Ruthless RN5

In April 2024, Nomadic Road's Ruthless RN5 expedition took a group of overlanders 800 kilometres along Madagascar's east coast RN5, often described as one of the toughest roads in the world. Over 11 days, the convoy worked through broken tarmac, deep mud, dozens of river crossings and stretches where dirt and sand were the most reliable driving surfaces. April sits at the end of Madagascar's rainy season, which is exactly when the RN5 lives up to its name. The RN5 is, on paper, a national road. In practice it is an obstacle course. Sections that were once paved have washed away, bridges have been replaced with logs, and entire stretches require zebu-pulled rafts to cross rivers. The 2024 group ran into the full range of conditions: stuck vehicles, recovery situations, rerouting around new washouts, and the kind of late-afternoon arrivals at camp that come standard when a route refuses to be hurried. Beyond the driving, the RN5 delivered the cultural side of Madagascar most travellers never see. Villages line the route, with markets, children, zebu carts and the unmistakable rhythm of life on the Malagasy east coast. The Indian Ocean appeared on the right for long stretches, with empty beaches and fishing communities working among the palm groves. Evenings were spent in small lodges and guesthouses, with local food and the soundtrack of frogs, insects and distant generators. The April 2024 Ruthless RN5 delivered exactly what its name promises: a route that strips travel back to its hardest, slowest, most genuinely adventurous core.