Madagascar | Doug Macdonald Safaris

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Experience the classic Madagascar jungle safari

Madagascar is probably one of the more famous destinations of Africa and certainly an incredible place to visit with many unique and endemic species in all realms of the natural world. A focus for most people is to see the lemurs and of course the most famous of them “King Julian” – the Ringed Tailed lemur, there are another 106 other species that are known of currently plus an incredible variety of Chameleons and beautiful birds to keep you paging through the reference books. Combining the drier South of the Island with the forests in the North and the coastlines makes an amazing safari.

Get a taste of it all

Madagascar is a very big island – the World’s fourth largest and Africa’s biggest. So, if you want a very comprehensive safari here you need to allocate a lot of time to it as getting around is not easy on a very damaged road network and charter flights are expensive. We would suggest focusing on 2 or 3 areas and really getting the best from those as better than trying to do too much around the Island as I can assure you what looks close on a map can be quite a long transfer. There are many different lodges around the key areas of varying standards and the better ones do have their own seat rate charter flights on set days which really helps costs but does need planning to get them all synchronized to the right days.

What you need
to know

Things that are worth knowing about when traveling to Madagascar

Madagascar broke away from Africa approximately 160million years ago with India and these two broke apart about 80 million years ago which is the start point for the amazing endemism here. Humans arrived here about 2000 years ago from mixed origins and since then it has had a turbulent time with humans squabbling over whose island it is and who gets access to the resources. This has resulted in the island going nowhere economically and a natural world that has been plundered, so the last few remaining natural areas remain under massive threat from impoverished communities being taken advantage of by various “traders” from around the world and climate change.

Best time to go

April to October

Language

Malagasy & French

Currency

Malagasy Ariary MGA

Getting There

Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo is the main airport for tourists arriving and this is connected to Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Dubai, Nairobi and Paris. These are all good transit points to get to and from most destinations around the world or for more safari time in Africa.

Getting Around

Madagascar has a very poorly maintained road network and much of it is dirt roads so getting between points can mean spending nights in small lodges along the way to cover distances that you may see on a map as being quite close. There is a local airline which I can say from personal experience is really not worth considering as the schedule is largely irrelevant. There are a few charter flight companies which is the most efficient way to get around but can be expensive on the longer flights as you are often paying for the dead leg as well. Some lodges have their own set day departures on a charter flight which really do help costs.

Tsingy De Bemaraha

A fascinating landscape and UNESCO World Heritage Site that occurs on the Western side of the island – it is a complex landscape of limestone pinnacles and caves with unique flora and fauna adapted to this harsh environment that can be an incredible add on to any Madagascar safari.

Avenue of the Baobabs

In the drier Southwest of the island is the Allee des baobabs protected area. This used to be part of a forested area which has now been largely cleared and these ancient trees remain as they are used a food source by the local communities. There are 6 species of Baobab trees on Madagascar and this is the best place to see them along this famous road.

Nosy Mangabe

This small island covered by forest off the coast of the Masaolo Reserve on the Northeastern tip of Madagascar is only reachable by boat from Maroantsetra. It is quite unique as this island was a pirate controlled hideout dating back to the late 1600’s through to the mid 1700’s and evidence of their presence is still there. It is also home to the Aye-Aye and Black and White Ruffed Lemur along with a host of other smaller creatures like the strange leaf-tailed Geckos

Weather

The dry season runs much the same as the rest of Southern Africa between May and October – the cooler months are May to August and when most people visit Madagascar. The rains happen anytime from October through to April which in the real rain forest areas of the North can make a stay more challenging, but the early rains are, as anywhere beautiful to witness.

January to March

These are the main summer rainy season months for this part of Africa, all of the parks are accessible at this time however the road network within certain parks might be quite limited. It is, however, an excellent time to see the parks when animals, birds and plants are at their best. The usually dry areas like the Central Kalahari come to life during this time of year so a good time to visit.

June to August

The dry winter season is well set in by this time of year, the vegetation is thinning out and wildlife becoming more focused on particular feeding and watering areas. This is the height of winter as well and the mornings and evenings can be surprisingly cold even dropping below freezing in the early morning, so you’ll make good use of the camp fire at night, but during the day the temperatures warm up to the mid twenties Celsius and the skies are generally always clear and blue. A really popular time to be on safari and the Okavango Delta is now starting to recede and expose the grasslands.

