1-Month South-West Madagascar Itinerary: Tsingy, Baobabs & Nosy Be

1-Month South-West Madagascar Itinerary: Tsingy, Baobabs & Nosy Be

After years of dreaming about the Red Island, we finally set off — from 7 August to 9 September 2025 — for a month-long adventure across South–West Madagascar — where rainforests echo with the call of the indri, razor-sharp tsingy rise like stone cathedrals, pirogues glide down wild rivers, and the Mozambique Channel glows at sunset behind ancient baobabs. 🦎🌿🌊

We planned and booked most of this 34-day itinerary entirely by ourselves — from boutique lodges to domestic flights — while getting some local help just for the most logistically complex parts. The amazing team at Tsiky Tour, a tour operator based in Antananarivo, arranged our private 4x4 with driver and secured access to experiences that are otherwise hard or impossible to book on your own, like the Tsiribihina River pirogue descent and guided treks inside Madagascar’s national parks.

In total, including flights, driver, lodges, park entrances, activities and meals, this dream trip cost us around €12,000 — and every cent was worth it. Below you’ll find our complete day-by-day itinerary with logistics, highlights, tips and all the places we stayed.


🗺️ Itinerary Overview

  • Antananarivo (Tana)
  • Andasibe–Mantadia (Peyreiras, Mitsinjo night walk, Analamazaotra/Indri)
  • Antsirabe
  • Miandrivazo
  • Tsiribihina River Descent (bivouac)
  • Bekopaka – Tsingy de Bemaraha (Petit & Grand Tsingy)
  • Morondava & Avenue of the Baobabs (sunset & sunrise)
  • Belo-sur-Mer
  • Andavadoaka (Laguna Blu)
  • Ifaty (Mangily) & Toliara area
  • Ranohira – Isalo National Park
  • Ranomafana National Park
  • Antsirabe
  • Antananarivo
  • Nosy Be (Lokobe, Nosy Iranja, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia, Hell-Ville)


🌐 Stay Connected — We used an eSIM to stay online across Madagascar. If you prefer a quick setup, consider Holafly for instant data, then compare with local SIMs in Tana for best value.
⚕️ Travel Health & Safety — Itineraries here cross remote regions. Pack a basic first-aid kit, electrolytes, a headlamp, dry bags, and spare cash. Medical note: Consult a travel clinic ahead of time for malaria prophylaxis and routine vaccinations appropriate for Madagascar.

Day 1: Antananarivo (Arrival) ✈️

Arrival in Tana. Hotel transfer (confirmed with hotel) ~€14 (pay cash on site). Easy evening: ATM, SIM/eSIM check, short walk if daylight.

Hotel: Maison Lovasoa

Tip: City traffic can be intense — plan airport times generously.


Day 2: Antananarivo → Andasibe (Peyreiras & Night Walk) 🌿

Breakfast included. Meet your private 4x4 + English-speaking driver and head east. Stop at Peyreiras Reserve (chameleons, geckos, frogs, butterflies) — a perfect intro to Madagascar’s herpetofauna. Check-in near the forest, then a nocturnal walk in Mitsinjo for mouse lemurs, chameleons, and tree frogs.

Hotel: Soanala

Included: Reserve entrance + local English-speaking guide & Nocturnal walk in Mitsinjo + local English-speaking guide


Day 3: Andasibe (Analamazaotra – Indri Indri) 🐒

Guided hike in Andasibe National Park (Analamazaotra) to hear and hopefully see the indri indri, the largest living lemur. Forest trails may also reveal sifakas, chameleons, orchids, and endemic birds.

Hotel: Soanala

Included: Park entrance + local English-speaking guide.


Day 4: Andasibe → Antsirabe 🛣️

Scenic drive to the cool highlands and colonial charm of Antsirabe. Note many workshops close on Sundays.

Hotel: L’Anis Etoilé


Day 5: Antsirabe → Miandrivazo

Transition day to the gateway of the Tsiribihina.

Hotel: Princesse Tsiribihina


Day 6: Tsiribihina River Descent (Pirogue) 🛶

Start the traditional pirogue descent: gorges, baobabs, villages, birdlife, lemurs along the banks. Picnic lunch, camp on a river sandbank under a sky full of stars.

