Madagascar Tour Packages

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Catamaran In Madagascar 14 Nights Tour

Catamaran In Madagascar 14 Nights Tour

madagascar trip from india cost

Ultimate Madagascar Tour

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madagascar trip from india cost

Madagascar - Dreamy. Raw. Wild. Wonderful... See the spectacular sights of this unpolished gem with Dook The fun-filled scenes from ‘Madagascar’ – a popular Dreamworks movie that captured our hearts with awe and the comic lemur, King Julien, swinging to the beats and singing ‘I like to move it, move it’, surely did justice to why Madagascar is today famed as a dreamy island. Subsequently, the film's imagery of the rare bug-eyed lemurs, emerald-hued mountains and waves crashing at the exquisite beaches started to capture the traveller’s imagination in the same way Disney’s “The Lion King” sparked curiosity among the travellers looking forward to exploring the wild lands of Tanzania. The mere thought of idyllic Madagascar is enough to invoke the images of all things exotic and tropical. Though this island, on a world map, appears to be no more than a tiny fragment broken from the eastern flank of Africa, it is nearly the size of France or Texas and the third-largest in the world. Located off the east African coast and isolated in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar is truly a wonderland of biodiversity but majorly unexplored. The flora and fauna of Madagascar are incredibly unique due to its remote evolution - a nature haven as well as the cradle of endemic species and the only place on the planet to find a wide variety of lemurs in the wild. What is equally fascinating is an eclectic mix of otherworldly landscapes ranging from tropical jungles, crystal white beaches fringed by palm trees to Tsingy’s stone forests and spiky formations followed by the unmissable postcard settings of distinctively shaped Baobabs! Madagascar is only waiting for you to discover the treasures it holds. What is holding you back? Book the exciting Madagascar tour packages with us.   Capital: Antananarivo Languages: Malagasy and French. English is spoken by only a few people in the country Currency: Malagasy ariary Driving Side: Right Best Time to Travel: From April to mid-December

madagascar trip from india cost

Explore Madagascar Despite being endowed with an abundance of tourism assets, it remains way far off the tourist’s map, which also makes it the most ideal and reclusive break away from the routined hustles. Explore the unique and interesting island of Madagascar and you will be left with nothing but a sense of admiration. Home to numbers of endemic flora and fauna with a portfolio of the most peculiar and unique species like the lemurs, brilliantly coloured lizards including geckos and chameleons, spiny hedgehog-like creatures and the fossa, Madagascar truly makes for a perfect setting of any Dreamworks or Disney movie. Beginning your Madagascar tour in the city of Antananarivo is a perfect start; you can make your way to the stunning, rich with wildlife, Ranomafana National Park which shelters 12 lemur species as well 118 bird species. From here, you can head out to explore the distinctive landscapes of Isalo, where you can see spectacular canyons and go horseback riding. Nosy Be archipelago is another paradisiacal island where you can let your hair down and click some Instagram worthy pictures because the backdrops here are to die for! Do not miss Île Sainte Marie, an island full of tiny bays, beaches, appetising seafood and a laid-back vibe like no other. It is also a great place to go snorkelling and watch the whales in action! Further moving to the south, explore the forested trails and the spectacular palm-fringed beaches adorning the coastline and finish off the journey by surrendering to absolute serenity and seclusion. These are just the bits of what this captivating island has to offer. Take an in-depth journey with our bespoke Madagascar Holiday Packages and learn what makes it such an incredible place to visit! Attractions on the ‘wander-list’: 1. Antananarivo: The lesser-explored ‘city of thousands’ Vibrant and energetic, chaotic yet delightful, Antananarivo , the capital city of Madagascar dwells in a commanding position, being built on a series of hills and with an urban framework. The city has grown from a palace-land where once the kings lived to today’s modern-day Tana (usually termed by its informal shorthand) that now sprawls across the hills and has become the economic powerhouse of the country. It is mentioned as “the city of thousands”, referring to 1000 treasures to discover and is a rich journey ideal for the young and the old, the solo trippers and families and even for the honeymooners. While the history fanatics may opt for a route to the royal palaces or historical sites to soak up the history of the capital and take a closer look into Malagasy culture, the wildlife enthusiasts, on the other hand, will relish every moment spent discovering the endemic animals of the Tsimbazaza Park or Lemur’s Park of Mandraka. The surrounding areas of the capital also allow you to practice a variety of outdoor activities such as canoeing, horseback riding, tree climbing or trekking in mountains. What further adds to the lively flavour of the city is its food; the scrumptious local cuisines justify the richness of Malagasy gastronomy. Also, when you head back or onward to your destination, do not forget to carry a stash of vanilla beans and spices like pink and white pepper that abound the main local markets of Antananarivo.

madagascar trip from india cost

2. Morondava: Gateway to Avenue of the Baobabs and more A sun-drenched laid-back town on the coast of West Madagascar with beautifully remote beaches, swaying palm trees, small and snugly wooden houses, sprawling coves and rivers teeming with life- Morondava should be a ‘must explore destination in your Madagascar tour package . Though it’s not a relatively touristy town, this peaceful seaside settlement is a famed gateway to the most iconic nearby attractions like Allée des Baobabs or Avenue of the Baobabs and the national park of Tsingy de Bemaraha and the Kirindy. Morondava and the iconic Baobab trees are inevitably linked. You can find 7 out of 8 species of Baobab trees in the world in Madagascar and the Menabe region, including Morondava, is home to 3 of these species. Morondava, therefore, is one of the few places where the Baobabs are unobstructed by surrounding forests, providing means for some stunning photographs captured against silhouettes of the colour-changing sky. While exploring the region’s great nature reserves is for the more curious travellers, those looking for a relaxing beach break will find a range of accommodation and restaurants lining the boulevard that runs along Nosy Kely Peninsula. Moreover, a planned excursion to Belo-sur-Mer, a little fisherman village will never be a bad idea as the beaches here are wonderful and the people so welcoming. A valuable tip before you visit the village - do carry along some sweets for the children as when they are offered the same, their generous smiles are more comforting than a formal thank you. 3. Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park: The naturally wealthy marvel of Madagascar The karstic landscapes, mangrove swamps, uplands cut into impressive 'tsingy' peaks and the undisturbed forests of limestone needles wrapped around by spectacular canyons and Manambolo River flowing at the foothills. All this and more describe the sheer diversity of Tsingy de Bemaraha’s landscape which is fair enough to give goosebumps to its visitors because unquestionably, it's a jaw-dropping beauty.   Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990, the gigantic grey rock pinnacles here called tsingy, are one of the most spectacular sights in Madagascar. The name ‘tsingy’ makes sense after you see the spiky nature of the multiple surroundings around the park, marked by a labyrinth forest of gigantic limestone needles. These were formed from decades of erosion creating a dense network of crevasses, rifts and canyons. Due to its distinctiveness and abundance of natural wealth, the park was classified as a UNESCO site. But while these formations are remarkable and worth mentioning, they also offer habitation to various endemic species of plants and animals. If you like lemurs, you will never fall short of sighting options here as the park comprises around 11 incredible species including the fat-tailed dwarf lemur, Cleese’s woolly lemur, grey mouse lemur, decken’s sifaka, red-fronted brown lemur and more. The Madagascar iguana and the native long-tailed skink are among the notable reptiles found in the national park. A lot of bird species and around 900 native plants can also be sighted at the park. You can take short hiking tours around the park; wander around with ease taking pictures or just go on an exploration tour in pirogue through the rivers that border steep gorges and the sharp spikes of the tsingy.

4. Nosy Be archipelago: Serenity sprinkled across the coasts Sitting off the northwest coast of Madagascar, Nosy Be archipelago has become a tempting tropical beach destination for travellers from around the world. But despite the popularity of its silky white sand beaches, amazing coral reefs and calm waters, the islands of Nosy Be remain unfussy and laid-back. The mind-calming visuals of the pirogues lying deserted on the sand, sunlight liberally drenching the beaches during the day and dusk and the dhows floating past off the shore are quite common here. The island covers an extensive area of 300 km² with eleven volcanic crater lakes and beautiful beaches where many luxury resorts sit quietly along its coastline while the abundant adventure activities steal the show here. Adding thrill to your ultimate beach holiday, the beaches in the archipelago host water sports like scuba diving and snorkelling. For an ideal deserted island experience, there are various tiny, secluded islands in the vicinity such as Nosy Komba, Nosy Mitsio, Nosy Sakatia and Nosy Tanikely. The islands let you hike through the lush rainforest and offer the opportunity to explore the exceptional fauna and flora of Madagascar including the sanctuaries providing shelter to Mada’s favourite bug-eyed lemurs and chameleons. While some may choose to do the island hopping through a Dhow safari, others may opt for a quad excursion to discover the nearby attractions. Whatever is your reason to explore, the archipelago and its islands are full of little discoveries that lure you to visit at least once in a lifetime! This sample itinerary from one of our popular Madagascar Tour Packages is hand-stitched with the finest of serene experiences as we make sure you have a beach holiday of a lifetime! 5. Ranomafana National Park: The abode of lemurs A listed UNESCO World Heritage Site located on a gorgeous tropical island of Madagascar, Ranomafana National Park also called Parc National de Ranomafana is one of the most bio-diverse areas in the country and amongst the best kept natural marvels. Sitting at a high altitude but surprisingly accessible, the landscape of the park consists of thick drapes of lush rainforest with powerful rivers flowing through. Adding to the splendour is a rare portfolio of wildlife and almost over 100 different species of birds dwelling within the park. It is home to 12 lemur species, including the highly endangered but locally common Golden bamboo lemur. Other rare species’ sightings include the red-bellied lemur, eastern grey bamboo lemur, red-fronted brown lemur, greater bamboo lemur and more. Look out for a variety of bats, tenrecs, giraffe-necked weevil, striped civets, mongooses, colourful lizards and other creatures great and small peppering the landscape and you are sure to get enthralled. Ranomafana draws thousands of people each year to its misty forest reaches, crisscrossed by the hiking track, where they walk past the roaring waterfalls while encountering the wildlife swarming the untamed lands of the park and finding peace in the melodious calls of birds. If this isn’t giving you the thrill chills, what else will! Top Bucket List Experiences   1. Stroll down the iconic Avenue of the Baobabs Where sunsets are truly magic to the eyes, where the real emblem of Malagasy flora- the baobabs pierce through the sky, where the laid-back vibes of the calm environs hold you in-this majestic place is called The Avenue of The Baobabs. It is truly one of those places that are better in real life than in any picture! One of the legendary and the most photographed landmarks in Madagascar, this alley of the baobabs stretches along a 260 m road, where these majestic trees stand impressively tall, basking in the exclusivity of their species found nowhere else on Earth. While watching the most famous Baobab tree of Madagascar, the Adansonia Grandidieiri stays atop as the key highlight; seeing and getting photographed with the baobabs of love and stargazing at night through the baobabs are another few favourite experiences that are well worth the travel time. 2. Stopover at the lesser-visited abode of the wildlife - Amber National Park Amber Mountain National Park was Madagascar's first national park - established in 1958 and is mostly known for its crater lakes and waterfalls. It takes its name from the ‘resin’ that is found growing on the local trees and is used by the Malagasy people for medicinal purposes. Snuggled near the northern edge of the country, this mountainous park rises out of the drier surrounding landscape but has a cool climate and some fantastically diverse backdrops. Though the park seems to have plenty of natural marvels like waterfalls, volcanic lakes and rainforests, it also houses rare wildlife species like the bookesia micra chameleon which is the world’s smallest chameleon and can be seen at Amber Mountain National Park. Visitors here can opt to go out on a beautiful walking trail winding their way past the waterfalls or stay closer to the wildlife by booking the camps or lodges available within/ near the park.   3. A remarkable rendezvous with the whales of Madagascar Every year, from June to September, the humpback whales, arriving by the hundreds, migrate from the waters of the South Pole, off the northeast coast of the country to breed and give birth. The whales remain close to the Ile Sainte Marie for four months - the time taken for the calves to grow up. In the meantime, you can go onboard in small groups to observe these impressive mammals gliding effortlessly through the blues, slapping their tails, striking the fins and rising out of water. And if you are the one in a luckier lot, you will perhaps be able to see the moving birth of a calf or his first life lesson with the mommy whale. While Ile St. Marie off the eastern coast of Madagascar is the perfect hub for spotting the humpback whales from June to September, Nosy Be and Tsarabanjina on the western side offer some spectacular spotting opportunities from August to November. Keen whale spotters are in for a true delight as a unique rendezvous experience awaits them! 4. Explore the little-known piece of paradise- Ifaty   Ifaty, located on the southwest coast of Madagascar offers a perfect melange of marine and beach life. Although it’s quite low key and simpler than any other beach destination in the country, the opportunity for snorkelling in the coral reef patches near the barrier reef is a delightful experience.   Ifaty is around 25km north of Tuléar and comprises two small fishing villages-Mangily and Madio Rano. Between these villages, you will find plenty of resorts to choose from, making it an ideal beach destination to unwind after you’ve had active trekking and wildlife excursions on other parts of the island. Additionally, short excursions to Mangrove forests, shore caves and birding trips nearby are also feasible. With a range of activities, from diving, whale watching, surfing to sailing on a pirogue, from taking in the local life to relaxing on the unusually quiet beaches; you will never run out of options here!   5. Experience the extraordinary in Madagascar with Dook Travel Packages Madagascar is the stage to the finest of the wild, bizarre but oh-so dreamy landscapes. Whether it’s the unexplored rare riches, the unique geological rock formations, never-seen-before wildlife including the rare lemurs, the untouched beaches or winding fishing villages worth exploring, a Madagascar trip booked with Dook lets you into a new world of extraordinary discoveries!

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Find info about flight duration, direct flights, and airports for your flight from india to madagascar, how to get the cheapest flight ticket from india to madagascar, look no further. we've gone through all the searches for this route on momondo so you have the important information and insights to find the cheapest flight ticket for your trip, what is the cheapest airline that flies to madagascar from india, air mauritius. air mauritius, emirates, and ethiopian air are the most popular carriers operating from india to madagascar, what is the cheapest india to madagascar flight route, mumbai chhatrapati shivaji intl - antananarivo. fly from mumbai chhatrapati shivaji intl to antananarivo for the best india - madagascar flight prices, easily compare return flights from india to madagascar, below you can see the best fares for your return flight route over the next six months. all fares were found on momondo this week. browse the quickest and cheapest flights from india to madagascar by changing tabs, find the cheapest one-way flights from india to madagascar, if you're looking for one-way flights from india to madagascar, view some of our deals below provided by air mauritius, ethiopian air and kenya airways, best airlines flying from india to madagascar, compare and see reviews for airlines that fly from india to madagascar with momondo, ethiopian air flights from india to madagascar, our best ethiopian air deals on india to madagascar flight tickets, kenya airways flights from india to madagascar, our best kenya airways deals on india to madagascar flight tickets, when did momondo last update prices for flights from india to madagascar.

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The minimum age for a child to fly alone is five, but airlines offering an unaccompanied minor (UNMR) service may have their age restrictions, such as regulations concerning flight duration, timing, and layovers. It is recommended that you verify with the airline you are booking with for travel from India to Madagascar.

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The travel and health documents you'll need for your trip to Madagascar may differ based on your itinerary and personal situation. Typically, you should have several documents on hand, such as a national ID card or driver's license and a passport that is valid for six months after your intended arrival at Madagascar. It is always advisable to seek advice from your airline or a trusted third party, such as IATA.

