Madagascar
Madagascar is a planet within a planet. The world’s fourth largest island, sitting 250 miles off the southeast coast of Africa, broke away from the continent 160 million years ago and has been evolving in isolation ever since. The result is a biodiversity that is unmatched anywhere on Earth: over 90% of Madagascar’s wildlife is found nowhere else. Lemurs in over 100 species, from the tiny mouse lemur to the singing indri. Chameleons that range from smaller than your thumbnail to longer than your forearm. Baobab trees that look like they were planted upside down. It is genuinely unlike any other destination.
Madagascar is not an easy country to travel. The infrastructure is limited, roads can be challenging, and the distances between highlights are significant. But for travelers who are willing to embrace the adventure, the rewards are extraordinary. This is a place where you will see animals, plants, and landscapes that exist in no guidebook about anywhere else, because they simply do not exist anywhere else.
Where to Go
Andasibe Mantadia National Park, about four hours east of the capital Antananarivo, is the most accessible place to see lemurs. The indri, the largest living lemur, lives here, and its haunting, whale like call echoing through the misty forest at dawn is one of the most evocative sounds in the natural world. Night walks reveal chameleons, geckos, and mouse lemurs that are invisible during the day.
The Avenue of the Baobabs near Morondava on the west coast is Madagascar’s most iconic image: a dirt road lined with towering Grandidier’s baobab trees, some over 800 years old, silhouetted against spectacular sunsets. It is one of the most photographed landscapes in Africa.
Isalo National Park in the south is Madagascar’s answer to the American Southwest: sandstone canyons, natural swimming pools fed by waterfalls, and ring tailed lemurs sunning themselves on rocky outcrops. The hiking here is excellent and visually dramatic.
Nosy Be, an island off the northwest coast, is Madagascar’s beach destination, with warm water, coral reefs, and a more developed tourism infrastructure than the mainland. Whale sharks can be spotted offshore from September through December. Ile Sainte Marie on the east coast is the humpback whale capital of Madagascar, with mothers and calves visible from shore from July through September.
Where to Stay
Anjajavy le Lodge on the northwest coast is Madagascar’s most exclusive property, accessible only by charter flight, with a private reserve of dry forest, mangroves, and beaches. Mantadia Lodge near Andasibe is the most comfortable option for lemur trekking. Isalo Rock Lodge overlooking the national park offers modern comfort in a remote setting. On Nosy Be, Constance Tsarabanjina is a small luxury resort on a private island.
Let Us Plan Your Madagascar Trip
Madagascar is a destination for travelers who want to see something no one else has seen. The logistics are complex, with domestic flights, long drives, and limited accommodation options requiring advance planning. We will design a route that maximizes your wildlife encounters and minimizes the travel friction, because the lemurs, the baobabs, and the sheer uniqueness of this island are worth every effort to get there.
