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On the Tsaranoro trail, Stage 1

Publié le 23 June 2018 | Madagascar Eng

We're off on a 4-day itinerant trek south of Amabalavao, "On the Tsaranoro trail", on the border between Betsileo and Bara territories. This 1st stage, starting from Sendrisoa, takes us to the village of Ambalamanandray in the Namoly valley, at the foot of the Andringitra massif, a long granite chain running north-south, which we'll first have to climb (Imarivolanitra summit at 2658m) and then cross to head westwards towards the famous Tsaranoro valley. The route follows a wide track that gradually drops away, with the Andringitra barrier on the horizon. The itinerary is not particularly difficult, but it's worth it for the beauty of the scenery, the rice paddies, the Betsileo villages and the many encounters with the villagers who criss-cross the track in both directions. A great way to start!

Technical summary

Type ✦ Hiking

Location ✦ Namoly Valley

Region ✦ Ambalavao

Country ✦ Madagascar

Length ✦ 17kms

Elevation gain ✦ 500m

Difficulty ✦ MD

Duration ✦ 5h to 6h

Interest ✦ ★★

Access to the place

From Fianarantsoa, continue for over an hour on the RN7 to Ambalavao. From there, take the track heading due south towards Sendrisoa: 2h30 of 4×4 for 26 km, which can be much longer depending on the condition of the track and bridges, which may be missing wooden sleepers (replaced by villagers for a fee!).

Map & topo

Stage 1 is marked in orange on the map.

Itinerary description

Hiking to the start 5'

Descend from the village to the river and cross it on a long wooden bridge.

Course

This stage lies outside the Andringitra Park and can therefore be completed without a guide or entrance ticket. The itinerary is straightforward, as it is a single 4×4 track that leads directly to the valley floor. The MNP gite is not the only option for camping, so check with trekking agencies in Fianarantsoa or with Gilles Gautier at Tsaratsoa in the Tsaranoro valley, who can organize the whole trek on a full-board basis(Madamax website).

From the large bridge, the trail winds its way up the slopes of the many hills, over or against the rice paddies and through small villages, with the great walls in the background. It's hilly and climbs very gradually as the valley closes in.

About halfway up, there's a big climb right next to a pretty little village on a promontory (worth a visit!). Higher up and a little further on, you come to a sort of pass where you'll find the park house with a small exhibition and the opportunity to buy tickets for the Andringritra park.

There are still 3 km to go on the left to reach the other side and the Namoly valley fairly quickly. You can now see the Andringitra wall much more clearly. The track then descends gently towards the village of Ambalamanandray.

Bivouac

At the entrance to the village of Ambalamanandray, a large white chalet: the MNP gite with an authorized camping area in front (gite in poor condition...).