What’s it actually wish to journey to Madagascar? (It is fairly wild!)

In the event you’re trying to journey to Madagascar, boy, are you in for an journey! Madagascar is likely one of the most unforgettable locations I’ve ever visited.

If you wish to see among the most uncommon landscapes and wildlife you’ve ever seen, meet heat and welcoming individuals, and expertise a land solely barely touched by tourism, Madagascar is the place for you.

Madagascar has been a journey precedence of mine for fairly a while, and whereas I like touring solo, I all the time knew I wished to go along with a tour. Madagascar is a gnarly vacation spot, with among the worst roads on the planet, and I knew it might be a lot simpler letting a tour deal with the logistics.

I had been in search of the suitable Madagascar tour for years, but it surely was robust discovering one which included all of the locations I wished to go to: the Grand Tsingy, the Avenue of the Baobabs, and Nosy Be and its surrounding islands.

Then I got here throughout the Madagascar tour from Rock My Journey, which included all these locations, and far more — and I used to be bought!

Rock My Journey is a small tour firm run by Helen Davies, an Africa specialist and journey blogger. Though Helen and I’ve a ton of mutual pals, we had by no means met — however after wanting by means of her web site and studying her testimonials, I knew I’d love this journey.

So how did it go? I HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE IN MADAGASCAR, although there have been undoubtedly some huge challenges alongside the way in which!

This can be a huge put up. Go make your self a cup of tea, sit again, and let me let you know about what it’s wish to journey to Madagascar!

This put up was printed in March 2026, based mostly on a visit taken in September 2025.

Madagascar is just not for everybody. Or most vacationers.

What makes you need to journey to Madagascar? Do you need to see lemurs and different cool wildlife? Do you need to swim in turquoise waters? Do you need to hike in a stone forest and see big baobab bushes?

Do you need to meet fantastic, pleasant individuals, essentially the most lovely children, and expertise a vacation spot that doesn’t have a shred of overtourism?

I imply, these are simple questions. Who wouldn’t need to do these issues?

Now I ought to in all probability ask some more durable questions.

Are you keen to journey on the roughest roads you’ve ever skilled in your life, for the higher a part of a day?

Are you okay with excessive temperatures and nil air-con?

How do you are feeling about not gaining access to an actual bathroom for a number of days, and simply squatting behind bushes?

Are you okay with getting piggy-backed into canoes when water ranges are excessive?

Are you emotionally ready to see devastating poverty first-hand?

Are you okay with the truth that within the occasion of an emergency, medical care will probably be extraordinarily restricted?

And perhaps you’ll be able to deal with all this, however would it not be pleasant for you?

General, I feel Madagascar is a vacation spot greatest suited to very seasoned vacationers who’ve expertise touring in growing international locations. It’s additionally important to be versatile, easygoing, and capable of take care of setbacks alongside the way in which.

And in the event you relish the robust, soiled, enjoyable days of journey, you’re going to like your time in Madagascar!

Conversely, I’ll gently say that Madagascar is just not the place for you in the event you want air-con, in the event you don’t do properly on bumpy roads, in the event you worth degree of consolation, or in the event you like group and predictability.

And I’ll say that I had a lot enjoyable on this journey as a result of it was a bunch journey. If you undergo robust journey moments, you’ll be able to giggle collectively and commiserate collectively. It makes setbacks a lot simpler — and even enjoyable, every so often.

Had I been doing this journey solo, I wouldn’t have loved it practically as a lot. That’s the reality.

Locations to Go to in Madagascar

What struck me first about Madagascar was how totally different it felt from mainland Africa. Actually, it jogged my memory extra of Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia, from the pousse-pousse rickshaws to the road meals stalls.

In sure elements of Madagascar, I observed that many individuals have Asian facial options, particularly within the capital and the central highlands.

That’s not a coincidence. The Malagasy individuals are descended from Austronesian seafarers of Southeast Asia, who arrived about 1000 years in the past, and the Bantu peoples of East Africa. You see this Asian affect in all the pieces from agriculture to cooking.

Listed below are among the locations that I visited on my Madagascar journey — although remember that Madagascar is gigantic, and this represents only a small a part of what the island has to supply!

Antananarivo

Sadly I can’t converse a lot concerning the capital of Antananarivo, as a result of there have been protests that shut down town on the time of my go to. I’ll get extra into that later on this put up.

Antananarivo — or Tana, because the locals name it — has some cool sights to see, together with markets like Analakely Market and the Route Digue Handicraft Market, in addition to Lemurs’ Park and the Queen’s Palace Viewpoint.

Exterior town is Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, a UNESCO World Heritage Web site and one of the essential cultural landmarks within the nation.

Whereas I didn’t get to discover town a lot, I can let you know that Lodge Sakamanga is beautiful, looks like a museum, and has an incredible restaurant. In the event you keep there, please give Manga the kitten a cuddle for me!

Antsirabe and Lake Tritiva

Town of Antsirabe is a well-liked vacation spot for vacationers en route from Antananarivo to locations additional south. On this metropolis, you’ll be able to take pleasure in stunning French structure and take a journey on a pousse-pousse (Madagascar’s reply to the rickshaw).

