Four days kayaking down the Mangoky River

We did the trip and can warmly recommend it! 180 kilometers of paddling down the pristine Mangoky River in western Madagascar from the deployment place near Beroroha to Ambika where the RN7 road meets the river. It was great experience.

The biggest challenge was the barely existing road from Ranohira to Beroroha – 11 hours for 165 km.

The conditions on the river were then ideal. Now, at the end of April/beginning of May it is sunny, but no longer so hot, and still there is enough water and a good current in the river. There are lots of lonely campsites on the sandbanks and the forest on the shore is still green and impenetrable.

Our South African Vagabond kayaks did an excellent job and can warmly be recommended. They are excellent vehicles for exploring the undeveloped south-west of Madagascar with its baobab forests, lemurs and flying foxes.

We did the tour in 4 days, which is quite comfortable and yet requires a certain endurance. A highlight of the trip down the Mangoky River was the stay in the Mangoky Reserve, a forest area right on the river, which is only accessible by kayaks and small boats. Mangoky Reserve is a relatively untouched forest area with incredible biodiversity.

After some days of hardship on the river, there was plenty of (local) food at the campsite at Mangoky Reserve and an (almost cold) beer! The tour on the Mangoky River can be warmly recommended for people with a certain stamina and a sense for simple life close to nature.