TSIRIBIHINA RIVER BY PIROGUE FOR 6 DAYS :

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 )

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 )

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).

After morning breakfast, take your four wheel drive with driver from the riverbank in tsaraotana village to morondava. This ride will take about 5 hours with truck road and you will meet the dry forest, chameleon, lemurs on the side of the road along the way. Sure that we can take you to kirindy forest for short visits if you want but the entrance fees is not included at our tour. 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 colours 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 organize your airport transfer by hotel in morondava where you can take an onward flight to Tana, 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 .