Madagascar Travel

Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to. Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Pickpocketing takes place mostly in the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo – avoid crowds, as mentioned before, and be always aware of your surroundings. Naturally, common measurements against theft should be taken. You should not display any jewelry of technology, especially if you find yourself within large crowds of people. Of course, it is recommended that you avoid these crowds at any costs, as the possibility for them to turn violent is quite high. You can also find here a lot of natural parks and reservations.

Dont Forget Your Madagascar Travel Insurance

We mentioned earlier that the terrain of Madagascar is rich and varied, and Isalo National Park is no exception. Possibly one of the most popular sights in Madagascar, the landscape is filled with Jurrasic-style sandstone formations, dry grasslands and forests. If you’re searching for lemurs or hoping to see the white sifakas dancing and jumping around, this is where you need to go. As one of the most vibrant and eclectic cities in Africa, Malagasy capital is not to be missed. Visitors can enjoy taking in the colourful sights and sounds of the hillside city filled with palaces, historic buildings with churches along uneven, cobbled streets.

African Travel’s President shares his bucket list to connect with Africa’s wildlife, people and culture, including meeting local artists, visiting Egypt and enjoying a bold new bush experience. Passengers must carry a negative PCR certificate issued no more than 96 hours before departure and issued by a local government approved laboratory. For unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers, a negative COVID-19 PCR test is required for departure from Zimbabwe regardless of the requirements of their onward destination. Kazungula border & Victoria Falls bridge border are open for fully vaccinated tourists. All other Zimbabwe land borders remain closed, except for transportation of goods and for returning residents.

Places To Visit And Things To Do In Madagascar

A T-shirt representing your city or country, candy from abroad, or something else they wouldn’t find in Madagascar are the most cherished gifts. If you have an unlocked GSM cellphone, you may want to buy a local SIM card and a 3G package. If you don’t want to purchase a plan, you can buy phone credit at virtually any shop. Bring more warm clothes than you would think necessary. Especially if you are travelling during Madagascar’s winter months (May – September).

Volunteers that will be here for 2-12 weeks can obtain a tourist visa, which are available at the airport upon arrival, and can often also be purchased online prior to arrival. Tourist visas are good for single entry and are available for stays up to 30 days (costs €35), 60 days (costs €40), or 90 days (costs €50). If your stay here is longer than 12 weeks, IMPACT Madagascar can help you arrange a long-term visa. You must have a return ticket or proof of onward travel to obtain any visa.

Development Of Tourism

So there are no scheduled departures and arrival times can vary by up to 12 hours depending on when it left. If you want to cover big parts of the country in a small amount of time, the only way is to rent a 4WD car with a driver for 65 USD + fuel a day. So if you find traveling around South East Asia, India, or mainland Africa uncomfortable, Madagascar is definitely not for you. But if you like a bit of adventure and have plenty of time, Madagascar is definitely the place to go.

Most of the tours follow the same route, hitting all the big parks and destinations in the center of the country, with added paid add-ons to other parts of the country. I think that many younger travelers stay away because getting to the country or booking a tour is so expensive. Plus, there’s just not much free information available on Madagascar.

First Aid And Medications While Travelling In Madagascar

And the health care isn’t generally what Westerners are accustomed to. Typically, being medevacked is your best option if it’s something serious. Mora Travel dedicates itself to organizing ‘responsible’ trips to Madagascar every day. By organizing these trips, we believe our travelers can experience Madagascar and enjoy everything that the country has to offer.

If you’re a digital nomad, you can easily work and travel here at the same time. Any trip to Madagascar will include a selection of its national parks, introducing the incredible scenery and unique wildlife that it is famous for… Extreme temperatures, long, horrendous roads, basic conditions and possible stomach upsets and bug bites will test any child’s sense of adventure – even if there is a fluffy lemur at the end of the trail. For this reason, tour companies rarely accommodate children under eight – and you should consider their curiosity and energy levels before traveling in Madagascar with kids. Active teenagers, on the other hand, will have a blast – there are incredible hikes for all abilities, plus camping, kayaking, river expeditions, snorkelling and even kite surfing… as well as fluffy lemurs. Additionally, stopping in a village to see development and conservation projects in action gives youngsters a real education about Madagascar.

General Madagascar Travel Tips

The bush taxi/taxi-brousse we mentioned earlier isn’t just a taxi service, it forms the skeleton of much public transport around the island nation. As with many taxi systems around the world, you should make sure you have cash, and small notes at that, when you come to pay your taxi driver. Uniquely, in Madagascar they have to watch out for robbers as much as you do; having all that cash on them tempts thieves, so often there are partners in the car who act as security for the driver. Pay careful attention to the vehicle as well as the driver; see how well the driver looks after it. If it looks good, it looks like it’s taken care of, then it’s probably a good option. To hire a car with a driver , make sure you ask for recommendations at your hotel or accommodation.

ATMs that accept foreign cards can be found in large cities and the airport, although they’re often unreliable or out of service. Be sure to carry a back-up method of payment in case ATM access becomes difficult. Everyone traveling on an Intrepid trip must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of carriage. With a cat-like body and a dog-like face, this strange beast endemic to Madagascar is actually closely related to the mongoose species.

African Safaris For Seniors? Safe & Easy Budget Senior Tours

The personalities, habits and whims of the ancestors are transmuted into the fears and desires of their descendants and their extended families. Over time, certain fady have become widespread across districts and entire ethnic regions. The whole of Madagascar below about 2000m is a malaria zone, though the parasite is much more easily picked up in crowded urban areas and struggles to survive much above 1700m. Malagasy landlines start with 20 for Telecom Madagascar, followed by 7 numbers, while mobile lines start 32 for Orange, 33 for Airtel and 34 for Telma, also followed by 7 digits.

If you can’t secure the window put something on the sill which will fall with a clatter if someone tries to enter. My name is Christian, traveller, photographer, beer lover and adventurer from Norway. With a special interest in visiting non-touristy places around the world, some of which often can seem too dangerous for most. Overall Madagascar is a great country to travel around.

Visa For Visiting Madagascar

Camping’s exist in and around several national parks, but for some you may require your own tent. While in general tap water is considered not safe, in most cities it seldom causes problems. Bottled water costs 30 to 60 eurocent per liter and can be found almost everywhere. Bonbon Anglais, and various beers like Three Horses Beer , Castel, Queens, Skol, …

For travellers looking to swim, splash, dive or relax in unspoilt waters, Nosy Be is the place to go. As Madagascar’s top beach destination, the Nosy Be are ideal for swimming due to the shallow and calm waters. Despite being the top attraction in the area, tourists are few and far between – meaning your experience will be both peaceful and undisrupted.