A Guide To Tsingy de Bemaraha | Madagascar
Translated as The Place Where One Cannot Walk Barefoot in Malagasy, Tsingy de Bemaraha is literally just that! A never-ending landscape of karstic plateaus, I think a visit to Tsingy is a must for anyone visiting the west coast of Madagascar – that’s why I’ve written this guide for all of you.
In a country famous for its unique wildlife, lush forests and endless coastlines, Tsingy’s location means that it can often be overlooked by tourists. Getting there can be difficult and is an adventure in itself! But those who manage to make it to this UNESCO Heritage site will be greatly rewarded.
What Is Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park?
Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is the overly-long, full name for one of Madagascar’s most epic sites. Tsingy used to be a limestone seabed around 200 million years ago. Millions of years of heavy rainfall have eroded the area into what we see today – one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world!
Often called ‘The Stone Forest’, Tsingy was the first Madagascan site to be included on the UNESCO Heritage list back in 1990 due to its richness in flora and fauna. The area covers over 1,500 km² and is split into the northern ‘Strict Nature Reserve’ and the southern part that includes the Grand Tsingy and the Petit Tsingy.
While the heavy rains have shaped the razor-sharp peaks above, groundwater has carved gorges and caverns below. It’s hard to imagine any adventurer being able to resist this martian landscape.
When To Go
Timing your visit to Madagascar with the seasons is very important if you want to visit Tsingy. During the rainy season (December to March) the park is usually closed as roads become flooded and impassable.
The dry season starts in April. The heavy rainfalls start to die out and the roads become drier. Although April is the start of the dry season, it’s worth contacting your hotel or driver to get a better idea of the conditions beforehand.
Getting To Tsingy de Bemaraha
The journey to Tsingy was probably one of the most memorable we’ve had. Located in the remote northwest of Madagascar, getting there requires a lot of time and patience.
From Antananarivo
If you have flown into Madagascar then it is likely that you will have landed in the capital, Antananarivo (or Tana.) From Tana, you will need to make your way to the coastal town of Morondava, just 700km to the west of Mada!
Those who can afford it can fly directly into Morondava, of course. I saw flights from London for well over £1000/$1300! There are even domestic flights with Air Madagascar, but these were expensive and had a reputation for being unreliable.
The most common way to get around Madagascar is with a car and driver. This is, without doubt, the best way to get around. The roads in Mada are in terrible condition and there are probably more dirt roads than paved roads. Although the road between Tana and Morondava is a national road, the journey will still take 12 hours or more!
We decided that, as budget travellers, the Cotisse was the best option for us. This was a kind of high-end taxi-brousse – the typical transport that the locals use. Cotisse uses comfortable, Mercedes Sprinter vans rather than the normal rusty, old vehicles that you normally see.
Our journey to Morondava set off at 7 am and arrived at 7 pm. From the station, we negotiated with a tuk-tuk driver to our hotel. Remember to agree on a price before getting in the vehicle.
From Morondava
This is where the fun begins! The only way to get to Tsingy is by 4×4. If you haven’t arranged a driver beforehand, your hotel will know a driver who is more than willing! Prices range from around $50-$65 per day, (£40-£50) PLUS fuel on top. There is also a taxi-brousse option but they are unreliable and break down often.
Due to the remote location, a driver must be booked for a minimum of three days. One day to get there, one day in Tsingy itself, and one day to return. Don’t worry though, there’s plenty to see on the way there and back.
It takes around 8-10 hours to drive from Morondava to Bekopaka, the gateway to Tsingy de Bemaraha. Along the way, we saw the beautiful Avenue Of The Baobabs, as well as The Sacred Baobab, The Baobab Forest and Baobabs In Love. Be sure to stop and appreciate these amazing, legendary trees.
Read More | Walking Down The Avenue Of The Baobabs
After an hour or two, we drove on bumpy dirt roads, through streams and passing local villages. There was also a long river crossing and the boat only leaves when there are enough cars. If you are lucky (like we were) you will be the last car they’re waiting for. Or you can be like the couple we met, who had been waiting over an hour for another two cars to show up. There is one more short river crossing (no need to wait this time) before reaching the village of Bekopaka.
Carrying on through the villages, you’ll be waved at by many of the village children shouting vazah which is Malagasy for foreigner tourist. If you have any empty plastic bottles, be sure to save them for the children. They will use them for collecting honey.
Boat
If time isn’t an issue then it is also possible to reach Tsingy de Bemaraha by motor boat. We spoke to some guys at our hostel in Tana who told us they would be going to Antsirabe. The boat then leaves from Miandrivazo to Belo sur Tsiribihina over two and a half days. Boat trips can be arranged through a driver or your hotel.
What To Do
Hiking is the main attraction at Tsingy de Bemaraha. Climbing the razor-sharp pinnacles, squeezing through tight caverns and crossing the plateau on a rope bridge are just some of the highlights of the hike.
If you are lucky, you might spot some of the unique Madagascan wildlife that lives in the forest that surrounds the limestone peaks. There are several species of lemur, ring-tailed mongoose, jumping rats and even the cat-like fossa.
Wear decent hiking shoes and take sunscreen and mosquito repellent!
