Ankarana, Red Tsingy, Amber Mountain, Diego-Suarez and the Emerald Sea
This 5-day, 4-night tour from Nosy Be is the most complete way to see the far north of Madagascar: the grey tsingy of Ankarana, the Red Tsingy, the Amber Mountain rainforest, Diego-Suarez bay and the Emerald Sea lagoon.
Everything is organised end to end: private speedboat to Ankify, air-conditioned 4x4 with driver and accompanying guide, hotels on half board (full board on the Emerald Sea day) and park entrance fees. The price per person depends on group size and hotel category, as shown in the price table.
Travelling as a group of five? Request a quote.
Day 1
Early departure from Hell-Ville harbour and a private speedboat crossing to Ankify, where your air-conditioned 4x4 waits with driver and guide. Visit plantations around Ambanja (cocoa, vanilla, pepper, perfume plants), then take the RN6 towards Ambilobe and have lunch at Mahamasina. Explore Ankarana National Park: razor-sharp grey tsingy, the sacred bat cave, the river's disappearance underground and endemic wildlife. Check in at your hotel and dinner.
Day 2
Leave around 7:00 am for the Red Tsingy, a canyon of ochre and red domes sculpted by erosion and often the best photo of the trip. Continue north to Ramena for lunch, then follow the bays: Dunes Bay, white-sand Pigeon Bay and Sakalava Bay, popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers, whose islet can be reached on foot at low tide. You can also go on to Cap Miné and its former French military base. Dinner at your hotel in Diego-Suarez.
Day 3
Leave around 8:00 am for Amber Mountain, Madagascar's first national park, created in 1958. Walk through humid tropical forest to waterfalls and lakes, with lemurs, miniature chameleons and views over the far north. Lunch at a small local restaurant in Joffreville, at the foot of the mountain, then return to Diego-Suarez and tour a town still marked by its colonial past, on foot or by car.
Day 4
Transfer to the fishing village of Ramena, then cross by boat to the Emerald Sea, one of the most beautiful lagoons in Madagascar: crystal-clear water, coral reefs, colourful fish and white sand. Swim, snorkel and enjoy a seafood and grill lunch on site, included on this day. Return to Diego-Suarez at the end of the day.
Day 5
Early departure, around 6:00 am, for Ankify, then a private speedboat crossing back to Nosy Be. Lunch in Nosy Be (not included). End of services.
Choose mid-range or superior hotels, based on a room for two. Lunches and drinks are not included, except the Emerald Sea lunch. A local park guide may be mandatory in some parks and is paid separately. Bring closed shoes for the tsingy and the forest, a hat, sunscreen and mosquito repellent. The programme may be adjusted to weather and sea conditions.
Hear it on video
The price is per person and depends on group size and hotel category: from €450 (6 people or more, mid-range hotel) to €750 (2 people, superior hotel). The price table shows every case. For a group of five, please request a quote.
Hotel or bungalow based on two people sharing, half board (full board on the Emerald Sea day), park entrance fees, 4x4 and boats throughout, a private boat to and from Nosy Be, the boat to the Emerald Sea and an accompanying guide. Not included: flights, visa, lunches (except the Emerald Sea lunch), drinks, the local park guide required in some parks, and tips.
The dry season, from April to November, is the most pleasant for the tsingy, the hikes and the Emerald Sea. The tour is possible the rest of the year, but weather and sea conditions can change the programme: ask us for advice based on your dates.
The tourist visa is not included in the tour. Most travellers need one: check the current requirements with the authorities before you leave.
The level is moderate: several walks of a few hours in the parks (Ankarana, Amber Mountain) on trails, plus long days by 4x4. Bring closed shoes. Tell us about any constraints when you request a quote.
No reviews published yet. Have you travelled with us? Your feedback would mean a lot.
More experiences near Nosy Be, picked to round out your trip.
