Sambirano Trekking Tour

Trekking tour along the Sambirano River from Ambanja to the first mountains of the Tsaratanana Massif in the northwest of Madagascar - 8 days/7 nights

Sambirano River upstream from Ambanja to Bemaneviky

Places of interest

Ambanja
Hotel Palma Nova
-13.677106, 48.447338

Benavony
-13.708580, 48.485444

Between Benavony and Ambolidimaka
-13.727995, 48.477661

Ambolidimaka
19,891 steps
-13.759026, 48.488541

Ambobaka
24,907 steps
over 14km from Ambanja (road)
medicinal plants (garden)
cascades
-13.751951, 48.517211

Ambodimanga Ramena
29,327 steps
-13.762863, 48.494389

Baba Hotel
33,397 steps

Antanamandririna
36,063 steps
-13.802136, 48.486542

Ambodifinesy
39,192 steps
-13.823035, 48.488794

Bemaneviky
42,850 steps
1st night (private room with only one bed, but clean) - 15,000 Ariary (2016)
-13.840417, 48.493690

Sambirano River upstream from Bemaneviky to Marotolana

Places of interest

leaving Bemaneviky
-13.839646, 48.492746

village
4,672 steps
-13.862293, 48.512691

Antanamazava
5,328 steps
after small river
-13.869145, 48.520247

Maevatanana
8,491 steps
-13.881228, 48.526334

Magnirenja
16,132 steps
-13.925395, 48.544866

Antsirasira
18,745 steps
-13.936202, 48.552659

Sambirano River crossing by foot
-13.931072, 48.566292

Marovato
29,305 steps
-13.947110, 48.554842

village
36,381 steps
-13.956808, 48.585729

landmark
-13.969334, 48.592278

Maromby
40,234 steps
-13.974896, 48.600630

Marotolana
2nd night at Madam Soanette (private room) - 15,000 Ariary (2016)
52,033 steps
-14.024824, 48.614506

Sambirano River upstream from Marotolana to Beangona

Places of interest

leaving Marotolana
-14.025795, 48.614203

hot - break - Michael goes for a swim
-14.041821, 48.641636

Mevadoany
-14.041058, 48.665912

15km to Tsaratanana National Park entrance
-14.047513, 48.676876

resting under the trees
-14.045584, 48.690404

wonderful swimming spot near Beangona with jacuzzi, mango trees and guava shrub
crocodiles downstream
20,191 steps
-14.051151, 48.702256

Beangona
3rd night in a small private hut (family of one of our teenager guides) - 10,000 Ariary (2016)
-14.052043, 48.703380

Trekking in the Tsaratanana Massif Day 1

Places of interest

leaving Beangona
-14.052043, 48.703380

village
3,231 steps
-14.070836, 48.704100

Aro ?
-14.064399, 48.704007

crossing field
-14.053963, 48.712017

crossing Sambirano River
-14.054450, 48.721464

breakfast under a huge mango tree next to a stream
rice, dried fish soup, instant noodles
-14.043681, 48.733054

lunch at Sambirano River
rice, dried fish soup
-14.056606, 48.755306

4th night - tent spot in a valley at Sambirano River
23,111 steps
dinner rice, fresh chicken
-14.053556, 48.756043

Trekking in the Tsaratanana Massif Day 2

Places of interest

leaving tent spot
breakfast rice, beans in tomato sauce
-14.053556, 48.756043

crossing Sambirano River
-14.052529, 48.754787

start trekking up a mountain
-14.053245, 48.754619

back at the Sambirano River
-14.049819, 48.745447

swimming in big natural swimming pool - guides refuse (due to crocodiles?)
-14.045908, 48.742015

crossing Sambirano River
-14.043134, 48.734650

crossing big field
-14.046274, 48.731823

Tsaratanana Park entrance sign
-14.048791, 48.729411

crossing Sambirano River
-14.054933, 48.721575

crossing Bangoy River? (Beangony River?)
-14.052740, 48.706565

end of walk
back in Beangona
5th night in a small private hut (family of one of our teenager guides) - 10,000 Ariary (2016)
13,764 steps
-14.052378, 48.704013

Sambirano River downstream from Beangona to Marotolana

leaving Beangona
-14.052043, 48.703380

crossing a mountain
-14.046367, 48.699929
-14.041607, 48.693429
-14.044133, 48.691301
-14.045682, 48.689853
-14.048281, 48.686947
-14.049823, 48.685769
-14.047826, 48.683509

-14.047692, 48.677153

-14.046946, 48.671731

-14.043280, 48.667511

arriving at village Mevadoany
-14.041536, 48.666240

Mevadoany
-14.040803, 48.665083

-14.047222, 48.658330

-14.048367, 48.653456

-14.038801, 48.636555

river crossing
near warm swimming pool (swam with kids, near Madame Soanette's village)
-14.036917, 48.633732

-14.035311, 48.631344

-14.031398, 48.625581

Marotolana
6th night at Madame Soanette (private room) - 15,000 Ariary (2016)
-14.024824, 48.614506

