MAGICAL MADAGASCAR 2026
TOURING RALLY
5th – 28th June, 2026
THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT
The original meaning of the word Madagascar is End of the World – by which they meant the furthest point, not the final moment! It is certainly far away from most people’s idea of a place to rally but we like to innovate, so brace yourself for a truly magical adventure in one of the most remote and fascinating places in the world.
For this escapade we include a local modern air-conditioned 4×4 hire car. There are some extremely rough tracks and some of the roads are worse than a pot-holed country lane in the UK! Far worse in fact, but a lot more fun.
The dates we have chosen are after the heavy rains and before the main tourist season, so the roads are quieter and access to the animals easier. We make no apologies for visiting a number of parks as it would be a shame to go this far and not see the unique wildlife on the island. Interesting fact: there are over 100 different species of lemur
in Madagascar!
Originally a French protectorate, Madagascar came under direct French rule in 1897, which ended in independence in 1958. French is still spoken and many French influences are still to be seen, from architecture to food as one would imagine. Independence Day will be celebrated while we are there on 26th June.
The Route
We will drive a figure of eight circuit round the central part of the island in a 23 night rally that takes you from the interior to the coast and from the mountain highlands to the arid desert. We will cover a total of 3164 kms on a variety of surfaces from modern asphalt to sand and dirt tracks. You will cross some rivers on barges, local ferries or ancient bridges. While on the road you will see some of the rarest species on earth and some of the strangest landscapes, including the Tsingy stone forest, as well as meet the people of Madagascar who will be delighted to welcome you.
Day 1: International flight – Antananarivo
On arrival in Antananarivo collected from airport and transferred to hotel
Hotel: Carlton
Day 2: Antananarivo
Take a tour of the vibrant capital city and collect cars today.
Hotel: Carlton
Day 3: Antananarivo to Palmarium – 170kms
After breakfast, we get on the road with no more ado. Heading east we drop the cars by the coast and take a small boat to our island paradise, where you will be surrounded by lemurs and other unique species.
Hotel: Palmarium Hotel
.
Day 4: Palmarium day off
Guided tours through the jungle to spot rare species of lemurs, chamelions and other animals and trees unique to Madagascar. Night time safari to the see the shy, nocturnal Aye-Aye lemur.
Hotel: Palmarium Hotel
Day 5: Palmarium to Andasibe – 135km
Departure after breakfast on the ferries to get back to the cars and on the road again to Andasibe and a walk in the forest to meet the Indri Lemur.
Hotel: Mantadia
Day 6: Andasibe to Antsirabe – 298km
Great drive over the vast plains, where you get a feeling for the rural communities, farming and countryside.
Hotel: Le Royal Palace
Day 7: Antsirabe to Ranomafana NP – 250km
Plenty of Zebu cattle to be seen today. They are a sign of wealth and prestige in Madagascar and bear a striking resemblance to the sacred cows of India. In Ranomafana we organise a night safari to see a variety of nocturnal lemurs, reptiles such as Uroplatus geckos and many tree frogs and fascinating invertebrates including the Madagascar comet (lunar) moth.
Hotel: Thermal
Day 8: Ranomafana to Tsaranoro Reserve – 174km
Stop at Ambalavao for lunch and visit the silk farm and the Antemoro paper store. Ambalavao is the last town of the high plateau and is the gateway to the South. Following that we drive through the wide Horombe plain. We take to the dirt roads to reach our overnight accommodation.
Hotel: Camp Catta
Day 9: Tsaranoro Reserve to Isalo NP – 225kms
Early rise at Camp Catta to enjoy the mountain landscape and walk to the foothills. Then 20km of dirt back to the main road and on to Isalo through the gemstone capital of Madagascar, Ihosy.
Hotel: Relais de la Reine
Day 10: Isalo day off
Visit to Isalo National park in the early morning. It has a wild west landscape with cactus, canyons and rocks with strange rock formations and natural pools. Climb the escarpment for the best viewpoint in Madagascar. It’s home to the ring-tailed lemur mainly, as it’s an inhospitable environment at times.
Hotel: Relais de la Reine
Day 11: Isalo to Ifaty – 253kms
Another fascinating drive through the stunning highlands before we drop down to the west coast town of Ifaty.