Whereas we didn’t have a lot time in Antsirabe, we did get to spend time at Lake Tritiva, which is about an hour’s drive west of town. This lake is essentially the most enchanting shade of teal and surrounded by tall stone partitions.

You’ll be able to hike round the entire lake, in the event you’d like, or simply hike all the way down to the water’s edge. We hiked all the way down to the sting, obtained loads of pictures, then made our manner up once more.

In Antsirabe we stayed at Couleur Café, which was an attractive property with little cottages and had the coziest, warmest bedding (which was essential as this was certainly one of our cooler temperature locations!).

Tsiribihina Boat Journey

Of all my experiences in Madagascar, essentially the most particular and distinctive one was the three-day boat journey down the Tsiribihina River.

Our boat was extremely fundamental. There wasn’t even a rest room on board; we might merely pull over to shore and squat behind bushes and bushes. At evening, the crew put up tents and constructed us a easy bush bathroom.

In the course of the day, we chilled out, watched the panorama go by, visited small villages, and went swimming in a beautiful swimming gap as lemurs leaped by means of the bushes.

Our cooks ready us scrumptious meals (among the better of our journey!), and at evening, our crew sang and performed music for us by the hearth. Removed from any mild air pollution, we loved a sky filled with sensible stars.

This a part of the journey deserves its personal weblog put up, and I need to write extra about it quickly! However most of all, I really feel like this was the place we obtained to know Madagascar on a deep, intimate degree. Most vacationers don’t expertise that.

Earlier than our journey, we spent an evening at Princesse Tsiribihina, a pleasant little resort within the city of Miandrivazo, near the beginning of the river journey.

Tsingy de Bemeraha Nationwide Park

In the event you’re within the landscapes of Madagascar, Tisngy de Bemeraha Nationwide Park is probably going on the prime of your checklist. This stone forest situated in western Madagascar is a UNESCO World Heritage Web site.

It’s additionally fairly an journey to get right here. The gateway city to the Tsingy is Bekopaka, which is a drive of a number of hours on Madagascar’s extraordinarily tough B-roads (extra on these beneath).

Climbing the Grand Tsingy is the large journey right here. I completely beloved this technical hike, which requires clipping your self in, Through Ferrata-style, and climbing onto tiny footholds. It may be a LOT in case you have points with heights, particularly since you need to cross a rickety bridge over a canyon close to the tip.

However you’re not up for that hike, there are different choices. You’ll be able to take a ship by means of the canyon and admire the surroundings, and you are able to do a a lot smaller, less-intense hike within the small Tsingy. Two of the ladies on our tour skipped the large hike for the boat journey and small hike and had a good time.

In Bekopaka we stayed at Le Soleil des Tsingy, which has a luxurious really feel and an unimaginable infinity pool that’s THE ABSOLUTE BEST after a scorching, sweaty day within the Tsingy. Simply know that there’s no AC and the nights right here have been hotter greater than anyplace else in Madagascar.

Kirindy

Kirindy Forest is a dry deciduous forest situated within the west of Madagascar and makes cease between the Tsingy and Morondava. This can be a good spot to see Madagascar’s distinctive wildlife of their pure habitat.

I like to recommend spending one evening and occurring guided forest walks each at evening and within the morning, since you’ll see totally different sorts of wildlife at totally different occasions of day.

At evening, you would possibly spot dwarf lemurs and mouse lemurs. The mouse lemurs are tremendous tiny and like to poke their heads out of holes on bushes!

By day, there are a number of sorts of lemurs you would possibly spot, in addition to cool geckos and lizards.

And in the event you’re fortunate, you’ll spot a fossa! The fossa is a lemur-hunting predator, and it has the physique of a cat and the face of a rat — it sounds unusual, however I swear it’s a really cool animal. We have been fortunate to see a fossa throughout our go to.

In Kirindy we stayed at Relais du Kirindy, which had easy ensuite cabins, in addition to a swimming pool. I’ve heard it’s a bit nicer than the lodging they provide straight within the park.

Morondava

Morondava is a seaside metropolis in western Madagascar, and it’s one of the common locations to go to within the nation. I actually beloved the vibe in Morondava; it felt informal, beachy, and energetic!

On the town I like to recommend taking a pousse-pousse journey to get a really feel for the place, and take a look at shops and markets. You’ll be able to spend time on the seashore (although don’t put on skimpy swimwear in public right here). And there are a couple of enjoyable bars in the event you’re within the temper for nightlife!

Morondava is a few 45-minute drive from the Avenue of the Baobabs (Allée des Baobabs), which is likely one of the symbols of the nation. Right here you’ll be able to {photograph} the baobabs at sundown (or, with fewer crowds, at dawn), or plant your personal baobab bushes. Take into account that this place will get crowded!

The shoreline from Morondava south to Toliara is dwelling to the Vezo individuals — nomadic or semi-nomadic fishers who depend on the ocean for survival. Two of the ladies and I took a canoe to the village of Betania, the place we obtained to know among the native children and ladies, and had our faces painted within the Vezo type.

