Destination Guide

Madagascar

The eighth continent — an island that drifted away from Africa 165 million years ago and evolved a world unto itself. Lemurs, baobabs, and the tsingy.

Best months
Apr – Nov
Climate now
Tropical · varies by region
Currency
MGA / EUR
Languages
Malagasy · FR
Visa (SA)
Visa on arrival
Flight time
4h to Antananarivo
Time zone
EAT (+1h)

Why visit Madagascar

Why Madagascar feels like nowhere else on earth.

Lemurs you can’t see anywhere else

100+ species of lemur, all endemic. Indri sing like whales, ring-tails sunbathe in family circles, sifakas dance sideways across clearings.

The Avenue of the Baobabs

Massive Adansonia grandidieri silhouettes against sunset near Morondava. One of nature’s great photographic compositions.

Tsingy de Bemaraha

Razor-sharp limestone pinnacle forest, traversable only via cables and bridges. UNESCO. Otherworldly.

80% of everything is endemic

Not just lemurs — chameleons, geckos, baobabs (6 of 8 species), tenrecs, fossas. Madagascar is a separate evolutionary experiment.

Île Sainte-Marie whales

Humpback whales calve off this east-coast island Jul–Sep. Boat-based whale watching, occasional swimming with them.

Nosy Be beaches

Northwest coast island — white sand, snorkelling, slower pace. The classic safari-and-beach extension.

Available tours in Madagascar

One scheduled departure a year — plus tailor-made.

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When to go

Dry season is the safest, but each season has gems.

Jan
cyclone
Feb
cyclone
Mar
end rains
Apr
prime
May
prime
Jun
whales!
Jul
whales · cool
Aug
whales · prime
Sep
prime
Oct
chameleons
Nov
hot · clearing
Dec
wet
Prime — ideal for all activities
Good — shoulder season, fewer crowds
Do not recommend — weather or seasonal limits
Prime · Apr – Nov

Dry season, accessible roads, all parks open. Jun–Sep brings humpback whales to Sainte-Marie. Oct is peak for reptiles and frogs.

Good · Nov

Lush, warming, fewer guests. Wet season starts late in the month — some routes get muddy.

Do not recommend · Dec – Mar

Cyclone season. Roads wash out. Many lodges close. Not a sensible window.

What Madagascar is known for

The signature experiences this country is famous for.

L
Lemurs

100+ endemic species. Sing, dance, leap — pure Madagascar.

B
Baobabs

Avenue of the Baobabs at sunset — one of nature’s great compositions.

T
Tsingy

Razor limestone forest. Cables, bridges, UNESCO.

A
Andasibe

Indri lemurs sing like whales. Easy day trip from Tana.

R
Ranomafana

Rainforest park — primates, reptiles, hot springs.

I
Île Sainte-Marie

East coast island. Humpback whales Jul–Sep. Pirate history.

N
Nosy Be

Northwest beach island. The safari-and-beach extension.

C
Chameleons

Half the world’s species are Malagasy. Some smaller than a fingernail.

How to travel Madagascar

Two signature ways we travel Madagascar.

Small-Group Tour

Madagascar Discovery

Our 14-day guided tour: lemurs, baobabs, rainforest reserves, plus a Nosy Be beach finish. 8–10 guests, fixed July–August departure.

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Bespoke

Tailor it

Photographic itineraries, whale-watching add-ons, family trips, honeymoon escapes — all custom-built by our Madagascar specialist.

Design my trip →

Did you know?

A few things about Madagascar most visitors don’t expect.

01
Madagascar split from Africa 165 million years ago.

And from India 88 million years ago. The wildlife has been evolving in isolation ever since — which is why most species exist nowhere else.

02
There are no monkeys, no apes, no big cats.

They never made it across the Mozambique Channel. Lemurs evolved to fill the primate niche. The fossa — a small carnivore — fills the predator role.

03
Vanilla, cloves and ylang-ylang come from here.

Madagascar produces 80% of the world’s vanilla. The traditional spice trade still funds much of the island’s economy.

Photo gallery

Madagascar through our travellers’ lenses.

Imagining your own Madagascar?

An island that broke the rules of evolution.

Our group tour is the easiest way in. Returnees usually want the whales, the tsingy, or a private photographic expedition. We'd love to design it.

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