Grand Tsingy
The main part of the national park is about 17km from Bekopaka. There are several hiking routes to choose from depending on your time and ability. Reasonable fitness really does help, as does a strong head for heights. Our guide recommended us the four-hour hike, which was pretty much the standard circuit.
Before heading off through the stone forest, we all had to attach our harnesses. These were so we could use the carabiners to clip ourselves onto a piece of rope whenever we climbed or crossed a cavern. Not sure if that would help if we fell and hit a razor-sharp piece of rock though!
Safety aside, the hike took us through the surrounding forest, before weaving through some seriously tight caverns. Tight, as in I had to hold in my gut, and I’m a small guy! Then we started the ascent to the top of the 30-metre pinnacles. Trying not to cut ourselves on the sharp rocks, we scrambled up using ladders, stairs, rope bridges and what appeared to be pieces of rock hammered into the wall – Malagasy steps?
We didn’t see any lemurs during our hike as they prefer the cool of the early morning. We did see a couple of cute little ring-tailed mongooses, a jumping rat, several bird and lizard species and a family of tenrec. Not to mention all those lovely mosquitos!!
The highlight of the hike was reaching the summit. The epic, panoramic views across the endless, karst landscape are what really makes Tsingy so special. The photos may look great but it’s impossible to actually capture what we were really seeing with our eyes!
Petit Tsingy
A smaller version of the Grand Tsingy, these limestone pinnacles only reach 20-metres. Whereas the Grand Tsingy is big and can be overwhelming, the Petit Tsingy puts everything on a more human scale.
Our hike was around 2 hours and there was no need for the harnesses like at the Grand Tsingy in the morning. Yep, we did both Tsingy hikes in one day! The Petit Tsingy is less visited than its big brother and, due to it being closer to ground level, there are several species of plants and trees growing on top of the peaks.
Although there’s less adventure to be had, there is also less chance of vertigo. The views at Petit Tsingy are just as ‘grand’! Being able to see more of the karst landscape at eye level is worth the hike alone. There’s also another chance to spot those cheeky lemurs!
River Trips
For those who have more time on their hands (why is that never us?) then another interesting trip is the Manambolo River tour. You spend a couple of days on a traditional dug-out canoe, or pirogue, visiting natural pools before setting up camp on the river banks. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to do this but many hotels and drivers can arrange this for you if you have the time.
Guides
Like all national parks in Madagascar, a guide is mandatory in Tsingy. The guide we had only spoke basic English but knew enough to tell us about the history and the facts quite well. He was quite attentive when it came to safety. He made sure our safety harnesses were worn properly and helped with some of the trickier climbs and descents – some ‘steps’ were just a piece of rock loosely hammered into the side!
However, not all guides seemed to be so concerned about safety. We spoke to a woman back at the hotel who told us her guide didn’t help at all.
Where To Stay
Morondava is the gateway to Tsingy de Bemaraha and also The Avenue Of The Baobabs and The Kirindy Forest so there are plenty of options for all budgets. We chose to stay at Chez Maggie as we arranged our driver through their sister company, Remote River Expeditions.
The cheapest rooms were at a reasonable price as was the food, which was delicious. There are certainly cheaper options but we really like Chez Maggie. It’s just next to the beach and there’s also a pool.
In Bekopaka, there are only a few hotel options due to the remote location. There are also a few campsites in the area if you prefer to be at one with nature. We decided to stay in a basic room at Olympe du Bemaraha.
The hotel itself was very nice but our room (located off the main premises) really was basic! But the pool was great and can be used at any time during the day or night. The food was also really good but a little more expensive. That’s what happens when food has to be transported to such a remote place.
Costs
To give you an idea of costs, here are some of the prices of things we paid for –
Cotisse (taxi-brousse) from Tana to Morondava – 45,000 Ar.
Car hire with drive (4×4) – 220,000 Ar. per day excluding fuel
Tsiribihina ferry crossing – 50,000 Ar one way
Manambolo ferry crossing – 20,000 Ar return
National park fees – 55,000 Ar. per day
National park guides – 135,000 Ar. (full-day 1-4 persons)
Chez Maggie – 139,000 Ar. per night for a bungalow for two
Olympe du Bemaraha – 60,000 Ar per night for a basic double room for two
Prices are per person unless stated otherwise.
My Thoughts
Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is an unforgettable and unmissable adventure!
Every step of this trip was an adventure. From the moment we started our long, bumpy journey from Morondova, to the moment we gazed across the epic landscape of the Grand Tsingy. We just loved all the scrambling and climbing while being attached to a questionable piece of rope.
Although we are not super fit, by any means, we did question if the hikes would be suitable for everybody. Some of the caverns we squeezed through were super tight and probably could not accommodate ‘people of a certain size’. And while not technically difficult, the Grand Tsingy could be too much for young children.
We understand that hiring a 4×4 with a driver may not sound like a budget-conscious trip. But sometimes, when there is something as spectacular as Tsingy de Bemaraha, you just have to go for it. After all, you can always earn more money later!
Read More | Is Madagascar Worth Visiting? A Complete Travel Guide & Things To Do
I hope you guys enjoyed this guide and reading about our Tsingy adventure in Madagascar. If you liked this post, or want to know anything else, please leave a comment. Thanks.
