Experiencing the Tsingy during the usual heat surely is a challenging mission, but it’s worth it for the versatile, fantastic experiences in any case! Generally most visitors coming to the park usually stay over three nights to explore this unique and amazing place.
There are several circuits for half-day walks leading through the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. You can choose between easy, medium and sporty circuits:
*Tantely, easy circuit, 1-hour walk (2km). This circuit is a test for visitors before tackling the more sporting circuits. Hike allows to observe and admire the peculiarity of the Tsingy and its various endemic and non-endemic animal and plant species.
*Andadoany and Ankeligoa Circuit. Andadoany Circuit: Medium circuit including the crossing of labyrinths, 4 hours walk (2km). Ankeligoa Circuit: Medium, 5 hours walk (6km). It is the ideal circuit to contemplate the magic of the Tsingy: you will move through canyons and labyrinths and have the opportunity to touch these extraordinary rock pinnacles. Feel the emptiness throughout the ascent to the roof of the Tsingy. Admire the view from the gazebo onto the Tsingy and the various vegetations. Visit beautiful caves containing evidence of ancient human presence and showing the different forms of concretions.
*Andamozavaky, sporty circuit, 4-6 hours walk (4km). The main attractions are the panoramic view of the Tsingy, a suspension bridge and a wonderful sunset.
*Manambolo, medium circuit, 3 hours by pirogue (6km). At this circuit in a pirogue you can see steep gorges of 50m to 80m in height, different types of vegetation, sub-humid dense forest, sparse xerophytic vegetation and semi-deciduous dry dense forest. You will visit caves with beautiful limestone formations. Enjoy the panoramic view of the Tsingy by walking back up the cliff. Various spots offer stunning views of the Manambolo River. You will also pass some Vazimba tombs.
*Berano, medium circuit, 3 hours walk (3km). The Berano Circuit is a caving tour, starting at the northern entrance of the park in Antsalova. This circuit includes visits to underground galleries, canyons and different forms of caves with speleological tendency. You will pass the by kalanchoes decorated Tsingy May, followed by a pirogue crossing inside the galleries in the form of labyrinths. It will be a unique opportunity to observe the paleo gallery still in activity, embellished with vegetation of humid characteristics.
*Ranotsara, difficult circuit, 4-6 hours walk (3km). The Ranotsara Circuit starts 17km north of the village of Bekopaka and presents gigantic limestone cathedrals, deep cracks, limestone blocks carved in blades or sharp peaks constituting an immense field of Tsingy. Admire the 360° panoramic view from an elevated gazebo on the roof of the Tsingy. Feel the empty space crossing a 20m long and 70m deep suspension bridge. Walk in the middle of the Tsingy arcades and descent to the bottom of a canyon and forest tunnel. As the sun sets far away, another landscape appears formed by itself by the reflections of the sunset.
Circuits for hikes for one or two days in the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park:
*Anjohimanitsy, medium circuit, 1 day (5km) or sporty, quite difficult circuit, 2 days (9km). Adventurous hike and discovery of the mysterious world of the Tsingy for one or two days (overnight camping in Ankidroadroa inside the park). The itinerary combines the Manambolo Circuit, Ankeligoa Circuit and Tantely Circuit (see here). Admire the different shapes of the Tsingy: gallery with concretion, limestone plateau, canyons, diaclases, cathedrals and underground caves as well as the Tsingy May (Tsingy with inverted shapes or slightly cracked skeletal limestone plateau). This circuit provides the opportunity to admire the different types of vegetation, humid in the canyons and dry on the limestone slabs, with the possibility to observe some lemurs and other animals.
*Manambolobe, medium circuit, 1 day of walk (5km) or 2 days of walk (9km). Descent by rope into a limestone well and then progress through underground cavities. This adventure trip is a real discovery of the Tsingy mysteries, lemurs and the wet vegetation of dry canyons on limestone slabs.
*Oliha Circuit, medium and difficult circuit, 8 hours. Complete tour that takes you to discover the natural pools, Vazimba tombs, the Tsingy and the Manambolo Gorge. Oliha Circuit 1 day: including park entrance fee, picnic lunch and canoe. Oliha Circuit 2 days: including park entrance fee, breakfast, picnic lunch, canoe and overnight camping at Oliha Camp.