In Morondava I stayed at Chez Maggie Lodge & Restaurant, which could not have been the fanciest place we stayed in, but it surely was certainly one of my favorites. So cozy and welcoming with pleasant workers, in a pleasant beachside neighborhood, with air-con and nice meals.

Nosy Be

Nosy Be, an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar, is essentially the most touristy spot within the nation. Some individuals fly to Madagascar and solely go to Nosy Be, which blows my thoughts! You’ll be able to even discover direct flights to locations like Milan and Verona.

Nosy Be is a superb base for diving or snorkeling, in the event you’re into that, or simply chilling out. There’s a first rate nightlife scene right here. And in the event you’re up for a therapeutic massage on the seashore, you’ve obtained loads of choices, for a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere.

Nosy Be is surrounded by smaller islands, and these islands are common spots for day journeys. Nosy Sakatia is common for swimming with whale sharks or big turtles; Nosy Tanikely is a small marine nationwide park; Nosy Komba is dwelling to a lemur sanctuary.

General, I feel Nosy Be is a improbable place to finish your journey to Madagascar. A number of days on the seashore are the right balm after lengthy, tough journey days — particularly in the event you splurge on a extra upscale resort like Maison Ylang, which I completely adored.

Plus, it is perhaps simpler so that you can fly onward with out having to fly again to Antananarivo. (I’d advocate doing so if attainable.)

However I don’t assume Nosy Be is particular sufficient to warrant a visit with out going elsewhere in Madagascar. If you wish to go to a tropical island in an inexpensive nation, I’ll all the time advocate Koh Lanta in Thailand. Come to Nosy Be when you will have time to discover extra of Madagascar.

Now that we’ve talked a bit concerning the locations, let’s get into what it’s actually wish to journey to Madagascar!

Prepare for the worst roads of your life.

I’m certain you’ve pushed on some tough roads earlier than. However I don’t assume you’ve skilled something as unhealthy because the B-roads of Madagascar.

B-roads are Madagascar’s secondary roads. They’re unpaved, poorly maintained, and completely require a 4×4 car. They are often fairly harmful, particularly once they turn into muddy and sometimes impassable throughout wet season (January to March).

You is perhaps studying this weblog put up considering that you simply’re driver, that you would be able to deal with the roads. I urge you to rethink. If something goes fallacious, no person is coming that will help you. Our professional drivers know these roads just like the again of their hand, and even they’d a couple of popped tires alongside the way in which.

(At one level, we drove previous a vacationer driving down the street to Bekopaka with a terrified look on his face. “Is he loopy?” I burst out. “Sure, he’s loopy,” our driver replied with fun.)

B-roads make up a lot of the journey from Morondava to Bekopaka and the Tsingy de Bemeraha, so if you wish to see the Tsingy, you’re getting there by B-roads. (There’s a tiny airport in Bekopaka for personal or constitution flights solely.)

And even the paved roads can attempt your persistence. When touring from Antananarivo to Antsirabe, we needed to flip round and take an extended, circuitous route as a result of the street was blocked.

And whenever you come to a river, the enjoyable REALLY begins.

Certainly there could be bridges alongside common routes? Nope, not in Madagascar!

As a substitute, drivers rigorously maneuver their SUVs onto a wood raft perched on prime of some canoes. You stroll onto the raft behind them. Then the raft operator fires up the loudest motor you’ve ever heard, black smoke billowing in every single place, and the raft chugs its option to the opposite facet.

You stroll off. The SUVs drive off. And you retain going till you hit the following river.

Madagascar is a lot extra stunning than I anticipated.

In fact, I knew Madagascar was going to be stunning in some locations! However the sheer great thing about our environment However I didn’t assume I’d be surprised as quickly as we left Antananarivo. Simply the encompassing rice paddies have been beautiful towards the mountains!

Listed below are among the landscapes you’ll be able to expertise in Madagascar:

Spiky grey stone forests in Tsingy de Bemeraha Nationwide Park.

Idyllic tropical seashores with palm bushes and turquoise water in Nosy Tanikely.

Pink sunsets behind wild fields and rice paddies in Miandrivazo.

A rocky waterfall and swimming gap in the midst of nowhere, simply off the Tsiribihina River.

And naturally, Madagascar’s iconic baobab bushes are one of many symbols of the nation. That is their most well-known spot, Avenue des Baobabs close to Morondava.

And the wild factor was that we solely noticed a tiny fraction of Madagascar! Madagascar is huge — the world’s fourth largest island — and the lengthy drives make you are feeling such as you’re driving it from finish to finish. Not so.

The individuals are the true spotlight of Madagascar.

Once I assume again to my time in Madagascar, I consider the unimaginable individuals I met. The 2 younger guys we met in a bar in Morondava after midnight, the place we joined them in a dance occasion.

The youngsters I excitedly talked to about 2Pac, as they have been sporting 2Pac t-shirts, earlier than I noticed that folks throughout Madagascar put on 2Pac t-shirts however do not know who he’s.

