Baobab avenue in morondava
City of antananarivo
Ring tail lemurs
baobab avenue
local people
tsingy of bemaraha
Baobab avenue in morondava
City of antananarivo
Ring tail lemurs
baobab avenue
local people
tsingy of bemaraha
« Precious stones, 3 days camping, canoe trip, trekking, climbing, Lemurs, Bats, Baobab avenue »
(Best time to do this river trip with tsingy is From May till End of November).
TOUR ROUTES :
ANTANANARIVO - ANTSIRABE - MIANDRIVAZO – TSIRIBIHINA RIVER - BELO SUR TSIRIBIHINA – BEKOPAKA VILLAGE – BELO SUR TSIRIBIHINA - MORONDAVA.
Day 1 :
ANTANANARIVO - ANTSIRABE .
Day 2 :
ANTSIRABE TO MIANDRIVAZO.
After the morning breakfast, your driver will pick you up from the hotel to visit the highlights around Antsirabe town including precious stone factory where you can learn how they polish the stones. We then visit the natural source of the spring water at the thermal bath and then onto Andrakiba lake. You can have horse ride around Andrakiba Lake (fees is not included) and this is an optional. We then make our way to Miandrivazo for 4 hours with paved road. On the way we pass a waterfall in Betafo village, as we pass through the changing Malagasy countryside. Miandrivazo is only place to organize a trip along the Tsiribihina River to descent the 160 km through the wild landscapes of the far Malagasy West. The river trip lasts for 3 and half days, by pirogue (dugout wooden canoe) or you can choose to pay more and travel instead in a comfortable motor boat that takes 1 day less.
Recommended accommodation : overnight at hotel la princess de tsiribihina . ( bed and breakfast are included )
Day 3 - 4 - 5 :
ALONG TSIRIBIHINA RIVER BY PIROGUE.
FIRST LEG : Start the day with your pirogue paddler
and personal guide on the impressive Tsiribihina River, as it cuts its way through the
rugged mountains that, in places, tower 600 meters above you. View a range of birdlife
and many species of large chameleons, all by the riverbank. In the late afternoon your
guide will pitch a tent, on a secluded island in the middle of the river. 
He will build you a fire and cook
your dinner. Then sit back and enjoy your meal listening to the sounds of the river and
watching the sun go down. Camping at night. (Full board is included).
SECOND LEG : Start the morning with a cooked breakfast as your guide packs up the camp. Then continue your adventure as the river winds through thick forests full of wildlife. Floating peacefully by, you have the opportunity to closely observe the many different types of lemurs, playing in the trees. Your guide will call a stop for lunch at the fabulous waterfall. This is a great place to rest and sometimes to observe curious lemurs. You can swim with this waterfall. Camping at night as before. (Full board is included).
THIRD LEG : Wake up in the morning for breakfast and back to the river passing tobacco farms and waving to locals as they collect their water. Then stop at a traditional Malagasy village. Isolated and hidden in the jungle this village can only be reached by riverboat, as it’s a 2-day walk to the nearest road. Watch how the villages work and live in their hand built wooden houses. Then back to the river and a surprise as you pass right next to some open caves. This is where hundreds of bats sleep through the day hanging upside down, from the ceiling of rock. Next you will see many Baobab trees on the riverside. These species of unusual, but beautiful trees can only be found in Madagascar. Camping at night as before. (Full board is included).
Day 6 :
TSARAOTANA VILLAGE – BELO SUR TSIRIBIHINA - BEKOPAKA VILLAGE.
After morning breakfast, meet your driver with four wheel drive at the riverbank then drive to tsimafana village where you will take a ferry boat crossing to belo sur tsiribihina. Here you will have lunch and take a walk to see local market and very local people. After our break in belo sur tsiribihina, drive to bekopaka with another 90 km with dust road. Arriving at bekopaka village, take your hotel and relax with nice breeze and hearing the nature. This is an adventure trip and is indeed quite has tough ride.
Recommended accommodation : Grand hotel or olympe hotel for midrange option and hotel soleil for luxury option . ( Bed and breakfast is included )
Day 7 :
TREKING TO GRAND TSINGY PARK WITH YOUR PERSONAL LOCAL GUIDE.
Take your early morning breakfast from the hotel and drive to the
starting point of grand tsingy of Bemaraha Park. 
This is probably the most rewarding half-day
trip within the park as it goes deep into the limestone forest passing through several
hanging bridges with the impressive karstic formations below your feet and photograph
amazing landscape you have never seen elsewhere. The trail is not technically difficult
and even children can cope with it, but you certainly should not suffer from vertigo!
The look down from the hanging bridge is something to avoid for the easily fainted. Do
not forget to order your picnic food with mineral water before you start the tour and
this cost does not included in our tour. During the afternoon, go to Manambolo River by
pirogue to look for fish eagles and visit a cave with stalactites and stalagmites. This
visit takes only one hour
Recommended accommodation : Grand hotel or olympe hotel for midrange option and hotel soleil for luxury option . ( Bed and breakfast is included )
Day 8 :
BEKOPAKA TO MORONDAVA .