November to December

These months are really hot during the day and it’s when we expect to see our first rains and the incredible change that happens almost immediately. This transformation brings with it the drama of tropical rain and lightning storms, amazing cloudscapes, clear dustless skies and many of the animal species begin their birthing. This can be one of the most beautiful times to be in the bush and often you can get some good special accommodation rates.

April to May

You can still experience some rain at this time but usually quite limited, if at all. These months mark the start of the bush drying out and the beginning of the long dry spell that will go through to November. The bush is usually quite thick at this time so sightings can be difficult but the animals are still there and you can have huge wild areas all to yourself which is excellent in itself and you can get some great accommodation specials. The Okavango Delta - Chobe and Linyanti Rivers are at peak height during this time of year.

September to October

These months are when the temperatures start to climb and the wildlife concentrates at the last available feeding and watering sites. September is probably the best of these months from a temperature perspective as October can be really hot during the day going towards the 40 degrees Celsius mark but it does cool off at night time. At this time many species of tree start to flower and migratory birds start arriving. For some, these are the best months to be on safari in Botswana when looking for big predators and prey animal drama.

General

What do I pack for a safari in Zimbabwe? Please remember that there may be luggage weight or size restrictions on your Zimbabwe safari. Before you travel, we shall advise you on what would be suitable for your specific safari as sometimes you may need a wide range of clothing to cater for the different conditions of your safari. If bush walks are a part of your safari, we advise to not wear white or black coloured clothes. What Stone Ruins are in Zimbabwe? The name Zimbabwe translates as “House of stone”. Between the 11th to 15th Century these stone edifices were constructed around the country and were important centres of trade and government. The main ones being Great Zimbabwe, Khami Ruins and Dhlodhlo Ruins, there are many other smaller ones scattered around. Can I walk by myself in the National Parks? No, you cannot, this is only available in designated areas within Mana Pools National Park after paying for a special permit and signing a disclaimer. We do not recommend doing this, you will have a much better experience being accompanied by a trained professional safari guide familiar with the area. Licensed professional guides working for a registered operator are allowed to take you for walks anywhere within the National Parks. What currency is used in Zimbabwe? The currency in Zimbabwe is the Zimbabwean Dollar. In tourist areas most transactions are quoted and done in US Dollars with South African Rand also possible. What time zone is Zimbabwe in? Zimbabwe shares the same time zone as the rest of Southern Africa, which is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time – (GMT) + 2 hours, in the Central Africa Time Zone (CAT) Can I use my credit cards in Zimbabwe? Yes, but only really in the main cities or tourist areas like Victoria Falls with Visa and Mastercard the most widely accepted. To buy curios or paying for camp extras like National Parks Fees it is better to have actual cash. What power sockets are used in Zimbabwe? In the cities and safari camps Zimbabwe uses 220V power points in the camps mostly using Type G plugs. If you have an item that runs on 110V, please bring a converter. It is also advisable to bring additional universal travel adaptors and extra batteries.
Visas

Do I need a visa to travel to Zimbabwe? Most nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival at the port of entry or apply for an e-visa before arrival. However, some nationalities may have to apply in advance through an embassy.Please check with your Travel Designer to find out if you require a visa to enter Zimbabwe.
Medical

What Vaccinations do I need for travelling to Zimbabwe? At this time there are no vaccination requirements for tourists visiting Zimbabwe – However if you are travelling to Zimbabwe from areas infected with yellow fever, you must have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. We will advise the latest regulations before travelling. If you are unsure about what is best for you, please consult your medical practitioner for professional advice on what other vaccinations may be suitable for you. Medical Evacuations? Air medical evacuations are available in Zimbabwe, but it is important that you have medical insurance with this type of remote evacuation cover and declare the details to your travel designer prior to travel. Do I need to take malaria medication when visiting Zimbabwe? Zimbabwe is in a malarial zone so please consult with your medical practitioner a few weeks before your departure on what the best prophylactic for you would be. Some courses of medication may need to be started in advance of your visit to Zimbabwe.

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Experience the classic Madagascar jungle safari

Get a taste of it all

What you need to know

Things that are worth knowing about when traveling to Madagascar

Tsingy De Bemaraha

Avenue of the Baobabs

Nosy Mangabe

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What you need
to know

Ready to start planning your ultimate African safari with the help and experience of our team?

Let’s get in touch to begin customising your perfect adventure.

Discover Madagascar
on safari

Build your safari around
what you want to see