The Manambolo, the Bemaraha Tsingy and the Makay Massif

• Flight Paris - Antananarivo. Arrival in the evening.

Antananarivo - Tsiroanomandidy

Tsiroanomandidy - Bongolava

• From Tsiroanomandidy, we take the road again to reach the massif of Bongolava, located Ouest in a semi desert area where takes place the biggest zebu market in Madagascar.
  We settle down our campsite on a beautiful view point, near the Ambatomalamba waterfall.

Bongolava - Akavandra

Akavandra - Manambolo

Manambolo - Manambolo

Manambolo - Bekopaka

• A day visiting the outstanding Tsingy of Bemaraha National Park.
  The Tsingy are real limestone cathedrals. This dense network of faults, canyons and limestone blocks shaped like blades, is one of the most spectacular landscape in Madagascar.
  Inboard a pirogue and by foot, inside canyons and mazes, we set foot to discover great spaces, vertigo and sensational hikes.

• We go to discover great spaces : the Great Tsingy of Bemaraha.

  Our tour starts by a transfer by car, 17 km North of the village of Bekopaka, to reach these huge limestone cathedrales, the dense faults network, deep canyons, and limestone blocks carved in blades or peaks forming the Tsingy.

  Through canyons with humid vegetation and mazes, we will reach the "Tsingy's Rooftop".
  Back to the village at the end of the day.

Bekopaka - Morondava

• Early in the morning, we take the direction of Morondava. In spite of the quality of the track, we will relive with nostalgia our unbelievable discovery of the high steep cliffs and the grandiose landscapes. The peculiar sensation of measuring immensity regains us again.

  
  First ferry on the Manambolo River to get to Belo Tsiribihina in the late morning. We take lunch there and then continue with the second folk crossing of __ Tsiribihina River __ in ferry. We pass by the famous baobabs avenue. We would want to hasten on the red dirt track to get there in time, photograph and immortalize the beautiful sunset that gives the baobabs its orange color.

  
  Arrival in the evening in Morondava and settling down at the hotel.

Morondava - Malaimbandy

• There, we take the track to meet us at the northern base of the Makay massif. This is the starting point of our unusual hike.

Day 13

• This itinerary allows to discover a part of the Makay very little traveled.
  In this unique environment, our walk on foot allows us to soak up an amazing nature. From time to time, we climb the domes and eroded peaks, the panoramas are exceptional.
  We are also led to walk to the bottom of these gorges, feet in the limpid water of the rivers flowing on bottoms of white sand. It is on these beaches, leaning against the mineral wall, that we place our bivouacs and spend nights.

  Here, parrots are ubiquitous, their cries echoing through the long corridors. Some raptors such as buzzards, kites and striped Polyboroides hover over mountains. The bats, guardians of the place go out at night to make their silent rounds.
  The ruiniform sedimentary plateau of Makay, composed of friable sandstone, is also the northern extension of the Isalo massif. The slow and inexorable work of time, some tectonic movements aided by the flow of waters patiently eroded these rocks. Deep canyons carve it out, breaking it up, making any progress more complicated.

  The local population living in the few villages on the outskirts of the massif rarely ventures into these hospitable lands except to find refuge there. Many fady (forbidden) and a number of beliefs and fears protect this fortress at best.

  During the various recognitions, we found some rock paintings and engravings, a rock art, which we know very little. They are red, brown and ocher in color, representing animals with hippopotamus silhouettes, geometric designs and human representations.
  A team of porters accompany us on a daily basis to transport luggage, food and equipment needed for bivouacs. This massif created around him a labyrinth of canyons and failures as deep as unrecognized, secret.

• After breakfast, folding tents and taking off with the porters and trackers. We take our 4x4s to take the track of the north exit, in order to join the town of Malaimbandy before crossing the national 34 which leads us to Miandrivazo.

• In the afternoon we continue to Antsirabe, the capital of the Vakinankaratra region, the final stage for the day.

Antsirabe - Ambatolampy

• We meet with a dynamic rural world, evolving all around us as we drive through. Coming closer to Antsirabe, various fresh products from the fields are displayed along the road. We reach Antsirabe, the thermal city, nestled in the middle of the central Highlands.

Ambatolampy - Antananarivo

• We take the road towards the city of Ambatolampy, located South of Antananarivo on the Road National 7. Crossing typical landscape of the central Highlands, we drive along a sinuous road lined with a mosaic of crops and terrace rice fields.