Tour overview

This 11-day trip heads into Madagascar's wild west, with a local leader and a group of up to twelve. You stay eight nights in hotels and spend two nights camping on sandbanks during a river journey, with breakfast daily and some other meals.

After the long drive west you float down the Tsiribihina River for two days, watching for lemurs and birds, stopping at villages and walking to waterfalls, and sleeping beside the river.

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In Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park you walk the Small Tsingy, canoe the Manambolo River to caves and Vazimba tombs, and cross suspended bridges among the knife-edge limestone of the Big Tsingy.

An adventurous 4×4 day leads to Morondava and the Avenue of the Baobabs at sunset, before you return east via Antsirabe and Lake Tritriva. The physical rating is medium, with very long road days.

Trip highlights

  • The Tsiribihina River journey (Days 3–4)
  • The Small Tsingy (Day 6)
  • The Manambolo River by pirogue (Day 6)
  • The Big Tsingy (Day 7)
  • The Avenue of the Baobabs at sunset (Day 8)
  • Lake Tritriva (Day 10)

Your route

9 stops from Antananarivo to Antsirabe

11-day route: Antananarivo – Tsiribihina River – Bekopaka – Morondava – Antsirabe – Antananarivo
  1. Antananarivo Days 1 & 11
  2. Miandrivazo Days 2 & 9
  3. Tsiribihina River Days 3–4
  4. Belo-sur-Tsiribihina Day 5
  5. Bekopaka Days 5–7
  6. Avenue of the Baobabs Day 8
  7. Morondava Day 8
  8. Tritiva Day 10
  9. Antsirabe Day 10

Why choose this tour

The Tsingy and the baobabs in one trip. Two nights camping by the river.

Best suited to

  • Adventurous travellers
  • Landscape photographers
  • Active travellers
  • Solo travellers
Baobab trees lining a sandy road at the Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar

Day-by-day itinerary

11 days from Antananarivo, Madagascar to Antananarivo, Madagascar

  1. Day 1 · Antananarivo Antananarivo

    Welcome to Madagascar.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Antananarivo Antananarivo

    The road west.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Masiakampy, Tsiribihina River Tsiribihina River

    Onto the river.

    Hotel
    Riverside camping
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  4. Day 4 · Tsiribihina River Tsiribihina River

    A day on the water.

    Hotel
    Riverside camping
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Bekopaka Bekopaka

    To the Tsingy.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  6. Day 6 · Small Tsingy, Manambolo River Bekopaka

    Small Tsingy and the Manambolo.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7 · Big Tsingy Bekopaka

    The Big Tsingy.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Avenue of the Baobabs, Morondava Morondava

    The Avenue of the Baobabs.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  9. Day 9 · Morondava, Miandrivazo Miandrivazo

    Heading east.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Lake Tritriva, Antsirabe Antsirabe

    Antsirabe.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  11. Day 11 · Antananarivo Antananarivo

    The trip ends.

Baobab trees at sunset in Madagascar

Where you stay

  • Antananarivo (2 nights) Hotel
  • Tsiribihina River (2 nights) Riverside camping
  • Bekopaka (3 nights) Hotel
  • Morondava (1 night) Hotel
  • Miandrivazo (1 night) Hotel
  • Antsirabe (1 night) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 8 hotel nights and 2 nights camping
  • Meals 9 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners
  • Minibus, 4WD and ferry crossings
  • Two-day Tsiribihina River trip
  • Small and Big Tsingy walks and Manambolo pirogue
  • Avenue of the Baobabs sunset
  • Local leader throughout

Not included

  • International flights
  • Madagascar visa
  • Meals not included 1 breakfast, 6 lunches and 7 dinners
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
Rural farmland and hills in Madagascar

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You dislike camping
  • You dislike very long road days
  • You want luxury hotels
  • You want international flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–10 · Lunch: Days 3–4 and 10 · Dinner: Days 3–4 and 10
A pirogue on shallow water in Madagascar

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £1,794 per person, twin share, tour only. 2 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

Do I need a visa for Madagascar?

Yes, UK citizens need a tourist visa, available as an e-visa before travel or on arrival.

What is the river camping like?

Two nights in shared tents on sandbanks beside the Tsiribihina, with meals cooked by the crew and basic facilities.

How hard is the Big Tsingy?

A demanding walk of several hours with ladders, narrow passages and suspended bridges; a head for heights helps.

Which meals are included?

9 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners.

How many people travel together?

No more than twelve travellers, with a leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary
From £1,794
See dates & prices