8-Day Western Madagascar: Baobabs, Tsingy & Morondava

Domestic flight from Antananarivo's Ivato Airport to Morondava on the west coast. Transfer to your lodge and a briefing on the days ahead. Late afternoon drive to the Avenue of the Baobabs for a first sunset among the ancient giants.

Pre-dawn transfer back to the Avenue of the Baobabs to witness sunrise: the trees turn from silhouette to burnished gold as the light climbs. After breakfast, drive 60 km north to Kirindy Forest Reserve. Walking guides lead a morning and afternoon walk through the dry deciduous forest in search of the fossa, Madagascar's largest carnivore. Lemurs here include Verreaux's sifaka — famous for its sideways skipping gait — red-fronted brown lemur, and nocturnal species found on an evening walk.

An early departure north through the sparse coastal scrub and spiny forest of western Madagascar. The road is rough in places and the journey is part of the adventure: pirogue ferry crossings of seasonal rivers, zebu carts sharing the track, and the gradual revelation of the Tsiribihina valley. Arrive at the small riverport town of Belo sur Tsiribihina for overnight.

Continue north to Bekopaka, the gateway village to Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. The final approach crosses the Manambolo River by motorised pirogue: a dramatic entrance to one of Africa's most extraordinary protected areas. Check in and an afternoon introductory walk on the Petit Tsingy circuit.

A full day on the Grand Tsingy circuit: the centrepiece of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Suspended bridge crossings above the razor-sharp karst needles, descents into cathedral-like chasms, and extraordinary vantage points across a landscape found nowhere else on Earth. Decken's sifaka perform their acrobatic leaps between the limestone spires. Chameleons, skinks and endemic geckos inhabit every crevice.

Morning pirogue excursion through the Manambolo River Gorge: towering limestone cliffs draped in fig trees, with kingfishers and herons along the banks. Begin the return drive south toward Morondava, overnighting at a lodge along the route.

A final morning at the Avenue of the Baobabs for those who cannot get enough of this extraordinary landscape. Afternoon at leisure in Morondava: walk along the long sandy beach, visit the fish market where traditional wooden pirogues bring in the daily catch, and explore the town's Sakalava craft stalls.

Morning flight back to Antananarivo. Depending on your onward connection, time for a final Tana lunch or a visit to the craft market. Transfer to Ivato International Airport. End of Saringi Tours services.