We had a brilliant trip over three days by canoe (pirogue) from Miandrivazo to Belo sur Tsiribihina, finishing with a joyous 5 hour trip in a river-bus (the only tourists on it amongst many rice bags!) Our guide Solo was a great cook and new the river well - we had some wonderful stops for lunch and camped on the river side, we saw kingfishers, baobabs and river life - all so peaceful by canoe; and fun. The trip was arranged by Mer in 'Tana.

Programme (Trip made in mid November 2023) 3 days/2 nights by pirogue 1 day/1 night Tsingy (Bemaraha) 1 day/1 night Baobab Alley (Morondava) Magnificent adventure all the way down the Tsiribihina. Daddy and his team did everything they could to put us at ease and help us discover the wonders of Madagascar. The encounters with the small villages and their inhabitants were both moving and surprising. You could even treat yourself to all the delicious fruit you could pick during the trip and those on offer. In the evening, if you like to sleep under the stars, you can admire the sky with all its shooting stars ! The Tsingy hike takes you through an extraordinary landscape of naturally sculpted boulders. And finally, the Baobab Alley in Morondava, where you can admire all sorts of baobabs and the highlight of the show is the unforgettable sunset ! As a bonus, on the last day you can spend the day in Morondava and enjoy the beach. Many thanks to Daddy and his team for this memorable trip :) Do not hesitate, go to Madagascar !!

I went with my girlfriend on this trip. We met some great people during the multi day trip canoeing down the river. With some parts with the 4x4. I must say; This is a MUST DO trip! Its was a great experience. Emmanuel is a fantastic guide, his crew where very nice as well. They really take care of you. We slept in a tent next to the river, had lunch or diner and danced with the locals, visited small villages, saw a lot of Baobab tres and animals and had some authentic Madagascar experiences along the route. If you are looking for great adventure go for this one! Highly recommended!! @Emmanuel you became a true friend of us! Thank you for everything! Hope to meet you and your wive again some time!

I highly recommend Emmanuel Rakotozafy, +261 34 76 686 00, rakotozafyemmanueljb@gmail.com as a guide. He is full of knowledge and cares about his clients. He is passionate about the environment and is interested in learning about the world and his clients. He is a very hard worker and goes above and beyond to assure a great experience for his clients. We did a 6 day/6 nights tour from Antsirabe to Morondova. We drove to Miandrivazo on day one and stayed in a local hotel. Day 2,3 and the morning of day 4 we took a pirogue and camped along the river. The rest of day 4 was driving to Belo sur Tsiribihina where we camped on day 4 and 5. Day 5 we visited the big and small Tsingy de Bemaraha. Day 6 we drove to Morondava with a 2 hour stop at the avenue de Baobab. We slept our final night of the tour in Morondava. I recommend this tour as a tour in itself but would recommend spreading it over at least one extra day so you have a little more time at the end of each day on the river. My contact info is below so a possible client can contact me with questions if needed. Stefaan Vermeulen Notary Public 503-897 0290 kohkong@hotmail.com Skype kohkong1 www.stefaanvermeulen.com

I was backpacking Madagascar without any planning in advance just taking local buses and going from place to place and this way I happened to arrive to Miandrivazo. I met there a local guide and went for a 3 days canoe trip. It was amazing experience, pure wilderness, for three days I was immersed in the local wildlife, plenty of interactions with local tribes living at the river and doing their chores like fishing, farming or just playing at the river. We were also chasing crocodiles in the river, it was surprising for me that crocodiles of the size of our canoe were running away from us not not the opposite:) I haven't seen a single tourist for these three days just pure immersion in local life. There were only 3 of us travelling it a canoe: me, the guide and a boatman, a nice local boy not speaking foreign languages (just a little french). Both guide and boatman were from Miandrivazo so they knew the area and local habits perfectly well, the guide was speaking very good english and it was great value because he told me plenty of stories about local life, habits, animals, plants etc. And he was preparing good local rum with fruits every evening which he was buying from local tribes at the river:) My canoe route was from Miandrivazo to the spot at the Mania river from where i went by foot 6 kilometers to Antsiraraka village whre i spent a night (i was lucky to have my guide and boatman going there too so it was easier for me to find a place for sleepover in the village, the guide also helped me to find local transport to the next destination where i was going the next day). I'd like to recommend taking directly local guides like i did, avoid any agents because they take commision, you can have really good price negotiating with guide directly. And one tip: don't drive in rivers in motorboat take canoe instead. My guide which I highly recommend was John Reke rekejohn3@gmail.com , phone: (261) 325856932 (he doesn't use whatsapp, so either email, call or text him)

Exploring the Tsiribihina River on a non-motorized pirogue is a unique and very authentic experience. Don’t hesitate if you have the chance to do it. Emmanuel Rakotozafy was our guide and definitely made this trip a wonderful experience. With his caring personality he made sure that everyone on this journey felt comfortable and happy. We were four solo travelers and we were equally impressed. Throughout the entire tour he was always approachable and was happy to help and answer any questions. Also our kind boat man Tahiri did an impressive job throughout the journey. My personal advice: Grab the paddle yourself from time to time. Camping on a sandbank is a very peaceful experience and I felt recharged every morning. Definitely I would like to mention Emmanuel’s cooking skills: He prepared and cooked hot meals for lunch on the pirogue. They were absolutely delicious! After dinner he even surprised us with fresh caramelized bananas - such a delight with a dash of rum. Every time I talked to Emmanuel, he had a smile on his face and made us understand a lot more about the Malagasy people and their culture. He is a nature loving person and told us a lot about wildlife that makes Madagascar so special. After exploring the Tsiribihina River, we continued our journey to see the big and small Tsingy, different types of lemurs as well as the famous Baobab Avenue. Emmanuel was very supportive all the time and also helped me a lot with organizing further tours in Madagascar. Throughout it was a perfect experience which exceeded my expectations by far! It felt like traveling with a friend who you can trust. Plan your trip: Emmanuel Rakotozafy Whatsapp: +261 34 76 686 00 E-Mail: rakotozafyemmanueljb@gmail.com