Itinerary

• Day 1: BARCELONA - ISTANBUL

  Departure on an international flight to Istanbul. Transit and connection with an international flight to Antananarivo. Overnight on board.

• Day 2: ISTANBUL - ANTANANARIVO

  Arrival at the capital's international airport. Transfer to the hotel and brief travel information. Overnight stay.

• Day 3: ANTANANARIVO - MIANDRIVAZO

  Breakfast at the hotel. Very early, we depart for the town of Miandrivazo, crossing the impressive Malagasy Highlands until we reach the colonial city of Antsirabe. From there to Miandrivazo, the landscape surprises us with the "lavaka," deep gullies of uncertain origin, caused by overgrazing, deforestation, or road construction. We finally arrive in Miandrivazo, on the banks of the Tsiribihina River. Check-in at the lodge and a presentation, where we will receive an introduction to both our route and the destination in general. Overnight stay.

• Day 4: MIANDRIVAZO - DESCENT OF THE TSIRIBIHINA RIVER

  Early breakfast and transfer by 4x4 to the Masiakampy pier, where we will board our Chaland, a traditional motorboat adapted for groups of travelers. It features a common deck equipped with tables and chairs shaded from the sun, a sunbathing area, and other shared facilities. While there are no cabins, we will camp in tents on the riverbanks at night, and there is a space for our cook to prepare lunches and dinners for the group. Thus begins our expedition along the Tsiribihina River, a two-day journey. The first leg will take us about two hours to Sahambano, where we will enjoy lunch. After replenishing our energy, we will continue for approximately another hour to the sacred waterfall, where we can enjoy a refreshing swim in Nosin' Ampela. Finally, we will continue sailing to our first campsite, located near the village of Begidro. Overnight in tents on the riverbanks.

  
  

• Day 5: DESCENT OF THE TSIRIBIHINA RIVER

  After breakfast, we resume our adventure, boarding the chaland again to visit the village of Begidro. We continue downriver, admiring the changing landscape and the life that thrives on its waters. During our peaceful journey, we'll pass other boats carrying local passengers or small fishing canoes. We'll have lunch near the village of Berevo, and in the afternoon, we'll venture into the impressive gorges of the Tsiribihina River, where, if we're lucky, we might spot lemurs, crocodiles, and bats. We'll make a brief stop on land to meet the Sakalava-Menabe people in the village of Ambatomisay, near our campsite. The day will culminate with a pleasant evening around a campfire under a starry sky, accompanied by fascinating stories and traditional music from the Sakalava-Menabe community. Return to camp. Overnight in tents on the riverbank.

• Day 6: DESCENT OF THE TSIRIBIHINA RIVER - BEKOPAKA

  Early breakfast. Continue the final leg of your journey along the river to the authentic town of Belo sur Tsiribihina, enjoying lunch on board. From there, we'll begin a 4x4 journey along the dusty tracks of western Malagasy, arriving in the afternoon in Bekopaka, at the gateway to the Tsingy de Bemaraha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During the journey, we'll cross the Manambolo River by ferry as it passes through Bekopaka. Arrival and check-in at the lodge. Overnight stay.

• Day 7: BEKOPAKA

  Breakfast at the lodge. Departure for a canoe trip through the impressive gorges of the Manambolo River, flanked by imposing cliffs. During the trip, we will stop at two grottoes, one with spectacular stalactite and stalagmite formations, and observe an ancient Vazimba tomb on a vertical wall, a reminder of the island's first inhabitants. Lunch on your own at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the "small Tsingy of Bemaraha," where we will test our physical fitness and our ability to navigate heights and narrow passages—a magnificent preview of the following day's adventure. Return to the lodge after the visit. Overnight stay.

• Day 8: BEKOPAKA

  Breakfast at the hotel. Today holds an extraordinary discovery in store for us. Equipped with our harnesses, we will travel by 4x4 along an 18-kilometer track (approximately 1.5 hours) to the natural entrance of the "Great Tsingy of Bemaraha," where our visit to these unique karst formations will begin. These formations are unique in the world for possessing the necessary conditions to be traversed via a via ferrata, allowing us to ascend to the summit. We will undertake the Andamozavaky circuit, approximately 4 hours long and of medium difficulty, traversing labyrinths, caves, gorges, and suspension bridges. After a picnic lunch (not included), we will continue with the Ranotsara circuit, about 2 hours long and also of medium difficulty, where gigantic limestone cathedrals, deep fissures, and another suspension bridge will lead us to the top of the Tsingy. The entire route is done on foot, secured with harnesses, allowing us to enjoy the adventure safely. Return to the lodge. Accommodation.

• Day 9: BEKOPAKA - MORONDAVA

  Breakfast at the hotel and early morning departure for Morondava, crossing the Manambolo and Tsiribihina rivers by ferry to reach the Kirindy Forest Reserve. There, we will take an easy two-hour walk through the dry, dense forest typical of the Menabe region, where we can observe baobabs of the species Adansonia rubrostipa and Adansonia za, as well as diurnal lemurs such as Eulemur rufifrons and Propithecus verreauxi, the elusive fossa (considered the largest carnivorous mammal on the island), the hopping rat, and the tiny lemur Microcebus berthae. Afterward, we will continue by 4x4 to Morondava along the dusty tracks of western Malagasy, visiting the sacred baobab and the love baobab. At sunset, we will experience one of the most anticipated moments of the expedition: the encounter with the famous "Avenue of the Baobabs," enjoying the sunset among the imposing specimens of Adansonia grandidieri. Finally, we will continue to Morondava and check into the beachfront hotel on the Nosy Kely peninsula. Overnight stay.