Day 7 - Sambirano River downstream from Marotolana to Bemaneviky

leaving Marotolana
-14.024824, 48.614506

wonderful walk early morning over mountain range - only small path
-14.023771, 48.610805
-14.020172, 48.605414
-14.017358, 48.601117
-14.015904, 48.599171
-14.014085, 48.597488
-14.014034, 48.597081
-14.013631, 48.596151
-14.013087, 48.594751
-14.012202, 48.593563
-14.011809, 48.593119
-14.011047, 48.592591
-14.010562, 48.592710
-14.009961, 48.592539
-14.009188, 48.591801
-14.008899, 48.590397
-14.007862, 48.589179
-14.006461, 48.588602
-14.004749, 48.588688
-14.003089, 48.587556
-14.001504, 48.585938
-14.000719, 48.585362
-13.998274, 48.584511

down at the foot of the mountain -13.996117, 48.581725

-13.993797, 48.580132

-13.991887, 48.579696

entering village Ambakoana
-13.987879, 48.578725

Ambakoana
village with Justin Bieber - very clean village!
11,778 steps
-13.986692, 48.577906

-13.985061, 48.571937

-13.982403, 48.568394

-13.978221, 48.564300

-13.974742, 48.562571

Mikotromihezova
15,850 steps
-13.970191, 48.560344

-13.964483, 48.557599

-13.959581, 48.558285

-13.951535, 48.558027

Marovato
chilled drinks in a clean bar/shop
19,813 steps
-13.947161, 48.554930

-13.950251, 48.551942

-13.950487, 48.547089

-13.951270, 48.543603

-13.951260, 48.541346

-13.948590, 48.537501

-13.946406, 48.533542

back directly at the Sambirano
-13.945015, 48.530292

-13.944673, 48.526563

-13.943854, 48.523772

-13.939996, 48.522013

-13.935685, 48.520691

-13.934239, 48.520172

Migioky
28,126 steps
-13.931427, 48.516704

-13.927884, 48.513328

-13.925530, 48.511984

-13.923430, 48.508614

-13.920029, 48.504551

-13.918139, 48.502891

-13.916229, 48.500380

-13.914342, 48.498198

-13.910512, 48.495319

Ambohimarina
entering village
-13.905521, 48.493524

-13.900230, 48.493103

old hospital or school after Ambohimarina (I think it's closed down)
-13.897999, 48.492937

-13.894075, 48.492840

-13.894164, 48.486858

-13.892453, 48.484675

Antanambao
Issouf's village
-13.892448, 48.484674

walking with Issouf through cocoa plantations till river crossing
-13.890571, 48.487365
-13.889913, 48.489541
-13.883595, 48.494268
-13.880451, 48.495915
-13.879712, 48.495964
-13.877579, 48.496965
-13.877572, 48.498922
-13.875248, 48.499545
-13.872463, 48.500117
-13.866611, 48.499571
-13.864021, 48.500047
-13.863414, 48.499999
-13.859732, 48.497014
-13.857079, 48.497750
-13.855389, 48.496947
-13.853905, 48.496661
-13.851442, 48.498337

crossing the Sambirano river
good bye to Issouf
-13.850604, 48.497682

-13.849038, 48.496378

-13.848178, 48.496885

-13.844158, 48.497070

Bemaneviky
7th night in private room - 15,000 Ariary (2016)
48,578 steps
-13.842023, 48.494395

Day 8 - Sambirano River downstream from Bemaneviky to Ambanja

leaving Bemaneviky
-13.841765, 48.493519

crossing Sambirano to continue on other side
-13.843128, 48.491201

-13.843935, 48.490215
-13.846298, 48.487581
-13.847489, 48.487020
-13.848638, 48.483032
-13.848614, 48.480382
-13.848967, 48.476207

Morafeno
4,055 steps
-13.848414, 48.473674

-13.846993, 48.471098
-13.844322, 48.466726
-13.843919, 48.465420
-13.837722, 48.466963
-13.835387, 48.467248
-13.833556, 48.469458
-13.832283, 48.469501

Mahatera
8,212 steps
-13.830021, 48.468502

-13.823257, 48.467887
-13.819781, 48.467583
-13.815335, 48.468702
-13.811777, 48.469818

Andranomandevy
11,604 steps
-13.810881, 48.471675

-13.808413, 48.471371
-13.805101, 48.469631
-13.804337, 48.468661
-13.802360, 48.469331
-13.797102, 48.468422
-13.795888, 48.468781
-13.792787, 48.469913
-13.785924, 48.470275
-13.783353, 48.468930
-13.781062, 48.467909

Manambaro
17,083 steps
-13.779991, 48.466484

-13.776529, 48.465036
-13.772337, 48.466006
-13.770091, 48.466885
-13.764488, 48.466897
-13.763303, 48.462235
-13.761851, 48.461329
-13.760985, 48.461260

crossing Sambirano
-13.758327, 48.462103

-13.756233, 48.464729
-13.752785, 48.464734
-13.749700, 48.466021

turn to the main road
-13.748395, 48.467470

back on main dirt road to Ambanja
-13.747754, 48.467743

-13.743935, 48.469745

Ambanja
Hotel Palma Nova
39,456 steps
-13.67707, 48.447309