Hotel: Les Dunes
Day 12: Ifaty day off
A fun day to practice our sand dune driving as we are mostly off road for the next week. In the evening relax and admire the beautiful west coast sunset over a sundowner.
Hotel: Les Dunes
Day 13: Ifatty to Andavadoaka – 140kms
We spend all day on the unmade coastal road. Only 140kms but very slow at times. A great welcome in the evening and once again a fabulous sunset. Paradise indeed.
Hotel: Laguna Blu
Day 14: Andavadoaka day off
Time to chill. A great place for whale watching with the local fishermen in their traditional ‘pirogues’.
Hotel: Laguna Blu
Day 15: Andavadoaka to Manja – 211kms
Big river crossing today on a man-powered ferry. To get to the ferry you drive a sand wave. Thrilling stuff.
Hotel: Kanto Annexe
Day 16: Manja to Belo sur Mer – 111kms
More ferries, sand, rough roads and a couple of deep river crossings. The locals will show you the way for a small monetary reward. The destination is the tranquil Ecolodge du Menabe.
Hotel: Ecolodge du Menabe
Day 17: Belo sur Mer day off
A relaxing day by the beach.
Hotel: Ecolodge du Menabe
Day 18: Belo sur Mer to Morondava – 100kms
A few river crossings today, some dry some deep, but all passable. In the evening visit the iconic Baobab Alley.
Hotel: Palissandre Côte Ouest
Day 19: Morondava to Tsingy Bekopaka – 160kms
A must see on any tour of Madagascar, the amazing Tsingy stone forest, where lemurs have adapted to live in the most hostile environment. A series of suspension bridges allow less agile humans to get around.
Hotel: Soleil
Day 20: Tsingy Bekopaka day off
It will take most of the day to get to Tsingy so we have a day off to spend time in the park and watch the lemurs. A magical experience.
Hotel: Soleil
Day 21: Tsingy to Morandava – 160kms
We return to the Morondava for the night.
Hotel: Palissandre Côte Ouest
Day 22: Morondava to Antsirabe – 490kms
Good and quiet roads make this a pleasant journey back to Antsirabe.
Hotel: Le Royal Palace
Day 23: Antsirabe to Bois Vert – 185kms
A straightforward drive to the outskirts of Antananarivo and a gala dinner and film show to round off the amazing Madagascar adventure.
Hotel: Le Bois Vert
Day 24: Antananarivo – Depart
Transfer by bus to the airport for international flight;
• Magical Madagascar
• Hotel each night with breakfast
• Most evening meals
• 4×4 Hire car
• Guided city tour
• Botanical Gardens
• Sunset Baobab Alley
• Unique fauna and flora
• Lemurs
• Great driving
• Our back-up team
• Tulip roadbook
• GPS
• Rally plates
• Welcome party
• Gala dinner
• Photographer
• Airport transfers
WANT TO TALK TO THE RALLY TEAM?
CALL US NOW ON + 44 (0)1483 271 699 OR EMAIL [email protected]
Hotels will vary from 5 star to 2 star or possibly no star, but each one is a gem in its own right. Some will be by the sea, others in the hills or perhaps in a small town.
Entry Fee: (2 people per car) £25,850 Early Bird entry.
Entry fee includes: A 4×4 hire car, a twin or double room with breakfast for all nights of the event, welcome dinner, most evening meals, all rally activities and park fees, rally plates, decals, road book, loan of GPS, emergency mechanical aid, rally medic and finishers medals. Please see full T&Cs including cancellation and refund policies on our website – https://bespokerallies.com/terms-and-conditions/
If you need more information don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Interested? Call us now to reserve your place.
Phone: + 44 (0)1483 271 699 or download an entry form below.
ROUTE MAP
TESTIMONIAL
“The GP of South America was a great event and John and I enjoyed ourselves immensely. It is always good to be the first to try something that no one else has done for a long time, in this case 70 years. Your team were fantastic and that made it even more enjoyable . The roads were challenging as they should be and the scenery spectacular. The hotels were good quality and the food was very good. This is an event for anyone who wants an adventure and I would whole heartedly rec- ommend it; if you want to do something a bit different, exciting and a bit of a challenge, then the GP of South America is for you. Thanks John and team for putting together such a great event.”
Paul Michael, The Grand Prix of South America 2018
WANT TO TALK TO THE RALLY TEAM? CALL US NOW ON + 44 (0)1483 271 699
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