You will meet your tour guide during the day according to your arrival time. Tana is an enchanting collection of colourful houses, often clinging to the hillsides at a breathtaking angle. Windswept roofs, weathered brick walls and dilapidated wooden shacks slide daringly into and over each other, as if to prevent each other from slipping. This day is at leisure before your cycle tour begins the next day. (-)

Orchid Hotel 3

Bus route 3 km, duration 0.25 h

You travel to Antsirabe by bus on gravel tracks. The journey time depends on traffic and can take up to 7 hours. On the tour, you will be travelling through the island's fertile highlands. In addition to the rice terraces typical of the area and landscape, you will also discover many fruit and vegetable plantations. You stop here and there to talk to the locals or observe rural life. The area around Antsirabe is well worth discovering. The local agricultural produce is grown here and in Betafo. Most of the fruit and vegetables are transported from here to Tana, from where they are sold throughout the country. In the afternoon, we take care of the bike hire. A first short ride is on the programme. The main aim is to familiarise ourselves with the bikes and the traffic. (F,M,A)

Des Thermes 3* / Hotel H1 Antsirabe 3*

Cycling distance 8-13 km depends on the location of the accommodation, 100 m elevation gain

Distance travelled by bus 160 km, duration 7 h

Today you cycle to Lac Andraikiba, where former queens of the Merina tribe once bathed. You then cycle through several villages until you reach the crater lake Lac Tritriva on a good track. From there you have a beautiful view of the villages, fields and the grain farmers working for the brewery in Antsirabe. The rest of the journey is a little more challenging, the remaining 17 kilometres are on asphalt. You may also have the opportunity to visit a weekly market and a local craft workshop where the most remarkable miniature bicycles are made. You will return to your accommodation in the afternoon. (F,M,A)

Des Thermes 3* / Hotel H1 Antsirabe 3*

Cycle route 53 km, of which 20 km on tarmac, 420 m elevation gain

Distance by bus 0 km, 0 h

You leave your hotel and cycle back to National Road 7 before continuing on your bike through the fertile high valley towards Ambositra. On the hilly road, you will come across zebu cattle and friendly shepherds time and again. In the capital of handicrafts, you will visit the Zafimaniry woodcarvers, whose traditional woodcarving art has been recognised by UNESCO as one of the 47 masterpieces of traditional world culture. (F,M,A)

La Piscine Escapade 3*

Cycle route 95 km, 770 m elevation gain

Distance by bus 0 km, 0 h

If you ran out of time yesterday, pay a quick visit to the woodcarvers today. On a winding road, we first travel by bus towards Camp Robin and on to Ialatsara. We continue by bike on a lonely track to Sahave. A scenic route beneath large granite mountains leads to Ambohimahasoa. After two ascents on tarmac, the route returns to a track through a few villages and eucalyptus forest before the primeval forests of Ranomafana National Park become visible. The last few kilometres are a brisk descent on tarmac. (F,M,A)

Hotel Cristo 3*

Cycle route 57 km, of which 37 km on tarmac, 430 m elevation gain

Bus route 90 km, duration 4 h

Today you will rise very early so as not to miss the morning spectacle of animals that can only be observed at this time of day. Ranomafana is home to 12 species of primates, geckos, chameleons and frogs and no less than 96 species of birds, 68 of which are endemic. You will find the most beautiful orchids, tree ferns and giant bamboos. You hope to spot one or more of the many different primates, such as the Diadema sifaka. With a bit of luck, you may also spot the golden bamboo lemur in the wild. Back in the village, you have the opportunity to take a dip in the hot springs swimming pool. (F,M,A)

Hotel Cristo 3*

Hike 4-6 h

Bus route 18 km, duration 0,5 h

You leave the hotel by bus to Vohiparara, where the bikes are picked up. You cycle uphill on tarmac through the rainforest, followed by a fairly steep climb past the park entrance to Anjamba. On the way, you will see families selling river sand by the roadside, as well as some basket weavers. Continue on a good track to the Lac Hotel. This is the Malagasy centre of tea cultivation. If you have time, you can visit the Sahambavy Tea Estate, the only tea plantation in the republic. (F,M,A)