Included: Pirogue + piroguier, English-speaking river guide, cook + bivouac assistant, all meals (lunch/dinner), bivouac gear (tent & mat).


Day 7: Tsiribihina River (Bivouac Night 2)

Continue the descent through wilder sections; watch for herons, ducks, and (occasionally) crocodiles sunning on banks. Second night bivouac.

Included: As above (pirogue team, meals, bivouac gear).


Day 8: River End → Bekopaka (Manambolo Ferry) 🚙

Finish the descent, then 4x4 overland to Bekopaka, crossing the Manambolo by ferry. Settle in for Tsingy explorations.

Hotel: Hotel Orchidée du Bemaraha


Day 9: Bekopaka — Petit Tsingy & Manambolo Pirogue ⛰️

Walkways and viewpoints of Petit Tsingy, then a pirogue on the Manambolo through gorges and past historic Vazimba tombs.

Hotel: Hotel Orchidée du Bemaraha

Included: Park entrance, guided Petit Tsingy, Manambolo pirogue, gorges visit.


Day 10: Bekopaka — Grand Tsingy (Harnessed Routes) 🧗

Full day on the iconic Grand Tsingy: harnessed circuits, suspension bridges, caves, panoramic lookouts — a UNESCO highlight of the trip.

Hotel: Hotel Orchidée du Bemaraha

Included: Grand Tsingy entrance, local guide, safety gear (harness).


Day 11: Bekopaka → Morondava (Sunset at Avenue of the Baobabs) 🌅

Long 4x4 back to the coast. Time your arrival for a golden-hour sunset at the Avenue of the Baobabs — pure magic.

Hotel: Hotel Menabe

Included: Baobab sunset stop (FREE).


Day 12: Morondava → Belo-sur-Mer (Sunrise Baobabs) 🚙

Optional sunrise back at the Avenue, then rugged coastal track to Belo-sur-Mer.

Hotel: Belo Beach

Included: Baobab sunrise stop (FREE).


Day 13: Belo-sur-Mer → Andavadoaka (Laguna Blu) 🏖️

Southbound on remote tracks through spiny forest and Vezo villages to Andavadoaka. Check in and relax in hotel.

Hotel: Laguna Blu - Resort Madagascar


Day 14: Andavadoaka (Free Day)

Beach, snorkel, pirogue rides (18 eur pp), or just watch the colors of the Channel change by the hour.

Hotel: Laguna Blu - Resort Madagascar


Day 15: Andavadoaka → Ifaty (Mangily) 🌊

Coastal track to Ifaty; arrive late afternoon for an easy beach sunset.

Hotel: Vovo Telo Lodge


Days 16–17: Ifaty (Free Days)

Relaxation days. Optional: spiny forest sunrise walk, whale watching (seasonal), reef snorkel.

Hotel: Vovo Telo Lodge


Day 18: Ifaty → Toliara → Ranohira (Isalo) 🏜️

From the coast inland to Isalo. Scenic change from dunes to sandstone massifs.

Hotel: Isalo Ranch


Day 19: Isalo National Park (Natural Pools & Window of Isalo) 🌄

Full day hiking: Natural Pool, Black & Blue Pools, viewpoints, and Window of Isalo at sunset.

Hotel: Isalo Ranch

Included: Park entrance + local English-speaking guide, ask for "Roland" he's truly THE best.


Day 20: Ranohira → Ranomafana 🌧️

Early start to the cool, misty rainforest of Ranomafana. Long driving day.

Hotel: Forêt Austral


Day 21: Ranomafana National Park (Rainforest Wildlife) 🍃

Trails among rivers and waterfalls searching for golden bamboo lemur, chameleons, frogs, and endemics.

Hotel: Forêt Austral

Included: Park entrance + local guide.


Day 22: Ranomafana → Antsirabe

Back to the Highlands: rice terraces, brick kilns, and craft villages en route.

Hotel: Antsirabe Hotel


Day 23: Antsirabe (Tritriva Lake) → Antananarivo 🏞️

Morning visit to Lac Tritriva, then return to Tana. Overnight near the airport for easy logistics (recommended: Fly Inn Antananarivo with free shuttle).

