Tsiribihina River boat trip attack

Thanks for your valuable feedback Cjung - greatly appreciated.
Kind regards,
Matt
Destination Editor, sub-Saharan Africa

Hi Cjung,

Your post is most helpful. We heading down that way on the 2nd of may hoping to do what you did by going straight to Miandrivazo and organising the trip on the spot and I would just like to find out a few things before hand if you would kindly advise.

1- Is the river open to do this trip in early May?
2- Will the taxi Brousse take you straight to the starting point?
3 - What price did you settle on each? (there are two of us)
4 - Did you need your own food? (as it was organised on the spot)
5- At the end, how did you get transport to your next destination? (we are heading to Morondava)

Any info would be really helpful. Thank a lot.
Cheers. Paddy Gardiner

Hi Paddy,
thanks! Glad if I can help.
1- As far as I know the do the trips all year round. In May the rainy season is over, but its not yet peak season, sounds like a good idea. But double check this, I am not sure.
2, 4 & 5 - It works like this: the trip started in Mirandivazo. We met the guides in the evening (you can't miss them, they are looking for you) and settled everything. In the early (!) morning they picked us up with a pousse pousse at the hotel and brought us to the police station where we had to register for the trip. We bought some water bottles, they had been buying food the evening before. The starting point at the river is just a short pousse pousse ride away from the town centre, we had to walk the last half mile if I remember correctly. We got on the boat, 1 boatman, 1 guide and my buddy and me. The first camp was at the entrance of the gorges at the village, the second camp at the entrance of the 2nd gorges on a sandbank. The last (3rd) day we arrived at a small village at around noon. From there we had a Zebu cart to a small town where we stayed at at hotel with bungalows (sorry, forgot the name, but it was not Belo, this town is at least 40km before Belo). In the next morning, a 4x4 driver picked us up and we drove to Morondava via the baobab alley.
3- We paid 125 euros each. Included was: guides, food, tents, zebu cart ride, 4x4 to Morondava. Not included was the bungalow at the end of the river trip.
One more thing: the tents are super small. we were lucky that my buddy brought his own tent so we had two. Better ask for a 2nd one, or bring your own.

Cheers
Christian

Hi Christian,

My apologies for my late response. Thank you so very much for your advise and info! This will definitely help. Sounds like a good adventure so I'm sure we'll do it.
Looking forward to some freedom.

Thanks again!
Cheers
Paddy

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