Lac Hotel 3*

Cycle route 44 km, of which 22 km on tarmac, 290 m elevation gain

Bus route 22 km, duration 0,75 h

Back on the bike, you cross several small valleys with rice and manioc plantations as well as some eucalyptus forests to Mahaditra. You stop at a tourmaline mine, where people dig up the earth with painstaking shovel work in the hope of finding the coveted gemstones. In Ambalavao, you will visit the traditional Antaimoro paper factory. The origins of the copper-coloured paper, which feels like fine, silky woodchip wallpaper, can be traced far back into the past. If the cycle route is too strenuous for you, you can continue cycling on tarmac in the high valley to Ambalavao. (F,M,A)

Hotel Aux Bougainvillées 3*

Cycle route 76-85 km depending on the location of the accommodation, 60 km of which are on tarmac, 790 m elevation gain

Distance by bus 0 km, 0 h

Bizarre landscapes await you in Anja Park. This small park is a good example of village self-management and tourism development. A small information hut has been erected at the entrance to the small park, where you can find out more about the project. You will see many lemurs (Lemur catta) here. These lemurs love to be observed. You take a short tour of the area. South of Ambalavao, the area changes. You pass the border between the highlands and the south. Huge granite massifs alternate with a grassy steppe landscape. You turn off into the Tsaranoro Valley and cycle towards the Andringitra Mountains, the second highest and most beautiful mountain range in Madagascar. If you arrive early, you will take a walk to a natural swimming pool. (F,M,A)

Tsara Camp 2* / Camp Catta 2*

Cycle route 56 km, of which 36 km on tarmac, 840 m elevation gain

Distance by bus 0 km, 0 h

Today you hike about 10 kilometres through the forests to traditional villages in secluded valleys. You may see lemurs. The mountain range is of volcanic origin and probably formed very suddenly. It consists of highly fissured granite. The altitude is between 650 and 2600 metres, Andringitra stretches over a length of 100 km. (F,M,A)

Tsara Camp 2* / Camp Catta 2*

Distance by bus 0 km, 0 h

You cycle back to the tarmac road. From here, the bus takes you via Ankaramena, a village known throughout the world for its numerous mangoes and papayas, past the ‘Bischofsmütze’ mountain to Ihosy. After a lunch break, you continue across the Horombe Plateau towards Ranohira. You cycle the last 70 kilometres to our hotel on a good tarred road. The swimming pool invites you to take a dip. (F,M,A)

Hotel Orchidée Isalo 3* / Hotel H1 Isalo 3*

Cycle route 90 km, of which 70 km on tarmac, 460 m elevation gain

Distance travelled by bus 120 km, duration 3 h

Our adventure begins today with a hike in Isalo National Park. It is a mountainous landscape shaped by erosion into fantastic and bizarre rock formations with caves, deep gorges, streams and beautiful oases. The park covers the entire area of the Isalo Massif, a spectacular eroded sandstone mountain range and is the water reservoir of the area. You hope to see lemurs and enjoy the spectacular views of the region. Later you will have the opportunity to swim in the “Piscine Naturelle”. (F,M,A)

Hotel Orchidée Isalo 3* / Hotel H1 Isalo 3*

Bus route 8 km, duration 0.5 h

You drive towards Toliara (Tuléar) at the end of National Road 7. On the way, you will see impressive baobabs that seem to be scattered wildly in this environment. You also stop at the graves of the Mahafaly and Antandroy. The area around Toliara is home to the Vezo ethnic group. They earn their living from fishing. After lunch, it's back on the bikes for the final stage. You cycle to Ifaty, Madiorano and Ambohimailaka. Here the warm Indian Ocean invites you to swim. In the evening, forget all your efforts and celebrate the end of your cycle tour. Your tour guide will also take this opportunity to say goodbye. (F,M,A)

Hotel La Mira de Madiorano 3*

Cycle route 38 km, 50 m elevation gain

Distance travelled by bus 240 km, duration 6 h

The beach holiday of the trip begins today. Ifaty is located in the country's largest lagoon and is protected by a coral reef. With water temperatures of around 25 °C, swimming is great. The offshore coral reef is ideal for snorkelling or diving. (F)

Hotel La Mira de Madiorano 3*

Distance by bus 0 km, 0 h

In the morning, transfer to the airport in Toliara (also known as Tulear). After a stopover in Antananarivo, the journey continues to Germany. (F)

Bus route 45 km, duration 2 h