PANGALANES KAYAK

Your trip in Madagascar

The Pangalanes Canal, 600 km long, is a freshwater route that connects lakes and rivers on the east coast, a stone’s throw from the far too dangerous ocean.
We cross it from Mahanoro to Mananjary, pushed by the trade winds for a quiet navigation to meet the villagers, delighted to meet our boats and more curious than us!
Our two-seater kayaks, equipped with sails, allow you to circulate in silence, favoring bird watching (kingfishers, bee-eater, fody, egret and heron, and all the seabirds who come to make an incursion. The villagers are more curious about we observe that we are not towards them.
Each village visit stop causes a crowd of curious visitors to discover our kayaks. The atmosphere is guaranteed!
Throughout our itinerary, we come across pirogues and bush boats overloaded with freight and travelers. Our motorboat precedes the wing of kayaks, carrying luggage and supplies (equipped kitchen, WC and dining room). A real “expedition” to discover a generous nature, punctuated by meetings with the Malagasy people.
A complete trip off the beaten track.

DAY 1

Tana – Andasibe – Vatomandry

• We leave Tananarive by the national road 2 which winds between the rice fields and climbing the hills, allowing to observe the landscape of the highlands up to Mandjakandrina. Lunch in Moramanga after a visit of the big market, then continuation of the road to join our stage of Vatomandry, by the sea. On the way, a short stop at the artisanal cooperative of women of the village of Ambavaniasy and fruit market Antsampanana. This is where we leave the national 2 to join the ocean by crossing the coastal plain, meandering between hills and rice fields. We join the Pangalanes canal in Vatomandry, a small town typical of the east coast. Dinner and overnight at “Casadoro” hotel.
• Night in bungalows (“simple” DBL or TWN category with bathroom and wc).
• Meals: lunch / dinner
• Transfer distance by road: 250 km – duration: +/- 6h00
  Walk: +/- 0h00

DAY 2

Vatomandry – Mahanoro – Ambodiharina

• Breakfast on site. Transfer by road to Mahanoro, visit the market and launch the kayaks for our first step which favors paddle propulsion. It is a question of discovering and mastering the stability of the kayak and crossing the great marsh of Mahanoro lends itself perfectly to it. Crossing the mouth of the Mangoro River can be tricky depending on the water level, but our assistance boat is there to secure everyone’s navigation, allowing the kayaks to be hoisted on board if necessary. This first stage ends at the village of Ambodiharina. Dinner around the campfire and overnight in a tent.
• Night in an igloo tent (1 tent for 2 people)
• Meals: lunch / dinner
• Transfer distance by road: 90 km – duration: +/- 2 hours
  Distance from kayak: 15 km – duration: +/- 4h00

DAY 3

Ambodiharina – Andranotsara (Pangalanes forest lodge)

• Breakfast on site. Navigation winds through the fairly narrow canal which crosses large areas of rice fields and some typical villages. Paddle progress to the large lake of Ampanalana which allows you to sail for a first experience. Varieties of palm trees are discovered there, some of which have stilts (Pandanus) to anchor in the ground and others contain a reserve of water in each branch to save the lost traveler from thirst. As for the “elephant ears” or giant alocasias, they decorate the banks and make labyrinths in certain passages. Visit with music and dances in the village of Andranotsara, then we join the classified forest which shelters the lodge, posed between channel and the immense beach which borders the ocean. Dinner and overnight at the “Pangalanes forest-lodge”.
• Night in bungalows (“simple” TWN category with external bathroom and wc).
• Meals: lunch / dinner
• Distance from kayak: 20 km – duration: +/- 5h00

DAY 4

Andranotsara – Masomeloka – Analampotsy – Nosy Varika

• Breakfast on site. This part of the canal is wide, allowing sailing to the town of Masomeloka, which is visited while the crew loads the kayaks on the service boat. Indeed, from Masomeloka to Lake Analampotsy, the canal is narrow and the landscape quite monotonous. We avoid this tedious part by a transfer to return to the water at the big lake and enjoy a very beautiful crossing, pushed by the wind. The stage ends in Nosy Varika, a small languid town that lies between the canal and the ocean. Dinner and overnight in a local “hotely”.
• Night in bungalows (“rustic” TWN category with external bathroom and wc).
• Meals: lunch / dinner
• Distance from kayak: 28 km – duration: +/- 4h00
  Transfer distance by boat: 40 km – duration: +/- 5h00

