Best Madagascar Tour: Baobab & Tsingy

Thanks for choosing our 9 days best Madagascar tour! Our English-speaking driver-guide will pick you up at the airport in Antananarivo (aka Tana). A 20-minute drive will take you to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you.

★ Customizable Travel Plan:
The flight between Antananarivo and Morondava is available on every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday (subject to change in seasons). To meet the schedule of this itinerary, you are advised to arrive on Saturday. However, if it does not match your travel date, you can also arrive on Monday or Wednesday, and we will customize this itinerary a little bit to meet your requirements and interests.

► Free Time Suggestions:
If your flight lands early, why not take a city tour in your free time? When you set foot on the land of Tana, the first thing you will see is those low colorful buildings densely built on hills (designed so because of Tana’s low terrain and poor drainage system), a spectacle you can only find in a fairytale. While on the streets, take a walk to meet the real life in this one of the least developed countries in the world - on one hand barefoot children are begging on the roadside and women with babies in their arms rummaging through dustbins for food, on another French-style restaurants are welcoming the richer. Stroll through the vibrant local markets to explore for various tropical fruits and craft souvenirs, and be surprised to see used underwear sold at second-hand clothes stands! By the way, the commodity prices in Madagascar will make your mouth water! However, you’d better go out with partners if you have any and take good care of your personal belongings at all times because of the bad security here. Take a taxi on a night out for the sake of safety, and you can ask the hotel staff for help. Remember to bring your passport, as everywhere you go, whether it’s a restaurant or bar, it will be checked.

Accommodation: Asia & Africa Hotel - Ivato Airport, Antananarivo (4 stars) or similar

We will arrange for you a morning flight to Morondava in western Madagascar. Upon arrival, the local driver guide will pick you up at the airport and drive directly to Kirindy (75km/3h drive), passing the famous Avenue of the Baobabs on the road. Today and for the rest of the tour, we will inevitably be driving on lots of dirt roads, so we’ve got dust masks for you. Check into the hotel on arrival.

After dinner, have an evening walk through the Kirindy Forest to see endemic nocturnal animals. Our guide will take you to encounter lemurs, Madagascar’s national treasures - you must’ve come for them! Good luck with discovering semi-nocturnal brown lemur, easy to recognize with its brown back and a cute black muzzle; tap on a trunk and you may see one poking its head sideways from behind to see what’s going on. Also look for giant jumping rats, an endangered species endemic to the region, which have been proved to be one of the five animals in the world that are loyal to their mates! In this largest surviving dry forest on this planet, there will be more to explore during daytime, so be prepared!

★ Tips for Observing Wildlife:
1. While in the kingdom of wildlife, please follow the directions of our guide who is responsible for keeping you safe and providing the best safari experience possible. The first and foremost rule is you should always keep a distance from wild animals and respect them by not touching or feeding them, or you may cause them stress or even harm their health.
2. Prepare binoculars to see and tele lens to shoot clearly. While taking pictures on night safaris, please don’t use flash as it may scare or even blind nocturnal animals.
3. Wear long sleeves and pants to minimize scratches and mosquito bites, and be sure to wear enough anti-mosquito spray. (Madagascar is a home to mosquitos! We need to remind you that it’s also essential to have a knowledge of the symptoms of Malaria and prepare drugs ahead of time.)

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Relais du Kirindy (3 stars) – the best local hotel

More to discover in the Kirindy Forest in daylight! With our guide, enjoy a 3-hour stroll through the forest. You’ll closely observe day lemurs and other wildlife unique to this island. One primary creature to see is fossa, the star in Kirindy forest, the largest but elusive carnivore unique to Madagascar and considered the top predator on this island. Flexible and agile, they mainly feed on small mammals and so become the natural enemy of lemurs. Grandidier’s baobabs, Madagascar’s most famous species of baobabs, can also be found here easily.

Afterwards, take a boat to cross the Tsiribihina River and arrive at Belo sur Tsiribihina. Then continue driving to the next stop Bekopaka (125km/5h drive) and check into the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Olympe de Bemaraha (3 stars) – the best local hotel

Today’s safari takes place in the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. Located on the west coast of Madagascar, the park is a World Heritage site for its otherworldly karst landscape and various rare species of lemurs, birds, and reptiles. The major areas of the park, known as Great and Little Tsingy (Malagasy word translated as “where one cannot walk barefoot”), offer an alien scenery of rugged lime stones eroded into paper-thin and razor-sharp peaks. Mangrove swamps are also a feature. Follow our local guide to explore the Tsingy area and its surroundings! At noon, enjoy self-prepared picnic lunch inside the park. We will return to hotel at around 15:00-16:00. By the way, we advise you to have your valuables with you when you venture out today. The safe in your hotel room here can't be trusted too much.

★ Our Thoughtful Arrangements from December to April:
Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is closed from December to April because the roads are too muddy and slippery to roll on during this time. Nevertheless, we will reroute the itinerary for you – head to Isalo National Park after visiting Kirindy, and then continue to Andasibe. For more alternatives, please feel free to contact us for flexible customization.

