The Ultimate Itinerary for Madagascar

While building a Madagascar itinerary, there are two kinds of people: The first who think of the DreamWorks movie… and the second, who hear David Attenborough narrating as they spot lemurs and chameleons in the jungle. It should come as no surprise to anyone who’s followed us for a while — we’re the latter.

This was the one and only reason we took this trip, and it did not disappoint.

Madagascar is not for the faint-hearted. It's raw, wild, and unpredictable — and that’s exactly why we loved it. As wildlife enthusiasts, we hiked deep into jungle forests to find endemic lemurs, geckos, frogs, and chameleons. This trip was wildly enchanting, full of curveballs despite all our planning — which is why we made this detailed guide to help you plan better.

Madagascar Itinerary: 2 Weeks of Wildlife, Hikes & Heritage

If you’re up for an adventure in one of the most unique islands on the planet, here’s how we did it:

• Day 1 – Land in Antananarivo 

• Days 2–4 – Fly to Morondava: Avenue of Baobabs & Kirindy 

• Days 5–7 – Drive to Bekopaka: Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park 

• Day 8 – Return to Morondava 

• Days 9–12 – Drive to Andasibe: Lemur Trekking & National Parks 

• Day 13–14 – Return to Antananarivo & fly out

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• FAQ

• Guide Information

• Where We Stayed

• Trip Costs

• Traveling with kids

• How Much Time To Spend In the Country

• Highlights

• Final Thoughts

Flights + Visa (For Indian Passport Holders from Dubai)

Best route: Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa

• Visa on arrival for most nationalities

• Under 15 days: no visa fee (just a small processing fee)

• Over 15 days: approx $45 USD

• Carry your yellow fever card just in case

.

Language

French and Malagasy are official. English is rare. Download Google Translate with offline packs.

Best Time to Visit

To visit Tsingy and Morondava, go between mid-April to October. Other months are monsoon season and roads are impassable.

Currency

Carry Malagasy Ariary. Euro is accepted in cities, but avoid rural exchanges.

Guide or DIY?

Let’s be honest — this is not a budget-friendly destination. It’s more like Antarctica meets Africa. If you want a smooth ride, hire reliable local experts. You can also join one of our group trips for a curated, eco-friendly experience.

Estimated Cost: €1800+ per person for 10–14 days (3-star stay, transport, internal flights, guides)

INQUIRE ABOUT OUR UPCOMING PRIVATE & GROUP TRIPS!

Estimated Trip Costs + Getting Around

A 10–14 day trip typically costs €1800+ per person, including basic 3-star accommodation with breakfast, transport, a guide, and return flights from Morondava. It’s more cost-effective to join a small group tour.

If you're planning to visit Morondava or other islands, note that internal flights are required ensure these are included in your final quote from local operators.

Traveling with Young Kids?

Not recommended. Expect:

• 15+ hour drives on rough roads

• Minimal facilities

• Heat, dust, giant insects

This is best suited for experienced travelers used to rugged conditions.

PLACES TO STAY

We stayed in simple, convenient places since it was low season. In the capital, our stay at Boutique Hotel near the airport offered a comfy bed and a decent veggie breakfast—just what we needed after a long trip.

Most places were basic but clean. Our top stay Mantadia Lodge, Andasibe – 5-star views, vegan food, infinity pool, spa & stunning mountain views.

Highlights of the Trip

Antananarivo

Only stayed here to rest. It’s chaotic, but we found decent Indian food and boutique hotels.

Morondava

Avenue of Baobabs

Madagascar’s most iconic sight. We went three times:

• Sunrise

• Sunset

• Milky Way

Each time offered a different kind of magic.

The moment we saw the towering trees lining the sandy roads, we were in awe. We loved it so much, we went back three times—for sunrise, sunset, and even the Milky Way. Hard to choose between dawn and dusk—both were magical.

As we walked to the village at dusk—fires crackling, goats returning, stars replacing the orange sky—I was struck by Madagascar’s wild beauty. It’s truly exotic. We visited the Avenue three times, and each moment was unforgettable. Take your time here—it’s worth it.