Hotel: Fly Inn Antananarivo


Day 24: Flight to Nosy Be (Coin Sauvage) 🏝️

Domestic flight to Nosy Be (note: schedules often change). Check into Coin Sauvage. Explore and unwind.

Hotel: Coin Sauvage


Day 25: Lokobe Natural Reserve (Nosy Be) 🐾

Day inside Lokobe — primary forest, lemurs, and chameleons. Return to Coin Sauvage.

Hotel: Coin Sauvage


Days 26–27: Nosy Iranja Overnight (Bivouac) 🐢

Boat out at 07:00. Nosy Iranja is postcard-perfect; day activities + sandbar sunsets; bivouac under the stars. Return afternoon next day.

Included: Boat transfers, 2 lunches + 1 dinner + 1 breakfast, sunset aperitif, tuktuks, English-speaking guide. €170 pp (deposit €30).

Hotel: Chez Olivia


Day 28: Island Exploration & Scuba Course (Day 1)

Sacred tree, waterfalls, then Blue Wave Diving — pool/confined water + theory. €450 pp for certification (4 dives).

Hotel: Loharano Lodge


Day 29: Nosy Tanikely (Marine Park) 🤿

First open-water dive at Nosy Tanikely (marine park; ~€10 fee in 2025). Sunset at Mont Passot.

Hotel: Loharano Lodge


Day 30: Nosy Sakatia (Turtles) 🐢

Another island, another dive — Nosy Sakatia has abundant turtles (great even for snorkelers). Add-on beach lunch ~€40 pp.

Hotel: Loharano Lodge


Day 31: Tanikely (Final Dives) + Certification 🎉

Finish dives, exam, and certification. Move to Manga Soa Lodge for a change of scenery and relax.

Hotel: Loharano Lodge


Day 32: Manga Soa Lodge (Rest Day)

Chill day. Dinner in town (try Karibo); night out at Le Taxi Be.

Hotel: Manga Soa Lodge


Day 33: Hell-Ville Markets & Fly to Tana 🛫

Souvenirs in Hell-Ville (central market; tees/souvenirs at MAKI, and hidden-gem Art Village), then evening flight back to Tana. Note: lodge airport transfer quoted €20; tuk-tuk was ~€4.

Hotel: Fly Inn Antananarivo


Day 34: Antananarivo → Home

Leisure morning, last-minute shopping, then transfer to Ivato for the Emirates flight at 18:35. Veloma, Madagascar! 🇲🇬


What Was Included (TO Package)

  • Private 4WD with fuel for the entire circuit + English-speaking driver (driver’s meals & accommodation covered)
  • Tourist taxes
  • Hotels in Miandrivazo, Bekopaka, Belo-sur-Mer (as per program)
  • Local guides in national parks and reserves + all listed entrance fees
  • Tsiribihina River: bivouac equipment (tent, mat), pirogue + piroguier, cook, bivouac assistant
  • English-speaking guide in parks/reserves (as specified)
  • Activities mentioned in this program

Practical Tips You Should Know ⭐

  • Cash is king: ATMs can be scarce outside Tana/Toliara. Carry small Ariary notes for villages/tolls.
  • Roads are slow: Even “short” distances can take hours. Start early and keep itineraries flexible.
  • Dry bags & headlamp: Essential for the river descent and power cuts.
  • Footwear: Closed shoes with grip for Tsingy/Isalo; reef shoes for islands.
  • Respect local customs: Sacred sites (fady) are real — ask your guide before flying drones or entering certain areas.
  • Domestic flights: Schedules change often — reconfirm times 24–48h before.

Conclusion: Wild, Remote, Unforgettable 🌟

From rainforest calls in Andasibe to starlit bivouacs on the Tsiribihina, from the sky-paths of the Tsingy to the orange glow of baobab sunsets and the turquoise bays of Nosy Be — South–West Madagascar is raw, remote, and utterly magical. If you crave the off-the-beaten-path, this route delivers a lifetime of stories.

Questions or want help tailoring this for your dates/budget? Write us at contact@inceptiontravelers.com — we’ll help you plan it right. 💌

Safe travels, and mora mora — take it slow, that’s how Madagascar shines. 🌅