About this trip
Eleven days through Madagascar's back roads and waterways, moving well beyond Antananarivo into terrain that shifts from crater lakes to canyons to the famous avenue of baobabs at sunset.
You'll spend two days cruising the Tsiribihina Delta, paddle a dugout canoe down the Manambolo River, and camp along the riverbanks, alongside visits to Vazimba tomb caves and the dramatic limestone spires of the Great Tsingy.
This is a proper expedition rather than a soft sightseeing tour — long bumpy drives, basic camping, and a canyon-edge trek are all part of the deal, but so are landscapes and encounters most travellers never get near.
What you'll do
- Watch sunset over the Avenue of the Baobabs
- Cruise the Tsiribihina Delta for two days
- Paddle a dugout canoe down the Manambolo River
- Explore Vazimba tomb caves
- Trek the Great Tsingy limestone canyons
- Pass the crater lakes of the Antsirabe district
- Requires a good level of fitness — expect treks, camping, and long travel days
- Two nights of river camping with no bathroom facilities and up to three days without a shower
- Road conditions are rough and driving days are long, so patience is needed
Worth it if you're after authentic Madagascar and can handle rough roads, basic comfort, and real food risks. Think twice if you need luxury, have a sensitive stomach, or want lots of wildlife spotting.
- Guides like Patrick, Salohi and Bruno are genuinely exceptional—knowledgeable, patient, and go above and beyond.
- Multiple travellers suffered severe E. coli and stomach issues; food safety is a serious concern, not minor.
- Long driving days on terrible roads with minimal actual walking; some did under 6 hours trekking in 10 days.
- First and last days are half-days; effective trip is 9 days, not 11. Fitness rating misleading—tsingys need crawling through narrow gaps.
Distilled from real traveller reviews on TourRadar — we don't edit out the bad bits.
The same-vibe trips, side by side — price, value per day, and how each is moving. Only we can lay two operators' trips out honestly.
Sorted by fit — never by who paid. Price moves and availability come from our own daily tracking.
Departing in Sep is cheapest — from £2,015, about 11% below the priciest month (Oct).
Getting there
Opens Trip.com, pre-filled — one-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown there.
Where to stay
A night before your tour in Antananarivo · 1 Sept – 2 Sept
Booked on their own sites, separate from your tour. We may earn a commission — it never changes your price.
Sort the essentials
Partner offersWe may earn a commission from partner offers. It never changes your price or our ranking.
More trips like this
Ranked on real fit — in case this one isn't quite yours.
Booked with the operator via TourRadar · we may earn a commission.