Isalo National Park is the most beautiful highlight on the RN7 Route in Madagascar, offering many beautiful nature walks and dramatic scenery. The Jurassic era colorful sandstone massif is shaped by time, opening up a fantastic landscape calling for adventure seekers. Coming here, you will see canyons and gorges, breathtaking oasis with natural pools and the sweeping views of the savannah.

Isalo has a dry tropical climate where it almost never rains, apart from January and February. The hottest months are October and November with temperature around 35°C.

It is best to stay for 3 full days to see all the highlights. Here are a few circuits which you can hike in Isalo:

1 – Piscine Naturelle & 2 Crête

The crest is a walk along the edge of the rocks. The viewpoint is really beautiful and the typical savannah surrounding it. There are 2 hikes called Crête, on in the national park which requires a guide and a self-guided hike between the hotels Relais de la Reine and Jardin du Roy (2- 3h hike: you can’t get lost as everything is well marked)

Piscine Naturelle is a lush oasis with a green natural pool and a waterfall. It’s a short circuit which can be done within 1h30 hour of walking over the sandstone massif, passing by endemic plants. You will arrive on top and walk down to to the green pool surrounded by huge palms. The water is luke warm, clean and refreshing.

2 – Namaza Trail, Piscine bleue et noire & Cascade des Nymphes

The Namaza trail is short (2.5 hours return). After passing through an arid landscape, suddenly sink into the green gorges of Namaza with palm trees and lush vegetation. After 15 km of walking along the gorge, you will arrive to 2 mesmerizing natural pools. They are very well hidden among rocks. The water is ice cold, but it is amazing after a long hike. To continue, climb a very steep hill to discover a completely hidden beautiful pool of Cascade des Nymphes. In the dry season the waterfall can be without water, but it is totally worth the hike nevertheless.

3 – Canyon Des Makis & Canyon des Rates

Canyon des Makis is located in the heart of the Isalo mountain range. This area contains several animal species endemic to Madagascar, including the emblematic lemur with 14 listed species.  The canyon can be reached by car, passing through Ranohira, and then on foot along the 2 km trail. This area offers a magnificent landscape with a view of the immense Ihorombe plateau in the south and the Isalo mountains. The remains of an ancient Bara royal village with tombs and royal baths are also found in the Makis Canyon.

To reach the Canyon des Rats, take a two-hour walking circuit over 17 km. Canyon des Rats is a traditional burial area with resident lemurs. This walk offers a panoramic view of the cliffs, palm and bamboo forests as well as of an old village. One day is more than enough to have a global view of the canyon sheltering a waterfall flowing into a natural pool with the reflection of the rocks giving the water its blue-green color. The canyon of the rats is one of the easily accessible circuits of the national park of Isalo. It hides a surprising tropical vegetation.

During sunset you can go to the Isalo window, a naturally eroded sandstone rock in the middle of an open savannah field. At sunset, the whole place becomes really spectacular!

Recommended Tours: https://boutiquetravelexperts.com/madagascar/road-trip/