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Finding the right flight to Madagascar from India is quick and easy when you have a range of options in front of you, from reputable agents and recognisable airlines. Options that can then be filtered down to find the best fit. That is what momondo does. We make finding flights to Madagascar quick and easy, saving you time and money.

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Madagascar Travel Guide

Last Updated: September 2, 2023

Locals with a cart standing near massive baobab trees in beautiful Madagascar, Africa

Madagascar, a country famed for its lemurs, massive baobab trees, birding, and jungles, offers visitors a rich playground to explore .

I was enthralled by the country’s beauty during my visit. There are sweeping canyons and gorges, grand waterfalls, and a diverse landscape that spans the entire island. One day you’re in a tropical jungle, the next you’re in an arid plain, and a few hours later you’re on a pristine beach. The scenery here is unlike any other destination I’ve been to. Plus, there really are a seemingly endless variety of cute lemurs!

Located 400 kilometers (250 miles) off the eastern coast of Africa, Madagascar is nearly the size of France and is the fourth largest in the world. It has a population of over 20 million but sees only 300,000 tourists a year.

While traveling Madagascar is challenging , it’s also incredibly rewarding. The travel trail here isn’t well-worn, which means visitors get a much more rugged, unique experience.

This Madagascar travel guide will help you plan the trip of a lifetime, save money, and ensure you make the most of your time in this off-the-beaten-path destination.

Table of Contents

  • Things to See and Do
  • Typical Costs
  • Suggested Budget
  • Money-Saving Tips
  • Where to Stay
  • How to Get Around
  • How to Stay Safe
  • Best Places to Book Your Trip
  • Related Blogs on Madagascar

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Madagascar

A wide-eyed lemur in a tree, staring at the camera in Madagascar, Africa

1. See the Avenue of the Baobab

Baobab trees are massive trees that can grow 30 meters (98 feet) tall, 11 meters (36 feet) wide, live up to 1,000 years, and are completely unique to Madagascar. While the trees can be found throughout the country, this road lined with them is one of the most iconic images of Madagascar .

2. Visit Tsingy

This park, near the western coast, is really two parks: Great Tsingy and Little Tsingy. It’s not an easy place to visit (it takes a full day via 4WD on very rough terrain to get here) but the views are worth it. The rock formations here are amazing and otherworldly. Admission is 55,000 MGA.

3. Explore Isalo National Park

Featuring multiple rugged hiking trails, cliffs, ravines, gorges, canyons, and plentiful fauna, this Westworld-like park blew me away. You are required to hire a guide before you explore though (they are found at the entrance). Admission is 65,000 MGA and guides cost between 80,000-100,000 MGA.

4. Relax at Nosy Be

Nosy Be is the place to go for Madagascar’s trademark beaches. Located 8 kilometers (5 miles) off the coast, this small island is home to white-sand beaches, expensive restaurants, and upscale resorts. Beach parties erupt each Sunday and there’s some amazing snorkeling, diving, fishing, and whale watching.

5. Explore Lemur Island

Lemur Island is a wildlife refuge that has four species of lemurs that have been rescued from being pets. They are also released back into their natural habitat when ready. If for some reason they can’t make it alone in the wild, they stay in the park. Admission is 12,000 MGA.

Other Things to See and Do in Madagascar

1. relax at île sainte marie.

While everyone goes to Nosy Be for the fancier resorts, if you want something a little more local, cheaper, and more relaxed, check out Île Sainte Marie. Located off the eastern coast, this former pirate capital (the 17th-century pirate Captain Kidd’s ship sank nearby) is a funky, relaxed island full of little coves, a pirate graveyard, and delicious seafood. The beaches aren’t as good as Nosy Be but there’s a beautiful white-sand beach in the south of the island that few people visit. This is also the best part of the country for whale watching. Round-trip flights here cost around 810,000 MGA. (Don’t take the boat, it’s slow and terribly inconvenient).

2. See Ranomafana National Park

This is one of the best spots in the country to see lemurs as it’s home to twelve different species of them. Besides lemurs, there are the famous giraffe beetles as well as lots of birds, chameleons, over 130 species of frogs, and other wildlife to see. Of the multiple trails available, I would do the morning hike, then the afternoon and night hikes at the secondary entrance (a guide is required for these). The majority of tours skip the latter hikes, so if you do them, you’ll get more of the park to yourself. Due to the park’s popularity, there’s a daily limit on the number of people who can visit so it’s best to go in the low season. Admission is 22,000 MGA per day and guides cost between 80,000-120,000 MGA.

3. Visit Toliara

This small west-coast town is famous for its expats, pizza (a seriously popular dish in the country), and for being a launching pad for diving excursions to the Great Reef offshore. There’s not much else to do except sit by the beach and relax. Driving here on the N7 (the only north-south highway) is also pretty amazing as you can take in Ranomafana National Park, Isalo National Park, and other stunning vistas along the way! A single dive costs 180,000 MGA.

4. Explore Antananarivo

The capital of Madagascar, known as Tana for short, it’s a gritty city with terrible traffic — but there’s a lot of history and culture here that make a short visit worthwhile. See the lemur park and the Rova (the old palace), get a sense of the international scene in the city and use it as your launching pad for stops further afield.

5. Try zebu

Zebu is a type of cow with a large hump on its back. It’s more of a work animal, like an ox, and you’ll see them all over the country (they are even used as dowries in weddings). It’s the only kind of beef here, and it is always on the menu (along with healthy portions of rice). The meat is really tough (thanks to all the work the animals do in the fields) and so it’s best in a stew. Be sure to try it while you’re here!

6. Drive the N5

Heading north along the east coast from Toamasina to Maroantsetra, this road — and I use the word “road” loosely — is a potholed-filled expedition through some of the rawest and most pristine areas of Madagascar. It’s also your best chance to see the famous aye-aye lemur (which kind of looks like a possum). The road weaves through dense jungle, across rivers, and through tiny towns in one of the most undeveloped parts of the country. Stretching 400 kilometers (250 miles), Route Nationale 5 (N5) is arguably the worst road (in terms of its condition) in the country. Many sections are often impassable so budget lots of time to drive it (they say it takes over 24 hours to drive the entire “road”).

7. Go whale watching

Between June and November more than 7,000 humpback whales migrate from Antarctica to Madagascar to breed, meaning the whale watching here is some of the best in the world. While we were taking the boat to Île Sainte Marie, we saw a couple breach the water and it was absolutely stunning to see. Plus, with so few tourists here, you aren’t stuck in a horde of boats vying for a photo. Adult humpback whales grow up to 16 meters (52 feet) and weigh over 30 metric tons (66,000 lbs.). You can also see the less-common Omura whale (dwarf fin whale) around Madagascar as well. Tours cost 135,000 MGA.

8. Enjoy Mantadia National Park

Located 160 kilometers (100 miles) east of the capital, Mantadia National Park is a protected area spanning 155 square kilometers (60 square miles). It’s home to 14 species of lemurs as well as over 115 types of birds and 84 kinds of amphibians — many of which are endangered. The landscape is a stunning mix of old-growth forest and rainforest, and you’ll see lemurs almost everywhere you go! Admission is 45,000 MGA and the required local guide is 60,000-80,000 MGA. There are also lodges in the park where you can stay overnight for 57,000 MGA per night.

9. Visit Lokobe National Park

Situated on the southeastern tip of Nosy Be, Lokobe National Park is one of the Sambirano region’s only remaining forests. Black lemurs, panther chameleons, and several endemic species of birds all make their home here. To get to Lokobe National Park, you’ll need to take one of the park’s pirogues (rowboat) from Nosy Be, which takes roughly 20-40 minutes. Admission is 55,000 MGA. Lokobe is one of the few national parks in Madagascar where a local guide is not needed.

10. Relax on Nosy Mangabe

Nestled deep between the coastal hills of Helodrano Antongila Bay as it carves its way inland on the north-eastern edge of Madagascar, this small island is famed for its booming populations of bug-eyed aye-aye lemurs. Huge fig trees wrangle around groves of palms, ruffed lemurs meet Mantella frogs in the undergrowth, and the green hills crash down into secluded bays of bright yellow sand. It’s a stunning landscape to say the least. Boats to the island and all the necessary permits are available in Maroantsetra. Admission is 45,000 MGA.

11. Visit Ambohimanga

The sacred royal hill of Ambohimanga, located 24 kilometers (15 miles) from the capital, was the one-time home of the country’s kings and the modern country’s first capital. Expanded throughout the 1700s, the walled complex contains a mound of palaces and burial grounds, crumbling fortifications, and regal tombs. King Andrianampoinimerina launched his now-famed campaigns to reunify the country from here, following more than seven decades of civil war in the 18th century. Admission is 10,000 MGA and you can also get a guide to show you around for free (just be sure to tip them).

12. Go to Antsirabe

Perched high up in the Central Highlands, Antsirabe is the third-largest city in Madagascar and the premier destination for the French who came here during the height of colonialism. They built elegant Parisian-style mansions, raised Gothic cathedrals, and laid wide boulevards with plane trees casting shade. The dusty city retains some of that charm and is one of the most aesthetically pleasing cities in the country. Antsirabe, a name that means “place of much salt” in Malagasy, is home to multiple natural thermal springs, making it a popular healing retreat. It’s also one of the best food spots in the country.

Madagascar Travel Costs

People walking down a busy street in a small town in Madagascar, Africa

Accommodation – There are only a few hostels in the entire country and a bed in a dorm costs around 35,000 MGA, though sometimes you can find beds for as low as 20,000 MGA. For a private room, expect to pay at least 50,000 MGA. Free Wi-Fi and self-catering facilities are standard, though free breakfast is not.

Camping is available around some of the national parks. Wild camping is not recommended.

Budget hotels start at 60,000 MGA per night for a twin or double with a shared bathroom. For a room with a private bathroom in a hotel with more amenities (such as a pool), expect to spend at least 75,000 MGA per night. Free Wi-Fi is common but not included everywhere. A few hotels also offer free breakfast.

Airbnb is available around the country in larger towns and cities. You can find private rooms for 48,000 MGA per night and entire homes/apartments for around 100,000 MGA per night.

Food – Malagasy cuisine reflects the trading and colonial history of the island, with French, Southeast Asian, African, and Middle Eastern flavors all making their way into the country’s dishes. Tomato, ginger, turmeric, garlic, and onion are the commonly used spices in Malagasy cuisine.

Food in Madagascar is based around the country’s main staple: rice, usually accompanied by seafood or zebu. Rice is so central to food here that the Malagasy term for “to eat a meal” literally means “to eat rice.” Any side that comes with rice is called laoka . Some examples of sides include tomato salsa, stewed leafy vegetables, or beans.

Since zebu is quite tough, it’s often stewed (which is the best way to have it in my opinion), such as in romazava , which contains braised meat, tomato, garlic, ginger, and anamalao flowers, and is often considered the national dish.

Beef or prawn skewers are another common offering. For food on the go, be sure to try the nem (spring rolls) and mofo (fritters). They are cheap (usually around 50-200 MGA) and delicious!

Dining out is very inexpensive here. For a meal of traditional cuisine at a casual sit-down restaurant, expect to pay around 7,700 MGA.

Meals at restaurants that cater to tourists are the most expensive, offering Italian food or crepes for 25,000-28,000 MGA for a meal with a drink. For a pizza (which you can find almost everywhere), prices start at 10,000-15,000 MGA. A fast-food combo meal costs 20,000 MGA.

A beer costs 3,000 MGA while a latte or cappuccino costs 4,500 MGA. Bottled water is 1,500 MGA.

Cooking your own food won’t really save you any money since restaurants here are so cheap. However, if you do want to buy your own food, expect to pay around 77,000 for a week’s worth of groceries including staples like rice, pasta, seasonal produce, and some meat.

Backpacking Madagascar Suggested Budgets

On a backpacking budget of 110,000 MGA per day, you can stay in hostels, take shared or self-guided excursions, take buses between destinations, enjoy a couple of beers, eat street food for all your meals, and do mostly free activities like hiking and enjoying the beach.

On a mid-range budget of 240,000 MGA per day, you can stay in a private hostel room or Airbnb, take some guided tours, visit some islands and national parks (with the required guides), eat out at traditional Malagasy restaurants for all your meals, drink more, and take minibusses between cities.

On a “luxury” budget of 575,000 MGA per day, you can stay in a hotel, eat out at any restaurant, hire private drivers, do as many excursions as you want, and take taxis everywhere. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in MGA.

Madagascar Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Looking to save money while you’re traveling Madagascar? Here are some of the best ways to save money during your trip:

  • Travel during the off-season – Flights to Madagascar are cheapest during the low season (October-April). While it’s not the most ideal time to visit, your flight is your biggest expense (assuming you’re not booking a multi-day tour). Visiting during the shoulder season can go a long way to saving you money.
  • Take local minibusses – When traveling between towns, take public minibusses. Fares are 20,000-50,000 MGA. Exercise patience, as you’ll rarely show up to your destination on time — but you’ll save money over hiring a driver and they are better than the regular bus.
  • Skip the car rental – Car rentals cost the same as renting a car and driver. Skip going solo and hire a driver — they’ll not only be more familiar with the driving conditions but most drivers know a lot about the country and landscape too.
  • Avoid the hotel restaurants – Food at hotels is cheap, however, it’s usually double the price of a restaurant elsewhere in the city.
  • Get a local SIM card – Local SIM cards cost 4,000 MGA, and around 30,000 MGA per gig of data. A local SIM is much cheaper than your data plan from home.
  • Bring a reusable water bottle – The tap water in Madagascar is not safe for drinking. Avoid single-use plastic by bringing a bottle and filter like LifeStraw . You’ll save money, stay safe, and help the environment!

Where to Stay in Madagascar

Hostels are few and far between in Madagascar. Here are some suggested budget-friendly options in the country:

  • Madagascar Underground (Antananarivo)
  • Le Karthala (Antananarivo)
  • Coucher de Soleil (Nosy Be)

How to Get Around Madagascar

The dramatic bright red canyons of Tsingy Rouge National Park in Madagascar, Africa

Tours – Multiday tours are the most common way to get around Madagascar. It’s a hard destination to navigate on your own, especially if you don’t want to hire a driver or speak a lot of French. Tours are the most popular choice for anyone looking to experience the country. I met travelers of all ages on my tour with Intrepid Travel .

Tours usually range from 11-24 days. A 14-day tour is around 9,000,000-17,000,000 MGA.

Bus – Buses here are slow, crowded, and unreliable. They don’t leave on a set schedule and often break down due to the terrible road conditions. However, they are the most affordable and best option to get around.

The 350-kilometer (217-mile) journey from Antananarivo to Toamasina takes around 7 hours and costs 30,000 while the 570-kilometer (355-mile) trip from Antananarivo to Mahajanga takes 12 hours and costs 40,000 MGA.

For shorter distances, most minibusses cost between 10,000-20,000 MGA.

Air – There’s only one domestic airline here (Air Madagascar and its subsidiary Tsaradia) and one-way tickets cost at least 350,000 MGA. If you’re on a budget, flying isn’t feasible.

Additionally, flights run on limited schedules, and flights are often canceled without notice, so make sure your plans are flexible if you’re flying.