Kirindy Forest

Home to white Sifakas, shy Mouse Lemurs & night walks for nocturnal wildlife.

 A must for wildlife enthusiasts.

A major draw for wildlife lovers like us, these charismatic creatures amazed us with their dances, calls, and social behavior. We spent several days exploring national parks to see them up close.

Bekopaka – Tsingy National Park

A journey that tests your patience — 17 hours, 2 ferries, a bullock cart… but 100% worth it. 150-million-year-old limestone formations, steep hikes, rope bridges, and caves.

 Note: Wear proper shoes. And maybe don't look down.

We met kids in remote villages, taught them frisbee, and shared our food. These moments hit hard — but are also the most heartwarming.

Before you get excited, get ready to hear about the arduous journey to get here. There are bad roads, and then there are roads from Morondava to Tsingy. Our journey took 17 hours. We started at 5 a.m. got on a bullock cart, got on two ferries and finally arrived at the hotel at around 1 a.m. There was one beautiful part in the journey though (swipe to the end) - we met an entire village of kids, shared our food and taught them to play frisbee for a few hours. For me, seeing kids like this is the hardest part of Africa travel, it’s gut wrenching. We often carry our frisbees on such trips and leave it behind, it’s not nearly enough but its us, trying in our own small way to bring a smile to these precious faces.

ANDASIBE

Mitsinjo National Park, Andasibe National Park, Vakona Private Reserve

There are some wildlife experiences out there that are awe-inspiringly, blow-the-lights-out magnificent.While it’s easy to go D'aww, it’s also important to note that these species are threatened by habitat loss and deforestation. By visiting the communities and National Parks involved in protecting these species and by participating in reforestation activities when there, you can make a small but meaningful contribution and support the local conservation efforts. There's a whole world out there, filled with weird and wonderful creatures, and observing any animal, no matter how great or small, in its ‘natural’ habitat is undeniably incredible. This the world that brings me the most joy.

There are over a 100 different species of Lemurs, found nowhere else on the planet. whilst planning a trip to incorporate them might need a little more organization - they're worth every last memory card. Spending time with wildlife was on top of our agenda during our trip to Andasibe. This was also the most relaxing leg. We would spend hours each day in every park trying to find the shy lemurs hidden deep in the shadow of trees.

We found the Indri, one of the largest living Lemurs with a distinctive piercing-whalesong.

Golden Sifaka, known as dancing sifakas because of the way they move, skipping sideways

We then got very close to the shy black and white ruffed lemur having lunch..

Walked further to spot my favorites and the most cutest of the lot, the Bamboo Lemur

A mama and baby Sifaka spending time under the shade

The fourth largest island in the world is home to 5% of all known animal and plant species. There are over 150 species of Chameleon alone, imagine that.

We found Weiled and Parsons Chameleon perched precariously on branches completely camouflaged with their lime green coat.

As a David Attenborough admirer, finding the endemic Mantella frog with it’s carrot-colored skin, I was over the moon.

Madagascar is a wildlife wonderland. We planted trees in the reforestation center and donated to the privately owned NGO - given that most species I mentioned here are under threat of extinction, this trip felt more urgent, purposeful and like a force of good, there is no better reason to visit this country.

FINAL THOUGHTS

From wildlife, to diverse landscapes, towering mountains, lush rainforests, the land of baobabs and lemurs is packed with adventures for anyone up for a WILD ride. I also loved that towards the end of our trip there was a whole lot of downtime. Though it may not seem like it, our trips all about balance and not just the constant rush from place to place.

There is SO much to discover & it’s all still unexplored - just think, over 95% of the flora and fauna here cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

There are now more ways to explore the world than ever before. So if you’re looking for an adventure that’s a little different, this is the one to pick. The one thing we try to aim for on such trips is that our visit benefit local people and the planet - we got many opportunities to do just that in this country & we loved it.

Chances are, once you have ventured into something this extraordinary, you’ll be hooked for life!

Leave your thoughts and questions below. Thanks for reading.

Lots of love,

Anki