Madagascar: Practical questions

Morondava. Arriving from Tulear by flight:

1) Would it be possible to join a 3 days tsingy bemaraha tour for next day or there aren’t tours everyday?

2) I know there are taxi brousse to Belo sur Tsibirinha but, Is it now possible to get Bekopapa by taxi brousse... in 1 day? Or could I join a tour to the tsingy in Belo sur Tsibirinha for next day ?

3) Ambalavao zebu market is definitely only in Wednesday ?

4) Coming by taxi brousse from Antsirabe or Ambositra to Fianar. If I get down in the crossroad to Ranomafana, will I get a taxi brousse with available seat going to Ranomafana, or it would be better to go to Fianar first. Has somebody done?

Thanks a lot

Edited by: Travelerrr

1) “Join a tour”: here you have something of a misapprehension. Public scheduled tours are not really a feature of Madagascar travel. In general, it’s up to you to organise your own trip to the Tsingy when you want it. There are probably tour operators in Morondava who will do this for you, and if others are wanting to go they may put you together in a “tour”. If you do this, though, it will be more expensive than need be. A cheaper option is to ask your hotel to set things up for you, or even to put you in touch with a 4x4 owner with whom you can negotiate your own terms.

2) Again “joining a tour” is the wrong way of looking at things. If you decide to go to Belo by taxi brousse, you’ll have to organise your own onward travel. My informant there says that the trail to Bekopaka is now opening up after the rains, but could not say if taxi brousses run at present.

It’s possible to go from Morondava to Bekopaka in one day with private transport, but I would doubt it with two taxi brousses or taxi brousse plus hired 4x4. Both options would almost certainly mean a night in Belo.

3) Will certainly be only once a week.

4) Taxi brousses from Fianarantsoa passing Ranomafana will leave Fianar only when all seats are full. If you’re travelling alone, it’s conceivable that one will stop and manage to squeeze an extra one in, but there is a certain risk of being stranded.

1. Work hard on it, you might get lucky. Ask every single toubab / vazah you run into. Start on the plane.
2. NO! In all cases a chartered vehicle is essential. Even if a miracle occurs in Belo, once in Bekopaka you'll find out why. Bekopa village is 5 km from most accommodation options and 18 km away from the Grand Tsingy trail and a guide is compulsory. No guide will walk with you to the trail and back. Then you will have to get back to Morondava...
3. Yes.
4. Yes. If you arrive at the junction before early afternoon you shouldn't have any problems getting to the park. Contracting a taxi in Fianar for that journey shouldn't cost you the world either.

Thank you but, Is it Bekopapa a very small village? Is not possible to find a transport o may be somebody with a motorbike to get me to the hotel and the Grand Tsingy the day after?

Bekopaka is a very small and very poor Sakalava village. Very little vazah revenue is ploughed back into the local economy (most hotel owners live elsewhere and the park fees stay with ANGAP).