Train – The train is only available between Fianarantsoa and Manakara. It’s a 300-kilometer (186 mile) trip and it usually takes around 10 hours (often much longer due to dilapidated railway lines and trains). Tickets are 70,000 MGA.

Car Rental – Car rentals can be found for around 280,000 MGA per day. However, it’s uncommon that rental agencies rent cars without a driver. Having a driver is recommended since the roads here are quite challenging and you’ll need a local to help in case anything goes wrong. I’d avoid driving here as the roads are hectic and in poor condition.

When to Go to Madagascar

April-December is the best time to visit Madagascar. You’ll avoid the rainy season as well as the cyclones that often occur. This is the most popular time to visit, however, Madagascar doesn’t see a huge influx of tourists so it doesn’t really get crowded here.

July-September is the best time to see the migrating humpback whales, while October and November are best for seeing baby lemurs. If you want to beat the “crowds” then visit in April, right at the end of the rainy season. It won’t be as hot, but the jungles will be lush and the beaches quiet.

Expect temperatures around 21-24°C (70-75°F) during the peak months of June-August.

How to Stay Safe in Madagascar

Madagascar is a relatively safe country, however, due to the extreme poverty here theft can occur. Don’t flash money or valuables and keep an eye on your belongings if taking a bus or if in large crowds. Keep your wallet and phone secure at all times, just to be safe.

While most cities and towns are safe, avoid walking around at night in Antananarivo.

Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here, though some precautions apply (avoid walking around alone at night, never accept drinks from strangers, dress appropriately so you blend in, etc.).

The roads here are terrible and accidents are common. Always wear your seatbelt (if you have one).

If exploring a city or rural area and you come across wild dogs, act with caution and don’t provoke them.

There are a lot of beggars here, especially kids, and you have to just keep saying no and walking away. Be polite but firm.

There aren’t many common scams here, but if you want to learn which to be on the lookout for, here are some common travel scams to avoid .

As always, keep your wits about you at nighttime, particularly in the capital. Ask your hotel to call you a taxi if you need one (always negotiate the price before getting in the car). Your hotel/hostel staff can write down directions and help you with the fare estimate so you don’t get ripped off.

If you do experience an emergency, dial 117 for assistance.

Always trust your gut instinct. Avoid isolated areas at night, and be aware of your surroundings at all times. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID, before you leave on your trip. Forward your itinerary along to loved ones so they’ll know where you are.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past.

Madagascar Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

  • Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
  • Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
  • Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
  • Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
  • SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
  • LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
  • Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
  • Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!

Madagascar Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on backpacking/traveling in Madagascar and continue planning your trip:

A Journey Through Madagascar: Notes on the Privilege of Travel

A Journey Through Madagascar: Notes on the Privilege of Travel

How to Travel Around Madagascar

How to Travel Around Madagascar

The Top Things to See and Do in Madagascar

The Top Things to See and Do in Madagascar

30 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar

30 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar

Get my best stuff sent straight to you, pin it on pinterest.

  • Where To Stay
  • Transportation
  • Booking Resources
  • Related Blogs
  • Travel Planning Guide

Madagascar Travel Budget - Visit Madagascar on a Budget or Travel in Style

  • Madagascar Costs

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  • Is Madagascar Expensive?
  • How much does a trip to Madagascar cost?
  • Antsiranana
  • Antananarivo
  • Madagascar Hotel Prices
  • Madagascar Cities: Hotel Prices by City
  • Best Business Hotels in Madagascar
  • Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in Madagascar
  • Best Cheap Hotels in Madagascar
  • Best Luxury Hotels in Madagascar
  • Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in Madagascar
  • Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Madagascar
  • Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Madagascar
  • Best Hotels for One Night in Madagascar
  • Best Hotels for One Week in Madagascar
  • Best Hotels for Scuba Diving in Madagascar
  • Hostel Prices & Reviews
  • Madagascar Tour Prices
  • The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Madagascar
  • The Best Wildlife Tours to Madagascar
  • The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best Historical Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best 10-Day Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best 3-Day Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best 2-Week Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best 3-Week Tours in Madagascar
  • Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Madagascar
  • The Best Christmas & New Years Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best Adventure Tours to Madagascar
  • The Best Eco Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best Sightseeing Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best Cultural Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Madagascar
  • The Best Safaris in Madagascar
  • The Best Honeymoon Tours in Madagascar
  • The Best Budget Tours to Madagascar
  • The Best Tours for Seniors to Madagascar
  • How much does it cost to travel to Madagascar? (Average Daily Cost)
  • Madagascar trip costs: one week, two weeks, one month

How much do package tours cost in Madagascar?

Is madagascar expensive to visit.

  • How much do I need for a trip to Madagascar?
  • Accommodation, Food, Entertainment, and Transportation Costs
  • Travel Guide

How much does it cost to travel to Madagascar?

You should plan to spend around $83 (MGA374,822) per day on your vacation in Madagascar. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

  • $30 (MGA137,037) on meals
  • $14 (MGA62,509) on local transportation
  • $70 (MGA314,697) on hotels

A one week trip to Madagascar for two people costs, on average, $1,159 (MGA5,247,509) . This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

  • Travel Style: All Budget (Cheap) Mid-Range Luxury (High-End)
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day $ 83 MGA 374,822
  • One Week Per person $ 579 MGA 2,623,755
  • 2 Weeks Per person $ 1,159 MGA 5,247,509
  • One Month Per person $ 2,484 MGA 11,244,663
  • One Week For a couple $ 1,159 MGA 5,247,509
  • 2 Weeks For a couple $ 2,318 MGA 10,495,019
  • One Month For a couple $ 4,967 MGA 22,489,326

How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to Madagascar cost?

A one week trip to Madagascar usually costs around $579 (MGA2,623,755) for one person and $1,159 (MGA5,247,509) for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to Madagascar on average costs around $1,159 (MGA5,247,509) for one person and $2,318 (MGA10,495,019) for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Madagascar will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to Madagascar on average costs around $2,484 (MGA11,244,663) for one person and $4,967 (MGA22,489,326) for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.

Organized tours are usually more expensive than independent travel, but offer convenience and peace of mind that your trip has been planned by a travel expert.

The average price for an organized tour package in Madagascar is $276 per day. While every tour varies by total price, length, number of destinations, and quality, this is the daily average price based on our analysis of available guided tours.

  • Discover the Unique in Madagascar - Lemurs, Baobabs, Tsingy 14 Days - 5 Destinations $ 2,792
  • 15 Days Details Madagascar ( Comfort) 15 Days - 10 Destinations $ 4,063

Independent Travel

Traveling Independently has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.

All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.

Madagascar is a reasonably affordable destination to visit. It is in the top 25% of countries in the world for its affordability . If you're traveling on a budget, then this is a good destination with affordable accommodation, food, and transportation.

Within Africa, Madagascar is moderately priced compared to the other countries. The overall cost of travel here is comparable to Namibia or South Africa.

For more details, see Is Madagascar Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to Madagascar?

The average Madagascar trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Madagascar travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.

Accommodation Budget in Madagascar

Average daily costs.

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Madagascar is $35 (MGA157,348). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Madagascar is $70 (MGA314,697). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.

  • Accommodation 1 Hotel or hostel for one person $ 35 MGA 157,348
  • Accommodation 1 Typical double-occupancy room $ 70 MGA 314,697

Hotel Prices in Madagascar

Looking for a hotel in Madagascar? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Kayak

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

Actual Hotel Prices The average hotel room price in Madagascar based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $61. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.

Recommended Properties

  • Hotel Vanivola Budget Hotel - Kayak $ 57
  • Carlton Madagascar Luxury Hotel - Kayak $ 103

Local Transportation Budget in Madagascar

The cost of a taxi ride in Madagascar is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $14 (MGA62,509) per person, per day, on local transportation in Madagascar.

  • Local Transportation 1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc. $ 14 MGA 62,509

Recommended Services

  • Private Transfer: Madagascar Antananarivo - Antananarivo Airport Viator $ 47
  • Private Airport Transfert Ivato Antananarivo Get Your Guide $ 63

Food Budget in Madagascar

While meal prices in Madagascar can vary, the average cost of food in Madagascar is $30 (MGA137,037) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Madagascar should cost around $12 (MGA54,815) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Madagascar is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.

  • Food 2 Meals for one day $ 30 MGA 137,037

Recommended

  • Street food and Cooking class tour in Antananarivo Viator $ 111
  • Cooking And Cuisine Tasting From Tana-Malagasy Fine Foodie Madagascar Tour Viator $ 245

Entertainment Budget in Madagascar

Entertainment and activities in Madagascar typically cost an average of $18 (MGA79,458) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.

  • Entertainment 1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc. $ 18 MGA 79,458

Recommended Activities

  • Private Custom Walking Tour with a Local Guide in Antananarivo Viator $ 35
  • Private Guided Day Tour to Nosy Iranja Natural Island Viator $ 89

Alcohol Budget in Madagascar

The average person spends about $9.25 (MGA41,903) on alcoholic beverages in Madagascar per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.

  • Alcohol 2 Drinks for one day $ 9.25 MGA 41,903

Related Articles

Madagascar on a budget.

Madagascar

At A Glance

  • Air Madagascar is the dominant airline in the country. A variety of domestic flights are available. Internal flights are a good option because the roads on the island are in very poor condition. Flight schedules change frequently so do check the status of your flight in advance.
  • Train is a slow and uncomfortable way to travel, but it does offer some excellent views of the countryside. It is also a cheap way to travel, but if you hope to get a 2nd class ticket, make sure you arrive early as they sell out quickly and advanced booking is not an option.
  • Biking in Madagascar is a great way to explore the island. There is very little traffic so it is possible to cruise along safely down the road. You can stay in the many small towns and villages and really get a feel for the countryside. You will likely need to camp during some of your trip. Basic guesthouses may also be an option. The roads are in very poor condition so you must have a mountain bike or heavy duty tourer. Rainy season is also tricky, particularly on the east coast where the main north-south road may become impassable.
  • Remarkably, almost the entire island of Madagascar speaks one language, Malagasy. Although most people speak this language, there are many different dialects, but the Merina dialect is considered "official Malagasy". French is the official second language of Madagascar. It is frequently used in business interactions but not everyone on the island speaks it proficiently. Some workers in the tourism industry also speak basic English.
  • There are a handful of outdoor and water sports you can enjoy in Madagascar. These include windsurfing, guided kayaking, deep sea fishing and diving. Windsurfing is best done between April and November.

Top Tourist Attractions

Popular foods.

We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works .

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Madagascar Travel: 33 Things You Need to Know Before You Go

travel in Madagascar, what you need to know

33 tips that will help you travel in Madagascar and make your time in this unique country so much more enjoyable. 

Table of Contents

These travel tips are aimed to help you prepare for an unforgettable journey to this bizarre “ Red Island !” Written by an adventurer who’s spent more than a year in Madagascar, it’s the real deal. 

The 33 recommendations below ( in violet ) are divided into 11 main sections ( in green ). This will make it easier for you to find the answers to a specific question.

HEALTH  AND  WELLNESS IN MADAGASCAR

Vaccinations to get before visiting madagascar.

  • Visit a travel doctor well in advance. There are vaccinations you may need to be administered. These may take weeks to become effective. Refer to your vaccination records. Make sure you are up to date on the following: Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Meningitis, Polio, MMR, Tuberculosis (BCG) and/or Tetanus (DTP).
  • You don’t need the Yellow Fever vaccine for Madagascar. However,  if you plan to travel in mainland Africa on your way there, you DO need it. You will also need to provide proof of administration upon entering Madagascar if they see African countries stamped into your passport within the past 6 months.

Malaria Prevention

  • You should discuss a Malaria prophylaxis prescription with your doctor. This is especially true if you are travelling between September and May. This is Madagascar’s warmer, rainier season.
  • Take every day – tetracycline antibiotic.
  • Pros : Least expensive, used to treat many bacterial infections (ex: urinary tract infections) and tick-borne infections. A double dose can be used to treat Malaria if someone in your group contracts it.
  • Cons : Side effects may include sensitivity to the sun, increased likelihood of vaginal yeast infections, and weakened gut microbial health.
  • Suggestions : Doxycycline is the prophylaxis I prefer.  I just prepare for the side effects. I bring and use plenty of sunscreen and take probiotics to help my gut microbiome recover. Additionally, my doctor writes me a prescription for a burn cream (in case of sunburn), and treatment for yeast infections ( Fluconazole ).
  • Take every day. It prevents the growth of parasites in red blood cells.
  • Pros : Specific for malaria and also may be used for treatment.
  • Cons : Relatively expensive. Its side effects may include mild stomach pain and diarrhea, headaches, difficulty sleeping, and vivid dreams.
  • Take once a week. It prevents the growth of parasites in red blood cells.
  • Pros : Don’t have to remember to take it every day.
  • Cons : It. Has the most serious side effects. They include dizziness, severe anxiety, violent dreams, paranoia, hallucinations, depression. These nerve and psychiatric effects can sometimes last long after you stop the medication.
  •  Insect repellents. In addition to long pants/sleeves, they are the obvious methods of limiting mosquito bites. But they also help prevent flea bites. The bubonic plague is still present in Madagascar. It’s seasonal and rare but is transmitted through flea bites.

First Aid and Medications While Travelling in Madagascar

  • You should have antibiotics , such as Ciprofloxacin. It will be useful in the event that you get a bacterial infection.
  • If your burps begin smelling like sulphur and rotten eggs, you likely contracted Giardia parasites. Otherwise known as traveller’s diarrhea from contaminated water or food. Acquiring a Flagyl (metronidazole) prescription and taking this treatment once the burps start can prevent Giardia from becoming much of a problem.
  • Useful over-the-counter medications – antibacterial ointment (ex: Neosporin / bacitracin), Anti-diarrheal drugs (ex: Imodium A-D / loperamide), allergy medication (ex: Benadryl ), anti-inflammatory drugs / pain relievers (ex: Ibuprofen ), antacids (ex: TUMS or Pepto-Bismol ) and rehydration tablets. Most cities will have pharmacies, but drug names and doses will likely be in French. It’s much easier to bring your own.
  • You can never bring too much hand sanitizer ! Sometimes there won’t be soap available. Or you may make a bathroom stop on the side of the road.  I also suggest rolls of toilet paper for the car. Our bodies aren’t familiar with the microbes in Madagascar. That makes it easier for us to get sick if we don’t remain mindful.
  • Pack sunscreen and bug spray but check the ingredients list for harmful chemicals. If you’re planning to swim or snorkel in the ocean, please bring waterproof and “reef-safe” sunscreens that don’t include oxybenzone, butylparaben, or octinoxate that can bleach the corals!
  • Menstrual supplies are limited and expensive in Madagascar. Women should bring their own.

Recommended Reading: The 33 Best Travel – Inspired Decor Ideas for 2021

Travel Insurance

  • Invest in travel insurance. Be sure that it doesn’t just cover cancelled flights, lost or stolen items, and unexpected medical expenses. But also includes emergency medical evacuation . Madagascar’s road conditions are poor. And the health care isn’t generally what Westerners are accustomed to. Typically, being medevacked is your best option if it’s something serious.

Madagascar travel

TRANSPORTATION TO AND IN MADAGASCAR

Flights to madagascar.

