Madagascar Travel Guide

What travelling Madagascar is actually like

Madagascar is the world's fourth-largest island, about 400 km off the coast of Mozambique. It split from the rest of Africa and India millions of years ago, and its plants and animals evolved in isolation. Around 90% of its wildlife is found nowhere else, including more than 100 kinds of lemur, chameleons, the fossa and six of the world's eight baobab species.

The culture is just as distinctive. The Malagasy people descend from both Southeast Asian and African settlers, and Malagasy, related to languages spoken in Borneo, is the national language, with French widely used. Ancestors play a central role in daily life, and local taboos called fady vary from village to village.

For travellers, Madagascar is spectacular but challenging. It's one of the poorest countries in the world, roads are often in poor condition and journeys take a long time. Many visitors hire a car with a driver, and domestic flights save days.

The classic routes are the RN7 south from Antananarivo through the highlands to Isalo and the coast, the west for the Avenue of the Baobabs and the Tsingy, the east for rainforest and lemurs at Andasibe, and the north for Nosy Be's beaches and islands.

Political protests in late 2025 led to a transitional government, and rallies can still happen. Crime and road banditry are real risks in some areas, so plan routes carefully.

Three to four weeks lets you combine two or three regions without rushing.