Evolution has occurred more or less in isolation on this remote island – located 400 kilometres off Africa’s east coast – with the result that much of its indigenous wildlife is found nowhere else on earth. Madagascar’s menagerie of weird and wonderful creatures includes the world’s biggest and smallest chameleons and over 70 species of lemur – long-tailed primates endemic to the island.
The Madagascan landscape is no less compelling than the resident wildlife, with terrain ranging from lush jungles and palm-fringed beaches to the knife-edged karst tsingys of the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park’s ‘stone forests’. Madagascar is an otherworldly paradise where visitors are offered a unique glimpse into a fantastical one-of-a-kind world.
ACCOMMODATION
Madagascar has a wide range of accommodation options from safari camps to super luxurious "glamping" options and five star hotels that have every modern convenience, including air conditioning. Take a look at our Madagascar catalogue for a sample.
HEALTH
The Center for Disease Control maintains an excellent source of health information for travelers.
ELECTRICITY
In Madagascar, the two-pronged plug and the European standard socket are the most used with a tension of 220 volts (but it may go down to 170 volts in some areas at peak times)
Currency
The official currency of Madagascar since 2005 is the Malagasy Ariary (MGA), which has been reintroduced to replace the Malagasy franc. One Ariary (Ar) is divided into 5 iraimbilanja, which turns it to one of the two circulating currencies with a non decimal division in the world.
There are banknotes of 10,000 MGA, 5,000 MGA, 2,000 MGA, 1,000 MGA, 500 MGA, 200 MGA and 100 MGA. There are even coins from 1 up to 50 Ar. The one of 50 Ar is very beautiful and has baobabs carved on it.
Banking
Banks are normally open from 08h00 to 12h00 and 14h00 to 15h30 weekdays.
Credit cards (the most useful credit card is VISA CARD) are only accepted in large hotels, restaurants and some shops, mainly in Antananarivo. In the other big cities, you can get cash from Automatic Cash Machines (ATM) only with VISA CARDS. There’s now also an ATM at the airport in Antananarivo. Don’t rely on ATM machines only; they are often out of order. Keep some cash in Euro for emergencies.
CLIMATE
Any time of year is fine for a visit except from January to March, when heavy rainfall in many areas can make some roads all but impassable, and when there’s a high risk of cyclones in the east and northeast. In general, the best time to travel in most areas is April and October/November. The coolest time to travel anywhere is during the dry season (May to October), but during this time the hauts plateaux (central highlands; which include Antananarivo) can get cold and windy, with freezing showers.
The west and southwest get searingly hot during summer, but the winter months in these regions are pleasant, with blue skies, cooler temperatures and little rain. Most rain in the northeast falls from July to September.
Average maximum temperatures vary from about 30°C in coastal areas (higher in summer) to around 25°C on the hauts plateaux. In Antananarivo and other highland areas, temperatures during winter can drop to 10°C and even lower during the night.
Source: www.weather-atlas.com
CLOTHING
To cope with the Madagascan climate, lightweights should be worn during the summer on high central plateaux and throughout the year in the north and south. Cotton and natural fibres work better in this sweaty weather. Warmer clothes are advised for during the evenings and winter in mountainous areas. Rainwear is advisable as a precaution.
For safaris, please remember to wear appropriate clothing and shoes. Earth colour clothes, such as browns, greens and tans are advisable.