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Introducing Madagascar

Discover Madagascar. 
Located off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, the fourth-largest island in the world is extraordinarily biodiverse. There are 19,000 types of flora in Madagascar, and 5% of the world’s animal species exist here too. The most recognizable of its mammals is the lemur, while the most iconic plant is the stocky baobab tree. Factor in the country’s thousands of miles of unspoiled coastline, and you have a travel destination that's truly unlike any other.

When is the best time to visit?
Due to its location in the tropics, Madagascar has two major seasons: wet and dry. The rainy season lasts from November to May, and it’s best avoided. Madagascar’s famous cyclones are likely to hit during this time. The dry season lasts from April through October, and the last couple months of it are great for lemur watching and visiting national parks. Come during April if you want to avoid peak tourist season. If you visit between July and September, you can take advantage of the humpback whale migration with a whale-watching tour.

Where should you go?
You’ll likely be flying into the capital of Antananarivo. Worth a visit here is the Rova, which has served as the home of Monarchs in the Imerina Kingdom dating back to the 17th century. The capital is also a great place to enjoy the country's singular cuisine, a blend of African and Malay culinary traditions. Outside Antananarivo you can visit the stunning Parc National de l'Isalo, home to over 300 miles of sandstone massifs, deep gorges, and crystalline pools.

Off Madagascar’s northwestern coast lies the coral island of Nosy Be—think white-sand beaches and wildlife, especially chameleons and lemurs. And if you want some great diving and snorkeling, head to Anakao. To see Madagascar's national tree, visit the famous Avenue of the Baobabs, a dirt road between Morondava and Belon'i Tsiribihina in western Madagascar that is lined with particularly impressive specimens.

How many days do you need?
It’s very difficult to experience Madagascar adequately in under a week. In a week, you can travel the RN7 highway from the capital and make stops at some of the country's many national parks. With two weeks, you can visit the national parks and other highlights, do some lemur spotting, and travel the coastline as well as visit offshore islands.

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Trip Reviews for Madagascar

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

A Great and Memorable Trip to Madagascar -- Thanks to Esther and Nick.
Madagascar | Aug 27 - Sep 5, 2024

Michael
Michael C.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Sep 15, 2024
Kudos to all involved in setting up and executing the trip plan for 8 days in Madagascar. My trip planner, Esther was outstanding. I had looked in a guide book to determine areas/things I wanted to see/do. Esther worked with "local boots on the ground" in Madagascar to determine what could be accomplished and set up a schedule. I was picked up from the airport in Madagascar's capitol by my local guide -- Nick. Nick spoke better English than me. He was a joy to spend time with. He... Read more

Kudos to all involved in setting up and executing the trip plan for 8 days in Madagascar. My trip planner, Esther was outstanding. I had looked in a guide book to determine areas/things I wanted to see/do. Esther worked with "local boots on the ground" in Madagascar to determine what could be accomplished and set up a schedule.

I was picked up from the airport in Madagascar's capitol by my local guide -- Nick. Nick spoke better English than me. He was a joy to spend time with. He was very knowledgable, easy going and knew what he was doing. It was a real pleasure to have Nick guide me around his country.

Things to keep in mind is that Madagascar is a relatively poor country with only a few paved (or sealed) roads. This can make traveling in the country a challenging and often slow journey -- but Nick had the appropriate vehicle and was an outstanding driver.

The bottom line -- Esther did a wonderful job in developing a plan to fit my needs -- Nick did a wonderful job in executing the plan and was a great guide and a pleasure to be around.

Mission Accomplished ---

Hotel Review
VOCO Hotel Rosebank
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Nocturnal Visit of Kirindy Forest
Nocturnal Visit of Kirindy Forest
Madagascar
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tsingy of Bemaraha National Park
Tsingy of Bemaraha National Park
Bekopaka
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Drive through Baobab Avenue
Drive through Baobab Avenue
Morondava
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Sep 16, 2024

Hi Michael, wow thanks so much for your wonderful review and for sharing your stunning pictures! We are thrilled to hear you had a great trip to Madagascar.

A long safari made pleasant by meticulous planning
Madagascar | Jul 3 - Aug 2, 2022

Shirish
Shirish P.
Rochester, NY | Reviewed on Aug 23, 2022

Lucy was meticulous in organizing our trip. She happily juggled things around as our preferences . She was available whenever we ran into a glitch (of which there were not many) but her timely interventions were reassuring. All the places of accommodation that she chose were unique and comfortable. Perhaps, one day I will do a tour of boutique hotels of southern Africa!
Five star sites/experiences: Robben island, Penguin Colony, Sandwich harbor, Ongava Lodge, Helicopter ride over and into Okavango. Mbangula Lungile, the guide who took us around Soweto.

Local specialist: Lucy Berndt
Lucy
Lucy Berndt
Local specialist in Cape Town | Replied on Aug 24, 2022

Hi Shirish
Thank you for your review. I am so pleased you had a wonderful journey exploring so many of our African Countries! We look forward to planning your next trip, as we sure do have so many beautiful boutique hotel and lodges, each offering unique and experiential offerings. Till then please take care.
Many thanks
Lucy