  • If travelling from the United States: Air France and South African Air are usually the best airlines to limit the number of layovers. However, I have also used Etihad Airways, Turkish Air, and Ethiopian Air. They typically cost significantly less money. However, expect multiple and longer layovers. Check out Skyscanner to compare prices.
  • You will more than likely fly into Ivato Airport (TNR). It’s located 20 km north of the capital, Antananarivo (Tana).
  • Air Madagascar is the domestic airline. It can save you a lot of driving time for long distance, internal travel.

Personal Vehicles in Madagascar

  • If you don’t want to fuss with the scheduling and frequent discomfort of public transportation, it’s easy to hire a driver and guide for your entire stay.
  • I don’t suggest driving yourself. However, if you have an International Driver’s License and nerves of steel, it’s possible to rent a car.
  • You will not need a 4WD vehicle if you are going south on RN7. However, you will need a 4 wheel drive for travelling west on RN5 and north.
  • Make playlists, download podcasts, charge your Kindle, and be ready to spend a lot of time in the car. Even though Madagascar is almost twice the size of the UK, it has only 1% of the paved road length that the UK has.
  • Bring motion sickness medication , such as Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), if you have even the slightest tendency to get car sick! The roads can be quite twisty and bumpy.
  • It’s not advisable to travel at night. Many drivers will refuse to continue much past sunset. Listen to your drivers. Bandits only strike at night for the most part.

Recommended Reading: Indian Decor That Will Make You Feel Like You´re Travelling in India

Public Transportation in Madagascar

  • Hired Taxi – like most cities across the globe, there will always be a taxi cab eager to assist you. The fare is negotiable and you should haggle. The taxi drivers are known to charge tourists highly inflated rates. 
  • Taxi-Brousse are large vans with designated routes to almost anywhere in the country. They are the least expensive method of getting around. However, they generally aren’t comfortable, efficient, or particularly safe. It’s not uncommon to end up with a child or chicken in your lap. And if you’re carrying anything larger than a backpack, it will be tied to the roof. 
  • Taxi-Be are almost identical to taxi-brousse, except taxi-be is the term used for the organized minibusses within major cities. Whereas taxi-brousse are generally used for travel between cities. 
  • Cotisse – a transport company with minibusses similar to taxi-brousse. However, it’s higher end and much more comfortable. They always leave when scheduled instead of waiting until the car is full and packed. They also drive more carefully. And if you’re really lucky, you can connect to free WiFi. 
  • Trains – there are over 1000 km of railroads tracks in the RNCFM Malagasy rail system. But it’s primarily used to transport cargo. There are only 6 routes with passenger trains. While travelling by train in Madagascar is a lovely way to see the country, they run notoriously late. 
  • Cyclo-Pousse – a covered rickshaw cart fastened to a bicycle. They’re used in most major cities (though, not the capital). Pay the bike ‘driver’ a small fare (Ar 5000 or less), and they’ll bring you to your destination. With frequent traffic jams in major cities, they are often faster than a car .
  • Tuk-Tuk – motorized three-wheeled rickshaws that hold three people and are almost always yellow. It is usually a flat fare, but the prices are quite reasonable (similar to cyclo-pousse).
  • Charette – a wooden cart pulled by zebu cattle is the most common way of getting around in rural areas. There is no set price. Haggle for what you are willing to pay.
  • In some coastal areas, especially the southwest and the northeast, the primary means of transportation is by cargo boats. Avoid them during rough seas and cyclone season (Jan-Mar).

Dugout canoes called pirogues are common for crossing rivers or for getting to the best snorkelling areas.

Madagascar travel

8. Flexibility is KEY When Travelling in Madagascar

Please remember to be flexible, patient, and respectful to your drivers and other Malagasy people you encounter.

Most Malagasy don’t like rushing. And in a country with limited resources, it’s easier to just go with the flow .

The Malagasy have a saying, “Mora Mora,” which translates to slow living and no worries.

They are going to be relaxed, and I promise that you will have much more fun if you relax too!

Madagascar travel

FOOD AND WATER IN MADAGASCAR

Filtered water.

  • Lifestraw Go water filter bottles are legitimately a life saver. Especially if you are environmentally conscious or an avid hiker. If you don’t want to constantly be buying water bottles, you can fill your LifeStraw up with unfiltered tap water. Or if you’re on the trails … anywhere !This allows you to avoid starting hikes with 3+ litres of heavy water. I have even filled my Lifestraw in a warm and murky rice paddy during desperate times. I never felt any signs of sickness. Lifestraws are relatively prone to leaking and should be kept upright. But they are 100% worth the small investment!
  • Avoid ice in your drinks unless you can guarantee that it was made with filtered water.

Food and Drink in Madagascar

  • Sometimes there isn’t much variety in the cuisine. On the plus side, meals come at a fantastic value! The capital – Antananarivo – and touristy areas, especially along the coasts, will have more to offer. I’ve had some of the best meals of my life in Madagascar. Just be flexible during monotonous periods.
  • Like with ice, avoid uncooked vegetables unless you’re certain they were washed with filtered water.
  • I encourage everyone to try the “Ranonapango.” It’s essentially burnt rice tea. Although it’s not actual tea, it’s comforting and reminds me of popcorn… Rice is the cornerstone of the Malagasy diet. It’s the base of every meal, including breakfast.
  • “Toka-gasy” is a Malagasy moonshine made with sugar cane. You could be offered a drink by a village King. It’s considered rude not to accept. However, do be aware that it is technically illegal. Though, not enforced because the alcohol content cannot be controlled. Some batches seem weak and others will knock you on your feet!
  • It’s a good idea to bring protein bars . Especially if you have dietary restrictions (such as vegetarian or vegan) and/or plan on long hikes.
  • Here’s some additional info on local food and what to expect.

Madagascar travel

   

LANGUAGE IN MADAGASCAR

  • Brush up on your French.  Madagascar was once a French colony.  French is still one of the official languages.
  • Many signs and restaurant menus will be in French.
  • Most prices will be told to you in French. It will be beneficial to at least learn your numbers .
  • Try learning simple Malagasy phrases. The locals sincerely appreciate when you invest time and interest in their native language. For starters, “ Salama ” means hello.  “ Veloma ” means goodbye!
  • Malagasy people are more inclined to be open and friendly with people who aren’t from France. So don’t feel like you should become fluent in French!
  • There are a few Malagasy/English handbooks available if you’re interested in languages. Malagasy is a tough language to learn until you’re immersed, especially the pronunciations! This short video of a few keywords in Malagasy with pronunciations will get you started. 

Madagascar travel

MONEY IN MADAGASCAR

Malagasy currency.

  • The currency in Madagascar is called Ariary (MGA)
  • Ar 4000 = 1 EUR
  • Ar 4600 = 1 GBP
  • Ar 2500 = 1 AUD
  • Ar 250 =  1 ZAR
  • The largest bill – Ar 20,000 – is equivalent to less than 6 USD. However, it’s considered substantial to most Malagasy. You’ll want a safe money bag or belt because you will be carrying many more bills than you are used to.
  • The Ariary notes changed in 2017. Therefore, there are two designs for every bill, excluding the Ar 20,000. The Ar10,000 was the largest bill until 2017.

Access to Cash and Using Credit Cards in Madagascar

  • To exchange your currency into Ariary, bring relatively large and new bills. They shouldn’t be older than 2010. It will be easiest for you to exchange your currency right at the airport. That way you’ll avoid the long lines and limited hours of banks. I find this to be the easiest way to access money.
  • Credit and Debit cards. Some places in cities accept cards, but only VISA is reliable. Other networks like MasterCard and AmEx often won’t work. Honestly, it is best to carry cash !
  • ATMs are only available in big cities. And there’s a limit to how much you can take out. Also, it’s not uncommon for ATMs to be out of order or empty.

Begging in Madagascar

  • You will have people begging you for money. Especially children, mothers, the elderly, and the disabled. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t difficult to witness. But it’s unavoidable, especially in big cities.
  • Everyone is entitled to their own opinions on how to handle these situations. But do acknowledge that your actions will impact more than just the beggar. Begging is not a sustainable way to make a living.
  • If you decide to give, be tactful about it. Don’t flash large wads of cash. And understand that successful beggars often return with friends. To avoid being surrounded and causing a scene, wait until you are about to get back into your vehicle.
  • I generally only give to those performing – sometimes people sing, dance, or play an instrument. And I never give to overly pushy people. I don’t want them thinking that’s the way they should approach all tourists.
  • When giving money, I keep it discrete and politely urge them to use it for food.

Tipping in Madagascar

  • Tips are generally well received and deeply appreciated. They’re sometimes it’s your biggest daily expenditures. Especially if you’re on a guided tour where most expenses are paid for ahead of time.
  • When you can break large bills into smaller bills for tipping. Keep these tips in a separate pocket from the majority of your cash.
  • To offer you a perspective, Malagasy people who are fortunate enough to be employed typically don’t make more than Ar 200,000 (~$56 USD) a month .
  • If you want to keep your tips within the average range of other tourists, roughly follow the guide below. However, you are welcome to give more. Especially with guides and drivers. But only if they exceeded your expectations.
  • Taxis and bars : Not expected or small bills.
  • Porters : small bills, likely not over Ar 1000.
  • Restaurants : 5% of the bill or less.
  • Guides : 10% of the fee.
  • Personal Drivers : Ar 5000 – Ar 20000 a day.

Madagascar travel

PACKING FOR MADAGASCAR

  • Bring more warm clothes than you would think necessary. This includes thermals, hat, gloves, and fleece. Especially if you are travelling during Madagascar’s winter months (May – September).
  • However, the climate throughout Madagascar changes rapidly . While the cool rainforest fog may send shivers down your spine in the morning, you can jump in the car and find yourself in a desert ecosystem by late afternoon. Therefore, you will want to pack a variety of clothing. Be sure to bring shorts, T-shirts, and durable sandals.
  • If you plan on hiking , you should pack quick-drying field pants, sturdy hiking boots , wool socks, a baseball cap, and a rain jacket. While hiking in rainforests, I advise tucking your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants to minimize leech bites. Leeches don’t transmit diseases, their bites don’t hurt, and they only remain attached for about half an hour. However, they do have an anticoagulant in their saliva. This causes you to continue bleeding even after they drop off. And these bites can itch worse than mosquito bites. Take precautions but don’t panic if you get a leech.
  • I also recommend a substantial daypack with a supportive waist belt and chest strap. This could double as your carry-on luggage for the flight!
  • Don’t forget bathing suits ! Beaches aren’t the only places to swim; some parks have natural swimming holes you can hike to.

Travel Documents For Madagascar

  • Your passport cannot expire within 6 months of entry and must have at least 3 blank pages. They are strict about this!
  • Carry your immunization records. They may not be requested if you haven’t been in countries with Yellow Fever.
  • If you’re travelling with a large group, it’s beneficial to obtain your Madagascar VISA within your home country. Otherwise, it’s easy to purchase a tourist VISA upon arrival at the airport for 30, 60, or 90 days.
  • I prefer to have paper photocopies of my passport and tourist Visa. The police will occasionally ask to see your passport, especially in cities and on the road, but I don’t like carrying it wherever I go.

Power in Madagascar

  • Bring European plug adaptors if necessary: 220 Volt, 50Hz AC (Two circular metal pins).
  • Charged power banks are invaluable, especially considering the amount of travel time. If you need your phone to stay alive for the entire day, I would bring a power bank or two.

General Equipment

  • Pack binoculars for lemur and bird watching! If you’re concerned about them occupying souvenir space in your suitcase, donate them to a deserving park guide near the end of your journey. Malagasy guides are often in need of functioning binoculars.
  • Bring a bright headlamp and/or flashlight for night hikes. There are nocturnal lemurs, chameleons, frogs, snakes, geckos and so many other creatures you don’t want to miss!
  • Wristwatches are convenient for checking the time. I t might not always be a good time to pull out your phone.
  • All sizes of Ziplock bags are precious. Smaller bags can organize your medications and chargers; medium bags can keep your electronics and books dry; large bags are perfect for wet or dirty laundry.
  • I recommend silica gel packets and dry bags for your electronics and camera if you’re spending an extended time in humid, rainforest environments.
  • Remember the items mentioned in previous sections : medications, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, LifeStraw water bottle , protein bars, bills to exchange, designated money bag, VISA credit/debit cards, etc.

Madagascar travel

THINGS TO BE  MINDFUL  OF IN MADAGASCAR…

Internet and phones.

  • Most hotels have complimentary WiFi. However, even luxury hotels don’t always have internet or outlets in individual rooms/bungalows. Sometimes you have to sit in the reception area for internet access and charging. WiFi is available in some restaurants, but you will need to ask for the password.
  • If you have an unlocked GSM cellphone, you may want to buy a local SIM card (Airtel, Orange, or Telma) and a 3G package. You can do this at the airport. If you don’t want to purchase a plan, you can buy phone credit at virtually any shop.  

Cultural Awareness in Madagascar

  • Avoid pointing with only your index finger extended. While it’s not considered offensive everywhere in Madagascar, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Pointing with your index finger is considered a “ fady ” or taboo in many regions of Madagascar. Especially when pointing directly at a tomb or grave. You can either gesture with your whole hand open, or bend your finger as you point.
  • It is expected to haggle prices unless the price is already established, such as in tourist shops, restaurants, and hotels. It’s part of the culture.
  • It’s respectful to dress fairly modestly . You’ll see everything in tourist areas. However,  I personally avoid low cut tops, short skirts and shorts. And I only wear one-piece swimsuits.
  • While difficult to ignore their puppy-dog stares, don’t feed street dogs . Malagasy people can view it as highly offensive that you took the time and money to feed a dog, but not their family.
  • Most Malagasy actively avoid confrontation, especially with foreigners. Don’t take advantage of this.

Saying “Thank You” in Madagascar

  • In Malagasy, “ Misaotra ” means thank you. Add “betsaka” if you want to say, “thank you very much.”  
  • If you anticipate any village visits, a gift that would be appreciated by everyone is a high-quality soccer ball . I always bring several deflated soccer balls and an air pump from the States.
  • You’ll probably become close with your driver and guide. In addition to a tip, you may want to thank them with foreign gifts . A T-shirt representing your city or country, candy from abroad, or something else they wouldn’t find in Madagascar are the most cherished gifts.

Madagascar travel

PHOTOGRAPHY IN MADAGASCAR

Keep your camera close.

  • If you have a DSLR camera, keep is safe, but don’t be afraid to bring it . There are countless sites and creatures to document that small cameras and phones just can’t capture.
  • Keep all valuables close, especially in big cities like the capital of Antananarivo (Tana). I wouldn’t worry about being attacked. However, there are some skilled pick-pocketers. They can swipe your cash, phone, or other items without you even noticing.
  • Just as you would back home, ask before taking someone’s picture. If you don’t speak French, saying “ Sary? ” (pronounced similarly to the English, “sorry”) – which means “Picture?” in Malagasy, should sufficiently get the point across.
  • Adults will occasionally wave you off, but kids love to pose. You should show them their picture. But remember to wipe down your camera with a disinfectant afterward. The kids may excitedly grab your camera for a closer look with their cute, but dirty little hands.  

Selfies in Madagascar

  • NEVER pay to take pictures with wildlife kept at restaurants or hotels.
  • Paying for these photos encourages the illegal and devastating pet trade. One of the reasons lemurs are endangered .
  • Many of these animals, especially lemurs, don’t survive these conditions. If they don’t die from a poor diet, they may be killed when they display aggression as they become sexually mature. The “Magic of Madagascar Ecotour” will take you to one of the only rescue centers in Madagascar that confiscates pet lemurs and teaches them how to survive the wild.

