Madagascar Safari
The Eighth Continent - Lemurs, Baobabs & Wild Islands

The best months are April to November, the dry season, when wildlife is active and travel is easiest. September to November is especially good, with baby lemurs, comfortable temperatures and excellent conditions across most regions. The cyclone season from January to March brings heavy rain, particularly in the east, and many remote lodges close during this period.

Madagascar is a remote destination and travel here reflects that. A comfortable guided trip with good lodges and internal flights typically runs $500-800 per person per day. Luxury private-island lodges such as Miavana command $2,000-3,000+ per person per night. A well-planned 10-14 day journey ranges from $6,000 to $20,000+ per person depending on lodges and flying.

It is gloriously both. Madagascar's wildlife - lemurs, chameleons and endemic birds - is explored on foot through rainforests and dry forests rather than in game-drive vehicles. This pairs beautifully with time on the islands and beaches of Nosy Be, Sainte Marie or a private-island retreat, making Madagascar the ultimate wildlife-and-beach combination.

Madagascar is home to over a hundred lemur species - from tiny mouse lemurs to the dancing sifaka and the haunting indri - along with dozens of chameleons, geckos, colourful frogs and endemic birds. Its waters offer whale sharks, humpback whales in season, sea turtles and vibrant coral reefs. Around 90 percent of what you see exists nowhere else on Earth.

Madagascar is vast and its roads are slow, so most well-planned trips use a combination of internal flights and short road transfers to link the highlights. Domestic aviation can be changeable, which is why we build in sensible buffers and work only with trusted operators to keep your journey smooth and stress-free.

Because of the travel distances, we recommend a minimum of 8-10 days to experience Madagascar properly. Ten to fourteen days allows a rewarding combination - for example Andasibe's rainforest and the baobabs, followed by a private-island or beach finale. Madagascar rewards travellers who give it time rather than rushing.

Madagascar is a spectacular and refreshingly original honeymoon choice. The combination of extraordinary wildlife, dramatic landscapes and some of the Indian Ocean's most exclusive private-island lodges - Miavana, Anjajavy, Tsarabanjina - makes it perfect for couples wanting adventure and barefoot luxury far from the crowds.

Madagascar is generally safe for travellers on organised trips, with warm and welcoming people. Sensible precautions apply in Antananarivo as in any capital. Malaria is present, particularly on the coast and in the north, so prophylaxis is advised. We arrange trusted guides, drivers and lodges to ensure a safe and seamless experience throughout.

Madagascar is unlike anywhere else on Earth. Isolated for over 80 million years, it evolved its own extraordinary cast of wildlife found on no other landmass. Add ancient baobabs, spiny deserts, rainforests and castaway islands, and you have a destination that feels like a different planet - the perfect next step for seasoned safari travellers.