Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park Madagascar

The Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park

Madagascar is one of the best destinations in Africa and this is because of the unique tourist attractions that are found in the area and one of these is the Tsingy de Bemaraha. The Park is extremely hard to reach due to the bad roads that lead to the Park but is also filled with a lot of wild life and plantations that are endemic to the country and that is why you should not miss visiting the Park while in Madagascar and some of these include over 15 bat species, turtles, 650 plant species, eight species of lemur and many more others.

tsingy national park

The word Tsingy is Malagasy word that can loosely be translated as walking on tiptoes and this is the due to the spiky nature of the several surroundings of the Park that were formed from the limestone spiky stones many years back. The spiky nature of the landscape is why people should be careful while carrying out nature walks through the Park.

The Tsingy de Bemaraha is one of the most breath taking tourist sites on the Island of Madagascar and one of the top most destinations in the country and due to its uniqueness it was made a UNESCO heritage site which means it is a protected area and no one is allowed to encroach on it. The Tsingy de Bemaraha is located in the North part of the Tsingy and is surrounded by a seasonal river known as the Manambolo River. The best way to see and get to the Park is by use of a boat on the River although you can go by road and get to the crocodile infested river as you head to the Park.

Activities that can be carried out in the Tsingy

There are several activities that one can carry out while on their visit to the Tsingy National park and some of these include the following:

Hiking in the Tsingy

The landscape that is found in the Tsingy is gives tourist a field trip when it comes to hiking. There are several routes and hiking trails that you can use for trekking but you need to be extremely ready for the trek before setting out. The trekking crew normally sets out in the morning while the second goes in at around midday and they always have a limited number of people to avoid congestion especially when it comes to hiking. The two trek trails that can be used when it comes to trekking include the following:

The Andamozavaky

The Andamozavaky is one of the trek routes that can be used in the Tsingy and gives you the perfect view of the stony pinnacles that are found in the area. This route goes through the forest and you emerge in the center of the various pinnacle and remember to carry drinking water while on this trail.

Manambolo gorge trail

The second trek trail that can be used is the Ranotsara and this leads you out of the forest to the great view of the various limestone rocks that are found in the area but in order for one to use this route you will need a canoe which will lead you past the gorge and other interesting things to see.

Visit the locals

Just like any other city in Madagascar, the Tsingy is surrounded by different ethnic groups of people living there and a visit to the place will give you a chance to get to know the different cultures and customs that are practiced in the area. They have a lot of cultural things that you can buy as souvenirs and also get to taste the delicious meals that are prepared by the locals.

When to visit the Park

The best times to visit the Tsingy is from April to November during the dry season. The dry season is the best because during this time, the roads leading to the park are always dusty but a little bit passable as compared to the rainy season and note that the park is only open during the dry season.

Madagascar is known to have very bad roads and when it comes to the rainy season the roads are nearly impassable due to the mud and floods. The rainy season also makes it hard for tourists to enjoy trekking and that is why it is always best to time to the dry season for your visit to the Tsingy.

How to get to the Tsingy national Park

You can a hired personalized car or book with us to help you with the transportation of either privately or with a group of other tourists. The ride to the Tsingy will be extremely bumpy and the cause of this is the presence of the bad roads all the way from the capital city to the Tsingy and therefore you should be prepared for the road bumps and this might bring about a slight delay in your arrival to the Tsingy.

As much as getting to the Tsingy is bit hard, getting into the Tsingy National Park is harder due to the hard terrains that are found in the area. A tour guide will be there with you to make sure that you get to your destination safe and sound so that you enjoy your trip to the Tsingy de Bemaraha.

Accommodation facilities in and Near Tsingy

Due to the difficulty it takes for one to reach the Tsingy National Park, it is extremely hard to get accommodations nearby, there are a few that are in the next village and it also has three camping sites where you can rest especially those that love the wilderness at the night. Some of the accommodation facilities that one can use when they visit the Tsingy and these include:

The Tsingy lodge

The Tsingy lodge is filled with modest bungalows that are self-contained and these were constructed with the best local materials from the walls to the roofing. It is owned by a couple that live in the area and well managed as they provide one with the best services like the delicious local food and the 24/7 customer care. The location where it is found is safe and quiet allowing you the best rest after a long day in the Park.

The L’olympe du Bemaraha

The L’olympe du Bemaraha has several bungalow rooms ranging from single rooms to the quadruplets and all these come in different prices depending on the one that you want. It is located near the Manombolo River I a wall fence and they provide good meals throughout the day.

The Tana Ankoay

The Tana Ankoay has a very good environment that is conducive for your stay and they have self-contained rooms with hot running water which offer you privacy to the guests. They provide good meals and also offer transportation to the Park and a tour guide to escort you.

The camp Croco

The camp Croco is located near the ANGAP camp. It has bathrooms that have hot running water although the toilet facilities are shared and they provide good meals to the different tourists like local cuisines. They have large tents that can accommodate everyone but if you want to put up your own tent it goes up for 40,000AR.

The ANGAP camp

This is the cheapest camp in the Tsingy and can be afforded by any one. They have shared bathroom and toilet facilities but the downside is that you will need to carry the things that you will need to use. The only upside about using the ANGAP is that it gives you easy access to the Tsingy National Park.

The camp Manambolo

The camp Manambolo is located next to the ANGAP camp and it offers one basic accommodation and extremely tasty food. They also have a great view of the Park and you can either get a tent at a fair price or you can come with your own tent.

The Tsingy De Bemaraha is one of the country’s nature preserves and the scenery that it gives off is one of the few things that make the place a top destination for most tourists. Make sure that you book first especially during the peak season so as to enjoy your trip with less worries.

The entry costs to the Park are different depending on a number of days that you are going to spend in the Park and the different costs include:

  • Nine dollars for one day
  • Twelve dollars for two days

And the entry fees stated above are independent of the fees that you are going to pay for the local guides and the potters who are going to help you carry your stuff during the trekking period and it does not mean that that you get to only spend one or two days, you can spend as many days as you want in the Tsingy.