Madagascar itineraries for 1, 2 or 3 weeks
What fits in one, two or three weeks, with real drive times and the combinations that waste days on the road.
Ultimate Madagascar Adventure: Rivers, Tsingy, Baobabs, Beaches and Southern Parks
Three weeks and nearly every landscape the island has. It's our most complete journey.
Highlights of the tour
What you'll see
- Tsiribihina River cruise with camping under the stars
- Grand Tsingy exploration with hanging bridges, caves and limestone pinnacles
- Kirindy Reserve for dancing sifakas, nocturnal wildlife and, with luck, the fossa
- Avenue of the Baobabs, the Sacred Baobab and the Baobab Amoureux at sunset and sunrise
- Relaxed coastal villages: Belo sur Mer, Morombe, Ambatomilo and Ifaty
- A full day in Isalo National Park: natural pools, canyons, sandstone formations and ring-tailed lemurs
- Ranomafana rainforest: golden bamboo lemur, Milne-Edwards' sifaka, orchids and waterfalls
- Cultural stops: Antemoro paper workshop, Anja Community Reserve, a vanilla plantation and Fianarantsoa old town
- Highlands, dry forests, spiny forest, savanna, coastline and tropical rainforest in one trip
Day by day
Day 1
Antananarivo to Antsirabe
Drive south through highland villages, rice fields and rolling hills. Lunch in Antsirabe and a short city tour of colonial buildings, the thermal area and artisan workshops.
Overnight: Antsirabe
Day 2
Antsirabe to Miandrivazo, via Lake Tritriva
Morning visit to Lake Tritriva for a peaceful walk and photos. Continue to Miandrivazo, stopping for lunch in Mandoto. Arrive in the afternoon to rest before the river adventure.
Overnight: Miandrivazo
Days 3 to 5
Tsiribihina River cruise
Three days cruising the Tsiribihina River on a traditional barge. See daily life along the banks and wildlife including herons, kingfishers, chameleons, lemurs and zebu. Stop for short walks, swimming and outdoor meals. Nights camping under the stars.
On day 5 we arrive at Belo sur Tsiribihina for lunch, then continue by 4x4 to Bekopaka.
Overnight: riverbank camps, then Bekopaka
Day 6
Grand Tsingy
Full day exploring the Grand Tsingy: limestone pinnacles, hanging bridges, caves, dry forest and unique flora. Wildlife includes Decken's sifakas, red-fronted lemurs and birds.
Overnight: Bekopaka
Day 7
Bekopaka to Kirindy
Drive back toward Kirindy, crossing the Tsiribihina by ferry. Afternoon arrival and lodge check-in. Evening night walk to spot mouse lemurs, giant jumping rats, chameleons and owls.
Overnight: Kirindy
Day 8
Kirindy to Morondava
Morning exploration of Kirindy Reserve for dancing sifakas, red-fronted lemurs, birds and reptiles, and with luck the fossa. Drive to Morondava with stops at the Sacred Baobab and the Baobab Amoureux. Afternoon relaxation before sunset at the Avenue of the Baobabs.
Overnight: Morondava
Day 9
Morondava to Belo sur Mer
Optional sunrise at the Avenue of the Baobabs. Drive to Belo sur Mer, a coastal village known for its sailboats and shipbuilding. Afternoon for swimming or watching the local carpenters at work.
Overnight: Belo sur Mer
Day 10
Belo sur Mer to Morombe
Drive south along remote coastal tracks with dunes, mangroves and Vezo fishing villages. Afternoon free to relax.
Overnight: Morombe
Day 11
Morombe to Ambatomilo
Drive to Ambatomilo, a quiet beach with turquoise water and white sand. Afternoon free to enjoy the shoreline.
Overnight: Ambatomilo
Day 12
Full day at Ambatomilo
Full day of relaxation: swimming, snorkelling, or enjoying the calm lagoon views.
Overnight: Ambatomilo
Day 13
Ambatomilo to Ifaty
Drive to Ifaty, another coastal village with a lagoon and spiny forest. Afternoon free to rest or explore.
Overnight: Ifaty
Day 14
Ifaty to Ranohira
Drive inland to Ranohira, passing spiny forests, savanna and sandstone formations. Arrival allows time to appreciate Isalo's dramatic scenery.
Overnight: Ranohira
Day 15
Full day in Isalo National Park
Explore Isalo: natural pools, canyons, sandstone formations, ring-tailed lemurs and sifakas. Hike through dry forest and enjoy viewpoints across the rocky landscapes.
Overnight: Ranohira
Day 16
Ranohira to Ambalavao
Drive north to Ambalavao. Afternoon visits to an Antemoro paper workshop and Anja Community Reserve to see ring-tailed lemurs among granite boulders.
