The Tsingy de Bemaraha and the Avenue of the Baobabs

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Antananarivo - Arrival

  

  Arrival at Ivato Antananarivo. Your travel guide is waiting for you in the airport hall. We offer you a light welcome snack during the transfer to the hotel. Have a good rest and see you tomorrow. Dinner and overnight in the best hotel in Antananarivo. Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included Your hotel: PALISSANDRE HOTEL (standard room)

• day 2

  Antananarivo - Morondava - Kirindy

  

  Depending on your flight schedule, you will be picked up by your guide and then transferred to the airport. Flight from Tana to Morondava Your guide and the local 4x4 team will welcome you at the airport. Then, you will leave Morondava towards the famous "Avenue of the Baobabs" to reach Kirindy after a few hours of driving. This is a private reserve whose ecosystem is one of the most threatened. The reserve is famous for the giant jumping rat (Hypogeomys antimena) and the "Fosa" (Cryptoprocta ferox). You can also find different species of lemurs and endemic reptiles there. The flora is very particular in Kirindy, with a number of endemic species. Take a night walk in search of local nocturnal animals. Dinner and overnight stay in the best hotel in Kirindy. Distance: 70 km Duration: +/- 1h flight and +/- 2h30 drive Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included Your hotel: RELAIS DU KIRINDY

• day 3

  Kirindy - Bekopaka

  

  We will have a walk of about 2 hours in the reserve before continuing towards the village of Bekopaka. We will also be able to observe different species of lemurs and endemic reptiles. The track to the Tsingy de Bemaraha is very uncomfortable. We will cross 2 rivers: the Tsiribihina River and the Manambolo River before arriving at the village of Bekopaka at the end of the afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay at the best hotel in Bekopaka. Distance: 160 km Duration: 2h visit and +/- 6h drive Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included Your hotel: SOLEIL DES TSINGY

• day 4

  Visit of the Manambolo gorges and the small Tsingy.

  

  After breakfast, transfer by car to the Manambolo pier and departure in a traditional pirogue to visit the two caves. These are rock formations: stalagmites and stalactites. Then, visit the Petits Tsingy. This is a more suitable and accessible option for everyone. Despite this ease, this route is just as rewarding as the Grand Tsingy. We will do the Andadoany circuit, which covers a 2 km route and takes about 2 to 3 hours to cross. This itinerary allows you to discover the diversity of nature surrounding the Tsingy site. You will have the opportunity to see rare plants, including pachypodium, palm trees in certain areas of the park, as well as water reserves between the rocks where fish are easily spotted in crystal-clear water, similar to a large aquarium. In addition to these endemic plants, wild animals also inhabit this area. You may encounter birds, reptiles, and various species of lemurs such as the gidro, boenga, and sifaka. At the top of the Petits Tsingy, you will enjoy an open view of this limestone park and a surprising view of the Manambolo gorges. Overnight in the best hotel in Bekopaka. Duration: 3 to 4 hours of walking Meals: Picnic lunch included / Dinner included Your hotel: SOLEIL DES TSINGY

• day 5

  Visit of the Grands Tsingy of Bemaraha

  

  After breakfast, we set off to visit the impressive Grands Tsingy. It is one of the most extraordinary sites! TSINGY is a true limestone cathedral, formed by a deposit of fossils and dead shells under the sea 200 million years ago, then shaped by rainwater 5 million years ago. It is one of the most spectacular landscapes in Madagascar. Enter the heart of an impressive network of fissures to discover a surprising green landscape. The Grands Tsingy stretch over more than 72,000 ha. 300 years ago, the Tsingy served as a shelter for the "vazimba", the first inhabitants of Madagascar. This ancient city of the Vazimba is now a sacred place for the people of the region. During this visit, you will discover a biodiversity unique in the world: nearly 90 species of birds find refuge here, both terrestrial and aquatic, including the famous Madagascar fish eagle as well as many species of wild ducks. The place is also home to no less than fifty different species of reptiles, most of which are endemic. But the most fascinating are above all the lemurs that live here in abundance. So, take advantage of your hike to encounter the gidro and the sifakas. As for the flora, the Tsingy are a true Eldorado for botanists with their 650 species of rare plants. Overnight in the best hotel in Bekopaka. Duration: 3 to 6 hours of hiking Meals: Picnic lunch included / Dinner included Your hotel: SOLEIL DES TSINGY

• day 6

  Bekopaka - Morondava

  

  We return to Morondava by the same route we took when we arrived, and we cross the Manambolo and Tsiribihina rivers again. The return may take a little time due to the waiting time for the ferries. We pass by the famous "Avenue of the Baobabs" just before arriving in the city of Morondava. The Avenue of the Baobabs, or Baobab Alley, is a group of baobabs lining the dirt road between Morondava and Belon'i Tsiribihina, in the Menabe region, in the west of Madagascar. It has been a protected area since 2007. We are there at the right time to watch the sunset and take beautiful photos. We then return to Morondava. Distance: 200 km Duration: +/- 10h Meals: Lunch not included / Dinner included Your hotel: PALISSANDRE CÔTE OUEST

• day 7

  Morondava - Antananarivo (Departure)

  

  Free morning and transfer to the airport managed by the hotel staff. Flight from Morondava to Tana. Assistance at the airport and connection for the long-haul flight. NB: The program for this day may be modified depending on domestic and international flights. Duration: 1h flight Meals: Lunch not included.