The couple on the resort in Belo Tsiribihina, who helped once I sheepishly requested if they might assist me kill a cockroach on the curtain. The girl crushed it along with her fingertips. I shrieked, “Avec les mains?! Avec les mains!!” (with the palms!) and the three of us laughed hysterically, even breaking into giggles once we noticed one another the following morning.

Our unimaginable boat crew. Sensible, hardworking, and completely gifted musicians.

And the kids of Madagascar are really fantastic. After we stopped in distant villages, the youngsters wished to carry our palms. Even the youngsters. We might be strolling as a bunch and a few of us would have two children holding onto every hand!

The children would come working once we pulled over in our bus or boat, and they might stick with us like velcro.

Nevertheless, vacationers haven’t all the time handled Malagasy kids properly, so I’ve some recommendation to share.

Don’t give the youngsters cash. Don’t give the youngsters sweet, regardless of how a lot they are saying, “Bon-bon? Bon-bon?”

(Aspect notice: once we have been within the Tsingy, one of many women supplied key lime candies to everybody in our group, together with our thirty-something information Julien. He exclaimed, “Oh! A bon-bon?” and it was like he turned a child once more!)

As a substitute, Helen obtained stickers for the youngsters — particular person stickers on paper. They might hand out one sticker to every child, solely once we had sufficient for everybody. That’s a pleasant deal with for youths that doesn’t rot their enamel or create a tradition of begging.

Moreover, please think twice concerning the pictures you select to share. I personally select to not share clear pictures of youngsters’s faces on the web. That’s why I shoot so typically from behind.

Do I’ve pictures of youngsters’ faces on my cellphone? Tons! Together with selfies with us all squished collectively! These pictures are valuable to me, however kids deserve privateness, so I don’t share them publicly.

Talking French will aid you enormously.

In the event you studied French in highschool and also you’ve been jealous of your Spanish-speaking pals navigating by means of Mexico with aplomb, I promise you, in Madagascar your day has come! That is one place the place you’ll be able to converse French always!

Malagasy individuals converse Malagasy as their first language, and there are native dialects and regional variations, however French is the second language kids are taught in class. French is commonly the first language for official authorities or enterprise issues in Madagascar.

Whereas some individuals who work in tourism converse English, it’s nowhere close to as widespread as French.

I converse French, and I discovered that this opened my world in Madagascar SO a lot. I used to be capable of have actual conversations and join with individuals, and I even made native pals. The image above was taken within the village of Maromandray, alongside the street to Miandrivazo, and this older gentleman wished to inform me all about farming haricots verts.

Whereas in fact our native Malagasy information, Stella, spoke French, I used to be the one different particular person on our tour who spoke it. That meant I used to be typically serving to my pals talk when Stella was busy dealing with logistics, which made the journey smoother for all of us.

And in the event you don’t converse any French, it helps to study a bit of bit. In fact, “bonjour” and “merci” are essential. “Remark t’appelles-tu?” (although I tended to listen to “Remark tu t’appelles?” extra typically) and “Je m’appelle” will be useful when introducing your self to children.

The poverty will rip your coronary heart out.

In the event you’ve traveled within the growing world, you’ve in all probability witnessed quantity of poverty. I’ve seen devastating scenes in South Africa, Cambodia, Greenland, and the USA that I’ll by no means get out of my head.

However Madagascar is likely one of the poorest international locations on the planet, and you have to be ready for that.

Lots of villages don’t have any type of plumbing in any respect. Some have fundamental latrines, however many individuals simply crouch behind bushes.

Lots of people, particularly kids, put on torn clothes and no footwear. Faculties are ultra-basic, with virtually no provides and much too many children sitting on a dust flooring.

I observed that no person in Madagascar wears sun shades on vivid sunny days. Then I noticed that no person wears eyeglasses. How many individuals are strolling round with blurry imaginative and prescient?

At one level on the street to Bekopaka, we stopped in a village when one other car in our convoy obtained a flat tire. This village doesn’t get international guests typically, they usually truly launched us to a child woman that had been born that very morning. I’m nonetheless flabbergasted that we obtained to expertise a second this particular.

The child woman seemed like a doll, with tiny black eyelashes and ideal cupid-bow lips. I whispered that I wanted her a beautiful life. However what sort of life may she count on to have?

So what are you able to do as a customer to Madagascar? Don’t give cash (or sweet) to people. As a substitute, spend your cash as near the bottom as you’ll be able to.

It’s good to rent native guides and drivers. Spend cash in regionally owned guesthouses and eating places. Purchase souvenirs straight from locals. Tip generously. Contemplate giving cash on to a schoolteacher, since you don’t know what provides they want most.

One other factor? In most international locations, the concept of abandoning your used, worn-out garments and footwear whereas touring could be seen as extraordinarily impolite. However in Madagascar, they’re typically acquired with deep gratitude. In the event you’re planning on changing your sneakers quickly, think about leaving your previous pair behind.

Madagascar wildlife is unimaginable.

In the event you’re in search of a rustic with distinctive wildlife, you’ll be able to’t do significantly better than Madagascar. Madagascar separated from the African mainland about 160 million years in the past, then separated from the Indian subcontinent about 90 million years in the past.