Madagascar travel

SOUVENIR SHOPPING IN MADAGASCAR

Avoid purchasing….

  • Carvings made from precious woods like Rosewood and Palisander
  • Butterflies and other preserved insects
  • Sea turtle shells
  • Sapphires, other precious gemstones, and gold

    28. Ethical Shopping

  • Aim for sustainable gifts that don’t negatively impact wildlife or people while simultaneously expressing Malagasy culture.
  • My main suggestions include… hand-dyed and spun silk scarves woven from sustainably farmed silk, items made out of recycled aluminium, and art constructed from repurposed zebu horns.

Madagascar travel

EXCLUSIVE  TRAVEL EXPERIENCES IN MADAGASCAR

Places to visit in madagascar.

  • RN7 is your best friend.  This route starts at the capital and works its way south, then slowly west. It is accessible year-round and brings you through every incredible ecosystem Madagascar has to offer! That’s the route that we take on our Ecotour through Madagascar from July 1st – 12th, 2019!  
  • RN5 takes you west to see the “ Alley of Baobabs ” or possibly even the limestone forest of Tsingy ! This road is more difficult to navigate. It’s comical that it can even be considered a national route.
  • The north is also beautiful, but similar to the west, the roads are very poor, especially as you work your way west. 
  • There are stunning places that are easiest to fly to, such as the rainforest peninsula of Masoala and the island of scuba-divers dreams – Nosy Be .

   30. Wildlife You CANNOT Miss in Madagascar!

  • “The Magic of Madagascar Ecotour” brings you to the largest species of lemur (indri) and the smallest lemur (mouse lemur), with many lemur species and sizes in between!

Madagascar travel

If you love Madagascar as much as we do, you’ll love our lemur t-shirts:

Madagascar travel

This meditating lemur t-shirt is the perfect gift for the animal lover in your life whether it be your wife, husband, sister, brother, best friend, son or daughter. It looks great with jeans and is perfect for a casual day out.

Madagascar travel

This t-shirt with words about lemurs is perfect for animal lovers – who want to show their love for ring-tailed lemurs and to raise awareness about this endangered species – see how many words related to lemurs you can find.

Madagascar travel

This ring-tailed lemur t-shirt will be a hit with animal lovers who want to show their love for these unique creatures while raising awareness about these critters from Madagascar who need our help.

ADDITIONAL  MADAGASCAR  INFORMATION

  • Films and Books about Madagascar
  • If you are keen to learn more about the creatures and culture before going or booking a ticket to Madagascar, I recommend either of the following  films :  Planet Earth II  (on Netflix) and  Island of Lemurs: Madagascar  (IMAX) .  
  • Additionally, I recommend the following  books :  For the Love of Lemurs  (Patricia Wright);  Thank You, Madagascar  (Alison Jolly);  The Aye-Aye and I   (Gerald Durrell); and  Madagascar – The Eighth Continent   (Peter Tyson).
  • Field Guides for Madagascar
  • There are good field guides available for most  taxonomic groups  in Madagascar. I have personally had the best luck with  Lemurs of Madagascar: Third Edition  and  Birds of Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands . Note: if you can’t find that check out  Lemurs of Madagascar: Tropical Field Guide Series .
  • For travel guides, the  Bradt Guides   are probably the best guide I have come across. The author has been travelling to Madagascar for over 30 years!  The Lonely Planet – Madagascar: 8 th  Edition  is also quite thorough.
  • Online Info on Travel in Madagascar
  • While this article provides a comprehensive list, you can’t fit everything into a single post! I recommend perusing additional online resources that can provide even more information about Madagascar. Be sure to check out   28 Interesting Facts About Madagascar ! 
  • Continue researching and reading! The more you know, the better you can prepare for  culture shock.  And the more you will appreciate all the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Madagascar!

Madagascar travel

The long-ground roller is a bird species endemic to the spiny forests of Madagascar; Photo: Alicia Lamb.

Best of luck with your travels in Madagascar! Take care and enjoy, or as they say in Madagascar, “Mazotoa!”

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Leave the planning up to us with a Madagascar vacation package. With everything organized before you leave home, all you'll have to do is sit back, chill out and experience this destination's culture and beauty. The best way to plan your trip to Madagascar is to start with its most renowned cities, which include Antananarivo , Tsarasaotra and Madirokely . Expedia has everything you need when it comes to planning your Madagascar vacation. From accommodations and flights, to activities and rental cars, we're here to help you curate a travel experience like no other.

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Frequently asked questions, discover the most popular places to visit in madagascar, mantadia national park.

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Madagascar is one of the world’s cheaper countries for travellers. Prices for hotels, transport, meals and basic commodities are low and more comparable with Southeast Asia than with continental Africa.

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Electricity, entry requirements, opening hours, photography, tourist information, travellers with disabilities, health advice for madagascar, culture in madagascar, travelling with children in madagascar.

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Travelling on a shoestring budget with a companion and a flexible schedule, largely using taxis brousse, staying in budget hotels, and visiting national parks, you could manage between you easily enough on £60/€80/US$90 per day (a little more than 260,000ar). If you were doing the same thing, but planning the occasional splurge in a nicer hotel, with some days of vehicle-and-driver rental, you would need to at least double this. And if you want to travel by private vehicle and stay in comfortable-to- luxury hotels throughout, a daily budget of £200/€270/US$300 (around 900,000ar) for the two of you should suffice. You would still need to factor in any internal flights.

Despite some official government travel advisories about Madagascar, it is not a dangerous country and crime affecting tourists is generally quite limited. On the contrary, you may well come back wondering how anyone could get anything but a wonderful impression of friendly locals and a safe, hospitable island. Madagascar, however, does have its dark side: short-term visitors are rarely impacted, but you should certainly heed the warnings about night-time travel and avoid it if you can. Most private drivers never drive at night, especially in certain areas. The RN7 has police controls outside some towns to partly enforce this, while some of the lonely dirt roads in the south are prone to banditry , partly as a result of traditional Bara cattle raiders or dahalo (if there are no convenient zebus to rustle, flag down a taxi brousse and rob the passengers…).

Urban and tourist resort crime is also an undercurrent that you should be aware of: pickpocketing, muggings and hotel thefts (especially if your room is not very secure or the hotel doesn’t have a secure compound) could all spoil your trip, and are most likely to happen before you have had time to survey your location. Avoid late arrivals in towns, and if arriving at night always have a destination to go to, and take a taxi.

Lastly, natural disasters in the form of huge cyclones batter the island with relentless frequency. The cyclone season, from December to March, usually includes at least one whopper that can inflict enormous damage, particularly on eastern coastal regions. If you happen to be in a cyclone area when a storm is forecast, cancel that boat trip, get yourself as far inland as possible and take shelter on the ground floor of a solid building.

The electricity grid in Madagascar provides 220V AC current and uses two-pin Continental-style plugs, either a “Type E” or “Type F” Schuko or a flat, “Type C” Europlug. Many hotels have backup generators to fill in during frequent blackouts. In remote areas, solar panels feeding to inverters and big storage batteries are used to provide power, in which case there may not always be power points in your room. Battery- and mobile-charging can usually be done in the office or central area.

Visas are required by all nationalities. Non-immigrant visas are currently granted free on arrival for most nationalities at Ivato airport for stays of up to thirty days, and it’s generally easier to get one there than in advance (which usually requires photos and possibly a processing fee). Your passport should have at least six months’ validity from your date of arrival and contain at least two blank pages. If you want to stay longer, the fees are €55 for up to 60 days or €77 for up to 90 days. Longer than that, you’ll need to leave the country in order to re-enter (Réunion is the cheapest place to fly to and an overseas French département so part of the EU and the Eurozone). Extending your visa within the 90-day limit is possible, but overstaying your agreed term and then leaving is not advisable, and can result in a fine. The only health requirement is a yellow fever certificate if you’ve been visiting a country in the yellow fever transmission zone.

While internet cafés are still around, and offer very cheap online access, the spread of free wi-fi hotspots continues apace in restaurants and hotels, and these are likely to be more useful for most travellers. Only in very small towns are you likely to have to resort to the local cyber , with its usually rather old computers with azerty rather than qwerty keyboards. Expect to pay around 5000ar/hr.

For unlimited Wi-Fi on the go whilst travelling Madagascar, buy a Skyroam Solis , which works in 130+ countries at one flat daily rate, paid for on a pay-as-you-go basis. You can connect up to five devices at once. Prices start from as little as €5 a day.

Most hotels will happily do your laundry, and usually have a sheet of charges per item. Cheaper places will probably suggest a flat price of 3000ar or something similar. Remember that it may take longer than expected for clothes to dry.

Most towns have a post office , but with the decline in the volume of traditional airmail, postal services tend to be limited and cards and letters may take weeks to reach their destination. To send any object of value, always use a courier service such as DHL . As for incoming mail, it’s best to forget it: use friends and family as couriers or, again, a courier service.

By far the best general map of Madagascar is published by the German travel guide publisher Reise Know-How in their World Mapping Project series. Printed on virtually indestructible Polyart synthetic paper Madagaskar 1:1,200,000 shows the whole country on two sides at a scale of 12km:1cm, clearly marking roads, national parks, relief and other features in French. Best of all it can be folded any which way and will survive many taxi brousse journeys. As a backup, try Google Maps and Google Earth, which show satellite imagery of the whole country at quite high resolution: if you’re using a smartphone while in Madagascar, you will often be able to find your way or follow your route, just as you would with a satnav at home – quite handy when that taxi brousse journey really begins to pall. For larger-scale topographical maps , the national mapping body, Foiben-Taosarintanin’ i Madagasikara in Tana (FTM, www. ftm.mg ), is your best bet.

Madagascar has more than 300 radio and TV stations and more than a dozen newspapers that appear daily, at least in theory. All media broadcast or print in either Malagasy or French. For many years, press freedom has frequently been curtailed by the government for political reasons, though there are signs that the government is showing a more mature, law-abiding approach. Probably the most informative of the local newspapers is L’Express de Madagascar ( lexpressmada.com ). There is some limited regular tourist information published in Antananarivo – notably No Comment , a fat, monthly booklet of lifestyle articles and countrywide hotel and restaurant listings well padded by advertising. You can pick copies up in many hotel lobbies. Finding international English-language magazines or newspapers is very difficult now that most of the market for Time , the Financial Times or the International New York Times has migrated online.

You can listen to the BBC World Service in Antananarivo on its FM relay on 89.2 FM and rebroadcast on the following FM local partners on 99.3 FM: Ambatondrazaka, Antsirabe, Diego Suarez, Fianarantsoa, Fort Dauphin, Majunga, Tamatave and Tuléar.

The Malagasy currency, the ariary (ar) was introduced in 2005 to replace the Franc Malgache (fmg) at a rate of 1000ar to 5000fmg. Unfortunately, nobody seems to have told the Malagasy, especially in markets and rural areas, who still say “cinq mille” (5000) when they mean 1000ar (the notes in fact still have the fmg value in small print beneath the ariary value). The extraordinary speed at which people compute their five-times table has to be heard to be believed, but do be careful: sharp operators sometimes take advantage of slow-witted visitors, especially with prices so low in the first place. The other local currency issue to be prepared for is the very low value of Malagasy notes. The largest note is 10,000ar, currently worth around £2.25, €3.10 or US$3.50, and the smallest note is 100ar, worth around £0.02p, €0.03 or US$0.04 (there are no coins). So a handful of low-denomination notes is worth no more than one small coin in hard currency, while a modest 200,000ar hotel bill (value £45/€60/US$70) would require twenty of the highest denomination notes.

While the official currency is the ariary, which is steadily declining in value, prices for hotels and tourist services are often quoted in euros , based on an approximate conversion rate. The actual price in ariary will be adjusted accordingly, depending on the current rate, and usually turns out to be lower than expected.

Cash, cards and ATMs

Madagascar is largely a cash-based economy. Credit cards can be used to settle bills for some services, but most business are not set up to accept them. Travellers’ cheques are rarely carried and very hard to change as banks are not familiar with them. The best strategy is to carry a Visa debit card to withdraw local currency from ATMs and to keep a separate cache of high-denomination euro notes to pay for airfares and the like, securely stashed about your person.

Most towns have one or more ATMs ( GAB ) and you can usually withdraw up to forty notes (ie, a maximum of 400,000ar, worth about £90/€120/US$140). This is quite a sizeable pile of money, and you may need to make two or more withdrawals if you’re paying for vehicle rental or a tour. So it’s a good idea to take a purse or pouch specifically for carrying your local currency, tucking away the 10,000ar notes in separate bundles and keeping smaller denominations to hand for buying street food, paying for taxis and the like. It does take some getting used to, and it’s a good idea to be prepared in advance when you have to make any payment.

Business hours in Madagascar are notoriously fickle, but places tend to open roughly 8am–noon and 2–6pm Monday to Friday, with a short morning on Saturday (around 8–11am).

Like most countries in the developing world, Madagascar has embraced mobile phone technology enthusiastically. Most people have a cell phone; many of them are smart phones; and airtime/data credit can be purchased on any street corner, even in rural areas. Cell phone masts are fairly well distributed, and 3G quite widely available, so you will rarely be unconnected for long – if that’s what you want. And it is certainly useful to be able to call hotels, your driver or a national park. Telephone landlines , by contrast, often don’t work.

Malagasy landlines start with (0)20 for Telecom Madagascar, followed by 7 numbers, while mobile lines start (0)32 for Orange, (0)33 for Airtel and (0)34 for Telma, also followed by 7 digits. Most businesses rely on Orange and Airtel lines, which generally have better coverage. It’s common for hotels, for example, to have a mobile at reception, rather than an unreliable landline phone. Network-to-network calls are cheapest.

Using mobiles

If you bring your mobile to Madagascar, the chances are that as soon as it is turned on it will automatically search for the partner network of your phone provider and enable you to make calls and download data – on an extremely expensive roaming tariff. Unless someone else is paying, that isn’t a great option. However, as long as your phone is “unlocked” (usable by another network, once you’ve switched your main SIM card for the SIM card of the other network provider) you will be able to make and receive calls and use the internet using one of the inexpensive Malagasy 3G networks. You can check if your phone is unlocked by trying another SIM card in it before you leave: if not, you will need to ask your provider to unlock it.

On arrival at Ivato airport, you’ll find desks for all three networks and the staff will register a new SIM for you and load airtime and data on it as you require. You will have a temporary Malagasy number, and your usual number will be unobtainable while that SIM is out of your phone, but all your email and internet usage will be seamless. Expect the whole set-up to cost around £20/€25/€30 for around three weeks of average-usage airtime including 1GB of data. Further top-ups, if necessary, can either be done by buying a scratch card (they’ll talk you through it or do it for you) or by “tele-charging” from a sales person’s phone to yours. In remote areas, top-up cards will invariably be low-value (1000ar or 2000ar), and usually sold for higher than the face value.

If all this sounds like too much trouble, remember you can still use your phone’s wi-fi function to stay in touch by email, social media or apps wherever there is a wi-fi hotspot, though remember that you won’t be able to make or receive calls or SMS texts unless you turn on your own provider’s roaming function.

You might also consider buying a cheap local phone to use for your trip: you can always leave it behind with someone. Prices start at around 60,000ar.

