7 Day RN7 Rainforest And Isalo Tour

Two ring-tailed lemurs sitting upright in tall dry grass, tails curled around them

Destinations: Madagascar, Antananarivo, Ranomafana National Park and Isalo National Park

Over 7 days this route takes in Antananarivo, Ranomafana and Isalo, each stop with its own character. Antananarivo, the hillside capital, is the arrival point and hub for every route. Ranomafana is mountain rainforest, steep and dripping, on the RN7 route south. Isalo is eroded sandstone country of canyons, palms and natural pools.

Day By Day

Day 1 Arrival At Antananarivo

You set out from Antananarivo after breakfast and drive to Antananarivo, the country changing as the kilometres pass, reaching camp with time to settle in and take a first look before dark. Most trips start and end here before flying home. Antananarivo, the hillside capital, is the arrival point and hub for every route. Its old town climbs to the royal palace with views over rice paddies and tiled roofs. You settle into camp as the light goes. There is time to slow down and take it in. A reserve nearby lets you see lemurs within an hour of the city.

The markets and craft stalls are good for a first or last day. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground. With a drink in hand you watch the day close over the bush. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set.

A common brown lemur dozing on a mossy branch with its eyes closed and tail hanging down — Ranomafana is mountain rainforest, steep and dripping, on the RN7 route south.

Day 2 Transfer To Ranomafana

A short morning exploring on foot and by road at first light in Antananarivo, then to the road for the move to Ranomafana National Park. The country changes on the way, and you reach Ranomafana in the afternoon. You head out looking for lemurs on forest trails as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. It holds the golden bamboo lemur, found only here, among a dozen lemur species. Night walks along the road turn up chameleons and mouse lemurs. A night walk adds chameleons and nocturnal lemurs. The trails are steep but the wildlife rewards the climb.

Ranomafana is mountain rainforest, steep and dripping, on the RN7 route south. Hot springs give the village its name below the forest. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count.

Day 3 Lemur Trails In Ranomafana

A full day in Ranomafana National Park. You are looking for lemurs on forest trails, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Night walks along the road turn up chameleons and mouse lemurs. Hot springs give the village its name below the forest. The trails are steep but the wildlife rewards the climb. The guides find the wildlife you would walk straight past. Ranomafana is mountain rainforest, steep and dripping, on the RN7 route south.

It holds the golden bamboo lemur, found only here, among a dozen lemur species. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves.

Day 4 Transfer To Isalo

A short morning looking for lemurs on forest trails at first light in Ranomafana, then to the road for the move to Isalo National Park. The country changes on the way, and you reach Isalo in the afternoon. You head out on foot through the rock and forest as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. The wide plateaus glow at sunset over the southern route. It breaks the long RN7 road south with a day on foot. The light at the end of the day is the reward. Trails lead to green oases and swimming holes hidden in the rock.

Ring-tailed lemurs and sifaka move along the canyon edges. Isalo is eroded sandstone country of canyons, palms and natural pools. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves.

A tiny orange and black Madagascan frog sitting on a wet green leaf — Night walks along the Ranomafana road turn up frogs, chameleons and mouse lemurs.

Day 5 Walking Isalo

A full day in Isalo National Park. You are on foot through the rock and forest, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. It breaks the long RN7 road south with a day on foot. Isalo is eroded sandstone country of canyons, palms and natural pools. Trails lead to green oases and swimming holes hidden in the rock. The walking is the point, and the views earn it. Ring-tailed lemurs and sifaka move along the canyon edges.

The wide plateaus glow at sunset over the southern route. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest.

Day 6 Walking Isalo

A full day in Isalo National Park. You are on foot through the rock and forest, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Isalo is eroded sandstone country of canyons, palms and natural pools. Trails lead to green oases and swimming holes hidden in the rock. Ring-tailed lemurs and sifaka move along the canyon edges. You carry water and take the climbs slowly. The wide plateaus glow at sunset over the southern route.

It breaks the long RN7 road south with a day on foot. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good.

Day 7 Departure

A final morning on foot through the rock and forest before you leave, the best window of the trip for anything still on your list. You make the most of the early light, then you drive back toward Antananarivo. It breaks the long RN7 road south with a day on foot. Isalo is eroded sandstone country of canyons, palms and natural pools. This 7-day trip links Antananarivo, Ranomafana and Isalo, with the travelling done between the wildlife so your days stay on the ground that matters. Trails lead to green oases and swimming holes hidden in the rock.

Ring-tailed lemurs and sifaka move along the canyon edges. The wide plateaus glow at sunset over the southern route. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere.

Trekkers walking a dusty trail beneath the eroded sandstone cliffs of Isalo — Isalo is eroded sandstone cut into canyons, with trails to pools in the rock.

What’s Included

All internal flights and road transfers on the route
Full-board accommodation on safari as shown
Game drives and the activities named in the day plan
Park entry fees for the days shown
Airport and airstrip transfers, drinking water in the vehicle

What’s Not Included

International flights and any visa
Travel insurance
Drinks, tips for guides and staff
Activities not listed and items of a personal nature

Why Choose This Safari in Madagascar?

This trip earns its place because the stops are nothing alike, and seeing them together makes each one land harder. Most trips start and end here before flying home. Antananarivo, the hillside capital, is the arrival point and hub for every route. Isalo is eroded sandstone country of canyons, palms and natural pools. Linking Antananarivo, Ranomafana and Isalo in one route means you cover more of Madagascar than a single park allows, and the travelling between them is short. On 7 days you get range without the trip feeling rushed, the set-piece wildlife, the quieter corners, and the change of country from one stop to the next. For a traveller who wants variety over a single famous name, this is a strong, well-balanced way to see the region, and it works whether it is a first trip or a return.

Should You Spend More Than 7 Days on Safari in Madagascar?

7 days across Antananarivo, Ranomafana and Isalo is a well-judged length, though it is a read of each stop rather than a deep stay. You get a full day or more at the main parks, enough to see the headline wildlife and still catch the quieter moments. It suits travellers who value breadth and do not mind moving every couple of days. What this length cannot do is exhaust any one park, the biggest of them could fill a week on their own, so the remote corners stay for another trip. If a single place is your priority, spend the nights there instead. And if you have longer, the route takes an easy add-on, whether that is more time with the wildlife or a stretch on the coast to finish. As it stands, this 7-day trip is balanced and full.

How Much Will This Madagascar Safari Be Per Person?

What you pay turns mostly on the camps and the season. In Madagascar, park fees are small but a local guide is required at each reserve. As a rough guide, most trips of this length run from around USD 1,250 to 2,800 per person sharing, higher in the peak dry months and cheaper in the green season. Camp and lodge level is the big lever, from simple tented camps to the smarter river and bush camps, and a shared vehicle between four brings the per-person cost down. Tell an operator your dates, group size and the standard you want and it can be quoted to the figure.