Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park
Tsingy de Bemaraha
A world-class karst wonderland of blade-sharp limestone stone forests, where visitors clip into safety harnesses to traverse cableways, suspension bridges, and crevices.
Tsingy de Bemaraha lies in western Madagascar and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage natural site in 1990. In the Malagasy language, 'tsingy' means 'a place where one must tiptoe,' a name for this landscape of sharp limestone pinnacles, formed when seabed limestone was dissolved by rain. Some blade-like peaks rise dozens of meters high, and the gorges and caves are home to Decken's sifaka and other species found nowhere else. Most visitors use the village of Bekopaka as a base. The Petits Tsingy trail is relatively easy and takes about 2 to 3 hours. The Grands Tsingy is about an hour's drive to the entrance by 4x4, and its route includes suspension bridges, ladders, and crevice climbs. You are clipped to fixed steel cables with a safety harness the entire way, and it takes about 4 to 6 hours. You can also paddle a canoe through the Manambolo River gorge and its caves. A licensed park guide is required. Entry tickets and guide fees are paid separately (check the official Madagascar National Parks website for current prices). From Morondava, the route covers about 200 km of dirt road and includes two ferry crossings. A 4x4 takes roughly 8 to 10 hours one way, usually with an overnight stop at Belo sur Tsiribihina. Roads are cut off during the rainy season, and the park closes. Wear non-slip hiking shoes, bring gloves, and carry plenty of water.
Opening hours
Open in dry season (approx. mid-April–mid-November), daily approx. 07:00–16:00
Nearby sights
- Bekopaka
- Petits Tsingy
- Manambolo River Gorge
- Tsingy Suspension Bridge & Viewpoints
- Grands Tsingy
- Tsiribihina River