Explore the Red Tsingy, the pearl of the North of Madagascar

 
Like the intruders in the midst of a landscape of grassy savannahs, the Tsingy Rouges are an inescapable attraction of the north of Madagascar. This natural spectacle of all beauty invites you to an escape out of time and particularly rich in emotions.
 
Rendez-vous in the eroded canyons in the South of Diego
Go to Irodo, in the eroded canyons of the South of Diego to live unique moments. As one of the main tourist attractions in the DIANA region, the Tsingy Rouges is an exceptional natural sight that attracts both nationals and travelers from all walks of life. Located about sixty kilometers south of the capital of the North, the site offers a
splendid view on one of the most surreal landscapes of the world.
 
Among the all thousand wonders of Madagascar
In this sedimentary basin, nature reserves you the most beautiful spectacles that it could produce. You have before you works that appear on the list of thousand wonders of Madagascar.
Imputed to a very strong erosion of the red ocher sand, the formation of the Tsingy Rouges is very different from that of Bemaraha. Covering an area of 182 hectares in the heart of the Sahafaly plateau, these small summits look like beautiful conical sand castles formed of marl, sandstone and limestone sculpted by wind and rain on
very fragile soil.
Note that all layers in this pool have a different hardness from each other. The more tender ones have disappeared over the years under the action of erosion and the vagaries of the weather. The most resistant structures remained and these gave the Tsingy Rouges.
 
 
Enjoy sculptures shaped by erosion
Due to the extreme fragility of the site, and to the delight of vacationers in search of a change of scenery, the combined force of the elements redraws these landscapes and geological structures over the years. The Tsingy thus regularly change forms, giving rise to colorful shows each time unique.
 
To appréciate these fairy chimneys - as geologists nicknamed them - do not hesitate to change point of view. These sculptures shaped by erosion will unveil their thousand facets to each of your movements. From the top of a cliff to the bottom of the "Grand Canyon", the views are never the same and the pleasures either.
 
Live an unforgettable adventure
Punctuated by the visit of the Red Tsingy, your stay in the north of the Big Island can only be rich in discoveries. Your first emotion, you will feel it on the way during your passage in the village of Antanimitarana. If your stay coincides with the market day, your happiness can only be total. You will discover the way of life of the local
population. Before reaching the sedimentary basin of Irodo, you will pass through the plain of Irodo and its Lavakas (also works of erosion). Keep your camera handy to immortalize every exceptional view that will show up to you. No need to be a great photographer, nature will take care of making your photos unique.
Note that the best time to observe the Red Tsingy is in the afternoon if you want to highlight your talent as a great photographer.
 
New projects around the site
 To allow visitors to take full advantage of the beauty of the area, numerous development projects will be conducted in the Tsingy Rouges with the assistance of PIC II (Integrated Growth Pole). These projects will be undertaken with the aim of opening up this site and improving its reception facilities.
These include the rehabilitation of the various access roads leading to the site and the construction of numerous tourist infrastructures to ensure maximum comfort for visitors. Thanks to these initiatives, vacationers will have among other things a tree-terrace, a panoramic terrace, a rest area and a walkway to the fairy chimneys.
 
This article was featured in Prime Magazine May 2017

Useful Information

When to go

if the site is accessible throughout the year, schedule your visit between April and December to enjoy pleasant temperatures.

How to get there

Antsiranana is usually the starting point of excursions to the Red Tsingy Red. Until now, only all-terrain vehicles are able to access the site.

Where to stay

Wondering where you are going to spend the night in the vicinity of Tsingy Rouge? Stop at the small village of Andranomena located 2km from the site. You can also stay at the Grand Hotel de Diégo Suarez, the Allamanda Hotel or the Hotel de la Poste. The Nature Lodge, La Note Bleue Park Hotel are also good references in this part of the island.

Where to eat

As catering concerned, delicious dishes are offered by the restaurants of the village of Andranomena. Alternatively, order your meals at your hotel, once back at Diégo Suarez. Book at La Bodega or at GG Lamour for delicious seafood dishes. The Melville, La Cambusa and La Cantine are also very nice places.

What to see

After or before your Circuit in the Red Tsingy, enjoy your stay by visiting Analamera Reserve or stop in the sacred Lake of Anivorano which is renowned for its crocodiles. In this part of the Island also extends also of the most prestigious National parks of the big Island: La Montagne d’Ambre.