Best Time to Visit Bekopaka

Bekopaka, a village in the west of Madagascar, has a tropical savanna climate and enjoys two seasons featured by a large rainfall difference. The village is the entrance to the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park and stands by the Manambolo River, hence allowing tourists to view the Tsingy landform and endemic animals, take a canoe to view deep gorges, and explore limestone caves.

Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park

The best time to enjoy all of these activities in one tour is the local dry season from May to November, 2025. During this season, both roads and waterways are in good condition, guaranteeing that you can get to your destination and visit safely. Besides, the weather this time is not so wet or humid as it is in the rainy season.

See also: Bekopaka Weather

The dry season is actually the only time that the park opens. During this season, the overall road conditions of Bekopaka are relatively good due to mostly rainless weather. Hence, it’s convenient to get to the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park and also relatively smooth to go on a possibly long hike in the park.

In this season, it’s more recommended to make your tour from Bekopaka to the national park on sunny days with brilliant sunshine and better visibility. During your hiking, dark-grey limestone formations and green plants in this UNESCO World Heritage Site form a fabulous photo background for you. Besides, in the park this season, you may further spot animals endemic to Madagascar, such as lemurs and ring-tailed mongooses. Sunny days just provide good weather conditions to view and photograph them.

People Hiking in National Park

Unique Tsingy in National Park

The dry season, with no more than 7 wet days per month on average, is more suitable to make a canoe tour on the Manambolo River. More rainless days can be picked to arrange sightseeing along the river in this period. Thanks to low rainfall this season, the river just flows at a moderate speed, making canoe tours safer and smoother. Besides, on rainless days, you don’t need to worry that rain mist makes it hard to view gorges clearly or heavy rain brings standing water to karstic caves.

Manambolo River in Dry Season

With 13 to 24 rainy days per month averagely, the local rainy season from December to April just affects sightseeing both in the national park and on the river with high rainfall. To get to the national park, you need to take a 4×4 vehicle on uneven dirt roads and also take a ferry. In this season, dirt roads become quite muddy and are difficult to drive on, and the national park just shuts down. In addition, heavy rain causes water level of the river to rise markedly and the water flow becomes faster, making canoe tours dangerous and even impossible.

1. In consideration of intense UV radiation on sunny days with a UV index of 6 or 7, you are suggested to take enough sun-protective measures, such as wearing a sun-protective jacket or applying high-SPF sunscreen.
2. At monthly average temperatures between about 21 and 31 degrees Celsius (70 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit), it’s suggested to wear light and breathable clothes for your hiking and canoe tour. Don’t forget to wear waterproof shoes during your sightseeing on the river.