Due to that, the wildlife has had fairly a very long time to evolve. Mix that with quite a lot of numerous ecosystems, and you’ve got among the most attention-grabbing wildlife recognizing on the planet.

Lemurs, in fact, are the principle attraction (and the one each child has heard of!). And whereas lemurs are lovely, there are many different cool animals you’ll be able to see in Madagascar.

Happening an evening safari within the Kirindy Forest, we have been capable of spot dwarf lemurs. They’re so cute and cuddly with huge bellies.

We have been extraordinarily fortunate to see a fossa, an animal with a physique formed like a cat and a face formed like a rat! They very sometimes come out at Kirindy, and this one got here out once we have been there!

The chameleons have been in all probability the best reptile we noticed. I like how their tails curl up right into a spiral — and the way they offer essentially the most improbable side-eye!

It was wonderful seeing the infant lemurs! The infants cling onto the entrance of their mom for 3 weeks, then the again of their mom till they’re three months previous. This tiny, skinny child was model new.

And my favourite wildlife sighting of the journey was a cuddle puddle of lemurs, cuddling collectively on a tree department on the way in which again from the Grand Tsingy! Look how a lot they love one another!!

In Nosy Sakatia, you’ll be able to swim with big sea turtles. These are the largest sea turtles I’ve ever seen — a few meter from nostril to tail.

I like an interspecies friendship, and on Nosy Komba, I came upon that the lemurs and tortoises get alongside fairly properly!

There are three tortoises dwelling on the sanctuary on Nosy Komba. “These two are named Pablo Escobar and George Bush,” our information advised us.

“Pablo Escobar and George Bush?!” I exclaimed. “What’s the third one named, Saddam Hussein?”

“Caroline.”

“Caroline…is {that a} reference?”

“No, we similar to the title.”

Meals in Madagascar

How is the meals in Madagascar? I ate a number of tasty meals, however I wouldn’t characterize Madagascar as a foodie vacation spot by any stretch.

Native meals are easy — a little bit of fish or meat with rice, and typically some greens. Whereas some individuals speak concerning the French affect in Madagascar, I personally didn’t discover a lot Frenchness within the native meals.

Zebu is the native cattle in Madagascar, and whenever you’re consuming beef in Madagascar, you’re consuming zebu! We ate zebu steaks, zebu burgers, zebu and chips.

Romazava is one native dish I like to recommend you attempt. It’s principally the Malagasy model of beef stew, served over rice.

There are three eating places I particularly advocate in Madagascar. One of the best of the three is Mad Zebu, which is in such a random place — the city of Belo Tsiribihina, which is a cease en route from Morondava to Bekopaka.

The meals at Mad Zebu is luxurious, elegant, and fantastically plated. Regardless of its title, our group beloved the fish and vegetarian dishes essentially the most! The restaurant is extraordinarily common with tour teams passing by means of, and you need to reserve prematurely.

One other restaurant I loved was Nosy Tagada in Nosy Be, across the nook from our resort, Maison Ylang. This restaurant serves a mixture of French and worldwide fare. I beloved their sesame-crusted tuna steak and their savory galettes.

And in the event you’re in Antananarivo, the restaurant at Lodge Sakamanga serves nice meals as properly, in a comfy ambiance.

Are you able to journey to Madagascar in luxurious?

This will seem to be a wierd factor to speak about, however I do know individuals who discuss India or Ecuador or Cambodia and say, “Yeah, I’d go, however I’d do it in luxurious.” Are you able to isolate your self from the challenges of Madagascar journey in the event you “do it in luxurious?”

In a phrase, no.

We stayed at some luxurious properties in Madagascar, together with Soleil des Tsingy in Bekopaka. And as a longtime journey business veteran, my impression is that Madagascar is studying, but it surely’s not prepared for luxurious journey but.

Think about staying at a surprising luxurious property, the type of place that offers you a towel and a welcome cocktails whenever you arrive. And at dinner, the server brings your major dish first and your appetizer second as a result of the kitchen wished to make the principle dishes first.

Otherwise you’re staying in a fantastically adorned room, but it surely’s oppressively scorching all evening lengthy with no AC or air stream.

Or the marketed wifi solely works when a most of two individuals are making an attempt to make use of it on the similar time.

Otherwise you carry your laundry to be washed, the receptionist says simply to depart it on the entrance desk, you say no, that you simply’re not leaving a pile of soiled underwear there, he affords to throw it in a basket, you agree, and after coming again, he politely asks in the event you’re single.

None of that is meant to insult the hardworking Malagasy individuals. I simply say this as an example that there’s extra to luxurious than aesthetics, and making a luxurious expertise requires in depth coaching and funding. Madagascar will get there ultimately. It’s simply not there but.

Past lodges, are you able to skip the B-roads and river crossings and simply fly to Bekopaka? Solely in case you have the funds to constitution a non-public flight.

Are you able to expertise superb eating? Within the capital, certain, and at Mad Zebu, however not a lot in any other case.

Are you able to ebook a nicer boat on the Tsiribihina River with a rest room on board? LOL, don’t ask.