Madagascar is a paradise for keen photographers. Not only is it scenically stunning, and bursting with fascinating and colourful animals that very often show little fear of humans, but the Malagasy people themselves generally have no objection to being photographed, and even more so now that so many locals have their own cameraphones. You can wander along the beach in Diego Suarez, Île Sainte Marie or Morondava and photograph the fishermen bringing in their catch, the boats on the shore, and an old gentleman wobbling past on his bicycle and nobody will bat an eyelid. This doesn’t mean that you should snap away regardless: there are occasions, around private events, including famadihana ceremonies and other rituals, near tombs and sacred sites, and in cities, when you may incur someone’s displeasure if you take a photo. Use your judgement of the people around you: take some innocuous shots before aiming at your intended target, giving them the chance to say no in advance. What you will rarely find is someone holding out their hand for payment: more often people, especially children, will line up to pose for you.

Getting a little technical : firstly, be aware that at least some of the time you are likely to be taking photos in quite low light. All the rainforest parks and even the dry deciduous parks involve walking on footpaths though dense vegetation. If you’re using a DSLR, then the first consideration should be to have lenses that are as fast as possible, with the largest maximum aperture you can afford. An f/5.6–f/6.3 kit zoom lens won’t hack it and your shutter speeds will be way too slow to capture leaping lemurs and fluttering birds. If you have to compromise on focal length to get a fast lens, you might even find that something like a 105mm or 135mm macro, with an aperture of f/2 would serve you much better, and give you wonderful close-up insect options as well. Ideally of course, you’d also have a 200mm or 300mm lens that opens up to f/2.8. The investment would be major, but the photos will be far better.

The other item that’s more or less essential for good photos in the forest is a sturdy tripod . Lemurs are often practically overhead, so get a ballhead tripod that doesn’t weigh too much and be prepared to get a cricked neck. The Manfrotto BeFree isn’t too expensive and works well. As well as the tripod, it’s very useful to have a little remote controller for your shutter.

Madagascar’s time zone is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (UTC) all year round, so it’s 3pm in Madagascar when it’s noon GMT or 2pm in Madagascar when it’s noon British Summer Time. It’s eight hours ahead of North American Eastern Standard Time, and eleven hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. Take off an hour from these (ie seven hours and ten hours ahead respectively) during summer daylight saving time. Madagascar is seven hours behind Sydney and nine hours behind New Zealand; add an hour to these during summer daylight saving time. And it’s one hour ahead of South Africa.

Sunrise in December comes at roughly between 5am and 5.30am and sunset at between 6.15pm and 7pm. In June the sun comes up between 6am and 7am, and sets between 5.15pm and 5.30pm. Dawn arrives earliest on the east coast and the sun sets latest in the southwest. There is therefore a small variation in day length throughout the year, greatest in the far south which sees Madagascar’s shortest winter days in June and July (10hr 30min) and its longest summer days in December and January (13hr 30min).

The main sources of official visitor information about Madagascar are the various regional tourist offices in every large town around the country reporting to the Office National du Tourisme de Madagascar ( madagascar-tourisme.com ; addresses in the relevant town listings throughout this guide). These range from fairly dopey and unhelpful to efficient and responsive. They often have useful leaflets and maps, and sometimes further magazines and other items for sale. There are no Madagascar tourist offices abroad.

Travelling in Madagascar with restricted mobility is a major challenge – as any Malagasy wheelchair ( fauteuil roulant ) user would be likely to tell you. Although Madagascar has a coordinating body for relevant organizations, La Plateforme des Fédérations des Handicapés de Madagascar, it doesn’t have a website and there is very little support for disabled people outside of specific health campaigns driven by overseas NGOs.

But if you are prepared for a considerable amount of lifting and bumping, as wheelchair-using Malagasy people have to be, and already have some experience of this kind of thing, then there are few truly insurmountable hurdles. Assuming you’re not contemplating a solo independent journey, you could start by contacting our recommended tour operators and see if they can help with your specific requirements. While there are one or two African safari operators who specialize in trips for wheelchair users, for example Go Africa ( go-africa-safaris.com ), Madagascar isn’t on offer. It is likely to come down to what adapted vehicles are available on the island and how accessible the most convenient rooms are at each place you want to visit. Air Madagascar’s internal flights all require passengers to board via the plane’s steps; for advice on assistance when flying with Air Mad call the helpful people at Aviareps.

Exploring the more rugged parks may prove to be impossible – though with enough time and flexibility there’s no absolute barrier to getting at least to the gates, and possibly driving inside for a way. Parc National Montagne d’Ambre has drivable routes within the park, as do Ankarana and Ankarafantsika. Other possible venues offering a less circumscribed visit would be some of the private reserves, such as Berenty and Nahampoana, near Fort Dauphin, and Kirindy and the Avenue of the Baobabs near Morondava. All of these smaller protected areas feature reasonably flat, hard terrain and the odd well-graded path, where a wheelchair and helper would be able to move around relatively easily.

Tipping isn’t deeply established in Madagascar. When you’re living and travelling among Malagasy people, you’ll be unlikely to feel the need to tip anyone: cheap hotels and restaurants are often run by their owners, using family staff, and when travelling by taxi brousse, it’s more a matter of ensuring you’re not paying over the odds for your seat or bag than of considering leaving any extra. The idea of a payment for services rendered is quite common, however, so any kind of assistance, such as someone showing you the way or helping with luggage (notoriously, when arriving at the airport and fending off unwanted “porters”) would normally demand some kind of recompense. Keep some small notes (200ar, 500ar) handy for this kind of thing.

When travelling more as a wealthy tourist, staying at expensive resort-style hotels for example, it’s best to leave a common tip at the end of your stay with reception or in the tip box in the foyer. You would probably also do the same when parting company with your driver at the end of a tour. Guides in national parks don’t always expect tips, but an extra 5000ar after a few hours of trekking and lemur-watching is a very acceptable way of offering thanks.

Madagascar is one of the world’s poorest countries, and for locals it’s their poverty that largely determines general health and life chances. For visitors, staying healthy should not be a big issue. You need to be aware of malaria but generally, so long as you take sensible precautions – including taking care of cuts and scrapes and avoiding food that has been left out after cooking – you should have no problems beyond the occasional stomach upset. Beware of the strong sunlight: brightness rather than heat is the damaging element, so wear a hat and use high-factor sun block, especially in your first two weeks. Check that your travel insurance (which is essential for Madagascar) covers medical care, including emergency evacuation, and all the activities you might want to do, including diving. If you’re going to Madagascar for several months, get a thorough dental checkup before leaving home. Be aware that sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, are rife: using condoms will help to protect you – though abstinence is even more effective.

Vaccinations

For arrivals by air direct from Europe, Madagascar has no required inoculations, though if you’re stopping over in an African country that is within the yellow fever transmission zone (bit.ly/YellowFeverRules),you may well be required to show an International Vaccination Certificate for yellow fever. A yellow fever certificate only becomes valid ten days after you’ve had the jab, but is then valid for life. You should ensure that you’re up to date with your childhood tetanus and polio protection: boosters are necessary every ten years for tetanus and once as an adult for polio. If you’re going to be living for some time in unhygienic conditions, doctors will usually recommend jabs for typhoid, hepatitis A and hepatitis B – although these are not necessary for an ordinary holiday. Depending on the health service provision in your area, or your personal circumstances, some of these jabs may be free, but be prepared to pay.

The whole of Madagascar below about 2000m is a malaria zone, though the parasite (transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito, which habitually only bites after dark) is much more easily picked up in crowded urban areas and struggles to survive much above 1700m. You need to be most careful when in coastal towns, especially in the northern half of the island, where you should use mosquito repellent on exposed skin in the evening, sleep under a good mosquito net and of course take your malaria tablets diligently.

The commonly recommended preventatives are the antibiotic doxycycline (doxy), taken daily, or atovaquone-with-proguanil, taken daily (sold as Malarone), which, while expensive, has few side effects. These drugs are often available only on prescription, though in some countries you can buy them over the counter. It’s important to maintain a careful routine and keep taking the tablets after your trip. If you’re going to be staying in Madagascar for some time, it’s worth knowing you can buy doxy and other tablets much more cheaply from pharmacies in-country.

Even if you have been taking tablets, if you come down rapidly over the course of a day with severe, flu-like symptoms (aching joints, temperature) you may have caught malaria and should get yourself to a doctor as fast as possible for a blood test and treatment.

Water, food and stomach upsets

While some of Madagascar’s piped water supply is safe to drink, it’s probably safer to rely on the local plastic-bottled Eau Vive, sold absolutely everywhere in 1.5-litre bottles. As for picking up bugs from food, there’s really no evidence that the meals emerging from the hidden kitchens of fine hotels and restaurants are any less likely to give you a stomach upset than street food freshly prepared in front of you. That said, it’s easy to find yourself tucking into street food immediately after handling another bunch of filthy low-value bank notes, so it’s useful to keep a small flask of sanitizer gel to hand.

Happily, the tummies of most short-term visitors, at both ends of the budget spectrum, survive unscathed. Should you go down with diarrhoea, it will probably clear up without treatment within 48 hours. While you’re battling the bug, it’s essential to replace the fluids and salts lost, so drink plenty of water with oral rehydration salts, which most pharmacies carry. If you can’t get these sachets, make your own solution by dissolving half a teaspoon of salt and eight teaspoons of sugar in a litre of water.

Bugs and wildlife

Madagascar’s native fauna is not only beautiful and often unique but largely quite harmless. With the exception of the rarely seen fossa, there are no threatening large animals here, nor dangerous snakes (some snakes are rear-fanged but can’t deliver a dangerous bite to humans unless offered a little finger to chew on). Various invertebrates – scorpions, ants, bees, centipedes, biting flies and the odd spider – can give a painful sting or bite, and you should always be wary of touching hairy caterpillars (or plants for that matter: ask your guide first), but there are no mortally dangerous bugs on the island. While hiking in the national parks, you should be prepared to be occasionally assailed by biting flies, mosquitoes and ticks, and it can be useful to carry mossie spray, liquid or impregnated wipes with you into the forest. In damp, rainforest areas, leeches can be an unpleasant pest, but as their attacks are painless you often don’t realize you have one hanging from your ankle until it’s filled itself with your blood. Use a fingernail to break the seal then flick the leech off.

Health care in Madagascar

Madagascar’s government health system is challenged on all sides, with the treatment of childhood diarrhoea and malaria absorbing much of its limited resources, and occasional outbreaks of cholera (treatable) and bubonic plague (spread by rat fleas) not uncommon – though neither disease is likely to be of any concern to travellers who are not living in squalid conditions in the affected locations. Pharmacies usually have professionally trained staff and are a useful first port of call if you are unwell. Local hospitals and clinics may be able to help, but if you need treatment for serious illness or injury, flying to Réunion (part of the European Union) might be a better plan: it’s what many affluent Malagasy do if they need private treatment.

Madagascar’s cultural heritage is fascinating, and completely unexpected if you have any experience of travelling on the African continent: this is not Africa. Traditional Malagasy culture derives in large part from the other side of the Indian Ocean, blended with strong influences from the African mainland, and more recently with the traces of the French colonial experience and with the Creole culture of the Mascarene Islands – Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues. There are distinct variations among the various ethnic regions of Madagascar, but on the whole, it’s an informal, welcoming society, and relations with vazaha (foreigners) are usually relaxed and uncomplicated.

In counterpoint to the surface gaiety of street life, traditional culture is infested with the deeply woven threads of rigorous and often seemingly bizarre restrictions, known as fady. Fady are traditional injunctions and mandates regulating everyday life. Mostly not as strong as taboos, they are believed to derive from the wishes of the ancestors, or razana, and people believe they bring bad luck if disobeyed. The razana include not just the long dead of the distant past but recently deceased relatives – whose remains, in the central highlands region, are regularly exhumed and paraded at famadihana ceremonies. The personalities, habits and whims of the ancestors are transmuted into the fears and desires of their descendants and their extended families. Over time, certain fady have become widespread across districts and entire ethnic regions.

On the whole, fady don’t impact greatly on short-term visitors, and most Malagasy understand that vazaha don’t know about their local fady. Educated and westernized Malagasy fear them much less, and at their mildest they are little more than superstitions, like not walking under a ladder. Many fady relate to the hunting of certain animals and how to behave in forest areas which often have spiritual significance: national park guides may explain certain rules of behaviour to you before you start your walk, which might include not smoking or eating, or avoiding amorous contact.

Fady become much more significant if you’re living in Madagascar, when you’ll discover that there are places you can and can’t go, depending on circumstances, actions you can’t perform on certain days, colours you must avoid wearing in certain conditions, and so on. The only way you’ll come to understand your area’s fady is to talk to locals: you won’t get a uniform response, but you can soon build up a picture of how much the fady control people’s lives.

Greetings and body language

Greetings are fairly straightforward, with handshaking the norm especially between men, and in an urban setting or in a Western context such as an office, between both sexes. French-style cheek-to-cheek greetings are also de rigueur among people who know each other. As a vazaha, you’re not likely to be made to feel uncomfortable by any minor gaffes in social etiquette. Watch what others do, and take note of the following general rules: the left hand is reserved for unclean acts, at least in theory, so don’t use it to pass things or eat with; avoid pointing with an outstretched finger, but crook your finger instead; and beckon with the palm down, not up.

A century and a half of Christian mission work across the island has had a major impact on religious beliefs. Around twenty percent of the population are Roman Catholics and a quarter follow various Protestant churches, including the largest, the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (Fiangonan’i Jesoa Kristy eto Madagasikara or FJKM), with perhaps eight percent being Muslims. But people everywhere tend also to adhere to traditional beliefs, for example happily mixing the practice of confession with planning the next exhumation ceremony. Only the more extreme evangelical churches have pushed hard against traditional practices.

Dress and modesty

Every Malagasy tribe has its traditional dress, hair and hat styles, but these are often hard to discern as people move, intermarry and follow global fashion trends rather than traditional styles. Modern Malagasy dress styles tend to split along rural and urban lines for women, although there isn’t a lot of difference as far as men are concerned, calf-length trousers and loose shirts being the norm, along with a good solid hat. Older rural women typically wear long cotton dresses or lamba wraps, often with straw hats. However, their younger counterparts, and the majority of women in towns, are often strikingly attired in tight, brightly coloured leggings or shorts, and skinny T-shirts. It’s an outfit that looks more fit for the dancefloor than walking to market, and dramatically reveals an absence of traditional restraint. And it means that as a visitor, refreshingly enough, your own choice of dress is not apt to faze the locals. This informality extends to relations between the sexes: physical contact between men and women is relatively unrestrained, and you’ll often see couples out for a stroll, arm in arm.

Malagasy sexual attitudes are less conservative than you might expect. Sex outside marriage, divorce and remarriage are common, and casual sex and informal prostitution are very widespread. Parts of Madagascar, particularly Nosy Be, have acquired notoriety for sex tourism – not in any organized sense, simply as a result of women heading to the bars to make some extra money, or possibly even to find a husband. In turn, many European men, drawn by the allure of what they perceive to be Madagascar’s uncluttered mores, end up trying to establish a business with a Malagasy business partner (a legal requirement) who is their girlfriend. These relationships often end badly and many Malagasy are offended and deeply uncomfortable about the widespread exploitation of young people. There is strong support for efforts to eradicate child sexual exploitation (sex workers have to be 18 and carry ID cards).

