Tsingy

Meeting at the airport and transfer to the city. Overnight at the hotel

(domestic flight only about three times a week)
Transfer to the airport and flight to Morondava. There reception and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon at leisure. The third largest port city in the west after Majunga and Tulear has a lively centre with a large market that invites you to stroll around. There are villas along the shore road, and on the long peninsula of Nosy Kely in the south of the town centre, between the river port and the Indian Ocean, there are several luxurious and simple hotels. The population consists of 70 percent fishermen from the Vezo tribe. Overnight stay in a hotel.

(45 km about 2,5 hours’ drive)
Drive by 4WD car through Baobab Alley to the Kirindy Reserve. By the way, the German Primate Center Göttingen operates a field station in Kirindy since 1993. The researchers’ investigations are mainly concerned with the behaviour and ecology of lemurs, but also cats of prey, birds and chameleons are studied. Despite the extraordinary biodiversity and massive destruction of the remaining dry forests, the Kirindy region was not protected until 2013 (Site de Consérvation Menabe-Antimena). Hike of about 1.5 to 3 hours in the Kirindy Dry Forest Reserve, on mostly flat trails to spot lemurs, snakes, iguanas, birds, fossas etc. In the evening possible night hike on the paths created for visitors in the reserve. We try to find nocturnal lemurs, including the mouse lemur, the Madagascar rat, sleeping chameleons, etc. Overnight in the simple lodge near the reserve or according to the list of better hotels below.

(160 Km about 7,5 hours’ drive)

Perhaps another (early) visit of the reserve, then  drive to Tsimafana at the Tsiribihina river, and ferry transfer for you and the car to cross the river. Drive through the small town of Belo sur Tsiribihina, then to Bekopaka. On the way, you’ll see dry plains with some bush, palm and baobab trees. Before arriving in the village of Bekopaka, you and the car will have to cross the Manambolo river on a small local ferry. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, visit the impressive big Tsingys, which have only recently been opened to the public, the peaks are up to 50 m high there. This karst landscape is formed by closely spaced limestone needles forming a stone forest, these peaks are called tsingy. In the south the 72300 hectare reserve borders the Manambolo River, in the east it is bordered by cliffs up to 400 m high. An annual rainfall of about 1000 mm causes the gorges at the feet of the Tsingys to be extremely humid, while savannah-like conditions prevail on the karst areas. In deeper areas there are lakes and also mangroves. Most of the 650 plant species found in the park are endemic. The diversity of habitats leads to a great wealth of animal species, including predators such as the fossa and the ring-tailed mongoose, various species of lemurs (including sifakas, red lemurs, eastern bamboo lemurs, aye aye, grey mouse lemurs), almost a hundred species of birds (e.g. the Madagascan sea eagle), many species of bats, amphibians and reptiles (e.g. the Madagascan track turtle, leaf-tailed geckos and stump-tailed chameleons). The limestone cliffs were under water for millions of years, and were then washed away by rain and weather and formed into these limestone peaks. This hike takes about three to five hours and is quite strenuous as it is over rough and smooth, uphill and downhill, you sometimes climb ladders and wear a safety belt for safety reasons. The long tour in often very hot weather requires stamina, fitness and surefootedness. In the afternoon, if there is still time, visit the little Tsingys near the park entrance. Like the entire national park, they have been under UNESCO protection as a World Nature Site since 1990.  Overnight stay in a hotel.

(200 km about 10 hours’ drive)
Departure after breakfast to Morondava, first again on the local ferry across the Manambolo River, then to Belo sur Tsiribihina. From there on the ferry across the Tsiribihina River, and then again through the Baobab Avenue, with a little luck you will experience there – surely with many other visitors – the sunset, a magical moment and photographic highlight! Then a good half hour’s drive to Morondava and overnight stay in a hotel.

(flight only 3 times per week, tour has to be adjusted accordingly)
Transfer to the airport for flight back to the capital. Transfer to the hotel and rest of the day free. Overnight at the hotel.

Depending on the departure time of your international flight, you may be able to visit the historical sites of Ambohimanga (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001). It is the holy city of Merina, and was once the residence of the most powerful of all Merina princes, King Andrianampoinimerina. Until the conquest and final subjugation by the French in 1896, no foreigner was allowed to enter it. It had seven city gates, and the most powerful of them still serves as the entrance gate to the place today. Next to the gate there is a huge, smoothly polished and almost circular stone slab. In former times it was rolled every evening in front of the entrance gate. From the top of the “Blue Hill” – that is the translation of Ambohimanga – at 1468 meters of altitude, you have a beautiful view of Tana and the surrounding area.

Afterwards visit a market with Malagasy handicrafts to buy last souvenirs and, if the flight is late in the evening, day use of a room in the hotel. Afterwards transfer to the airport and check-in for departure for the flight home.

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