Madagascar Adventures

Madagascar offers extraordinary biodiversity, tropical rainforests and unique island landscapes, with the best regions to explore including Andasibe, Tsingy de Bemaraha, Avenue of the Baobabs, Ranomafana and Madagascar’s southern coast.

Andasibe Rainforest: Andasibe National Park protects lush rainforest where travellers search for lemurs and endemic wildlife.

Tsingy de Bemaraha: Tsingy’s dramatic limestone pinnacles create one of the world’s most unusual karst landscapes for exploration.

Avenue of the Baobabs: Towering baobab trees line Madagascar’s iconic desert road creating one of the island’s most photographed landscapes.

Ranomafana National Park: Ranomafana’s rainforest valleys offer trekking through rich biodiversity and rare wildlife habitats.

Southern Madagascar: Southern Madagascar reveals spiny forests and coastal ecosystems found nowhere else on Earth.

The best time to travel to Madagascar for hiking, wildlife exploration and adventure touring is generally April to November, when temperatures are comfortable and rainfall is lower across much of the island.

Madagascar has a tropical climate with regional variations between rainforests and drier western landscapes. Temperatures typically range between 20°C and 30°C (68°F–86°F).

The summer months from December to March bring warmer weather and increased rainfall, particularly in rainforest regions, creating lush scenery and active wildlife.

Madagascar is +3 hours ahead of UTC/GMT

French (official), Malagasy (official), English

Malagasy belongs to the Austronesian language family, a widely dispersed group that includes Japanese, Filipino/Tagalog, Malay/Indonesian, Hawaiian, Rapa Nui and many other languages throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

French has been an official language on the island since 1958; it is used as a language of education, law and business and is widely spoken among Madagascar’s educated population.

English is spoken by an increasing number of people, but it is not yet widespread. Knowledge of basic Malagasy and/or French will be very useful throughout the island.

Additional foreign languages are spoken by the island’s Indian, Pakistani, Chinese and Comorian communities.

Malagasy Ariary

It is advisable to carry Euro’s in cash, mostly in notes smaller than €100 as banks, hotels and change bureaus don’t readily accept notes larger than €100. Do not try to change money "on the streets" as the black market is illegal and you risk having your money stolen or being arrested and fined by plain-clothes government agents.

Banks are generally open from 0800-1100 and from 1400-1630, Monday-Friday.

You can also change money in your hotel - the rate of exchange is about 5% less than that of the bank. You should always get a receipt when changing money.

Try to ask for some small denomination notes in the local currency as change is often scarce in the rural areas

Major credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) are accepted in larger hotels and some shops in main cities. Expect larger merchant fees.

ATM’s are located in major towns and cities only (ie. Antananarivo, Morondava, Antsirabe, Fianarantsoa, Toliara). Visa is accepted at all ATM’s. Mastercard is accepted at some but not all.

+261

Electricity in Madagascar is 220 Volts, at 50 hertz. The most common pin type is C. (2 round prong).

Visas are required for Madagascar for a stay of less than 90 days for passport holders from the following countries:-

Australia

New Zealand

Canada

United States

United Kingdom

A single entry visa can be obtained upon arrival at the airport in Antananarivo or Nosy Be, provided your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the last day of the intended stay in Madagascar, and provided that you have an airline-issued ticket or passenger receipt confirming your intention to leave Madagascar within 90 days.

From 27 April 2018, the approximate visa fees (subject to change) are:

For a stay up to 30 days - 35 Euros or 37 US Dollars per person (payable in Cash)

For a stay from 31 days to 60 days - 40 Euros or 45 US Dollars per person (payable in Cash)

For a stay from 61 days to 90 days - 50 Euros or 55 US Dollars per person (payable in Cash)

All other nationalities should check with your nearest embassy or consulate.

Your safety is our number one concern. Our safety track record is exemplary thanks to careful management and thorough consultation with local partners. Our industry leading risk management procedures have become a skill that we continue to refine. Our leaders in the field are highly trained and have safety as their number one priority. Expert leaders, risk assessments, quality inclusions and your financial security all come standard when you travel with us.

Please refer to our Travel Advisory page for updates on recent events, travel warnings and advice.

We strongly recommend that all clients take out travel insurance at the time of booking to cover against sickness, accident, loss of baggage, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption, emergency evacuation, cancellations, etc. Insurance information is enclosed with your pre-departure information. Please contact us if you would like to obtain a quote for your trip duration.

We suggest that you consult your doctor, local government inoculation centre or a travel medical specialist in order to get the most current advice regarding vaccination requirements.

Money and valuables should always be stored safely when travelling. Keep your passport with you at all times and do not leave it in your main luggage. You will need it to change money and check into hotels. Where safety deposit boxes are available, we recommend that you use them. Keep jewellery and valuables to a minimum.