In the event you DO desire a luxurious expertise in Africa, you can go virtually anyplace in Southern or Japanese Africa. Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda, Botswana, Namibia…these international locations are filled with luxurious journey experiences that may blow you away. Simply don’t count on that in Madagascar.

Is Madagascar Secure?

Is Madagascar secure to go to? That is all the time a troublesome query to reply, as a result of most locations are genuinely fairly secure, however sometimes unhealthy issues do occur.

General, for essentially the most half, Madagascar isn’t enormously harmful for vacationers.

Criminals don’t goal vacationers in Madagascar past a little bit of petty crime. In Antananarivo and different cities, it’s sensible to maintain your belongings in a safe purse that zips, to not flash any valuables, and to solely take official taxis.

As a substitute, security considerations in Madagascar are typically extra about infrastructure than crime. Your largest dangers will probably be roads in poor situation, lengthy overland journeys, and restricted medical care.

It is best to plan your journey assuming that you simply’ll all the time be a protracted, tough journey from a clinic or perhaps a pharmacy. I obtained some prescriptions from my physician prematurely, which I discuss additional down on this put up.

What about touring solo? Once more, I all the time knew that I wished to journey Madagascar as a part of a bunch, not solo, and that’s why I selected Rock My Journey’s Madagascar tour.

The one time I confronted any adverse male consideration was the one time that I briefly walked alone at evening in Morondava, on a busy road with plenty of lodges and eating places. Some younger males in a bunch stared at me and catcalled.

It wasn’t threatening, but it surely was uncomfortable, and I wouldn’t stroll alone at evening in a desolate space in Madagascar.

General, most vacationers will take pleasure in Madagascar with out incident. Nevertheless, I occurred to be in Madagascar throughout an distinctive time: a interval of unrest that resulted in a navy coup. I’ll share extra about that within the subsequent part.

My Uncommon Expertise: Protests in Antananarivo

There’s one very huge factor that occurred throughout my time in Madagascar: there have been country-wide protests in late September and early October 2025. Our group flew from Morondava to Antananarivo on September 25, and our resort occurred to be within the epicenter of the protests.

Younger adults in Madagascar have been protesting the facility cuts, water shortages, and a corrupt authorities. I agree totally with the protestors; Malagasy individuals have so little and deserve higher.

The protests turned violent. As we pulled as much as our resort, individuals have been working in every single place and pushing a dumpster towards us on the street. The resort workers grabbed us and rushed us inside.

We went into the courtyard and Helen made the choice that we might eat on the resort that evening as a substitute of going out.

An hour or so later, the police started tear gassing the neighborhood, which wafted into our space and was painful to our eyes and throat. The resort workers handed out face masks and we headed inside, sealing ourselves away.

We have been imagined to fly to Nosy Be the following day, however the flight was cancelled, so we headed out of city to a small native guesthouse in a secure location in a gated neighborhood. The household that ran the guesthouse handled us with SUCH kindness.

By then, there was a curfew in Antananarivo and in different cities in Madagascar. Supermarkets and points of interest have been closed; we sneaked right into a comfort retailer that stored its again door open to purchase some provisions. There was just about nothing to do aside from hang around and wait.

Round this time, the US authorities up to date Madagascar’s journey advisory to “Degree 3: Rethink Journey,” and the UK and several other different international locations made related updates.

Then our flight the NEXT day was cancelled, too. The airport was canceling just about each home flight after 1 PM.

Finally, because of Helen’s tenacity on the airport counter, she obtained us on one other flight to Nosy Be after two additional days in Antananarivo. Sadly, a couple of of our tour members selected to not proceed with us, lest they miss their flights dwelling.

I need to be clear — this was not a large hardship. At occasions it was scary, and annoying, however in the end, it was an inconvenience.

And it didn’t final without end. Shortly after we obtained to Nosy Be, the president of Madagascar was evacuated from the nation and the navy took over management. Sure, this was a coup. My Malagasy pals have been happy with this consequence.

After reorganizing some flights, I used to be capable of fly direct to Réunion and again to Europe from there. Madagascar is now again to regular, and is simply as secure for vacationers because it was at the start of our journey.

General, conditions like these are uncommon, however a danger you’re taking when touring in growing international locations with restricted infrastructure like Madagascar. It’s a danger I used to be keen to absorb trade for experiencing a magical place.

I need to emphasize that the journey was completely sensible in any other case and I’m so glad we had Helen to navigate us by means of a sophisticated and unpredictable state of affairs.

One final thing is that I like to recommend registering with STEP — the Sensible Traveler Enrollment Program — in the event you’re an American, or your nation’s program that notifies the embassy that you simply’re there. They’ll electronic mail you updates concerning the state of affairs if something like this occurs throughout your journey.

Theoretically, STEP can be supposed that will help you get evacuated if essential. However as we noticed after the US and Israel began bombing Iran in February 2026, trapping Individuals within the Center East with no option to escape, this will not occur in any respect.

It’s essential ebook Madagascar Airways flights early.

