Madagascar Western Tours, The Sakalava Kingdom

Day 1: Antananarivo

Arrival at Ivato Airport and you will be met by our representative and driven to the booked hotel.

Accommodation at Tamboho Hotel or Relaix des Plateaux or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 2: Antananarivo – Antsirabe

After breakfast meet the guide and hit the road on a comfortable 4WD, direction Antsirabe. Travelling along a panoramic route 100km long and 1500m high, with beautiful eucalyptus, pines, cypresses trees. Lunch at your leisure during the excursion, arrival in the afternoon at Antisirabe, the famous thermal town. Besides the common hot springs, there is also a sparkling mineral water which the famous “three horses beer” (which you have surely already drunk during your trip) is made of. In the distance, the white cotton flowers remind us which industry has made the region famous. Antsirabe is also the capital of rickshaws, which are still widely used by the entire population; you can take a rikshaw for panoramic tour to enjoy this pretty little village. Dinner at the hotel.

Accommodation at Soa Guest House or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 3: Antsirabe – Miandrivazo

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Miandrivazo. Only 220km, separate the plateau to Miandrivazo but you will still feel the difference of temperature, from the cold of Antsirabe to one of the hottest and driest city of the country. Here the locals cultivate tobacco and the Tsiribihina river flows quietly. Lunch at your leisure during the excursion. Arrival at Miandrivazo in the afternoon, a small village on the Tsiribihina river. Accommodation at booked hotel.

Accommodation at Hotel Princess Tsiribihina or similar
Half board

Day 4/5: Miandrivazo – Tsiribihina River Tour

Breakfast at the hotel and enjoy the ride on a 4WD to Masiakampy. Here you will be boarding a motor boat with all the necessary equipment for a two days camping tour. You will embark on pirogues or motorboats to descent the 160 km through the wild landscapes of the far Malagasy West, leaving behind small Sakalava villages of untouched authenticity, white-sanded river banks lined by trees where lemurs spring playfully from one branch to another and chameleons wait patiently for an insect lay down nearby; you will be crossing beautiful landscapes, local fishermen at work and live a unique experience. You will stop along the riverbank for a relaxing pic-nic lunch. You will be assisted by a guide, an assistant and a chef, they will settle the camp for the night and cook simple but tasty meals. The camping site will be along the river near the local villages. This amazing trip ends at Belo sur Tsiribihina.

Day 6: Belo sur Tsiribihina – Bekopaka

Arrival at Belo sur Tsiribihina in the morning and departure by car to Bekopaka, the starting point to visit the Tsingy de Bemaraha. Arrival in the afternoon, dinner and overnight stay. Today’s journey is rather long (at least 7/8 hours) driving along dirty and rough tracks.

Accommodation at Orichedee de Bemaraha or similar
Half board

Day 7: Bekopaka and Tsingy de Bemaraha

The whole day will be dedicated to the Tsingy de Bemaraha, the spectacular mineral forest of Tsingy de Bemaraha 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 km². This massif is delimited to the east by the abrupt Bemaraha Cliffs, which rise some 300 to 400m above the Manambolo River valley. The western slopes of the massif rise more gently. A high percentage of the flora is locally endemic. The western part is mainly deciduous dry forest, particularly well adapted to the extreme changing climatic conditions of the area. The eastern section is savannah and lowland bushes. Inside the canyons there are small tropical forests and lianas, given that it is very humid among the tall tsingy formations. If the weather allows, visit to the Manambolo gorge, where you can enjoy beautiful waterfalls, lemurs, birds and reptiles. Back to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation at Olympe du Bemaraha or similar
Half board

Day 8: Bekopaka – Morondava

Breakfast at the hotel and drive towards Morondava where you will drive through the famous Allèe des Baobabs, the most photographed road of the country: 15 km of road flanked with majestic ‘Adansonia Grandidieri’, huge baobabs.
With their massive trunks, crooked branches and furry fruit, baobabs have learned how to adapt to a dry and hostile environment. Each tree can hold up to 300 litres of water, enabling it to live through long periods without rain. Some of them live over 500 years! For the people of the Menabe region (Menabe means literally “very red” due to the vermilion tinted soil of this part of the country), the baobabs are their symbol and their pride.
The best time to visit these placid giants is at dusk, when their stark silhouettes form a spectacular contrast to the soft, calming colours of sunset. Their flowering period is between February and March.

Accommodation at Hotel Palissandre Cote Ouest or similar
Half board

Day 9: Morondava – Antananarivo

Breakfast at the hotel, airport transfer and boarding Air Madagascar flight to Antananarivo in time to connect with your international flight home.

Suggestions and extensions

From Morondava you can extend your journey towards Ambositra and along the central plateau visiting Fianarantsoa, the Isalo National Park and proceeding to Tulear with an optional relaxing extension along the south-west coast (Ifay or Tulear).