Rivers & wildlife of western Madagascar

It is a long drive today as you are driven to your accommodation in Miandrivazo, where you will stay for the night before your journey on the Tsiribihina River starting tomorrow.

Today, you'll be driven the short journey to the boat. Once all your provisions are on board you'll set off downstream. You'll spend the day passing small villages and watching life unfold before you. Toward the end of the day you're likely to take a break near a small waterfall — a refreshing place to swim.

Today you'll continue your journey — you can relax in the sun on the boat's open deck, keeping your eyes peeled for the occasional lemur in the forest on the banks of the river.

Your final day on the boat. You'll continue in a westward direction toward Belo sur Tsiribihina. On arrival, you'll be met by your driver and head north for four hours to Tsingy de Bemaraha. After crossing the river on a river barge you'll head to your hotel for the night.

Today you'll set off early for the Grand Tsingy — a forest of limestone pinnacles. The walking is absolutely spectacular here, but you'll need a head for heights. Different walking options are available, some more strenuous than others, but all take in the incredible landscape.

Today you might want to take a boat trip on the Manambolo River. During the trip, you can visit some great caves and look out for the rare Madagascar fish-eagle. In the afternoon, you may want to visit the Little Tsingy, which, although not as spectacular as Grand Tsingy, offers some lovely walking trails and a chance to see Decken's sifaka, which is endemic to this side of the island.

Today you'll return to Belo sur Tsiribihina. You'll stop for lunch in a good quality restaurant before continuing to Kirindy. Here, if you have the energy, you can take a late afternoon walk. As night descends, you'll have the chance to see some of the area's nocturnal animals. You might also see fossa — the main predator of lemurs in the country.

This morning you'll have the chance to head back into the park. As this is a dry deciduous forest, sightings are often easier than in the country's rainforests. In the afternoon, you'll head onto the Avenue of Baobabs in time for sunset, giving you a chance to take some excellent photographs, before continuing onto Morondava, where you'll spend the night.

Today you'll fly back to the capital, where you can stay in a day room at a nearby hotel before heading back to the airport for your onward flight.