When touring lengthy distances in Madagascar, it’s greatest to journey by flight. Even in the event you’re the type of traveler who likes the rhythms of overland journey and attending to see the landscapes, I promise you, you’ll want to fly.

Take the journey from Antananarivo to Morondava. It doesn’t look very far on the map, however the quickest bus journey takes about 12.5 hours. (Certainly one of my Malagasy pals advised me he usually takes the 24-hour bus. YIKES.) You possibly can keep away from that by taking a 90-minute flight.

The issue is that inner flights are restricted they usually ebook out EXTREMELY early. Helen had us ebook our flights early because of this. Our journey was in September, and he or she notified us in January that the flights had been launched.

A number of months in the past in a Fb group, I heard somebody lamenting concerning the lack of flights accessible last-minute and whether or not it might be price it to simply go to Nosy Be and nowhere else in Madagascar. Effectively, you already know the way I really feel about that!

My recommendation to you: begin planning your Madagascar journey not less than a couple of months prematurely and ebook your inner flights immediately. This isn’t a vacation spot that you would be able to wing on the final minute.

I’d not carry children to Madagascar.

Now, this is perhaps one of many extra controversial issues about this put up — particularly contemplating that two of my journey blogger colleagues every introduced their children to Madagascar inside a month of my go to.

I’m not a father or mother, however I enthusiastically advocate for taking your kids to uncommon, nontraditional locations.

Nevertheless, whenever you journey anyplace, I feel it’s clever to hope for the best-case situation however plan for the worst-case situation. That features planning for sickness and damage.

Getting sick or injured in Madagascar means touring to a poor high quality medical clinic, particularly in the event you’re in a rural space. It may imply a really lengthy overland journey over B-roads whereas coping with that sickness or damage. Medevac helicopters are usually not frequent in Madagascar.

Would I settle for that danger for me, as an grownup? In fact. That’s a danger you’re taking whenever you journey to distant locations.

However would I need to topic a toddler to that danger? No, I’d not be snug with that.

And let me be clear — I feel Africa is a superb place to journey with children. However I’d personally select an African nation with higher infrastructure and healthcare services, like South Africa, Kenya, or Botswana.

In fact, the probabilities that you simply’ll even have an emergency are slim, however when children are concerned, it’s simply as essential to plan for the worst as it’s to hope for the very best.

Touring Madagascar with Rock My Journey

I’m SO glad that I traveled to Madagascar with Rock My Journey! This Madagascar journey is likely one of the greatest journeys I’ve ever taken.

What I beloved about this journey was that it was a mixture of adventurous days with good, comfortable lodging, excluding the times we spent tenting (and each resort the place we stayed had scorching water!).

Our itinerary included a number of actions, however wasn’t too quick and exhausting, like many excursions will be. Each Malagasy information and driver we had was fantastic, particularly Stella, who traveled with us for a lot of the journey.

Our group was largely ladies, from 30-somethings by means of 60-somethings, from the US, Canada, and the UK.

Rock My Journey is a small journey firm run by one particular person, Helen Davies. She has deep relationships with native fixers and other people on the bottom, placing cash into native pockets, which is why the journeys are so good.

For that cause, there aren’t tons and tons of journey departures like the large corporations. The Rock My Journey Madagascar journey is run as soon as per yr.

Would I do extra Rock My Journey journeys? Hell yeah! Actually, I’ve already signed up for my subsequent Rock My Journey journey — Botswana and Victoria Falls, and I’m bringing my husband this time!

And don’t overlook, you will get £100 off any Rock My Journey tour with the code KATE100!

Greatest Time to Go to Madagascar

When is the very best time of yr to go to Madagascar? It’s essential that you simply time your journey for the dry season, which is roughly from Could to October.

Some locations will be price it within the shoulder season, and even low season. I occur to like Paris within the winter, which may be very a lot off-season. I like Koh Lanta in November, the shoulder season, when the short rainshowers result in beautiful sunsets.

However Madagascar is just not like both of these. In the event you journey in wet season, and even shoulder season, the B-roads may flip into mud and may not be satisfactory.

Contemplating the tough expertise you’ll have on the B-roads in the course of the dry season, belief me, you don’t need to danger it being any worse.

A visit to Madagascar is a once-in-a-lifetime journey. Give your self the very best likelihood by planning it in the course of the excessive season. I promise it gained’t be that touristy.

Remember to go to a journey physician earlier than you journey to Madagascar.

Visiting a journey physician is a good suggestion earlier than touring to a growing nation or a rustic the place malaria is current. Madagascar falls into each classes.

Your common physician doesn’t have the expertise for this. A journey physician has detailed up-to-date data on each nation on the planet and methods to defend your self.

I visited the journey physician in Prague, and after a dialogue, we determined that I’d get vaccinated for dengue fever, rabies, typhoid, and hepatitis A. I at the moment have lively vaccines for yellow fever and hepatitis B (good for all times) and tetanus (good for 10 years).

Dengue fever is a reasonably new vaccine, and it’s solely accessible within the EU, UK, and some international locations in Latin America and Asia at the moment.