► Free-Time Recommended Activities:
Considering that a long hike in the park will take a lot of energy out of you, there will be no more activities afterwards so that you can get enough rest. But if you’re still dynamic, go on a relaxing Manombolo River Pirogue (a local wooden canoe) Ride, stopping by to explore caves and tombs of Vazimba, where you can find skulls and bones of the most original inhabitants in Madagascar!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Olympe de Bemaraha (3 stars) – the best local hotel

We will drive back to Morondava toady (200km/9h drive). While in Belo sur Tsiribihina, cross the Tsiribihina River by boat. On the way, stop at Africa’s most famous baobab colony - Avenue of the Baobabs - to enjoy a beautiful sunset. Measuring 260m (853 feet) or so, the avenue owns seven different baobab varieties unique to Madagascar, some of which are more than 800 years old. Amazingly, these 30-meter-tall (98 feet) trees have no growth rings and are so fat that it would take a dozen adults to encircle one. The silhouettes of baobabs at sunset are sure to be pretty fantastic, and it will be one of the most unforgettable memories of your life. Then we will continue forward along our route. On arrival, check into the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Laguna Beach, Morondava (3 stars) or similar

Today our driver guide will escort you to the airport for the flight back to Antananarivo. If time permits, walk a few steps to the quiet and clean Nosy Kely beach near our selected hotel to enjoy a cozy time after breakfast. After picking you up at Antananarivo, our driver guide based there will drive you along the RN2 national road to Andasibe (170km/4h drive). Upon arrival, check in at your hotel.

► Things to Know：
Madagascar’s electricity supply is poor and blackouts are common, especially at night and in rural areas, not to mention the wilds. It's more likely to happen in a lodge than a hotel.  If there is a need for continuous power supply, such as for breathing machine, it’s best to bring a backup power device and inform us before you go. A flashlight can also be a great help in the darkness. Another thing to be noted is that there may be no electricity plugs in some hotels or lodges powered by their own generators, in which case please ask the receptionist to charge your devices as you check in and for the issue mentioned above, the sooner the better.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Vakona Forest Lodge, Andasibe (3 stars) or similar

After breakfast, we will drive around 1.5 hours to Mantadia Primary Forest inside Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, where you will experience an exciting walk. There are 11 species of lemurs reside here, so prepare to encounter them! Hearken to the loud singing of Indri Indris, the largest lemur species! Their eerie wails are definitely highlights of today’s tour. The brown lemurs, they’d smell of urine - not that they care less about hygiene, but they are social, territorial animals that would smear the liquid on their body as a way to be identified, so you’d better think twice to pet them even if you get the chance! Marvel at red-bellied lemurs, which have interesting feeding habits - while foraging, they would take turns acting as a sentinel while the others eat, until everyone is satiated. If there are little nuts thrown at you, raise your head to spot welcoming grey bamboo lemurs. Mantadia is also a wonderful place for birds watching if you travel between September and November. After visiting, our local guide will take you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Vakona Forest Lodge, Andasibe (3 stars) or similar

In the morning, we will drive to the Analamazaotra National Park for a visit. Indri Indri and other lemur species can still be encountered here along with some endemic plants, reptiles, and birds. Drive back to Antananarivo in the afternoon. En route, make a stop at the Reserve Peyreiras Madagascar Exotic, a private land surrounded by dense forest breeding and protecting a variety of butterflies, reptiles and lemurs. This is where to observe a large number of Madagascar’s iconic creatures in just a short period of time. The most commonly seen lemurs here are sifakas, known for their unique jumping - you just can’t help laughing if you see them jump sideways, their eyes wide-open and one arm reaching out for balance. What’s more, here you can even pet some tame animals! Upon arrival in Antananarivo, check in at your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Radisson Serviced Apartments Antananarivo City Centre (4 stars)

Today is the last day of your Madagascar safari tour. Let’s visit the sacred King’s Palace on Royal Hill of Ambohimanga in the morning. Once home to the great king of Andrianampoinimerina (1787–1810) who endeavored to bring the then divided island into one, Ambohimanga is now a UNESCO-honored site offering insight to local history and culture.

After the tour finishes, your driver will take you to Ivato Airport in Antananarivo. Be sure to arrive at the airport three hours ahead of your departure flight schedule. Please also note that according to the official announcement, wooden objects (wood-carved souvenirs are included) cannot be carried on board, so put them in your registered luggage in advance. Hope you a pleasant homeward trip!

Meals: Breakfast

► For Your Information:
If you would like to extend your visit, you can contact us to tailor the itinerary for you. We are always at your service. There are many other incredible attractions in Madagascar that you haven’t acquainted yourself with. What about enjoying a beach vacation in Nosy Be, the Isle of Sunshine? It enjoys the most fascinating beaches in Madagascar and some of the best diving spots in the world. All in all, Madagascar will always welcome you with open arms and smiling charms! Want to extend your stay in Africa? Just feel free to contact us for more private tours from Madagascar.