Have questions? We're here.
Exploring the striking landscape of Madagascar

Madagascar Highlights

Talk with an expert
Build your ideal Africa trip. Call 1.406.541.2677
Start Planning My Trip
Madagascar is a fascinating safari destination because of its diverse landscapes and wildlife, including many species found nowhere else on earth. Scuba diving in uninhabited islands with pristine white sand beaches and hiking through protected nature reserves filled with endemic species are all possibilities in this one-of-a-kind paradise. Visit majestic national parks such as Ranomafana, Andasibe, and Isalo to get close to Madagascar wildlife like Lemurs, Indris, Sifakas, and Vangas. Looking for a tropical paradise, look no further than Madagascar's largest islands, Nosy Be and Sainte Marie, where white-sand beaches and turquoise water surround tropical forests. Ride the 4WD towards Bemaraha National Park to explore the Great Tsingy, drive to Morondava, stop in the famous Baobab Avenue when the sun is setting to take spectacular photos. The laid-back atmosphere and proximity to nature make the whole island great for families, couples, and groups looking to spend their holiday together in exotic surroundings. Whether you want culture, adventure, or relaxation, our Madagascar expert trip planners have all the information you need.
 

  • Isalo National Park With its extensive gorges, steep bluffs, and protruding rock formations, the Isalo National Park offers fantastic hiking opportunities among natural lakes and Jurassic scenery. This area is home to several natural swimming pools popular with tourists and excellent locations for viewing Benson's Rock Thrush.  Hiking is the primary activity in Isalo National Park, and visitors must hire a local guide. If you're not on a Madagascar tour, Isalo National Park is easily accessible on your own. Payments, reservations, and guides, and porters are all accepted at the park office in Ranohira. Also, several tour providers offer horseback riding and mountain biking excursions. While Isalo National Park is well-known for its magnificent landscape, it also contains many unique species. The fossa, a feline-like creature, is one of Madagascar's two tenrec and civet species.

  • Nosy Boraha - Nosy Boraha (formerly Ile Sainte Marie) is a 57km long tropical island off the east coast of Madagascar. The island is an Analanjirofo administrative district. It is a paradise of soft-sand beaches, palms, and fishing villages. From June to September, migratory humpback whales can be seen offshore, so spend your last days in Madagascar sunbathing on the beaches and diving in reefs full of colorful species. The nicest part about Île Sainte Marie is that it has everything for a pleasant vacation and travel. 

  • Nosy Be - Soft white sands, turquoise waters, and mouth-watering seafood makes Nosy Be Madagascar's most famous beach resort. Popular activities include scuba diving, swimming, snorkeling, sailing, and fishing. Visitors can take advantage of trips to the nearby islands, which include gorgeous beaches and excellent diving. Nosy Be is a small island located off Madagascar's northern coast, which is accessible by boat. The Lokobe Reserve's woodlands house chameleons, geckos, and frogs. Lemurs and reptiles live in Lemuria Land. An old distillery, built in the 19th century, still produces essential oils from the ylang-ylang tree that grows in the park.

  • Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park - In Malagasy, tsingy translates as "a place where one cannot walk barefoot." The term describes tall, thin needle-like limestone formations in the Melaky Region, northwest Madagascar. Due to its conserved mangrove forests, wild birds, and lemur populations, UNESCO designated Tsingy de Bemaraha a World Heritage site. The Great and Little Tsingy geological formations are the park's main attractions, along with the Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve. Known as forest knives, this massive knife-like spire of rock surrounding the grikes was caused by collapsing cave and tunnel roofs. Red-fronted and woolly lemurs live in the national park, as do Fossa and panther chameleons. The animals can even jump between the rough stones.

  • Nosy Mangabe - A small 520-hectare island in Antongil Bay in northeast Madagascar, about 2 kilometers from Maroantsetra. It is located within the Masoala National Park complex and is only accessible via small boat. The aye-aye lemur, previously considered extinct, now enjoys a secure haven in this tropical rainforest preserve. Additionally, the island is renowned for its black-and-white ruffed population of lemurs.

  • Ifaty - A tiny beach town in Madagascar's Toliara Province, located north of Toliara. For divers, Ifaty's lagoon area is a great place to explore an offshore coral reef home to rich corals and many shark species. The southern section of Ifaty is pleasantly unhurried, consisting of two minor fishing settlements named Mangily and Madio Rano. Between these settlements are various bungalow lodging options, making it a great beach destination for unwinding following your more active trekking and animal adventures elsewhere on the island or to watch the traditional 'pirogue' fishing boats ply the mild waters. It is also possible to see migrating whales during July and August.

  • Andasibe National Park - In the Malagasy language, the word "andasibe" translates to "big camp" in English. To the east of Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital city of Antananarivo, is Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, a 155 km² protected region mainly made up of primary growth forest. Because of its proximity to the capital (a 135-kilometer journey and a travel time of roughly three hours), this Protected Area is the most often visited in Madagascar. The Analamazoatra Reserve and the Mantadia forests combine to form Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, probably Madagascar's best rainforest preserve. ​ The park's spectacular Indri call, the largest lemur in the world, attracts the majority of visitors.

  • Avenue of the Baobabs-  The 260-meter-long dirt road between Morondava and Belon'i Tsiribihina in western Madagascar, is Madagascar's most famous postcard image. One of Madagascar's most recognizable trees, the baobab, rises towering and majestic in the center of the island's barren landscape. They form a columned promenade along the dirt road at Baobab Alley. Baobabs are enormous, twisting trees with hairy berries. The baobab's large trunk and ability to withstand harsh conditions are attributable to the tree's softwood fiber composition and high water storage capacity. It can hold 300 liters of water in each tree so that it can withstand dry spells. When it comes to life expectancy, most live over 500 years. Photography is at its best at dusk.


Want to Go?

continent
Wildlife on an Africa safari

Africa

0

Africa Travel Guide

Favorite Africa All Trips

Top Africa Travel Destinations

Africa Trips by Departure Date

Top Experiences in Africa

Africa Trips by Duration

Africa Trips by Activity

More Reasons

Why Travel With Adventure Life

All News

Recognized By