DAY 5

Nosy Varika – Andranobe (Pangalanes Jungle-Camp)

• Breakfast on site. Navigation resumes alternating sailing and paddling. The canal winds through the rice fields and we come across canoes and “bush boats” equipped with noisy engines (rice husker adapted on a propeller shaft. They are called “katakataka” because of the sound they produce. The more one progresses, the more dense and dense the vegetation becomes.The last five kilometers before approaching the Andranobe lake system are bordered by forest and large trees that one enjoys watching while sailing. In characteristic villages, you can meet people and exchange ideas. The lodge is equipped with comfortable safari tents and offers a splendid view of the lake and the coastal forest. Dinner and overnight at the “Pangalanes jungle-camp”.
• Night in bungalows (“simple” TWN category with external bathroom and wc).
• Meals: lunch / dinner
• Distance from kayak: 20 km – duration: +/- 5h00

DAY 6

Andranobe – Ambahy – Ambohitsara – Mahela

• Breakfast on site. After crossing the Andranobe lake system, we arrive in the village of Ambahy to supply the dispensary (CSB2) with medicines. Then the canal bordered by countless giant alocasias leads us to the great lake of Mahela and the curious village of Anilavinany. Visit the typical village of Ambohitsara perched on its clear sand dune, and meet the local population. We discover a curious culture of elephant (unknown to Mada) whose origin is controversial. Some attribute it to Arab travelers in the 12th century, others to Indians. Dinner around the campfire and overnight in a tent.
• Night in an igloo tent (1 tent for 2 people)
• Meals: lunch / dinner
• Distance from kayak: 30 km – duration: +/- 5h00

DAY 7

Mahela – Ampandimana – Mananjary

• Breakfast on site. Crossing the lakes is suitable for sailing, but the paddle is useful for crossing the reed and papyrus areas on the south shore. A long straight section leads us to the beach of Ambinan-lefaka where the lunch stop allows to dismantle the kayaks to end the stage with a transfer by boat. Dinner and overnight at the Vahiny lodge.
• Night in bungalows (“simple” DBL or TWN category with bathroom and wc).
• Meals: lunch / dinner
• Distance from kayak: 20 km – duration: +/- 4h00
  Transfer distance by boat: 20 km – duration: +/- 2 hours

DAY 8

Mananjary – Ranomafana – Ambositra

• Breakfast. After a few hours on the road, we approach Ranomafana National Park. It is one of the most beautiful places that the rainforest can offer. The bamboo lemur, the fulvus rufus (red lemur) and the rubriventer lemur (red-bellied) populate the places. Ranomafana National Park is home to 12 species of lemurs, 96 species of birds and the must-have chameleons, geckos and fluorescent frogs. In addition to the various species of amphibians and reptiles, there are orchids, rosewood and Rhipsalis, the only cactus growing in humid tropical environments. It still takes a few hours to reach the town of Ambositra, known for its marquetry crafts. Dinner and overnight at the “artisan” hotel.
• Night in bungalows (“comfort” category DBL or TWN with bathroom and wc).
• Meals: lunch / dinner
• Transfer distance by road: 250 km – duration: +/- 6h00
  Walking: +/- 3h00

DAY 9

Ambositra – Antsirabe – Tana

• Breakfast on site. We take the national road 7 north. The landscape is dotted with hills with characteristic rocks (granite) of this region (vatos) and the road winds to reach the pretty Mamovoka Pass (1503m) before switching to the rice valley of Ambohimanjaka. Lunch at Antsirabe also allows for a few visits before continuing on the road and reaching the bottled capital.
• Meals: lunch / dinner
• Transfer distance by road: 240 km – duration: +/- 5h30
  Walking: 0