Madagascar Sights: Royal Hills, Baobabs, Tsingy

October 20, 2026

Travel advisory: The US State Department rates Madagascar Level 2, exercise increased caution. Six areas carry Level 3 advice to reconsider travel, among them the RN34 between Miandrivazo and Malaimbandy and the Menabe region south of Morondava, so treat Morondava as a flight destination. The UK FCDO does not advise against travel, but it reports armed road robbery at night, attacks on isolated beaches and demonstrations that can turn violent, and it advises against taxi-brousse. Kidnappings have been reported in and around Antananarivo, so keep city sightseeing to daylight hours with a driver. Madagascar has had a transitional government since October 2025. See gov.uk and travel.state.gov , and check entry rules if you connect through Nairobi.

Sightseeing in Madagascar splits into two clusters: royal heritage in the highlands around the capital, and dramatic landscapes in the west that need flights and long transfers. Amounts below are in ariary (Ar) and should be treated as guides.

Antananarivo and the royal hills

Rova of Antananarivo. The royal palace and tombs stand on the Analamanga hill. The complex burned in 1995 and reopened in June 2023. Opening days are Wednesday to Monday from 9:00 to 17:00, and it is closed on Tuesdays. Foreign visitors are reported to pay 40,000 Ar, up from 30,000 Ar earlier. A guide is advised, and the ticket may not include one, so ask. Visit with respect, because the site is bound up with royal ancestors, and budget about 2 hours.

Ambohimanga. This royal hill 24 km north-east of the capital has UNESCO status from 2001. It has 14 stone gates, the house of King Andrianampoinimerina and royal tombs, and it counts as one of the twelve sacred hills of Imerina. Local custom asks visitors to step into the king’s house with the right foot and to leave backwards. Photography is not allowed in the buildings. Expect about 9:00 to 17:00 hours daily, confirmed on the day, and a fee of about 10,000 Ar from an older, unconfirmed report. The drive takes 30 to 60 minutes in light traffic and longer when roads are busy.

The west: baobabs and the Tsingy

Avenue of the Baobabs. About 20 km north of Morondava on the RN8, 260 m of dirt road pass between roughly 20 to 25 huge Grandidier’s baobabs, with about 25 more across the paddies. Sunrise and sunset suit photographers best. The walk is free, and cars pay a small parking charge, recently reported at 5,000 Ar. The community group Fanamby has operated an ecotourism project since 2014. Nearby, the Baobab Amoureux is a pair of entwined trees of a different species.

Tsingy de Bemaraha. A UNESCO site since 1990, this limestone forest of knife-edge pinnacles covers 157,710 ha, and the southern 72,340 ha forms the national park. Decken’s sifaka is its flagship animal. Park entry is 55,000 Ar for foreign adults, reported to double from 1 November 2026. The Tsingy is reachable roughly May to October, since access stops in the rains. It takes about 8 to 12 hours by 4x4 from Morondava, with two ferry crossings, so allow several days. MNP lists circuits from a 2 km test walk to a difficult route with a suspension bridge on its Tsingy page .

Scenery on the way

Two wildlife parks double as scenery. Isalo has sandstone canyons and pools near Ranohira, and Andasibe has rainforest 140 km east of Tana, a drive of 3.5 to 5 hours. Both require a guide.

Advice for all four

Bring cash ariary, because cards and dollars are rarely accepted. Tickets are paid at the gate or at the park kiosk in Antananarivo. Domestic flights are fragile, so keep spare days. Look at Madagascar sightseeing tours if you prefer a guide.