Isalo National Park

Isalo is Madagascar's Jurassic landscape: a vast eroded sandstone massif in the dry south, carved into canyons, mesas and windows of rock, with palm-lined streams running along the gorge floors into natural swimming pools of cold, clear water. Ring-tailed lemurs and sifakas move through the riverine forest, endemic succulents grow from bare rock, and Bara people bury their dead in cliff niches high on the walls. Trails range from short walks to multi-day traverses, and the sunset viewpoint known as the Window is a fixed part of every itinerary on the RN7 road.

History

The park was created in 1962 and has been run by Madagascar National Parks since 1997. The Bara people, nomadic herders of zebu, have long lived in the area, and there are Bara burial sites and older ones of the Sakalava (Wikipedia, Isalo National Park).

What you'll find

• The natural pools - swimming in the canyon streams after a hot walk.
• Ring-tailed lemurs and sifakas - reliable sightings in the gorge forest.
• Isalo Window - the eroded rock arch that frames the sunset.
• Bara burial niches - traditional cliff tombs high in the sandstone.

When to go

The dry season from April to November is the walking season, with cooler temperatures from May to August. The rainy months bring heat and difficult trails. Whatever the month, hike early - the sandstone radiates heat by midday.

Before you go

Guides are compulsory and rightly so; they are locally trained, know the wildlife, and the fee supports the community. It gets genuinely hot and shadeless between the canyons - two litres of water per person is a minimum. Accommodation clusters in Ranohira and ranges from basic to surprisingly good. The RN7 drive from the capital is long and best broken over several days.

Nearby

The Zombitse forest, Ranomafana further north-east and the road on to Tulear and the coast.

Key facts