excursions in fianarantsoa

Fianarantsoa « where one teachs good». The city has put up its real foudations on the hill in 1830. Curiously the city has the same structures as its great sister Antananarivo ; it can be divided in three parts : the upper city, the most ancient, the new city which is a commercial place and the railway station district that follows the railroad . While going to the South , Andringitra national park is the scenery in junction between the Betsileo and the Bara country to the south. Ihosy is a city at 150 km from Ambalavao : Itompomanananirariny was a fortified village situated on one of hills eastward the present city. The new city Ihosy (rope ) is built near the river of the same name having the appearance of a rope . There is also Isalo National Park which is worth a visit. It is situated on an imposing mountain stretching over nearly 100 km from north to south.

Ambozontany district

One can admire the architecture of the cathedral built in 1871 at the foot of the Rova ; from this place the visitor has a beautiful view on Anosy lake .

Anatirova district

It is the historical center of the city where was found the Betsileo Rova called Ivoenava at times past. A magnificent panorama on all the city and its surroundings is appreciated from this place.

Antsenambahiny district

«Where guests are received » it is here that the population welcomed the Queen messengers bringer of envelopes addressed to governors of Fianarantsoa. One could thus continue wandering throug all the city districts because each nook and cranny reveals its part of history to the visitor as Antarandolo district and the Kianjasoa

Sahambavy - Ampamaherana

There are sites as Maromby ( 4km from the city) a peaceful place in the monastery vineyards .
Sahambavy (23 km) : a lacustrian site with the vast domains of the SIDEXAM ( guided visit possible with charge for admission )
Ampamaherana (30km): it is a forest station with a pisciculture, agreeable site for hikers .
The Rock of Alakamisy Ambohimaha : it is an imposing rock on which arabic inscription have been engraved toward the VI century .
The Fanjakana : rocky peak culminating to 1392 m of altitude offering an imposing panorama within a radius of 50 km .

Ambositra is situated at 152 km northward Fianarantsoa.
In a way it is the cradle of the woods sculpture in Madagascar. The fact that this region is near the eastern forest justifies this word woods work « cradle » and there exists many workshops specialized in the engraving and the woods sculpture as well as the marquetry
Vestiges of the last King Andriapanalina palace can be found at 6km from the city.
Andrimamovoka waterfall can be reached in one hour walk in a path crossing typically Betsileo hamlets and terrace ricefields or vegetables fields . This waterfall is the object of cult and purification .

Ambatofinandrahana is situated at 82 km westward Ambositra.
This region contains the most important marble career of Madagascar.
More to the south , is the imposing Itremo mountain (140 km from Ambositra), with an altitude between 1000 and 1100m. It presents a very impressive landscape with its streaked rock blocks majestically erecting in salient points in the middle of an endemic vegetation :kalanchoès, pachypodium, orkids... the mountain contains a semi precious stone and industrial stones ore .

On the road of Ambositra-Fianarantsoa (152km) is the city of Ambohimahasoa and slightly to the east Ifanadiana with its tapias forest (Uapaca bojery) kind of Euphorbiaceas necessary to butterflies producers of savage silk , raw material for the « landibe » manufacture used for the « lambamena » or shrouds making mainly created by Soatanana weavers , a domain situated near this forest.

Manakara : the capital of the Antemoro country, crossed by the Pangalanes Channel , it is a gastronomic city with its numerous restaurants with many specialties (raclette and grill or seafoods ) and a tourist city with its 10 km of fine sand beach entirely bordering the city . A trip to the north makes you enjoy an unforgettable sunset where the sea meets the river .

Ambalavao :a small city southward Fianarantsoa is worth the trip because it is there that the famous Antemoro paper , from the name of the tribe that works it, is made according to a since century kept process. If formerly it is used as support for sacred books (the Sorabe) now it has entered the Malagasy craft industry for the confection of lampshade , albums or postcards for tourists.

The places of interests