9 Day Lemurs Tsingy And Baobabs Tour

Three Sifakas perched among the fine feathery leaves of an acacia canopy

Destinations: Madagascar, Antananarivo, Andasibe-Mantadia, the Avenue of the Baobabs and Tsingy de Bemaraha

This 9-day Madagascar trip runs through Antananarivo, Andasibe, the Avenue of the Baobabs and the Tsingy de Bemaraha, linked so the travelling is done between the wildlife. Most trips start and end here before flying home. Guided trails are gentle and the wildlife is close. The west coast light in the late afternoon is the time to be there.

Day By Day

Day 1 Arrival At Antananarivo

You set out from Antananarivo after breakfast and drive to Antananarivo, the country changing as the kilometres pass, reaching camp with time to settle in and take a first look before dark. The markets and craft stalls are good for a first or last day. Most trips start and end here before flying home. Antananarivo, the hillside capital, is the arrival point and hub for every route. You settle into camp as the light goes. The pace is easy and the sights are close together. Its old town climbs to the royal palace with views over rice paddies and tiled roofs.

A reserve nearby lets you see lemurs within an hour of the city. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest.

An Indri, the largest living lemur, clinging to a rain-soaked tree trunk in Andasibe — The indri at Andasibe opens the route before the drive west.

Day 2 Transfer To Andasibe

A short morning exploring on foot and by road at first light in Antananarivo, then to the road for the move to Andasibe-Mantadia. The country changes on the way, and you reach Andasibe in the afternoon. You head out looking for lemurs on forest trails as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. Andasibe is the easiest rainforest from the capital and home to the indri, the largest living lemur. The indri’s eerie dawn call carries for over a kilometre through the forest. The forest is cool and green after the road. Eleven lemur species live in the reserve’s tall eastern forest.

Guided trails are gentle and the wildlife is close. Night walks bring out chameleons, tree frogs and nocturnal mouse lemurs. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good.

Day 3 Lemur Trails In Andasibe

A full day in Andasibe-Mantadia. You are looking for lemurs on forest trails, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. The indri’s eerie dawn call carries for over a kilometre through the forest. Night walks bring out chameleons, tree frogs and nocturnal mouse lemurs. Eleven lemur species live in the reserve’s tall eastern forest. A night walk adds chameleons and nocturnal lemurs. Guided trails are gentle and the wildlife is close.

Andasibe is the easiest rainforest from the capital and home to the indri, the largest living lemur. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere.

Day 4 Transfer To Avenue Of Baobabs

A short morning looking for lemurs on forest trails at first light in Andasibe, then to the road for the move to the Avenue of the Baobabs. The country changes on the way, and you reach the Avenue of the Baobabs in the afternoon. You head out exploring on foot and by road as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. It is the most photographed spot in Madagascar for good reason. Nearby the ‘lovers’ baobabs’ twist together in the dry forest. There is time to slow down and take it in.

The Avenue of the Baobabs lines a dirt road near Morondava with trees up to 800 years old. At sunset the giant trunks throw long shadows and glow against the sky. The west coast light in the late afternoon is the time to be there. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools.

Day 5 Transfer To Tsingy De Bemaraha

A short morning exploring on foot and by road at first light in the Avenue of the Baobabs, then to the road for the move to Tsingy de Bemaraha. The country changes on the way, and you reach the Tsingy de Bemaraha in the afternoon. You head out on foot through the rock and forest as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. Getting there crosses the Manambolo River by ferry through wild country. It is Madagascar’s most dramatic and adventurous site. The light at the end of the day is the reward.

Harnessed walks climb through the stone maze to viewpoints over the spires. Lemurs and endemic birds live in the pockets of forest between the rock. The Tsingy is a UNESCO forest of razor-sharp limestone pinnacles you cross on bridges and ladders. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere.

Baobab trees lining a sandy track beneath heavy cloud lit orange by the setting sun — The Avenue of the Baobabs sits on the road between Morondava and the Tsingy.

Day 6 Walking Tsingy De Bemaraha

A full day in Tsingy de Bemaraha. You are on foot through the rock and forest, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. It is Madagascar’s most dramatic and adventurous site. The Tsingy is a UNESCO forest of razor-sharp limestone pinnacles you cross on bridges and ladders. Harnessed walks climb through the stone maze to viewpoints over the spires. The walking is the point, and the views earn it. Lemurs and endemic birds live in the pockets of forest between the rock.

