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Tsingy de Bemaraha Climbing
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| Elevation: | 104 ft | 32 m |
| GPS: |
-19.07924, 44.55417 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
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| Page Views: | 3,191 total · 36/month | |
| Shared By: | Brice Pollock on Dec 13, 2017 | |
| Admins: | Brice Pollock |
Access Issue: Guide Required
Details
Doing anything in a National Park in Madagascar requires accompaniment by a registered guide. There are no current guides specialized in rock climbing, although many guide via Ferrara routes.
Description
The Tsingy in Tsingy National Park of Bemaraha, Madagascar represent not only a rock formation endemic to Madagascar but also one of few rock forests found around the world. The Tsingy represent a maze of multi-tiered gray limestone finely carved by tropical acid rain into sharp pointy tops. Their sides resembling machined cordoroy. Erosive acid rain rivers have carved canyons through these rocks to create a maze of rock one can walk, climb or crawl through. It is also one of the most expensive places in Madagascar, hard to get to and well worth the visit.
== Current State of Climbjng (Nov 2017) ==
The Big Tsingy tours offer a Via Ferrara experience and there is an optional rappel off one of the Little Tsingy circuits. There is no bolted climbing that I saw. There is potential for protecting pockets and slinging holes in the rock, flakes or cones. There were a small number of larger cracks (#3 and above) formed by river run off and a number of doable chimneys, some protectable on lead.
The rock is sharp and top ropes could get eaten up but the rock is not too sharp to climb. It only really gets sharp on the tops and even then most places you can use the rock in ways that won’t hurt your hands. The rock is very hard limestone so most protection placements seem like they would be solid. Not sure how I’m not sure how much convincing it will take to get a guide to allow you to technical rock climb (something outside of their preplanned trips).
It does look like there is a campsite near Big Tsingy that could be used as a base camp for you and your guide.
== Current State of Climbjng (Nov 2017) ==
The Big Tsingy tours offer a Via Ferrara experience and there is an optional rappel off one of the Little Tsingy circuits. There is no bolted climbing that I saw. There is potential for protecting pockets and slinging holes in the rock, flakes or cones. There were a small number of larger cracks (#3 and above) formed by river run off and a number of doable chimneys, some protectable on lead.
The rock is sharp and top ropes could get eaten up but the rock is not too sharp to climb. It only really gets sharp on the tops and even then most places you can use the rock in ways that won’t hurt your hands. The rock is very hard limestone so most protection placements seem like they would be solid. Not sure how I’m not sure how much convincing it will take to get a guide to allow you to technical rock climb (something outside of their preplanned trips).
It does look like there is a campsite near Big Tsingy that could be used as a base camp for you and your guide.
Getting There
In the wet season it can become impossible to visit the Big Tsingy 15 km north of the Bekopaka, the National Park Office and the Manambolo River (these are all the same place more or less).
1. Taxi brousse or first class Sonatra bus from Tana to Morandava (1-2 day)
2. Daily taxi brousse or rented 4x4 to Belo-Tsiribihina (0.5-1 day, 1 ferry)
3. Couple times weekly and rough taxi brousse or rented 4x4 to Bekopaka (0.5-1 day, 1 ferry)
4. The only way to reach the Big Tsingy is by private car / 4x4. There is no taxi brousse.
I talk about the doing the Via Ferrata Circuit, how to get there, provisioning, etc in more detail here:
bricepollock.com/tsingy-of-…
1. Taxi brousse or first class Sonatra bus from Tana to Morandava (1-2 day)
2. Daily taxi brousse or rented 4x4 to Belo-Tsiribihina (0.5-1 day, 1 ferry)
3. Couple times weekly and rough taxi brousse or rented 4x4 to Bekopaka (0.5-1 day, 1 ferry)
4. The only way to reach the Big Tsingy is by private car / 4x4. There is no taxi brousse.
I talk about the doing the Via Ferrata Circuit, how to get there, provisioning, etc in more detail here:
bricepollock.com/tsingy-of-…
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