Tsingy Rouge

The Tsingy Rouge is not limestone at all, despite the name borrowed from the grey tsingy elsewhere in Madagascar: it is deep red and ochre laterite soil, exposed by deforestation and then sculpted by rain into a small canyon of pinnacles, fins and pipe-like towers, some several metres high. The colours run from rust and orange to pale pink in bands, and the whole formation is soft enough to change shape from year to year, which makes it both striking and fragile. A viewpoint looks down into the main amphitheatre and a short path descends among the towers. The site is small, an hour or so covers it, and the drive is the greater part of the outing, usually combined with the Ankarana or Ambre parks on a longer day.

What you actually see

• Red laterite spires - pinnacles and fins in rust, orange and pink.
• The amphitheatre - the main eroded bowl seen from the rim.
• Colour banding - layers of different soils in the walls.
• Erosion in progress - shapes that visibly change between seasons.

When to go

May to November, when the track is passable. Rain both creates the formation and closes the road, so the wet season is a poor time. Morning and late afternoon light bring out the reds.

Honest expectations

The site is small and the visit is short, so it works as a stop rather than a destination. The access track is rough and needs a four-wheel drive. The formations are soft and crumble underfoot, so walking on them damages them. There are no facilities beyond a local ticket collector.

Nearby

Ankarana lies south; Diego Suarez is north.