Tsangatsanga trip

DAY 1: NOSY BE – ANKIFY – ANKARANA SPECIAL RESERVE

Highlights: Landscape, meeting with farmers, Grey Tsingy of Ankarana (10 circuits to choose from in the park).

At around 7:00 a.m., depart from your hotel and head to the port of Nosy Be, for a 35-minute boat transfer to the port of Ankify.

From the port of Ankify, continue north, passing through typical Antakarana tribal villages on one side and a vast mahogany field on the other, before reaching the urban commune of Ambilobe, crossing superb landscapes for panoramic views and, above all, the ravinala forest, one of Madagascar's emblematic plants, in a 2.5-hour drive. From the town of Ambilobe to Mahamasina, the main entrance to Ankarana National Park. After settling in for a delicious lunch, we begin our tour of the park with the Tsingy Gris, with its sharp and spectacular formations; with its fossilized animal tracks, the 11 species of lemurs, and the 92 species of birds that call its forests home. Overnight stay in a bungalow in Mahamasina.

DAY 2: MAHAMASINA – TSINGY ROUGE – DIEGO SUAREZ

Highlights: Visit to the Grand Canyon in miniature. City tour of Diego Suarez Departure from the hotel around 7:30 a.m. from Mahamasina, taking the road to Diego Suarez with a stop at the sapphire villages, an opportunity to purchase precious stones, then we take the turnoff towards the Red Tsingy through lush landscapes... It is Mother Nature who has shaped and revealed these red tsingy, year after year for all to see. Their unique shape and shimmering color captivate the minds of those who have come to visit them. Sedimentary formations composed of sandstone, marl, laterite, and limestone, along with climate change, environmental deterioration, and water infiltration, have created this supernatural landscape, unique in the world, from the bowels of the earth. This canyon reveals immense ochre-red formations formed by water runoff in these open-air soils. The mixture of different oxides gives these curiosities a range of warm colors ranging from bright white to intense red.

Picnic lunch en route, continuing to Diego around 3:30 p.m. with a short city tour to discover the history of Diego, Joffre Square, and the Naval Hotel, reminiscent of the colonial era. Transfer to the hotel in Diego around 4:00 p.m.

DAY 3: DIEGO SUAREZ – SUGARLOAF – THE 3 BAYS: DUNES BAY, SAKALAVA BAY, AND PIGEON BAY – DIEGO SUAREZ

Highlights: Meeting with farmers, Sakalava Bay, Dunes Bay and Pigeon Bay, military ruins, beaches.

Visit: Baobab, mined camp, ruins of military camps.

Departure from the hotel at 8:00 a.m. This will be a relaxing day, during which we will visit the three famous bays of the northern region of Madagascar. We begin by observing the sugarloaf-shaped islet, a sacred place of the Antakarana called Nosy Lonjo. It is a conical volcanic islet, 122 meters high and covering an area of ​​4.5 hectares. It is made up of nummulitic limestone banks detached from the mountain known as French Mountain. The islet is covered with vegetation consisting of typical Adansoniasuarezensis baobabs and mangroves. Nosy Lonjo is a picturesque natural site, preserved by its cultural vocation. Like all the islets off the northwest coast of Grande Terre (Madagascar), it serves as a burial site for the deceased Sakalava rulers, and is therefore sacred. It is also a place of ancestor worship through traditional "fijoroana" ceremonies still practiced by the local people.

Then, we explore the three bays, starting with Sakalava Bay, a favorite spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiasts, then the Dune Bays, and ending with Pigeon Bay with its deserted beaches of exceptional beauty, and the Cap Miné with the remains of French military cannons and fortifications.

In the afternoon around 1:00 p.m., lunch at a restaurant in Ramena with optional free time for swimming and a stroll on the beach. Return to the hotel in Diego Suarez around 4:00 p.m.

DAY 4: DIEGO SUAREZ – AMBILOBE – ANKIFY – NOSY BE

After breakfast, this is the last day of our tour. It will be dedicated to the transfer from Diego Suarez to Nosy Be. There will be a few stops or breaks along the way so we can stretch out a bit. We will likely have lunch once we arrive in Ambilobe, around 11 a.m., and continue our journey afterward. Once we arrive at the port of Ankify, we will board a speedboat to reach the island of Nosy Be.

• Number of Passengers: Clients, Guide, Driver
• Vehicle Type: Spacious, comfortable, and air-conditioned 4WD