Overnight: Ambalavao
Day 17
Ambalavao to Ranomafana
Drive via Fianarantsoa old city. Continue to Ranomafana and take a night walk to spot mouse lemurs, frogs, insects and chameleons.
Overnight: Ranomafana
Day 18
Full day in Ranomafana
Morning exploration of Ranomafana National Park for the golden bamboo lemur, Milne-Edwards' sifaka, birds, orchids and waterfalls. Lunch at the ValBio Research Center and a short visit. Afternoon visit to a vanilla plantation.
Overnight: Ranomafana
Day 19
Ranomafana to Antsirabe
Drive back toward Antsirabe through rice fields, villages and highlands. A relaxed day with plenty of scenery.
Overnight: Antsirabe
Day 20
Antsirabe to Antananarivo
Morning visit to Lake Tritriva or a short stroll in Antsirabe. Drive back to Antananarivo, marking the end of the trip.
Included
- Private comfortable vehicle
- Accommodation as mentioned (bed & breakfast)
- English-speaking driver/guide
- Local guides and park entrance fees
- Tsiribihina River cruise including camping and meals
Not included
- Flights to Antananarivo
- Lunches and dinners outside included activities
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses
- Drinks
Questions
Questions about the Ultimate trip
Is three weeks enough for Madagascar?
Three weeks covers a lot of it. The 20-day Ultimate Madagascar Adventure takes in the highlands, the Tsiribihina River, the Tsingy and the baobabs of the west, the Vezo coast, Isalo and Ranomafana's rainforest: nearly every landscape the island has. It doesn't go to the far north or to Andasibe and the east, which our other trips cover. Our Madagascar itinerary guide compares one, two and three weeks.
How demanding is the Ultimate Madagascar Adventure?
The pace is active, with rest days. The hardest day is the Grand Tsingy, among limestone pinnacles and hanging bridges, and there's a full day of walking in Isalo. In between come drives on remote coastal tracks between Belo sur Mer and Morombe, and some easy days too: three days on the Tsiribihina with nights camping on the riverbank, and two nights at Ambatomilo with a full day on the beach.
When is the best time for the Ultimate Madagascar Adventure?
May to November, the drier months. The western half of the trip depends on them: the road to the Tsingy is very hard going in the wet months, and on the coast south of Morondava, Belo sur Mer can be cut off by road for up to five months of the rainy season. May to mid-November is also our best window for lemurs.
Where does the Ultimate Madagascar Adventure start and end?
In Antananarivo, and the whole loop is by road and river, with no domestic flights. Day 1 drives south to Antsirabe, and day 20 returns from Antsirabe to the capital after a morning at Lake Tritriva or in Antsirabe. Flights to Antananarivo are not included.
Can the 20-day trip be shortened or split?
Yes. The Ultimate Madagascar Adventure can be shortened or split into two shorter trips. Our 10-day West Adventure covers the river and the Tsingy on their own, and the 11-day Classic South covers the RN7 with Ranomafana and Isalo. Tell us how many days you have and we'll suggest where to cut.
What does the Ultimate Madagascar Adventure include?
The Ultimate Madagascar Adventure is priced from €3,070 per adult, and the price per person depends on group size. It includes your private vehicle and English-speaking driver-guide, bed and breakfast accommodation, park entrance fees and local guides, and the Tsiribihina River cruise with camping and meals. Flights to Antananarivo, other lunches and dinners, drinks, tips and personal expenses are not included.
Is the Tsiribihina River section safe?
At the time of writing (October 2026), the UK government's travel advice reports armed robberies of tourist boats on the Tsiribihina and suggests other routes, so check your own government's current advice before you book. If you'd rather leave the river out, we can reshape this trip, for example by flying to Morondava and joining the western route there, as our 5-day West trip does. Our guide to safety in Madagascar covers the rest.
Before you go
Guides for this trip
Tsingy de Bemaraha: visiting the Grand and Petit Tsingy
Grand or Petit Tsingy, the road from Morondava, the opening season, what the climbing involves and how many days to allow.
Isalo National Park: hikes, pools and how to visit
How the Isalo walks compare, how many days to give it, when the heat bites, the 2026 park fees and where it fits between Anja and the coast.
The RN7: Madagascar's classic road trip, stop by stop
Antsirabe to Ifaty stop by stop: 2026 road times, the zebu market day, Ilakaka and Zombitse, night driving, self-drive or a driver-guide, and how many days to allow.
The Tsiribihina River: the descent and current travel advice
The Tsiribihina descent from near Miandrivazo to Belo: barge or pirogue, sandbank camps, the gorge, the season, the safety advice and how it leads to the Tsingy.
Madagascar's baobabs: the species and where to see them
The six baobabs found only in Madagascar, where each one grows, when they flower and drop their leaves, how threatened they are, and the trips that reach them.
