Ampefy: the Geysers and Volcanic Lakes Few Travellers Find

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By Jordan Lamont · Last updated 7 October 2026

Ask a geologist to list the countries with geysers and you will hear Iceland, New Zealand, the United States — not Madagascar. Yet in the green volcanic hills west of Antananarivo, water really does jet up out of the ground. Ampefy, in the little-visited Itasy region, is the island’s surprise lake district: geysers, waterfalls and a great volcanic lake, all within an easy drive of the capital, and all with barely a tourist in sight.

Geysers in the highlands

The headline attraction is at Analavory, near Ampefy, where geysers rise from the ground — a genuinely unexpected sight in Madagascar, and the kind of thing most visitors never imagine the island has. In a landscape shaped by old volcanoes, mineral-rich water finds its way to the surface and spouts, staining the surrounding earth. It is modest by Icelandic standards, but it is real, and it is Madagascar’s own.

Falls and a volcanic lake

Ampefy is more than its geysers. The Lily River drops over the Lily Falls (Chutes de la Lily), a broad, pretty cascade, and nearby spreads Lake Itasy — the fourth-largest lake in Madagascar — its shores dotted with volcanic cones and islets. The whole district, at around 1,288 metres, is a classic piece of highland Madagascar: cool, green, farmed in beans and maize, and shaped by a volcanic past still visible in every crater and hot spring.

The highlands’ quiet escape

What makes Ampefy special is how few people go. On the RN43 west of the capital, it is close enough for a day trip or an overnight escape, yet it sits well off the main tourist routes of the RN7. That means lakeside calm, local fishing pirogues, and waterfalls and geysers you can often enjoy almost alone — a glimpse of the highlands the tour buses miss entirely.

Why it matters today

Ampefy proves how much of Madagascar hides in plain sight: a geyser field and a volcanic lake, an hour or two from the capital, that most visitors never hear about. It is the perfect antidote to a busy itinerary. Plan a day there with our Ampefy guide, fit it into the central highlands, and build the trip with our Madagascar travel guide.

FAQ

Does Madagascar have geysers?

Yes — the geysers at Analavory, near Ampefy in the Itasy region, are a genuine and surprising highland attraction.

What is there to see around Ampefy?

The Analavory geysers, the Lily Falls (Chutes de la Lily) on the Lily River, and Lake Itasy, Madagascar’s fourth-largest lake, in a volcanic landscape.

Where is Ampefy?

In the Itasy region west of Antananarivo, on National Road 43, at around 1,288 m altitude.

Is it worth the trip?

Yes, as an easy, uncrowded highland escape — lakes, waterfalls and geysers in one compact area.