Unlike many countries in the region, Madagascar has never had any laws governing male or female homosexual relationships, and gay couples are unlikely to experience any problems here. That said, there is no gay or lesbian scene to speak of.

Alcohol and other drugs

Rum and other spirits, beer and local wine are cheap and available throughout the country, and alcoholism is a serious problem. Most Malagasy are tolerant of booze, even if in the case of strict Muslims and some Christians they don’t touch it themselves. However, public drunkenness and associated misbehaviour is strongly disapproved of: people are expected to behave decently and that includes visitors.

The main illegal drug is marijuana, smoked in herbal form, and grown all over the country. While it is illegal on the statute books, discreet use in private is usually tolerated. Don’t make any assumptions however, or buy or smoke pot without being very sure of your surroundings: if you fall on the wrong side of the law you will get no sympathy from your embassy.

The herbal stimulant khat is legal and quite popular in the north – but something of an acquired taste that there is no special reason to acquire. Other illegal narcotics circulate in Tana and other cities: stay well clear.

Most Malagasy burials are simple: the corpse is tied in a white cotton shroud, wrapped in a raffia mat and placed inside a sealed tomb or in a secure dry cave or a cleft in the rocks traditionally reserved for the purpose. That isn’t always the end of the story, though: the people of the central highlands practice famadihana – ritual reburial, or literally “the turning of the bones”, a custom believed to derive from Indonesia.

Roughly every seven years, in the cool, dry austral winter months between July and September, relatives consult an astrologer to determine the right date, and then gather for a two-day family party to celebrate the lives of their ancestors, with hired bands and plenty to eat and drink. They will usually slaughter a zebu, and then the remains of their nearest and dearest – usually labelled with their names – are retrieved from the family tomb to be lovingly unwrapped and tended. The remains are tidied up, given libations of rum or wine and squirts of perfume. The living have a chance to pass on news and make any requests that they feel their ancestors might assist with, from health and wealth to legal disputes and affairs of the heart. Gifts and photos are sometimes tucked in among the bones, before they are carefully rewrapped in fresh white shrouds, made ideally of finely woven silk, and bundled up for safekeeping. Once reclothed, retied and re-labelled with marker pen, the dead are paraded shoulder-high by the dancing crowd, amid further well-lubricated dancing, and accompanied by appropriately long and rambling eulogies, called kabary.

The practice of famadihana, once staunchly rejected by all Madagascar’s churches, is no longer opposed by the Catholic Church, although evangelical Christians and Muslims have no truck with it. More secular Malagasy these days oppose such close communion with the dead on economic grounds: a good reburial party is extraordinarily expensive. But the intangible social benefits are equally huge. As a passing visitor, you can often participate in a famadihana simply by being in the right place at the right time: you’ll be invited. They are intrinsically public gatherings, and occasions for inclusivity and empathy, so respectful visitors are always welcome – though you will be expected to join in properly by buying some rum and showing off your dance moves.

There’s a controversial crop that you’ll soon come across if you travel much in Madagascar – khat (Catha edulis), a bushy tree whose leaves and green twigs contain a mildly bitter stimulant sap, not dissimilar from caffeine or kola nuts in effect. It is mainly cultivated around Montagne d’Ambre in the far north and while it has been banned in many countries, in Madagascar it is still legal.

Travelling with young children in Madagascar is hard work. Journeys are long and unpredictable, it can be very hot and uncomfortable and there’s often a lot of waiting around. Persuading little ones to take malaria pills can be very hard: be sure to cover them carefully with a DEET-based mosquito repellent early each evening and ensure they sleep under secure nets. Every morning, smother them in factor 40 sunscreen, insist they wear hats, and make sure they get plenty of fluids.

Despite the difficulties, French and Italian families flock to the Nosy Be resorts using charter flights (admittedly, few of them are doing much real travelling on the island) and expatriate families manage perfectly well in Tana and other towns. Almost anything that you might need is obtainable, if not always widely available, but you’d still do best to take all your own essentials. You’ll need to take car seats, too (which should go free on the plane, and can also serve as dining thrones when high chairs are unavailable).

The rewards are great, with safe, engaging and approachable wildlife, wonderful beaches and an instinctively child-friendly host population. While taxi brousse travel isn’t really practical with children (you don’t have sufficient control to ensure they’ll be happy or safe), it is possible to work out an itinerary that isn’t too ambitious using either a tour operator or independently booking a vehicle and driver. If you spend some time touring, on the RN7 for example, you might also consider staying in one of the top-end beach-and-rainforest lodges as a relaxing special treat at the end – such as Anjajavy (great for little ones) or Manafiafy (wonderful for teens).

Top 5 national parks for children

Andasibe-Mantadia The closeness to Tana and the proximity of the remarkable indris are always a hit, as are the semi-tame lemurs at Vakona Forest Lodge.

Isalo Wonderful rocky scenery, canyons, easy walks, swimming, climbing, riding and ring-tailed lemurs.

Masoala Combines fabulous rainforest with Robinson Crusoe lodges and safe snorkelling.

Ankarana and Tsingy de Bemaraha Both parks boast extraordinary limestone pinnacle landscapes, through which only lemurs, lizards and active children (on the pathways and footbridges) can move with any ease.

The Rough Guides to Madagascar and related travel guides

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Madagascar Tours & Trips

Magical Madagascar - where the wildlife is unique, from chameleons and frogs to the 70 species of lemur which are only found on this bio diverse island. It is an eco tourist’s dream with abundant national parks and wildlife reserves in breathtaking rainforests and deserts.

197 Madagascar tour packages with 209 reviews

The best of Madagascar Adventure 12Days/11Nights ( Comfort) Tour

The best of Madagascar Adventure 12Days/11Nights ( Comfort)

11 Days Customized Private Madagascar Vacation Tour

  • Active Adventure
  • Christmas & New Year

11 Days Customized Private Madagascar Vacation

We had a fantastic time in Madagascar. It’s a fascinating place to visit…. Not just for lemurs, though they are adorable both close-up (at Palmarium and Lemur Island) and on day and night ‘safari’ to find them in their truly natural habitat, where they are harder to see but you feel that you are experiencing them in the wild. We saw about 12 different species from the biggest (Indri) to the smallest (mouse lemur). The ones you see depend on the areas you choose. The east side (drive from ‘Tana) proved best for lemurs. The west side (fly from Tana) also had good lemur experiences…. on safari. The west was also an eye-opening cultural experience, seeing and meeting the friendly Madagascan people in their challenging environment. We had no problems with theft or hassle. The scenic sites made the west side trip, notably the Tsingies and also the baobabs. On the organisation, Agate Travel planned, organised and supervised the trip very well. Questions beforehand were answered overnight. The two pairs of guides/drivers were absolutely excellent. In the east, Fafa and Niner were top class despite the tricky roads and traffic. In the west, Martin and Hari ran everything equally well. Both guides (Fafa and Martin) were extremely personable, knowledgeable and strong in English, and they sorted any issues seamlessly. The 2 drivers were professional and kept us safe in demanding conditions. Things ran well to time. Ask for them!! The local guides they selected were also extremely good without exception- all speaking decent English. We met some independent travellers who were managing alone, but as experienced travellers ourselves, we felt that it was a place where the advantages of tour guides were significant and we were glad we didn’t try DIY. By booking fairly close to time, we were unable to get one internal flight arranged which necessitated a two day road trip…. But this had some benefits of seeing more of the country. Long car trips are a necessary evil for holidaying in Madagascar…. if you want to see multiple locations, which I recommend. The 4x4 was comfortable and up to the job. (We we’re just 2 plus the guide and the driver.) On the admin, the accommodation was 3* as advertised and was universally well-chosen. The actual standard varies as some is of necessity lodge-style and some is hotel. Our only gripe was that the Kiridi lodge, where there was really no other option, was a bit run-down and could improve itself… and we had most of one day there. Generally the food was decent enough. Choice isn’t massive but it was generally wholesome. They select local restaurants for lunch that are suitable for tourists. If you’re of a sensitive disposition, you might plan to carry your own lunch meals? Also, you’ll be well away from any medical cover so take your own tummy medicine. Living costs are cheap. We changed $100per day into local currency at the airport and this covered lunches, dinners, drinks, souvenirs and tips… well, nearly anyway…. Depending on your outlay on the last two. We didn’t try exchanging at hotels, or paying in dollars/euros or paying by card. Try to get some smaller notes than the wad of 20000s (approx ~$5) you’ll get at the exchange. Otherwise tipping gets expensive! It would be nice if the travel company offered a ‘small change’ pack for purchase on arrival to overcome this problem. We found that Agate were good at being flexible in tuning the trip to our timings and desires. I noted that many companies were limited in dates offered, while Agate offered considerable variability. However, I would say that they were responsive rather than proactive when it came to information about the trip and Madagascar once we had confirmed. They answered all my questions but I felt a lot of them were obvious questions and could have been covered in an info sheet at the start. Overall, it was a great experience; well-delivered by the company and their people on the ground. Madagascar is a wonderful destination for many reasons - but it’s big, so you spend a lot of time travelling. It was well worth it.
  • Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

Highlights of Madagascar Tour

Highlights of Madagascar

Overall was a good tour ! Just read well ! You will not see the baobab avenue! There only 3 meals inc'ude in all the tour so its add on the budget !!! The restaureant we went were kind of expansive ! ( still ok for sure but if you were tight on a budget it male a big difference) Otherwise i really enjoy my tour and the time spend in the home stay this is the real higtlight of the tour for me ! The ceo was nice and the driver amazingly good we all feel really safe ! Most of the activity are walking tour ! So if you dont like to walk this is not for you ! But you will see a lot of lemurs! most hotels only have one power outlet so provide a double usb port. I loved my tour and can recommand it for sure !

Madagascar Baobabs & Beyond Tour

  • Hiking & Trekking

Madagascar Baobabs & Beyond

Great trip. Good variety and packed a lot in in the 10 days. Couple of long drive days, but just sit back and enjoy the scenery passing you by. Recommend going to the local restaurant in Bekopaka, for the avid ones, if you need a break from the hotel. Excellent local food. Our guide, Bruno, did an impeccable job

Tsingy De Bemaraha Tour

Tsingy De Bemaraha

Incredible tour experience with an amazing sight. We kind of planned world tour, we started with Madagascar throught HT Agency Tours for 5 days adventure to the western part to see especially Tsingy Bemara, it was incredibly amazing and adventurious. We were in touch with Garcihel who customized our program, he responded promptly at any time. Angelin was our tour guide, the atmosphere was totally different from the point he picked us up, he animated the group and always found things to surprise us, he is knowledgable. The visit corresponded to what we really wanted to discover. Thank you to the team for making this trip an unforgettable experience.

15 Days Details Madagascar ( Comfort) Tour

15 Days Details Madagascar ( Comfort)

Great way to get around and see a lot of Madagascar, excellent organization and guides

Baobab Safari Tour

Baobab Safari

I had a great experience visiting Madagascar on this tour with Travelia Safari. The CEO, Aristide, was reliable and very responsive. The guide and driver were great. I saw lots of lemurs, baobabs and unique sights - Tsingy de Bemaraha was a highlight. Be prepared for an adventure - the roads are very poor and driving days can be long (especially in December when the temperature is exceptionally hot and you risk the rain) - but with the right attitude you’ll have a fantastic time!

Looking for tours beyond just Madagascar?

Explore tours with itineraries going through multiple countries, including Madagascar.

Madagascar 9 Days Baobabs and Lemurs Tour Tour

  • Sightseeing

Madagascar 9 Days Baobabs and Lemurs Tour

Mannitra is the very kind and good tour guide and driver . He know what he doing and the tour just great . And I will tell more of my friends for sure

Southern to the Highland Tour

Southern to the Highland

We were travelling in group to Madagascar for a fabulous discovery. A good part of the East began the adventure then over the national road to the South. The organization was impeccable, but above all followed by online assistance at any time from Garcihel who was our contact from the agency, this really stood out. It was our second booking with this agency and this is what prompted us to write and share our experience because since our trip to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda organized by HT, everything has been perfect; good guide, good car, good organization. Part of the group decided to come back because we did not have the chance to discover the western part which also happens to be the pearl of Madagascar. Thank you to the whole team for a memorable trip. (Thomas Murray)

Madagascar: The Lost Continent Tour

Madagascar: The Lost Continent

Great tour with a fantastic guide highly recommended
  • 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

The South destination kaleidoscope discovery Tour

  • In-depth Cultural

The South destination kaleidoscope discovery

Comfortable 4x4 with an excellent driver

The Highlands Till Big South Tour

The Highlands Till Big South

Whale discovery Tour

Whale discovery

Family Trip - East Coast and Pangalanes Tour

Family Trip - East Coast and Pangalanes

Unique Madagascar Tour

Unique Madagascar

This is a wonderful way to see the highlights of Madagascar. The day long hikes are so beautiful and with the help of the guides saw so much - from lemurs, birds, bugs and plants! The visit of a local village was fantastic. Highly recommend this trip.

Reviews of Madagascar Tours

It was absolutely lovely to take a recent amazing private tour! The vacation was amazing because to the group of amiable native guides and our fantastic private driver.
Overall was a good tour ! Just read well ! You will not see the baobab avenue! There only 3 meals inc'ude in all the tour so its add on the budget !!! The restaureant we went were kind of expansive ! ( still ok for sure but if you were tight on a budget it male a big difference) Otherwise i really enjoy my tour and the time spend in the home stay this is the real higtlight of the tour for me ! The ceo was nice and the driver amazingly good we all feel really safe ! Most of the activity are walking tour ! So if you dont like to walk this is not for you ! But you will see a lot of lemurs! most hotels only have one power outlet so provide a double usb port. I loved my tour and can recommand it for sure !
The tour guide Patrick was outstanding. He went above and beyond his job. Always extremely helpful. He was not afraid to get his hands dirty when I needed him.. He took good care of his group and had a friendly and helpful attitude.

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  • Madagascar Travel Guide | All You Need to Know

International Versions

  • Deutsch: Madagaskar Rundreisen
  • Français: Circuits et voyages à Madagascar 2024/2025
  • Español: Circuitos y Viajes por Madagascar 2024/2025
  • Nederlands: Madagaskar Rondreizen 2024/2025

madagascar trip from india cost

Find cheap flights from Madagascar to India from ₹ 33,163

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a kayak user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from madagascar to india departing on 16/4. fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. click the price to replicate the search for this deal., search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to india.

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Faqs for booking flights from madagascar to india, how does kayak find such low prices on flights from madagascar to india.

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Madagascar to India.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Madagascar to India?

KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to India from Madagascar is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Madagascar to India?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly to India with an airline and back to Madagascar with another airline.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Madagascar to India?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to India from Madagascar up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top airline flying from Madagascar to India

Apart from delay of 3 hrs in Nairobi for onward flight to Dar all fine. Looked like operational issues caused it.