Getting there crosses the Manambolo River by ferry through wild country. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground. With a drink in hand you watch the day close over the bush. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars.

Day 7 Walking Tsingy De Bemaraha

A full day in Tsingy de Bemaraha. You are on foot through the rock and forest, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. The Tsingy is a UNESCO forest of razor-sharp limestone pinnacles you cross on bridges and ladders. Harnessed walks climb through the stone maze to viewpoints over the spires. Lemurs and endemic birds live in the pockets of forest between the rock. You carry water and take the climbs slowly. Getting there crosses the Manambolo River by ferry through wild country.

It is Madagascar’s most dramatic and adventurous site. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground. With a drink in hand you watch the day close over the bush. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set.

Day 8 Transfer To Avenue Of Baobabs

A short morning on foot through the rock and forest at first light in the Tsingy de Bemaraha, then to the road for the move to the Avenue of the Baobabs. The country changes on the way, and you reach the Avenue of the Baobabs in the afternoon. You head out exploring on foot and by road as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. At sunset the giant trunks throw long shadows and glow against the sky. It is the most photographed spot in Madagascar for good reason. A good meal closes the day.

The west coast light in the late afternoon is the time to be there. The Avenue of the Baobabs lines a dirt road near Morondava with trees up to 800 years old. Nearby the ‘lovers’ baobabs’ twist together in the dry forest. With a drink in hand you watch the day close over the bush. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars.

Day 9 Departure

A final morning exploring on foot and by road before you leave, the best window of the trip for anything still on your list. You make the most of the early light, then you drive back toward Antananarivo. Nearby the ‘lovers’ baobabs’ twist together in the dry forest. The west coast light in the late afternoon is the time to be there. This 9-day trip links Antananarivo, Andasibe, the Avenue of the Baobabs and the Tsingy de Bemaraha, with the travelling done between the wildlife so your days stay on the ground that matters. The Avenue of the Baobabs lines a dirt road near Morondava with trees up to 800 years old.

At sunset the giant trunks throw long shadows and glow against the sky. It is the most photographed spot in Madagascar for good reason. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up.

A wide panorama of the Tsingy, a forest of razor-sharp grey limestone pinnacles in western Madagascar — Two full days are given to the Tsingy de Bemaraha on this route.

What’s Included

All internal flights and road transfers on the route
Full-board accommodation on safari as shown
Game drives and the activities named in the day plan
Park entry fees for the days shown
Airport and airstrip transfers, drinking water in the vehicle

What’s Not Included

International flights and any visa
Travel insurance
Drinks, tips for guides and staff
Activities not listed and items of a personal nature

Why Is This Safari in Madagascar Worth It?

This trip earns its place because the stops are nothing alike, and seeing them together makes each one land harder. The markets and craft stalls are good for a first or last day. Most trips start and end here before flying home. The west coast light in the late afternoon is the time to be there. Linking Antananarivo, Andasibe, the Avenue of the Baobabs and the Tsingy de Bemaraha in one route means you cover more of Madagascar than a single park allows, and the travelling between them is short. On 9 days you get range without the trip feeling rushed, the set-piece wildlife, the quieter corners, and the change of country from one stop to the next. For a traveller who wants variety over a single famous name, this is a strong, well-balanced way to see the region, and it works whether it is a first trip or a return.

What Is Possible on a 9 Day Madagascar Safari?

9 days across Antananarivo, Andasibe, the Avenue of the Baobabs and the Tsingy de Bemaraha is a well-judged length, though it is a read of each stop rather than a deep stay. You get a full day or more at the main parks, enough to see the headline wildlife and still catch the quieter moments. It suits travellers who value breadth and do not mind moving every couple of days. What this length cannot do is exhaust any one park, the biggest of them could fill a week on their own, so the remote corners stay for another trip. If a single place is your priority, spend the nights there instead. And if you have longer, the route takes an easy add-on, whether that is more time with the wildlife or a stretch on the coast to finish. As it stands, this 9-day trip is balanced and full.

How Much Is This Madagascar Safari Package?

What you pay turns mostly on the camps and the season. In Madagascar, park fees are small but a local guide is required at each reserve. As a rough guide, most trips of this length run from around USD 1,600 to 3,600 per person sharing, higher in the peak dry months and cheaper in the green season. Camp and lodge level is the big lever, from simple tented camps to the smarter river and bush camps, and a shared vehicle between four brings the per-person cost down. Tell an operator your dates, group size and the standard you want and it can be quoted to the figure.