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Duration
7 days & 6 nights
Departure
Antsirabe
Arrival
Morondava
Antsirabe – Miandrivazo – Antsiraraka – Belosurtsiribihina – Bekopaka ( Tsingy de Bemaraha) – Belosurtsiribihina – Morondava
The middle West Circuit includes: The down trip by the traditional canoe or barge on the river Tsiribihina and the discovery of the Tsingy national parks of Bemaraha passing through the famous alley of the Baobabs.
Means of transport: cars – Traditional canoes – zebus – carts – motorferries – Private fwd cars
MIDDLE WEST
The down trip by the traditional canoe or barge on the river Tsiribihina and the discovery of the Tsingy national parks of Bemaraha passing through the famous alley of the Baobabs.
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It is the departure of Antsirabe (1450 m altitude) by private car for MIANDRIVAZO (80m altitude) 220 Km on the RN34. The road is good and right at the exit of the city of Antsirabe the thermal establishment and its healing and therapeutic virtues; The STAR brewery which is celebrated every day by the thousands of consumers of its famous THB.
Then at 22 km from ANTSIRABE, we pass the village of BETAFO which shows its arcades and its delicate wrought iron decorations which make it a fine example of the architecture of the Highlands. Just 1km north, it is overlooked by Lake TATAMARINA; Rice fields and above all it is a village of Petanque, so it deserves a stop. A little further afield, we pass through ANKAZOMIRIOTRA and MANDOTO which seduce us by their fields of cassava and pineapple decorated by countless fruit trees along the road such as mangoes, jujubiers, avocado, eucalyptus.
Then from BEVITSIKA and DABOLAVA, mandatory stop to discover another way of life as people live there gold which is one of the main activities on the West coast of the island before it landed at MIANDRIVAZO which is Bean town. Continuity at the Hotel
Know that now you are called « VAZAHA « : This is what the locals say all along the river.
« Manao Ahoana »; « Akory aby « ; « Salama « ; « Mbola Tsara »… These ways of saying hello to the four corners of the country testify to the diversity of the Malagasy mosaic. It is a peaceful day and represents during which we meet fishermen and the super hospitable people supported by fields of pirogues to the rhythm of stroke of paddle.
There is no frontier, it is necessary to open wide eyes to revel in many varieties of creatures such as chameleons (Furcifèr Oustaleti…); Birds (fulvus ducks, white Ruddy, Madagascar’s Crested Ibis…); Butterflies; The reptiles (Dromicodryas bernieri, Leioheterodon Madagasscariensis…) amphibians with the strangest varieties. In a nutshell, it is a paradise for naturalists.
Musical evening, dancing evening during the aperitif before feasting on our culinary specialties. Continuity under the tents.
Continuation of the river journey and total change of landscape aspect, let me tell you that: « We do not have palaces but our nature is five stars » because the gorges of TSIRIBIHINA allow us to meet the Lemurs alias « the First ambassadors of the island.
Two species are distinguished, including the Sifaka Verauxi Verauxi (white) and the Rufus Fulvus Lemurs (brown and grey). And then strong fortunately we can bask under the waterfall of Anson’ampela which is worthy of advertising for the « Tahiti Shower » (turquoise water) what a marvel! She’s waiting for you, my dear friends. For the afternoon, we pass by villages where we exchange with the inhabitants in one and only goal is to learn their way of life, their different cultures and tradition, their languages…
It happens to us often to spend the second night always on the Sands band to join us. It’s authentic!!! The promised things are at the rendezvous.
Continuity under the tents.
And right after that, we chained with the Zebu carts aka 4×4 Zebu. What other sensation!!! The fact of hearing the drivers communicate with their zebus « Aty! Aty! « (over here), it looks like there is a cohesiveness and a good understanding between them. I allow myself to tell the naturalists that Madagascar is the true promised land.
It is a 5 kilometer drive that leads us to the typical village called ANTSIRARAKA where the private car 4×4 awaits us, en route to the village TSIMAFANA where we take the ferry to reach the city of BELOSURTSIRIBIHINA, it is 45Km of road (terrible track). This city is recognized by the bathing ritual of the royal relics or FITAMPOHA.
Continuity at the hotel: This time we will have WIFI, hot water… Yes, you’re not dreaming!!! ?
It is the name of the village where there are the national parks of Tsingy de BEMARAHA. This is a seasonal 100km track that connects BELOSURTSIRIBIHINA to BEKOPAKA: Hang on! « Orangina shake, Shake me « .
It is a journey of 4-5 hours of time during which we admire the Sakalava tombs, some of which are adorned with erotic sculptures or scenes of daily life. It is a vast deciduous forest inhabited by purely Malagasy people. At the end of the destination we will see another river called MANAMBOLO allowing us to approach the tsingy of BEMARAHA.
Continuity in the tents or at the hotel.
It requires the 17 km test of additional foul track up to ANDOMOZAVAKY (this is the official part we visit for 4 to 5 hours of time). The BIG TSINGY is differentiated by height (70m of altitudes) and its space, the suspension bridge (via Ferrata), its fauna and flora (the Rosewoods, the woods of Roses, the woods of Eben, the Fucus Stranglers, the Euphorbias, the tree of the Vazaha, the mongooses, the Couas…).
In the afternoon, we only have to visit the SMALL TSINGYS of a height of 10 to 20 meters (surroundings 2hours of visiting time) which are discovered from the viewpoints arranged.
Continuity in the tents or at the hotel.
It is the Baobab forest that presents 3 species among the 6 species found in Madagascar (there are 8 species in the world)
The SACRED BAOBAB: It is an inevitable stop, it is a place of worship where one comes to honor the ancestors by depositing conchs, bottles and red and black cloths in the crevices of its trunk (let’s get ready to walk barefoot to the foot of The tree because it is sacred!)
The LOVERS BAOBAB: there especially where come one of the main curiosity of the West Malagasy. How is it that a tree intertwines? It is an enigmatic question but a proverb Malagasy says: " He who passes sees only the leaves but the one who asks questions sees the roots ". The BAOBABS ALLEY: not to be missed. About 20km north of MORONDAVA, it is the whole of the most spectacular Grandidieri Adansonia of the Big Island. The shadow of these majestic giant baobabs gray and mauve draws immense ghostly figures in the golden lights of Twilight. They are indeed the masterful silhouette of their enormous trunks. In short, you will enjoy at best this show at sunrise or especially at sunset. So it is towards the beginning of the night that we arrive in the city of MORONDAVA which is the promised destination.
It is the relaxation and the end of the contract: « We do not finish with Rafia a work begun with silk ».