I booked a round trip flight and boarded a Kenya Airways trip from New York (JFK) to Nairobi (JKIA). First flight from New York to Nairobi was uneventful with no issues. However, the return flight was beyond disappointing. To begin with I had paid an extra $60 each for premium seats (me and my wife) in economy aisle 15 (B & A). However, upon settling down in the middle seat, I noticed that the controller had been ripped off meaning I would not have access to some of the seat functionalities like the individual lighting etc. I proceeded to alert a flight attendant that the controller was missing and she politely responded to me by telling me if I need anything, to use my wife’s seat controller (on the window seat) to call for assistance and I would be assisted accordingly. I was surprised by the response that she gave as it felt like my comfort and request for a service that I paid for was undermined, but nonetheless I opted to play it nice and kept my calm. After this I engaged in a conversation with a passenger (Caucasian / White male) who sat next to me on the aisle seat. In the process of having this conversation I asked him if he had paid for his seat. He went ahead to politely tell me that he had been moved from a seat in the back by one of the flight attendants and had not paid any extra fees. During this conversation, he noticed that the charging docks were not working and he needed to charge his iPad to watch his Netflix show (it was on pause). Alarmed by this, he went ahead and flagged one of the flight attendants who without wasting any time acted astonished and as fast as lightning was able to find him a better seat a few rows in front. Please note, all the charging plugs were not working for the three seats. In summary, below are the reasons for the low rating: 1. Charging for a broken seat: Kenya Airways should not charge for a defective seat. If a seat is defective and is paid for, the airlines should work out a way to either refund the customer or move the customer to a better seat – regardless of skin color. 2. Below Par Customer Service: Do not debilitate a customer’s request especially when a paid for service is not delivered – regardless of skin color. Assuming that I am comfortable with having to either keep alerting the flight attendant or relying on my wife’s seat to perform some of the functionality I may need is ridiculous. 3. Biasness / Inequality / Prejudiced Behavior: The Caucasian/ White male was treated with more favor. Not only was he moved around to make sure he was comfortable (free of charge) but all his complaints were resolved immediately without any hesitance. On the contrary, I being a black man of African descent who had paid an additional premium for his seat, I was completely ignored and told to settle for what I got.

It has been 1 week since arriving at my destination and I still have not recieved my kite surfing bags. Office will not communicate properly on location or when my bags will arrive. No advice on what to do on luggage that has not arrived in over a week. Simply not happy with Kenya airways at the moment.

Excellent. They canceled our flight & put us up for the night. Then upgraded us. We are impressed

The flight staff were not very kind. I went back to get a drink, 4 of them back there chatting. They all looked at me continued to talk then they started doing stuff and one finally asked after I was standing there awhile what I needed. This happened multiple times. The movies were not the great and seemed dated. My seat squeaked every time I moved and it moved around a bit.

My flight from Nairobi to nyc. My seat made noise and moved around. The two toilets in the back didn’t work well cause you didn’t know if someone was in there cause the light didn’t work. The bathroom doors didn’t lock well either, so I walked in on someone. The crew wasn’t quick or super helpful. When I went to get something they were chatting and they would look at me, continue on with their conversation and finally I would interrupt to get a drink.

The flight attendants on this flight were incredible! One even gave me her own dinner when my special meal order wasn’t transferred due to a flight delay! She insisted and I was so grateful. That is going above and beyond! The issue I had with the flight was with Lufthansa support. I missed my connection due to a flight delay and they wouldn’t rebook online, only in person. This took a lot of time and visits to the airport waiting for a Lufthansa agent to arrive 5 hours later than posted and almost paying full-fare price for the new flights and refusal to add my special meal orders. It made for a challenging journey home and I didn’t feel valued as a customer.

If my flight from Heathrow to Nairobi had not been cancelled I would’ve been in kisumu to fly back! And I have still not had my refund! So you have my cash and I’ve got nothing in return. Wonderful!

Great job in making sure that the customer is always having a great time

I think is one of the greatest most professional airlines I’ve flown with. So sustainable as well!!! The business class is top notch!!!

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Planning your dream Dubai trip from India? Your essential visa guide (2024)

Living in uae.

Express and instant visa options and costs, documents you need to submit

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Dubai: Dubai welcomed at least two million Indian tourists between January to October 2023, making them the highest number of international guests in Dubai, according to Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).

If you plan to visit Dubai anytime soon, it is helpful to know about all your visa options.

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There are different types of visas you can choose from, depending on the purpose of your visit and the duration of your stay. Dubai’s tourism website – visitdubai.ae, provides the following guidelines for Indians planning to visit Dubai and you can ask your local travel agent or airline in order to apply for them.

You can also directly apply for visas through the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFAD) – gdrfad.gov.ae

Dubai tourist visa for Indians

If you are travelling to Dubai for leisure, you can apply for a tourist visa. Here are the two types of visas • 30-day single entry visa • 60-day singe entry visa

You can also opt for a multiple-entry tourist visa for 30 or 60 days.

  • Want to apply for a UAE visit visa? These are all your options
  • How UAE visit visa holders can apply for 30-day extension inside the country – total cost, application process and requirements explained
  • Explained: All the long-term visit visa options available in the UAE

Usually, the visa takes between two to four working days to get processed.

If you want to travel urgently, you can opt for an express visa (processed within 24 hours) or an instant visa (processed within three hours) from travel agents.

Cost of Dubai express visa for Indians:

• 30-day single-entry visa for approximately INR8,000 (Dh354.54) • 60-day single-entry visa for approximately INR13,000 (Dh576.12)

Cost of Dubai instant visa for Indians:

• 30-day single-entry visa for approximately INR10,000 (Dh443.17) • 60-day single-entry visa for approximately INR15,500 (Dh 664.75)

Children go visa free to Dubai

Travellers under the age of 18 can apply for a free Dubai tourist visa for minors. This visa can be obtained for a visit at any time of the year, as long as the child is accompanied by an adult with a valid tourist visa, according to Visit Dubai.

To learn more about family tourist visas for the UAE, click here .

Dubai visa on arrival for Indians

Indian citizens with a valid six-month US visa, US Green Card, EU Residency, or UK Residency are eligible for a visa on arrival in the UAE. You can either obtain the visa at airport immigration or apply for a pre-approval through Emirates airlines  .

Can I extend my Dubai tourist visa?

You can extend your Dubai tourist visa for an additional charge as well. However, the extension can only be granted based on the decision of the issuing authority. If you have booked through your travel agent in India, you would need to approach them for the extension as well.

  • One-month visa extension only for UAE tourist visas: What are my options?

Dubai transit visa for Indians

Indian passport holders transiting from Dubai must apply for a transit visa if they plan to stay at the airport for more than four hours. This can be done through the airline you are travelling with.

You can choose from a validity of 48 hours or 96 hours based on your transit duration.

Five-year multiple-entry tourist visa

You can also apply for a five-year entry permit that allows you to enter the UAE multiple times a year and stay in the country for up to 180 days without a sponsor.

The visa is issued for a stay of 30, 60 or 90 days once a year, at the time of application. This period may be extended for a similar amount of time, as long as the total number of days spent in the UAE - in a year - is at most 180. For more details, click here .

Dubai travel requirements

To apply for a Dubai visa, all Indian nationals need to submit the following documents with their visa application. You also need to ensure all documents are valid throughout your stay to avoid rejection.

• Passport with minimum validity of six months. • Passport size photograph with a white background. • Round trip flight tickets. • Valid travel insurance.

How can I apply for travel insurance?

If you are applying for your ticket and visa through a travel agent, the travel insurance might be included in the package, and the total cost of the service would be inclusive of the travel insurance cost. The insurance cost is calculated based on the length of your stay and you can check with your agency to confirm.

In case the insurance is not provided by your travel agent, you can also apply for it separately, through a trusted insurance company.

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IMAGES

  1. Madagascar Budget Travel Guide (Updated 2024)

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  2. Madagaskar Tour Packages

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  3. Madagascar Travel Guide (Everything You Need To Know)

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  4. 7 lugares incríveis para conhecer em Madagascar

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  5. Madagascar Travel Guide: Essential Facts and Information

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  6. Madagascar Tourist visa for Indian citizens in June 2023

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VIDEO

  1. Madagascar Road trip, 5000kms

  2. Madagascar Road trip to Toliara

  3. A Thrilling Trip To Madagascar

  4. Madagascar Road trip Antananarivo to Nosy Be 950kms

  5. Madagascar trip

  6. India, Madagascar, Sweden, Philippines and Malta EAS Alarms Sparta Porta Remix (No BGM)

COMMENTS

  1. Cheap Flight Tickets to Madagascar from ₹ 31,498

    The cheapest ticket to Madagascar from India found in the last 72 hours was ₹ 51,308. The most popular route is from Mumbai to Antananarivo and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was ₹ 51,308.

  2. India to Madagascar

    The cheapest way to get from India to Madagascar costs only $707, and the quickest way takes just 14¼ hours. Find the travel option that best suits you. ... Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. Recommended option. Fly from Madras • 15h 51m. Fly from ...

  3. Cheap flights from India to Madagascar from $618

    Round-trip flight tickets start from $618 and one-way flights from India to Madagascar start from $322. Here are some tips on how to secure the best flight price and make your journey as smooth as possible. Simply hit "search." From American Airlines to international carriers like Emirates, we've compared flights from all major airlines and ...

  4. Cheap Flights to Madagascar from ₹ 26,027

    Thu, 22 Feb BOM - TNR with Ethiopian Airlines. 1 stop. from ₹ 26,027. Fasenina-Ampasy. ₹ 51,889 per passenger.Departing Thu, 4 Jul.One-way flight with Vistara.Outbound indirect flight with Vistara, departs from Indira Gandhi International on Thu, 4 Jul, arriving in Nossi-be.Price includes taxes and charges.From ₹ 51,889, select. Fasenina ...

  5. Cheap flights from India to Madagascar

    The cheapest flight ticket we've found from India to Madagascar is ₹ 50,630. This flight departs on the Friday, 1 March 2024. If this flight doesn't suit you, there's lots more to choose from. Take a look at different dates and prices to find the right flight for you today.

  6. Cheap flights from India to Madagascar from ₹ 50,637

    Compare cheap India to Madagascar flight deals from over 1,000 providers. Then choose the cheapest or fastest plane tickets. Flight tickets to Madagascar start from ₹ 26,034 one-way. Flex your dates to secure the best fares for your India to Madagascar ticket. If your travel dates are flexible, use Skyscanner's 'Whole month' tool to find the ...

  7. Cheap flights from India to Madagascar

    There are 11 places in Madagascar you could fly to from India. Here are the best prices out there. Antananarivo. 1+ stops From £484. Fasenina-Ampasy. 1+ stops From £737.

  8. Cheap flights from India to Madagascar

    The cheapest flight deals from India to Madagascar. Antananarivo.572 € per passenger.Departing Tue, 5 Mar, returning Sun, 23 Jun.Return flight with Ethiopian Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Ethiopian Airlines, departs from Mumbai on Tue, 5 Mar, arriving in Antananarivo.Inbound indirect flight with Ethiopian Airlines, departs from ...

  9. Cheap flights from India to Madagascar

    Looking for a cheap flight from India to Madagascar? Compare prices for every major airline, find the best time to fly, then book with no added fees.

  10. 5+ Madagascar Tour Packages From India @ Budget Price

    Best Madagascar Tours and Trips - Get best deals on Madagascar Tour Packages from India. Book Madagascar Holiday Packages online at Dook! Get a quote: +911140001000 [email protected]. About Dook; Dossier. Dossier 2017-18; ... a Madagascar trip booked with Dook lets you into a new world of extraordinary discoveries!

  11. 31,498 Cheap Flights from India to Madagascar in 2024

    The best one-way flight to Madagascar from India in the past 72 hours is ₹ 31,498. The best return flight deal from India to Madagascar found on momondo in the last 72 hours is ₹ 51,474.

  12. Cheap flights from India to Madagascar

    Find the cheapest flight from India to Madagascar with Skyscanner. Compare prices from all major travel agents and airlines to secure the best deal.

  13. Madagascar Budget Travel Guide (Updated 2024)

    Admission is 65,000 MGA and guides cost between 80,000-100,000 MGA. 4. Relax at Nosy Be. Nosy Be is the place to go for Madagascar's trademark beaches. Located 8 kilometers (5 miles) off the coast, this small island is home to white-sand beaches, expensive restaurants, and upscale resorts.

  14. What a Trip to Madagascar Costs in 2024

    An average one-week trip to Madagascar for two people will cost around $4,000: Average Accommodation Cost: $75 per night. Average Flight Cost: $1,200 per person. Food, Drink & Activities: $60 per person, per day. Transportation: $200 total.

  15. Madagascar Travel Cost

    While meal prices in Madagascar can vary, the average cost of food in Madagascar is $30 (MGA137,037) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Madagascar should cost around $12 (MGA54,815) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner.

  16. Cheap Flights from India to Madagascar from $831

    Compare prices from all major travel agents and airlines to find the cheapest flights from India to Madagascar. Skyscanner. Help; English (UK) EN Singapore $ SGD SGD ($) Flights. Hotels. Car Hire. Cheap flights from India to Madagascar. Return. One way. Multi-city. From.

  17. Madagascar Travel: 33 Things You Need to Know Before You Go

    Refer to your vaccination records. Make sure you are up to date on the following: Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Meningitis, Polio, MMR, Tuberculosis (BCG) and/or Tetanus (DTP). You don't need the Yellow Fever vaccine for Madagascar. However, if you plan to travel in mainland Africa on your ...

  18. Madagascar Vacation Packages 2024 from $2,264

    Expedia has everything you need when it comes to planning your Madagascar vacation. From accommodations and flights, to activities and rental cars, we're here to help you curate a travel experience like no other. Bundle your Madagascar flight + hotel & save up to 100% off your flight with Expedia. FREE cancellation on select hotels .

  19. Madagascar Travel Essentials

    Learn valuable visa and safety information about Madagascar before your trip. Get the complete guide and find out all facts about Madagascar. ... but all your email and internet usage will be seamless. Expect the whole set-up to cost around £20/€25/€30 for around three weeks of average-usage airtime including 1GB of data. Further top-ups ...

  20. 10 Best Madagascar Tours & Trips 2024/2025

    Browse the best tours in Madagascar with 209 reviews visiting places like Antananarivo and Antsirabe. All Major Brands. Biggest selection. Best Prices. Deals of The Week South Africa Up to 50% OFF. Deals end: 4 Mar, 2024. 0. Destinations. Destinations. Adventure Styles. ... The trip on the west side of Madagascar went very well. The ...

  21. Madagascar to India

    The cheapest way to get from Madagascar to India costs only ₹34,784, and the quickest way takes just 11½ hours. Find the travel option that best suits you. ... Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. Recommended option. Fly Antananarivo to Delhi • 11h ...

  22. Cheap flights from Madagascar to India from $480

    The cheapest flight deals from Madagascar to India. Mumbai.$482 per passenger.Departing Mon, Mar 11, returning Fri, Mar 22.Round-trip flight with Ethiopian Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Ethiopian Airlines, departing from Antananarivo on Mon, Mar 11, arriving in Mumbai.Inbound indirect flight with Ethiopian Airlines, departing from ...

  23. Cheap Flight Tickets from Madagascar to India from

    Flights to Kolkata, India. ₹ 39,785. Flights to Mumbai, India. ₹ 95,981. Flights to New Delhi, India. Find flights to India from ₹ 41,857. Fly from Madagascar on Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Air, Air France and more. Search for India flights on KAYAK now to find the best deal.

  24. Planning your dream Dubai trip from India? Your essential visa guide

    Dubai visas for Indians: Indian tourists can opt for flexible visa choices, which include short-term and long-term entry permits, a five year multiple entry visa, plus convenient transit visas.