We additionally determined that I’d take antimalarials, and he prescribed me malarone. (Doxycycline is one other antimalarial, but it surely makes you tremendous delicate to solar. I burn terribly once I take it.)

On prime of that, we talked about methods to stop mosquito bites: utilizing a mosquito repellent with 50% DEET, and masking up at daybreak and nightfall.

Individually from the journey physician, I contacted my GP, advised her I’d be touring in very distant areas with no healthcare services, and requested for prescription medicine in case I obtained a UTI or extreme meals poisoning. She prescribed me each.

What to Pack for Madagascar

Pocket-sized moist wipes. Sure, you’ll be peeing behind bushes, and maybe pooping, too. Wipes are important. I discovered the pocket-sized variations to be greatest, as you’ll be able to carry them discreetly in your pocket moderately than lugging an enormous package deal. Take into account that no wipes are flushable, even when they are saying they’re.

Pocket-sized hand sanitizer. Village children love to carry your palms, however I feel everyone knows that children are always sick! Use the sanitizer afterward.

Mosquito repellent with 50% DEET. Further-strong mosquito repellent is past important for Madagascar, and a important a part of holding your self secure from malaria. By no means exit with out it.

Electrical tape. That is the one factor I didn’t carry that I want I had. Electrical tape can repair something, and it might have been very helpful when my mosquito internet in Kirindy didn’t shut all the way in which.

Head lamp. I discovered my head lamp extraordinarily helpful when doing an evening stroll within the Kirindy Forest, however they’re additionally helpful if there’s an influence outage.

Water bottle. The water is just not secure to drink in Madagascar, but it surely makes extra sense to purchase a giant bottle of water and simply refill your private water bottle whenever you want it. Alternatively, you need to use a LifeStraw to purify native water earlier than you drink it.

Solar safety. The solar is kind of robust in Madagascar, and along with reef-safe sunscreen (essential for Nosy Be and anyplace you would possibly swim), remember to carry a wide-brimmed hat and a mild long-sleeved shirt. There isn’t a lot shade on the Tsingy, so that you’ll want these.

Sarong. A sarong has 1,000,000 makes use of, however in Madagascar, it may be a option to join with others. Lots of ladies put on sarongs tied round their center, and in the event you tie your sarong like them, they’ll like that.

Further prescription medicine for emergencies. Components of Madagascar are so rural, you gained’t be capable to attain a clinic or perhaps a pharmacy. I had my physician prescribe medicine for a UTI and drugs for meals poisoning, simply in case. I didn’t want both, however I used to be glad I had them!

Pepto-bismol tablets. Simple to journey with, and ideally suited for settling upset stomachs. I introduced round 20 tablets and want I had introduced extra, partially as a result of I shared them with pals who weren’t feeling properly.

Laundry detergent sheets. Whereas many lodges present laundry service, I discover it useful to scrub lingerie within the sink now and again. I additionally introduced a sink stopper, which is useful when doing a full sinkful of laundry however not essential in the event you’re solely washing a couple of small issues.

Do you want to pack a mosquito internet for Madagascar? Not for many journeys. Mosquito nets are a part of life in Madagascar they usually’re on each mattress. Nevertheless, one of many women on our tour introduced a pop-up mosquito internet for our two nights of untamed tenting, and it was a lot cooler for her than it was for us within the common tents.

Contemplate including on Réunion or Mauritius.

Madagascar is so removed from in every single place! In the event you’re touring this far, why not add on a bit of facet tour?

Réunion and Mauritius are two islands, every across the measurement of Rhode Island, and situated inside a two-hour flight of Madagascar. I made a decision so as to add per week of solo journey cut up between the 2 islands.

Personally, Mauritius didn’t do a lot for me, although I see why some individuals prefer it. I did recognize seeing the Hindu temples, a couple of waterfalls, and the large market in Port Louis, Mauritius’s capital. In the event you’re in search of a seashore resort expertise, although, Mauritius is the island for you!

However Réunion blew my thoughts. Such a beautiful and idyllic island, situated in the midst of nowhere, with beautiful volcanic surroundings, scrumptious meals, and maybe essentially the most pleasant driving of my life. Come right here in the event you love journey, flowers, and wild landscapes (and it helps enormously in the event you converse French).

I’ve been speaking up Réunion ever since, and I’d love to return again for longer.

Each islands have direct flights to Madagascar, and onward to Europe, which makes them stopover in both course.

Is Madagascar price it?

Madagascar thrilled me, challenged me, introduced me again to my roots, and made me recognize the life I’ve. I completely beloved my time in Madagascar — excluding the worrisome moments in the course of the unrest — and I’m so glad I visited.

Madagascar is just not the place to go for an informal journey expertise. Go in figuring out that it’s going to check you bodily, mentally, and emotionally.

However in the event you’re okay with a little bit of discomfort, Madagascar will reward you with magnificent pure magnificence, heartwarming kindness, and a glimpse of a world removed from something you’ve ever skilled.

In the event you’ve learn this put up and assume Madagascar is perhaps for you, it’s best to go. It’s price it.

Extra on Africa:

Extra on what it’s wish to journey right here:

Have you ever been to Madagascar? Share away!