Avenue of the Baobabs, the Tsingy de Bamaraha, and a fishing village). Then back to Tana. After that, we’ll head east of Tana to Ambohimanga, Andasibe, near Tamatave, Ankanin'ny, Mahambo, and Île Sainte-Marie if time allows. Not sure yet. Then back to Tana. This driver-guide with a 4x4 charges 70 € per day, including food and accommodation. Excluding fuel. If any members can recommend other driver-guides with a 4x4 and more reliable vehicles in good condition (since we don’t want to travel at night), I’d be interested. Thanks in advance. evad.tebo

Hi there, For my part, I don’t know any driver/guide. Some forum members probably do. Generally, you hear about 50 € without fuel included. So that’s more on the higher end, but it might be worth it if the vehicle is great and the driver too.

I don’t think the route is optimal since it involves a lot of backtracking without forming a loop (Tana - Antsirabe - Ambositra - Antsirabe - Morondava - Antsirabe - Tana - Tamatave - Tana). That means a stretch of the RN7, a bit of the west, then a bit of the east, forcing you to rush through some parts since there are so many stops and long drives. But maybe that’s what you asked the driver for—to get a taste of the different regions.

I agree with Rotsaka: We head south first, then west to return to Tana and set off again to the east. If the road conditions haven’t improved since the early 2000s, that must mean a lot of time in the car!

The condition of the roads has deteriorated enormously compared to the early 2000s. A disaster

Well, best to avoid the rainy season! It won’t be a 3-week trip anymore—it’ll turn into 3 months! 😏

Given the number of ads being posted on VF, there should be a dedicated section just for agencies, guides, and drivers to share their promotions! 😕