River descent of tsiribihina
Another ten-day tour to the west of Madagascar to experience the local people?s daily life along the river of Tsiribihina with a traditional dugout canoe where you will camp at the sand bank of Tsiribihina river with a magical sunset of the wild landscape drinking a local beer or rum. You will also discover the famous UNESCO World Heritage limestone pinnacle rock formation, locally called Tsingy of Bemaraha. The excursion will end up at the magnificent sunset photos at the avenue of baobab. We invite you to read the tour program below
Tour destination
Tana ? Antsirabe – Miandrivazo ? River descent ?Belo – Bekopaka ? Tsingy of Bemaraha ? Morondava ? Tana
Programs
Arrival at the international airport of Madagascar, we will meet and welcome you at the airport of Antananarivo and will transfer you to your hotel. You will be briefed on your Madagascar guide at the comfort of your hotel. Overnight at your hotel on bed and breakfast basis.
- Chalet de Rose
- Sakamanga
- La Ribaudiere
- La Villette hotel
Meet your driver and guide after breakfast and then continue to Antsirabe. Stop at Ambatolampy for a visit of a workshop working on recycled aluminum, a good example of Malagasy know-how and handicraft skills. Continue to Antsirabe; check in at the hotel upon arrival. Antsirabe is a thermal town also famous for the handicraft workshops. City tour to discover this former colonial town and its workshops. You can also go a little out of the city to the countryside to see its in-depth local life and markets. Overnight at your hotel on bed and breakfast basis.
- Les Chambres du Voyageur
- La Residence Camelia
- Couleur Caf? hotel
This morning, before heading west, we have the option of visiting a famous crystal factory in Antsirabe. The drive west will lead us to the hottest town in Madagascar, Miandrivazo, our starting point of the famous river descent of Tsiribihina.
At Miandrivazo is a great market where you can purchase any last minute items you may need for our river adventure such as; hats, sunscreen or clothes. We will spend the night here before setting out on our river adventure!
- Princesse du Tsiribihina
We begin our day on the river after a breakfast at Miandrivazo, a full day casually canoeing. After an early start, you will be able to relax and immerse yourself in the surroundings. The Tsiribihina River is one of the best places to enjoy the nature, bird life, animals and to observe how the locals go about their daily activity, always happy to see visitors passing by.
Each day will be filled with watching the wonders of birdlife, lemurs, bats, swimming in fresh water pools and waterfalls. Overnight at a campsite for 2 nights in full board.
Today is our last day on the river. We will arrive in Belo at noon. After lunch, a 4WD is waiting for us to drive us to Bekopaka. Overnight at your hotel on bed and breakfast basis
- Grand hotel du Tsingy
- Olympe du Bemaraha
You will have a full day visit of the Tsingy of Bemaraha National Park. The spectacular mineral forest of Tsingy de Bemaraha stands on the western coast of Madagascar. Tsingy is the Malagasy word for ?walking on tiptoes? and the nearly impenetrable labyrinth of limestone needles justifies this name.
The whole protected area, designated a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1990, comprises a surface of 1.575 km?. This remote area was not a tourist trek until 1998, when the southern part (723 km?) was declared a National Park.
The northern section is an Integral Reserve so tourists are not allowed to enter the zone. The reserve?s canyons, gorges, undisturbed forests, lakes and mangrove swamps display an astonishing richness of fauna and flora which have not been completely recorded. The rate of endemism is about 85%, and 47% are even local endemic!
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. This massif is delimited to the east by the abrupt Bemaraha Cliffs, which rises some 300 to 400m above the Manambolo River valley and extends several tens of kilometers from north to south.
The western slopes of the massif rise more gently, and the whole western region of the reserve forms a plateau with rounded hillocks which slope away to the west.
To the north undulating hills alternate with limestone extrusions, while in the south extensive pinnacle formations make access extremely restricted. In the south of Petit Tsingy is the spectacular Manambolo Gorge where you can see waterfalls, lemurs and magnificent untouched forests. Overnight at your hotel on a bed and breakfast basis
- Grand hotel du Tsingy
- Olympe du Bemaraha
Depart Bekopaka in the morning and head to Morondava. Lunch in Belo again then continue driving till the avenue of baobab. Your Madagascar tour guide and your driver will stop at the Baobab Avenue for the sunset time. Baobab Alley is best visited around sunrise or sunset. This is because the softer lighting brings out the red tones of the tree trunks and makes for a splendid photo opportunity. Continue till Morondava. Overnight at your hotel on bed and breakfast basis.
- Chez Maggie
- Laguna Beach
- Select hotel
We will offer a visit of the fishermen village of Betania in the morning then transfer to the airport of Morondava following your flight schedule to fly to Tana. Meet with your driver then transfer to your hotel. Overnight at your hotel on bed and breakfast basis.
- Chalet de Rose
- Sakamanga
- La Ribaudiere
- La Villette hotel
Before we transfer you to the international airport of Tana, we will offer a free city tour depending your time. This can be the visit of the Lemur’s Park located 23 Km West of Tana or the Queen’s Palace located at 18 Km North of Tana following the shopping time at La Route Digue on the way to the airport. End of our service.
- Land transporting + fuel
- Driver + his food & his accommodation
- Park Entrances fees & guides
- Transfer airport/hotel /airport
- Accommodations listed on the tour program on a bed and breakfast basis
- Half board in Morondava
- Camping materials during the river descent
- Full board during the river trip + mineral water
- ?Tax at Miandrivazo
- 4WD during the Tsingy discovery
- Escort of an English speaking guide during the tour
- Domestic ticket flight ( MOQ ? TNR)
- lnternational ticket flight
- Food & drink
- Tips
- Personal spending money