Things to Do in Isalo National Park

Canyon des Singes trek

This 4-hour loop trail takes you through narrow slots where sunlight barely reaches the sandy floor. These cool pockets ring-tailed lemurs love for afternoon naps. You'll hear their distinctive calls bouncing off canyon walls. Climb over smooth boulders worn glassy by centuries of flash floods.

Piscine Naturelle swim

A deep green pool appears like a mirage after hiking through dry savanna. It's fed by a waterfall that tumbles 20 meters into a natural stone basin. The water tastes mineral-sweet and stays refreshingly cold even during the hottest months. Tiny fish nibble at your toes if you stay still long enough.

Namaza circuit

The overnight camping circuit leads past tombs of the Bara people tucked into cliff faces. You'll smell burnt incense from recent offerings. Zebu cattle bells echo from distant valleys. The sunset from the overnight campsite paints the rock formations in impossible shades of orange and violet.

Canyon des Makis night walk

As darkness falls, the sandstone walls release stored heat in warm gusts. Mouse lemurs' eyes reflect your headlamp like tiny green stars. You'll hear the unsettling screech of the giant coua bird. Navigate by torchlight through sandy washes.

Window of Isalo viewpoint

This natural rock arch frames the setting sun well during certain months. It creates a photographer's great destination when the light turns the surrounding cliffs blood-red. The short climb rewards you with views across the savanna. You might spot troops of sifaka lemurs bounding between distant trees.

Ranohira village offers the closest budget options - basic guesthouses with shared facilities starting around 25,000 ariary

The park entrance area hosts mid-range ecolodges built from local stone, where you'll hear zebu bells from nearby villages at dawn

Upmarket resorts line the RN7 south of the park, with bungalows set in private gardens where ring-tails sometimes wander through

Camping inside the park at Namaza or Canyon des Makis - park provides tents and sleeping pads but bring your own bag

Village homestays in Ilakaka (15km north) give you a taste of sapphire mining town life, complete with dusty streets and gem traders

Backcountry camping at authorized sites requires advance booking through the park office - basic pit toilets only