Tonga soa! Bienvenue! Welcome to Antananarivo, Madagascar's crowded but charming capital. Your adventure officially begins with a welcome meeting at 5 pm. If you decide to arrive early, take some time to get acquainted with the city. With cobbled streets, wooden houses and impressive churches, ‘Tana’ has a distinctly romantic air. Perhaps wander the streets of Haute-Ville or visit the permanent Analakely street market. After your welcome meeting this evening, perhaps get to know your new friends over an optional dinner. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. There will be no access to banks or cash points from Miandrivazo to Morondava. Meals on your river excursion are included, however drinks and gratuities for your river crew are not. Meals in Bekopaka are at your own expense. We would suggest 160 -180 Euro for meals and services not included in your tour price for this section of the trip. Please ask your Tour Leader for further advice.

Be prepared for a long drive as you begin the journey west this morning. Maybe kick back with a book or get to know your fellow travellers during the drive to Miandrivazo, a small city that will act as the starting point for your adventure down the Tsiribihina River. On arrival, check in to the hotel and listen to a briefing on essential information for your two-day cruise. Head out to pick any extra supplies you may need or desire for the next few days, then get some rest in preparation for tomorrow. Your travel today will be approximately 11 hours, not including stops. Restroom facilities may not always be accessible. In such instances, you may need to resort to nature's restroom, locally referred to as a 'bushy-bushy.' We suggest carrying a sleeping bag (a basic blanket is provided) or a sleep sheet for your river camping experience, a towel and a waterproof jacket. Sunscreen, insect repellent and hat are highly recommended. For more details, please refer to our recommended packing list in the ‘Essential trip information’.

Rise and shine for the 35-kilometre drive (approx 2hrs) to Masiakampy, where you will find a traditional barge waiting to escort you along the Tsiribihina River. These flat bottom boats were once used to transport tobacco, but without that precious cargo they make a comfortable way to cruise along the water and access the remote reaches of western Madagascar. For the next few days, you’ll have the chance to spot wildlife on the banks and in the water, enjoy easy walks to hidden waterfalls and stop off in rural villages. Climb aboard and meet the crew, then settle in and enjoy some lunch as you travel through flat farming plains and enter the dramatic gorges of the Tsiribihina, stopping in the afternoon to trek to a waterfall before returning to a large sandbank to set up camp. Your travel today will be approximately 2 hours. River camping is a simple wild camping experience. Sleeping mats and a single blanket will be provided. As recommended in our packing list in the Essential Trip Information, you may wish to carry a sleeping bag or sleeping sheet. These items are not available for hire. There are no bathroom facilities and there will be limited fresh water on the boat for washing. A bush toilet is the only option for the next three days. Due to some zebu robberies in local villages in 2018, local authorities have decided to deploy military personal in some remote areas. Because of this, you may be accompanied by a military escort for part of or the entire trip. Your safety is of upmost importance, and we are confident that should your trip have these escorts that they will not affect your journey or enjoyment. We are privileged to visit this is fragile ecosystem. Please act responsibly in relation to personal hygiene waste disposal. Depending on the water level, our departure point may vary.

Enjoy a full day gliding along the water today, travelling into the heart of the river and waving to the locals on the banks and barges as you pass. In the absence of roads, nature flourishes along the river in this part of Madagascar – watch out for herds of zebus crossing the river, and flashes of colour as you look for bee-eaters, herons, and egrets in this bird lovers’ paradise. Stop occasionally for a village walk or a short trek for animal spotting before setting up camp at a village along the shore. This evening, light a campfire and enjoy some traditional Malagasy music and dancing with the locals.

Enjoy one last morning along the Tsiribihina river before disembarking the boat and bidding farewell to the crew. Make a quick stop at Belo-sur-Tsiribihina, a small village nestled in the marshes and mangroves of the Delta, to check out the market and grab some lunch before beginning the 5-hour 4x4 off-road drive to Bekopaka. Once we arrive, take the rest of the day to enjoy a swim or a refreshing shower and rest your weary limbs. Tomorrow, you’ll be taking on the Small Tsingy. Your travel today will be approximately 5 hours. During your road journey in the region you may be accompanied by a military escort for part of or the entire trip as part of a convoy. The convoy will depart from Belo-sur-Tsiribihina at 2 pm and make limited stops. Your safety is of upmost importance and we are confident that should your trip have these escorts that they will not affect the journey or the enjoyment.

Rise early, pick a comfortable outfit and pack some snacks, as today you’ll spend up to five hours trekking through the Small Tsingy, located in Bemaraha National Park. Scramble and navigate through a labyrinth of limestone formations that resemble a forest made of rock. Stop at two lookout points along the way for photo opportunities and a chance to take in the impressive surrounds. In the afternoon, unwind with a float down the Manambolo River on a pirogue (wooden dugout canoe) under the shadow of these towering rock cliffs. Enjoy an easy afternoon cave stroll, taking the sight of stalactites, stalagmites and the eerie tombs of the Vazimba – said to be the earliest inhabitants of Madagascar.

Embrace another early start this morning and prepare for another action-packed trip to the Great Tsingy. Getting up early again might be a struggle, but it’s the best way to beat the heat and more intense crowds. Largely unexplored until the 1990s (the name Tsingy is very roughly translated as ‘place where one cannot walk barefoot’ in Malagasy), the area is now easier to navigate due to a series of bridges, semi-permanent climbing plugs and other equipment. Feel your heart stop as you pass over a sheer drop via a suspended bridge, a truly breathtaking experience that those with vertigo may wish to skip. Animal lovers should keep an eye out for 11 species of lemurs, 100 species of birds and 45 endemic reptiles and amphibians, including the Madagascar iguana and Antsingy leaf chameleon.

There is another long day of travel ahead - including an 8-hour 4x4 adventure on bumpy roads. Grab that book or download a podcast and prepare to keep yourself occupied as you cross the Manambolo River and the Tsiribihina River by ferry, arriving in the laid-back seaside town of Morondava in time for a spectacular sunset in the Avenue of the Baobabs. These cartoonish, towering trees are native to Madagascar, and the variety you’ll see lit from behind this evening are adansonia grandidieri, the tallest of them all. Watch the sky turn pink and yellow and finally cast these trees – many of which are up to 800 years old – in shadow. Spend the night in Morondava and take a well-deserved rest. Your travel today will be approximately 10 hours.

Take some time this morning to enjoy free time in Morondava. You may choose to relax on the beach or visit the local markets. This afternoon we will make our way to Miandrivazo. Your travel today will be approximately 6.5 hours.

Depart this morning for Antsirabe, the capital of the Vakinankaratra region. Along the way, enjoy an easy trek in the countryside and discover the beauty of the local lakes, including the emerald-green waters of Tritiva, an extinct crater surrounded by verdant forest. Hike through the lakes district and sit down for a picnic-style lunch. Antsirabe maintains a Malagasy touch, thanks to the contrast of its bustling street markets and French-inspired facades. Located in the highlands, it's a popular spa town thanks to the hot springs and thermal baths, and the colourful rickshaws known as 'pousse-pousse' are a popular form of transport. Your travel today will be approximately 8.5 hours.

Make your return to the capital city of Antananarivo this morning where our trip comes to an end around 2 pm. Your travel today will be approximately 5 hours. Make sure to not book any international flights departing before 6 pm this evening, to allow for any unexpected delays. If you would like to extend your stay in Antananarivo, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.