After breakfast from the hotel, drive to morondava. Take a break in belo sur tsiribihina village and having lunch then continue again to morondava. Pass through Baobab in love and stop at the famous Baobab Avenue by the sun set on route. This is the best time of day to see the trees, as their colors change and their long shadows are most pronounced. We arrive at Morondava, where you are free to relax for the rest of the day.
Recommended accommodation : hotel baobab café or renala du sable d'or or hotel chez magi for midrange option and hotel pallissandre for luxury hotel option . ( Bed and breakfast is included )
Note : We paid your airport transfer by hotel in morondava where you can take an onward flight to Antananarivo, or simply relax on the beach at Morondava until you are ready to move on. Please note it is strongly advised that you purchase your air tickets before you start the tour, to avoid delays, although arrangements can also be made here. If you want to stay more days on the beach in Morondava and keen on diving or snorkeling, we can organize your stay at belo sur mer or at kimony resort by 4WD .
PRICE FOR MID RANGE HOTEL OPTION : 1 700 Euro for 2 people . ( one double or twin room sharing option )
AND
PRICE FOR LUXURY HOTEL OPTION : 1 950 Euro for 2 people . ( one double or twin room sharing option )
INCLUDED:
EXCLUDED :
AMBATOLAMPY : is a city (commune urbaine) in the Vakinankaratra region, Madagascar which is 68 km south of tana by route national RN 7. It’s the largest town between the capital and Antsirabe. The town also has a BOA and BFV bank, a hospital, a pharmacy and petrol station.
ANTSIRABE : is the third largest city in Madagascar and has a population of approximately 220,000. Due to its high altitude (about 1 500 m) temperatures are rather cool and very cool in winter! The template climate was probably the reason why Norwegian missioners chose this place to settle down in 1872. Its name means “where there is salt” honouring the large number of hot springs the town has, a fact that has given the city the nickname of “Malagasy Vichy”. The thermal baths had been long appreciated for their curative effects by the local population when French colonists decided to locate a thermal bath here in the 19th century. Antsirabe is also a pole for agribusiness, textile and tobacco industry. It is the home of Tiko (diary products) which is own the former president “ marc ravalomanana “, Star Brassieres (brewery), Cotona (textiles) and Kobama (grain).
MIANDRIVAZO : is the starting point for the decent of Tsiribihina River. It’s one of the hottest places in Madagascar. The ride from antsirabe to miandrivazo takes about 4 hours with very good road. This is small town and has no bank to change money.
TSINGY OF BEMARAHA PARK : is one of the spectacular mineral forest stands on the western coast of Madagascar. The whole protected area, designated a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1990, comprises a surface of 1.575 km². Tsingy is the Malagasy word for “walking on tiptoes” and the nearly impenetrable labyrinth of limestone needles justifies this name. The limestone seabed rose to create a plateau around 200 million years ago, which was little by little eroded by heavy rainfalls until it became its actual shape. Tsingy park homes 11 lemur species, including for Decken's sifaka, red-fronted brown lemur, fat-tailed dwarf lemur, grey mouse lemur or the Cleese's woolly lemur and the Sambirano lesser bamboo lemur, which only occur here. Other resident mammals are the small carnivorous falanouc and ring-tailed mongoose, and several bats. More than 100 bird species have been catalogued at present inside the National Park, including the critically endangered Madagascar fish eagle and crested ibis, Madagascar wood-rail, giant coua or Coquerel´s coua. The 45 reptiles and amphibians which are found here are all endemic. Some significant species which only occur in Bemaraha are the Madagascar iguana, a local endemic long-tailed skink and the Antsingy leaf chameleon. The Park is only opened during the dry season from Mid April to November, since it is inaccessible during the rainy season (mid-end November to End of April).
MORONDAVA : The Morondava area was the centre of the Sakalava kingdom . It’ s the southern gateway to many of the attractions of the western region and is the centre for visiting the western deciduous forest, the famous baobabs, belo sur mer and the tsingy de bemaraha national park . There is an ATM or difference banks around . This place is one of the hottest weather in Madagascar .
Trips you may like along west coast ...
« Tsingy rock formations, Guided trekking, Canoe trip, Caves, Baobab Alley, beach, wildlife, villages and people.»
Start the tour from Antananarivo to Antsirabe with your personal driver. The ride takes about 4 hours on a good road and twisting. On route, you will meet the beautiful landscape of the rice field and merina typical tombs, villages. Stop at Ambatolampy to visit local forging making cooking pot by aluminium (metalwork). This is the largest town between Antananarivo and Antsirabe and the good place to have lunch. When you arrive in Antsirabe, you have an option to relax or taking a walk by yourself since here is safe town. Horse riding is quite popular here too.
Recommended accommodation : overnight at hotel le royal palace . ( bed and breakfast are included )