Isalo National Park

Managed By Madagascar National Parks. A Sandstone Massif Of Eroded Ridges, Canyons And Oases About 80,000 Hectares In Size, With Natural Pools, Palms, Ring Tailed Lemurs And Bara Burial Caves; The Walking Centrepiece Of The Southern Route · Ranohira, Ihorombe

Isalo National Park is a sandstone massif in south-central Madagascar, about 80,000 hectares of eroded ridges, deep canyons, grass plains and palm-lined oases. It is the walking centrepiece of the RN7 route south from Antananarivo, and most visitors arrive tired from long days in vehicles. The scenery is dry and open, closer to a western desert than to the rainforest most people imagine, with red and yellow rock walls and sudden green pools in the gorges. Ring-tailed lemurs are the main wildlife draw, along with Verreaux's sifakas and brown lemurs in the canyons. The park also has Bara burial caves, which are sacred and not open for visiting freely. Ranohira is the gateway village. It is not a pristine wilderness; it sits near the sapphire town of Ilakaka, which is rough, and the park's trails are busy at the Piscine Naturelle. Plan on guides, heat and early starts, and do not expect rainforest: the park is dry, open and often windy, and the walking is long.

Ranohira, on Route Nationale 7 about 700 km south-west of Antananarivo, between Ihosy and Ilakaka, Ranohira, Ihorombe, Madagascar

Park trails are usually open daily in daylight, roughly from early morning until late afternoon; guides tend to start walks around sunrise and expect you back before dark. Isalo is open all year, but the rainy months, about December to March, bring slippery trails, flooded canyons and hot muggy days, and some paths can close. Entry is not free: you buy a permit at the Madagascar National Parks office in Ranohira and must hire a licensed guide. Book your guide and permit the afternoon before your walk, or a few days ahead in July and August. Opening times and prices are unverified, so confirm them in Ranohira.

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