Roadtrip to northern Madagascar

Start: Ivato
Destination: Ankarafantsika National Park
Drive: 450 km | 9 hours 

Leave early (7 AM), as you have a lot of distance to cover and it's a long travel day. Manerinarina is a small village with some restaurants for a decent coffee or early lunch break. After approx a five-hour drive, you reach the larger village of Maevatanana, where you find a petrol station and ATM.

In case you get tired and don't make it to Ankarafantsika, you can decide to spend the night in a budget hotel in Maevatanana town. 

Enjoy: Ankarafantsika National Park

Ankarafantsika National Park is famous for its easy and beautiful hiking trails through canyons, savannahs, big baobab trees and rainforests. It's a little-visited park so you might even have the park all to yourself!

Ankarafantsika is a good place to search for the Sifaka, a handsome Lemur species with silky white fur and chestnut brown arms. Many beautiful birds and crocodiles reside in Lake Ravelobe. It's possible to do a night hike, which increases your chances of spotting nocturnal animals such as chameleons and certain types of Lemurs. 

Start: Ankarafantsika National Park
Destination: Antsohihy
Drive: 325 km | 10 hours 

Today's destination is the busy town of Antsohihy. While the town itself is nothing special, it serves as a necessary stopover on the way from Ankarafantsika to Ambanja town. Antsohihy offers amenities such as petrol stations, ATMs and a few local hotels, and it's surely a genuine and interesting experience to stay in a non-touristy town. 

The RN6 on this stretch of your journey is in poor condition. There are numerous potholes, and the road surface is eroded, limiting your speed to 40 km/h.

You will cross several big rivers. It's a lovely sight to see the children playing in the water while their parents fish and wash their clothes.

Start: Antsohihy
Destination: Ambanja
Drive: 200 km | 8 hours

This part of the RN6 is still in poor condition. As you travel, the landscape changes to various shades and becomes increasingly tropical. 

Ambanja is a lively non-touristy town, bustling with bicycles and tuk-tuks.

Start: Ambanja
Destination: Ankarana National Park
Drive: 135 km | 4 hours

En route, you pass Ambilobe, an important regional town and crossroads town for all travellers going to Sambava, in the northeast of Madagascar. It's nice to wander around the lively market. Kozobe Hotel has an inviting swimming pool and makes for a nice lunch break. 

The main entrance to Ankarana National Park is on the east side, at Mahamasina, just off the RN6. There are a few hotel options near the entrance. 

Explore: the Tsingy in Ankarana National Park

Tsingy is the Malagasy word for “walking on tiptoes”. The impenetrable labyrinth of limestone needles (pinnacles) justifies this name, as the local tribes living in this area used to cross the tsingy barefooted (!). The Tsingy is like a ‘stone forest’ and probably Madagascar's most striking landscape. The tsingy of Ankarana is much less visited than the one of Bemaraha, whilst equally beautiful and big. Also many species of lemur can be seen. 

There are many hiking trails, ranging from a few hours to full-day hikes. You can also camp inside the park and do multiple-day trekking. If you want to do overnight trekking, visit the park offices a day in advance to notify the rangers so they can arrange the porters and guides accordingly. 

Start: Ankarana
Destination: Sakalava Bay 
Drive: 100 km | 4 hours 

It's time for some sun, beach, and good surf! Today, you're driving to the northern tip of Madagascar. Sakalava Bay is located approximately 45 minutes east of the city of Diego Suarez (also called Antsiranana) and is an absolute kite and windsurf paradise. There is a string of small-scale surf lodges at Sakalava Bay. We can wholeheartedly recommend Kiteparadise Madagascar.(see picture). Be warned, you probably don't want to leave anymore.

Enjoy: Sakalava Bay 

Sakalava Bay is a perfect spot to learn to kite and for experienced riders alike. The wind blows every day from morning to dusk, 9 months in a row from mid-March to late December, and it peaks between June and September. The bay has flat and shallow waters, whilst you can ride waves behind the reef. As Northern Madagascar is quite remote, you won't be sharing this beautiful bay with lots of other surfers, ensuring safety on the water.

Enjoy: kite, surf, swim, enjoy endless beach walks & utterly relax.

If you feel like undertaking other activities, you could enjoy a local seafood lunch at Ramena Beach (see picture), situated on the other side of the peninsula, crossing the mangroves. Lively Ramena Beach is where the locals from Diego Suarez like to hang out.

Diego Suarez is nice to wander around for an evening meal. Colbert Street is affectionately nicknamed the Champs-Élysées of Madagascar, with its old grandeur and faded colonial buildings. On Colbert Street, you will find a string of souvenir shops and some good restaurants, like Tsara Bena. 

Start: Sakalava Bay
Destination: Joffreville
Drive: 50 km | 2 - 3 hours

If you are a kiter, you most definitely want to spend more time at Sakalava Bay. Otherwise, you might want to hit the road again. Today's destination is Joffreville, the rambling old colonial gateway town to the beautiful Amber Mountains. 

There are three excellent B&Bs in Joffreville that we highly recommend, from budget to more luxury. Please refer to our Madagascar Hotel Guide.

Explore: Montagne d'Ambre National Park

Montagne d'Ambre (Amber Mountain) is an isolated patch of montane rainforest rising from the surrounding dry region. This scenic park is famous for its giant trees, waterfalls, crater lakes, and chameleons. Lemurs are also frequently seen. There are clear hiking trails and trees nicely shade much of the path. In the dry season, vehicles can drive right up to the picnic and camping grounds area. 

The park ranges from 850 to 1500 meters and has its own microclimate. This means you should prepare for everything: warm and humid to wet and cool. The best time to visit is May to November.

Guides can be arranged at the park entrance gate or through your hotel. 

Start: Joffreville
Destination: Ankify
Drive: 265 km | 6 - 7 hours

Today, you're heading back south to Ankify, where the ferry to Nosy Be and the surrounding islands dock. 

We can recommend two really nice and authentic little places to stay in Ankify, listed in our Madagascar Hotel Guide. 

Consider staying a bit longer in Ankify for an authentic beach lifestyle experience away from the tourist trail. Shambala Lodge is a great reference for off-the-beaten-track adventures by motorbike and catamaran. Or take the ferry to Nosy Be island, from where you can catch your flight. 

Start: Ankify
Destination: Nosy Komba and Nosy Sakatia

You can hand over your road trip Africa rental car at Ankify harbour, from where you can catch the ferry to Nosy Be. 

Nosy Be is the biggest and most developed island, but its surrounding islands are even more beautiful and untouched by mass tourism providing for a true Robinson Crusoe experience.

We recommend staying a few nights at Nosy Komba and Nosy Sakatia, which have the finest small-scale boutique hotels. Check our Madagascar Hotel Guide. You can see Nosy Komba across Ankify, only a short ferry ride away. On Nosy Sakatia you can snorkel with giant sea turtles right from your lodge! You'll first have to take the ferry from Nosy Komba to Nosy Be island. Contact Sakatia Lodge to help you with the logistics from Nosy Be to Nosy Sakatia.