Madagascar

Tsingy de Bemaraha

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Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park ❘ imageBROKER/Konrad Wothe/Getty Images
Suspension bridge in Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park ❘ dave stamboulis/Alamy
Von der Decken's sifaka lemurs ❘ David Cayless/Getty Images
The Red Tsingy ❘ Haja Rasambainarivo/Getty Images
Broad-billed rollers ❘ Nature Picture Library/Alamy
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Rocky cathedrals, spiky lizards, and weasel-like cats, like nowhere else in the world.

These jagged, razor-sharp, natural limestone cathedrals can reach as high as 330 feet.

In Malagasy, the word tsingy means “where one cannot walk barefoot,” and there couldn’t be a more accurate description of the Great Tsingy and the Little Tsingy geological formations. These jagged, razor-sharp, natural limestone cathedrals are found throughout Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, and they transport visitors to a completely different world. Madagascar is known for its biodiversity and rare wildlife, and nowhere is it more evident than at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, home of the largest tsingy forest in the world.

The tsingys are karst plateaus that were formed over 200 million years ago as rain slowly ate away at limestone, creating sharp peaks and deep valleys in between them. The pinnacles can reach as high as 330 feet in the Great Tsingy, full of hiking trails and suspension bridges. Little Tsingy, though a much smaller area, is equally beautiful.

Avenue of the Baobabs in Morondava ❘ Mekdet/Getty Images

About 85 percent of the flora and fauna in Tsingy de Bemaraha is endemic to Madagascar. Visitors have the chance to spot the fossa, a cat-like mammalian carnivore and Madagascar’s largest endemic predator, as well as 11 kinds of lemurs, almost 100 different bird species, and the Antsingy leaf chameleon, an endangered lizard that can only be found at the park.

The national park’s remote location means some planning and coordination are required. It’s easiest to land in Morondava, the closest major city, and then do the day-long drive to the park. Local touring companies will take care of transportation and accommodation, among other services. While some people opt to camp within the park’s grounds, others stay in the village of Bekopaka, about 10 miles away. The park is only open in the dry season, from April to November.

After you’ve had your fill of sharp spires and rare animals, head back to Morondava and take some time to explore the surrounding area. The city’s eponymous beach is adorned with sweet shacks and palm trees. Half an hour drive north is the Avenue of the Baobabs, where a reddish dirt road is surrounded by towering, 800-year-old trees. Or visit Kirindy Park, about an hour south, which is full of baobab trees and chameleons—and giant jumping rats.

Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing

KEEP WANDERING

Additional resources to learn more about Madagascar

Cactus Tours

A three-day tour of the park.
Learn More

Le Corail

Fresh seafood and live music in Morondava.
Learn More

Nofy Be Sailing and Diving

Explore the Indian Ocean.
Learn More
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Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park ❘ imageBROKER/Konrad Wothe/Getty Images
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