Roadtrip from Nosy Be | 17 day self-drive itinerary

Start: Nosy Be or Ankify
Destination: Ambilobe 
Drive: 140 km | 34 hours (when starting from Ankify, recommended) 

You'll likely be flying into Nosy Be. From there, multiple ferries depart daily to Ankify, the mainland of Madagascar. The passenger ferry leaves once it's full. If you take an early morning ferry, it's possible to reach Ambilobe on the same day. However, we recommend spending the night in Ankify and starting your northern Madagascar road trip the next morning. Ankify is not on the tourist map Ankify but it offers surprisingly nice budget accommodations (check the Madagascar Hotel Guide on this site). 

The road from Ankify to Ambilobe is incredibly scenic, passing through cocoa and rice plantations. Ambilobe is an important regional town and has a vibrant market which is nice to wander around.

Start: Ambilobe
Destination: Sambava 
Drive: 310 km | 7 hours 

The road from Ambilobe to Vohemar takes 2.5 hours and is in excellent condition. From Vohemar to Samabava takes 4 hours. The road is fine, but you still can't cover many kilometres per hour due to the need to reduce speed for potholes, crossing bridges, and driving through villages. 

The SAVA region (Sambava, Andapa, Vohemar, Antalaha) is also known as Madagascar's vanilla coast, where the waters of the Indian Ocean meet the dense jungle. It's incredibly lush and tropical.

Explore: Sambava

Whilst SAVA is the most populated and rich region of Madagascar, it hardly receives any tourists.

You probably stay at the hotel on Orchidea Beach ( the best place to stay). The big waves guarantee for some good fun in the water, but take note of the strong current. It's enjoyable to take a stroll along the beach to the town centre and the market. In Sambava town, you will find a local tourist office at Mimi Hotel. They are a great source of information when planning for your Maroyeye trekking.You can organize the trekking yourselves, and purchase the groceries for the porters and guides, or you can have Mimi Hotel take care of it for you. 

Start: Sambava
Destination: Andapa - first hut in Marojejy National Park. 
Drive: 110 km | 3 hours 

It's a breathtaking journey on winding roads, passing through vanilla and cocoa plantations and lush valleys. Surprisingly, the road is in excellent condition.

The Marojejy Park office is located shortly before the village of Manantenina along the national route (RN3b) between Sambava and Andapa. Here, tours, guides, and porters can be booked. 

You can start walking from Manantenina or drive up until the last village before the park entry, Mandena, which is about two and a half kilometres closer to the park boundary. The walking distance from Manantenina to Mantella, the first camp on 486m, is about 9.5 kilometres. En route, you pass a natural swimming pool with small cascades, which is fantastic for cooling down with a swim before reaching the first camp. 

Trekking Marojejy National Park

Explore the hiking trails of incredibly scenic Marojejy National Park, a UNESCO heritage site since 2007. The park was largely cut off from the tourist trail as the RN5a was in a state of disrepair.

You can do day hikes from Mantella Camp, or continue to the second or third base camp. Marojejia is the second camp, only 2 km away. The forest around the Marojejia camp area is where most wildlife can be found. With the help of guides and trackers, it's most likely you will spot groups of the Silky Sifaka, a lemur species known for its white fur and acrobatic abilities. Simona Camp is 2 km further from Marojejia, at 1,326 metres elevation and is the closest camp to the summit. 

Start: Andapa
Destination: Sambava 
Drive: 110 km | 3 hours

After 2 nights in the jungle, it's time to return to '' civilization''. We had plenty of groceries left from our jungle trek and prepared a meal together with the guides and porters upon our return to Andapa, where most of them live. We still cherish those warm memories.

Drive back to Sambava. 

Start: Sambava
Destination: Vohemar
Drive: 150 km | 3 hours 

Vohemar is another regional trading town on the east coast, rarely visited by tourists. Visit a vanilla or cocoa plantation and learn more about this important spice for Madagascar. 

Start: Vohemar
Destination: Ankarana National Park
Drive: 190 km | 4 hours

After 2.5 hours, you reach Ambilobe, an important regional town. It's nice to wander around the lively market. Kozobe Hotel has an inviting swimming pool, which 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.