The Grand Circuit
This is righteously our most popular route. When completing the Grand Circuit, you will be amazed by the many faces of Madagascar. First cruise down the famous RN7, through colourful highland towns, rainforests and mountains. The scenery changes drastically after Ambalavao, making way to grasslands, canyons and finally, the sea. The western coastal route in Madagascar is 4WD territory, with sandy tracks, rivers and baobabs. You'll visit remote Vezo fishing villages with colourful boats, pristine beaches, the bizarre limestone pinnacles of Tsingy de Bemaraha, the most beautiful lodges and only a handful of other travellers.
You can find a video of the Grand Circuit on the Roadtube section of this website, here.
Scroll down below to see the day-to- day route with tips on places to stay, so that you can book your accommodation in Madagascar yourself. These are the lodges we like to stay in when we are roadtripping; small-scale, good price-quality ratio and owner-managed when possible.
Check the day to day itinerary
The Ultimate Madagascar Itinerary – 23 Adventurous Days in Madagascar
Travel time and road conditions
Around 23 car rental days are recommended to follow this route. A Nissan Double Cab is required. Is time not on your side? You can shorten this roadtrip by skipping the Tsingy (saving 4 days), and/or cover the west coast in 4 days (saving 2 days) and/or drop off your car at Morondava and fly back to Antananarivo (saving 2 days).
The RN7 from Tana to Tulear is asphalt. The west coast from Tulear up to the Tsingy de Bemaraha is off-road driving. We allow roadtrippers to self-drive the West Coast, but 4x4 driving experience is necessary. For less experienced/confident drivers, we can hook you up with a ''pisteur''. This local navigator knows the region by heart and can advise which track to follow, where to cross a river, etc. This costs €25 / day. Consult our on the road section for more Madagascar travel information.
Prices
Rest of year | May, June, October, November
Price per vehicle, in Euros.
The price includes 23 days rental and car delivery and drop off at your hotel in Ivato or the airport.
Prefer a pisteur for the west coast? Add €150
Want to do the entire Grand Circuit with driver-guide? Add €690 to your total trip amount.
Nissan Double Cab | |
Per car | € 2,297 |
Peak season | July - September
Price per vehicle, in Euros.
The price includes 23 days rental and car delivery and drop off at your hotel in Ivato or the airport.
Prefer a pisteur for the west coast? Add €150
Want to do the entire Grand Circuit with driver-guide? Add €690 to your total trip amount.
Nissan Double Cab | |
Per car | € 2,527 |
Create & Book
Make this road trip yours. Hire a 4x4 in Madagascar and Drive Your Own Adventure.
Secure your vehicleIncluded in the Grand Circuit
Included
- Roadmap and Bradt Travel Guide
- Comprehensive car insurance
- Car delivery to your hotel or airport
Optional
- Driver-Guide
- Camping gear
- Electrical fridge