{"id":304,"date":"2026-07-02T14:50:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T14:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/ambalavao-tsaranoro-andringitra-national-park\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T14:07:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T14:07:35","slug":"ambalavao-tsaranoro-andringitra-national-park","status":"publish","type":"guide","link":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/madagascar\/travel-notes\/ambalavao-tsaranoro-andringitra-national-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Ambalavao & Tsaranoro (Andringitra National Park)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Ambalavao & Tsaranoro (Andringitra National Park)<\/h2>\n

Ambalavao is a highland town known for its paper-making, silk weaving and nearby nature reserves. It\u2019s also the starting point for trips into Andringitra National Park<\/strong>.<\/h4>\n

Tsaranoro Valley lies at the foot of Andringitra National Park. It\u2019s a rough road to get here, but the scenery is more than worth it. A small community maintains the access road. Expect to pay a 20,000 MGA<\/strong> fee per person.<\/h4><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Covered on this page:<\/h2> \t
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  1. Things to do in Ambalavao<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Things to do in Tsaranoro & Andringitra National Park<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. To: Ranomafana<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. To: Fianarantsoa<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. To: Isalo (Ranohira)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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    Things to do in Ambalavao<\/h2> \t
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    • Visit the paper factory \u2013 <\/strong>At Aux Bougainvill\u00e9es<\/em>, see how handmade paper is created using natural flowers and bark. It’s a lovely place for souvenirs.\n<\/li>\n
    • Explore the Soalandy silk workshop \u2013 <\/strong><\/strong>Watch how women turn silk from local caterpillars into scarves using age-old techniques.\n<\/li>\n
    • Visit Anja Reserve \u2013 <\/strong><\/strong>Home to many <\/strong>ring-tailed lemurs and a short, easy walk (about 1 hour). Visit on your day in Ambalavao or on your way to\/from Tsaranoro or Isalo \u2013 it’s right along the RN7.\n<\/li>\n
    • Walk or cycle the area \u2013 <\/strong><\/strong>Ambalavao is a great base for local walks or bike rides with a guide. Ask your lodge to arrange.\n<\/li>\n
    • Wednesday or Thursday? Check out the Zebu market \u2013 <\/strong><\/strong>This local cattle market is lively and full of character. A unique experience if you’re in town on the right day.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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      Things to do in Tsaranoro & Andringitra National Park<\/h2> \t
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      • Explore the valley \u2013 <\/strong>Hike, climb, mountain bike or just enjoy the dramatic granite cliffs. Lodges in the valley offer a wide range of activities.\n<\/li>\n
      • Visit Anja Reserve en route \u2013 <\/strong>If you didn\u2019t stop in Ambalavao, you can visit Anja Reserve on your way to or from Tsaranoro. The entrance is right off the main road.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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        To: Ranomafana<\/h2> \t

        Distance & time<\/strong><\/p>\n

        From Ambalavao: 130 km | approx. 5 hours
        From Tsaranoro: 175 km | approx. 7 hours<\/p>\n

        Route<\/strong><\/p>\n

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        • If coming from Tsaranoro, first drive 1.5 hours back to Ambalavao.<\/li>\n
        • From Ambalavao, follow the RN7 north for about 80 km toward Ambositra.<\/li>\n
        • Just past Alakamisy, turn right onto the RN45 to Vorondolo.<\/li>\n
        • Continue on the RN25, which leads to Ranomafana Forest.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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          To: Fianarantsoa<\/h2> \t

          Distance & time<\/strong><\/p>\n

          From Ambalavao: 65 km | approx. 2 hours
          From Tsaranoro: 115 km | approx. 3.5 hours<\/p>\n

          Route<\/strong><\/p>\n

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          • If coming from\u00a0Tsaranoro, first drive 1.5 hours back to Ambalavao.<\/li>\n
          • From Ambalavao, follow the\u00a0RN7 north until you reach Fianarantsoa.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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            To: Isalo (Ranohira)<\/h2> \t

            Distance & time<\/strong><\/p>\n

            From Ambalavao: 230 km | approx. 4 hours
            From Tsaranoro: 215 km | approx. 5 hours<\/p>\n

            Route<\/strong><\/p>\n

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            • If coming from Tsaranoro, start with the 1.5-hour off-road drive back to the RN7.<\/li>\n
            • From Ambalavao, continue straight on the RN7 south to Ranohira.<\/li>\n
            • The road has many potholes, and the landscape becomes noticeably drier.<\/li>\n
            • Stop in Ihosy to fuel up and grab a cold drink.<\/li>\n
            • From Ihosy, it\u2019s another 2.5 hours to Ranohira.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n

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              • Arrive on time? Visit Isalo Window at sunset for magical photos. It\u2019s popular and probably busy \u2014 but still worth it.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":170,"featured_media":1046,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-304","guide","type-guide","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"feed_page_to_atlas":true},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guide\/304","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guide"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/guide"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/170"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guide\/304\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3033,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guide\/304\/revisions\/3033"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}