The most popular tourist destination in Madagascar – besides seeing lemurs and fossa – is East Madagascar where travellers can view the striking Baobab Alley at sunrise or sunset, and explore the rock forest Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. But, to make your trip to the remote western Madagascar worthwhile, it’s a good idea to plan your trip over 2 or 3 days, and include smaller attractions like the Kirindy Reserve. Here are some travel tips to make your journey go off without a hitch.
Bumpy roads and long travel time
Madagascar is famous for its bumpy roads, which make travel times between attractions and cities longer. Our advice is to break the 10-hour drive by 4×4 on an extremely bumpy road (with two river crossings!) into a 3-day itinerary.
Fly from Tana to Morondava
Flights from Tana depart daily to Morondava and it only takes an hour to get there. The Morondava airport is 10 minutes outside of the town of Morondava.
Drive through the Baobab Alley
The Alley of Baobab is actually the main road between Morondava and Belon’i Tsiribihina. Prominent clusters of large baobab line the road – and we recommend travellers go see it in the morning when the sun rises and there’s fewer commuters or street vendors.
Spot rare animals at Kirindy Reserve
On your way further north, the journey will take you past the Kirindy Reserve. It’s the best place to spot the mysterious fossa and the only place you’ll have the chance to see a giant jumping rat, which hops like a kangaroo. It’s located 50 km northeast of Morondava, and is a privately managed reserve.
Explore the Tsingy in one day
When you arrive at Bekopaka, it’s time to take a rest. The following day you’re ready to explore the Tsingy! It’s a 17 km drive from Bekopaka to the Grand Tsingy. As there are no shops in this area, we recommend travellers to bring their own water bottles, snacks, and torch.
Just remember: you need to be fit to walk and climb through the Tsingy, and you can’t have a huge fear of heights. And it gets really hot!
If you’re travelling to western Madagascar for the first time, or if you’re a travel agent looking for the perfect accommodation options for your clients, send us an email. We are happy to help you plan the perfect adventure!