• Day 10: MORONDAVA - BELO SUR MER

  Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by 4x4, crossing sandy tracks to the fishing village of Belo sur Mer, located 80 kilometers from Morondava, facing the Mozambique Channel. This town, inhabited by the Vezo ethnic group, nicknamed "the last nomads of the wind," is famous for the construction of traditional Malagasy boats and schooners. In the afternoon, we can observe the artisanal construction of these vessels, explore the Vezo village, and, if we are lucky, witness a launching, a unique experience marked by the fervor of the crowd pulling the ropes in unison and by the celebrations that mark the completion of the vessel. Belo sur Mer is also known for its salt pans, where numerous families, generation after generation, extract the salt necessary to preserve food in the absence of refrigeration. Check-in at the lodge. Overnight stay.

• Day 11: BELO SUR MER

  Breakfast and departure by motorboat to the paradisiacal coral islet of Nosy Andravoho, part of the Kirindy Mite National Park Marine Reserve. There, we can snorkel in a veritable tropical aquarium, observing turtles, dolphins, and, on August and September trips, the impressive humpback whales that roam freely through the waters of the Mozambique Channel. Lunch on the islet, featuring a delicious fish barbecue. Return to Belo sur Mer and free afternoon. Overnight stay.

• Day 12: BELO SUR MER - MORONDAVA

  Breakfast at the lodge. Departure by 4x4, crossing the famous salt marshes of Antsira according to the tides, until reaching Morondava, the capital of the Menabe region, a vibrant city bustling with commercial activity. During our stay, we will explore some of its colorful markets on foot, such as the Bazary Be district, where it will be possible to purchase typical souvenirs of the region, such as the Sakalava bracelet, the Vangovango, or the Lambaony pareo. The Nosy Kely peninsula, by the sea, is home to almost all of the city's hotels and offers a lively array of bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and craft shops. Check-in at our beachfront hotel and free time. Overnight stay.

• Day 13: MORONDAVA - ANTSIRABE

  Early breakfast and departure for the city of Miandrivazo, crossing the Menabe region and entering the Highlands, passing through Malaimbandy and Mahambo, ancient settlements that were once Sakalava royal villages. We will stop at a local restaurant for lunch in Miandrivazo and continue through the unique landscape of the lavakas to the village of Mandoto, where we can stretch our legs. Arrival in Antsirabe in the afternoon and check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay.

• Day 14: ANTSIRABE

  Breakfast. Departure for the vast valleys of the Vakinankaratra region, considered the "vegetable garden" of Madagascar for its extraordinary fertility. From the village of Manandona, we will take an approximately one-hour walk through rice paddies to learn about the agricultural culture and daily activities of its inhabitants: we will share in their daily tasks, visit a traditional house, learn about their fady (traditional dances), and, if time allows, enjoy an impromptu musical performance. During the walk, we will admire the summit of Mount Ibity, the third highest mountain on the island at 2,345 meters, a waterfall, and a natural pool where we can swim during our southern summer. Return to the vehicles that will take us back to Antsirabe. After lunch on your own, we will take a tour of the city's historic center, either by pousse-pousse (similar to Indian rickshaws) or on foot, visiting the Atsena Kely (small market), the Notre Dame de la Salette Cathedral, the train station, the Ethnic Monument, and numerous buildings from the French colonial era, including the decaying Hotel des Thermes, where King Mohammed V stayed during his exile in 1953. Overnight stay.

• Day 15: ANTSIRABE - ANDASIBE NATIONAL PARK

  Early breakfast and departure by road to Andasibe National Park, passing through Behenjy, known as the foie gras capital, and Ambatolampy, where we can witness the traditional production of aluminum pots, found in practically every Malagasy home. Observing the curious technique used at each stage of the process and, if we wish, purchasing some of the aluminum figurines on offer will allow us to leave a small sustainable footprint. Lunch on your own en route at a local restaurant. Arrival in the afternoon at the entrance to Andasibe National Park and free time. Overnight stay.

• Day 16: ANDASIBE NATIONAL PARK

  Breakfast and a 4-hour walking tour of Analamazaotra National Park, within the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, where we will observe the island's largest primate, the famous Andean Indri, as well as other species of lemurs, chameleons, frogs, tree ferns, the Madagascarian Pandanus, orchids, and more. After lunch, we will take a walk through the village of Andasibe to meet the Betsimisaraka people. In the evening, equipped with headlamps, we will go on a game drive in the Andasibe Private Reserve, where we will see various endemic species of the rainforest, including the endearing microcebo. Return to the lodge. Overnight stay.

• Day 17: ANDASIBE NATIONAL PARK - ANTANANARIVO

  Breakfast and very early departure for Antananarivo, “the city of a thousand,” from Antana (place or town), -n- (of), and -arivo (thousand), in honor of the thousand soldiers who protected the queen during the Merina monarchy. Antananarivo is a historic city: in the 17th century, King Andrianjaka conquered the city of Analamanga, built a palace on the highest point (present-day Rova de Manjakamiadana), and made the town the capital of the kingdom, renaming it “Antananarivo,” the city of a thousand warriors. Upon arrival, lunch and a tour of the city center with the Tanà City Tour, which includes Soarano Station, Independence Avenue, the Isoraka and Analakely neighborhoods, and a panoramic view from the famous “Haute-Ville” (Old Town). After the tour, check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay.

• Day 18: ANTANANARIVO - ISTANBUL

  Breakfast at the hotel. Then, departure for the great La Digue Market, the largest craft fair on the island and one of the largest markets in Africa, ideal for buying unique souvenirs. At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport for your return flight.

• Day 19: ISTANBUL - BARCELONA

  Arrival in Istanbul and connection with flight to city of origin.