Marvel at the sapphire mines of Ilakaka

Isalo National Park, with its fascinating wealth of numerous natural beauties and wonders, is a important part of your journey through MadagascarBut at the same time it is just another stop on the impressive way south along the RN 7. After the stay in Isalo National Park, the journey is coming to an end and Tulear is almost within reach. Before that, however, you should make at least one stopover on the way and visit the Ilakaka sapphire mines visit. On the way towards Tulear you will many adventures and incredible experiences encounter. We would like to make sure that you will always remember them positively and that your vacation in Madagascar will be an unforgettable highlight. If you still Help with planning your tour or need additional information about possible stops and attractions, feel free to contact us. We will be happy to use our knowledge and experience to make your vacation a perfect affair.

This leg of the journey begins in Isalo

You turn your back on the Isalo National Park and the small village of Ranohira and move on the RN 7 by car. further down to the southern tip of Madagascar. The savannah that now surrounds you throughout is home to numerous Bismarck palms, which are characterized by fire resistance. But the environment is also characterized by the colorful rock formations that will accompany you for a part of your way. Just a few kilometers away from Ranohira, you will see A surprise present. The road runs dead straight at first and then opens up into a valley hollow that houses an entire town. This town did not exist until a few years ago, and yet it seems as if it has always existed in this inhospitable area, just to brave the weather, climate and conditions of this stretch of land. The name of the city is Ilakaka and it exists only because of the underground sapphire depositswhich were discovered there a few years ago. Ilakaka is a city like you will probably not see a second time. Along the streets you will see many mounds and numerous holes can discover. Air is pumped into these with plastic bags taped together, which then in turn reaches the underground tunnels and is supposed to ensure that the workers there do not suffocate. In addition, Ilakaka acts like a city for stranded souls - there are numerous casinos, prostitution and a gold prospector on every corner who has caught the fever. Only that in Ilakaka it is not about gold, but about sapphires.

The landscape around the town of Ilakaka has also suffered from this frenzy. The small piles of earth pile up like molehills, and there are holes everywhere into which careless or incautious walkers can easily stumble. For many Madagascans was and is Ilakaka a dream come truethe chance of great happiness in life. Yet living conditions in this city are anything but rosy. Even those who actually find sapphires do not become rich, but can barely afford their daily bread. Asians buy the sapphires in Madagascar for a ridiculously low price and then sell them on the world markets at absolute top sales. Despite these adversities we would like to offer you Ilakaka as a city definitely recommendas it is like hardly any other fascinates and polarizes. If you do not want to miss this highlight on the trip south, we will gladly organize for you a visit to this wild and untamed place. Of course, we will take into account all the important safety conditions, giving you a breathtaking and truly unforgettable look behind the scenes enable

We continue in the direction of Tulear

Once you have left the impressive city of Ilakaka behind you, you can first sit back a little and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the surroundings. A grassy plateau now stretches out before you, enclosed in the distance by flat mountains. The area you are passing through is now hardly inhabited, with only isolated poor dwellings protruding from thorny forests. Then suddenly, about 100 kilometers south of Ranohira, the landscape begins to change yet again and a lush green shoots out of the ground again out. You now pass the Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park, which is especially recommended for birdwatchers and insect lovers. Also the so-called Sakahara gemstone center can be an interesting stop on your trip if you have a lavish schedule. A few kilometers further on you can then catch the first glimpses of the famous Mahafaly Tombs throw. These stone monuments were erected in honor of the deceased and then lavishly painted with stories about their preferences. We recommend that you view most of the graves from a reasonable distance. In addition, we are also aware of some graves that you can view up close and even photograph may. However, in order to honor the traditions of the Malagasy, you should not try to find out such information on your own.

There are also various attractions off the route that are worth a detour. One local rum factorywhich produces high-proof schnapps by sometimes adventurous means. Whether you want to enjoy the products, which probably have a volume alcohol content of 90 percent, is of course up to you. But it is certainly worth the experience. Let yourself be taken on the adventure Madagascar and meet people, animals and living conditions in a unique spectacle on this trip across the island. We do not want you to miss any of the real attractions during your vacation in Madagascar and therefore we would like to present you our individually planned tours to the heart. Our experience has often taught us that a well planned tour can save travelers in Madagascar a lot of trouble. Contact us first calmly without obligation, so that we can get into conversation with each other.