Discover Holidays to Madagascar
It's a sentence that's rarely true, but there's nowhere else in the world quite like Madagascar. As the UK's leading tour operator to Madagascar, we know this more than anyone else. With stunning and unique endemic wildlife – including the iconic lemurs – Madagascar holidays are a must for nature lovers. Our experts are here to share their unrivalled, first-hand knowledge for the most enriching experience. We also support Money for Madagascar, which works to help fund communities and conservation-related initiatives.
Some of Our Madagascar Holiday Ideas
Discover our range of sample tailor-made tour ideas and small group tours for a holiday in Madagascar. From an adventure exploring the humid rainforests and seasonally dry woods to a luxurious and relaxing break off the coast at Constance Lodge Tsarabanjina, there are plenty of ways to experience this spectacular island.
Madagascar Wildlife Discovery Tours 2026 & 2027
Madagascar Rainforests, Wildlife, Tsingy & Beach
12 nights from £5,555 p/p
Madagascar Made Easy Deluxe
12 nights from £7,425 p/p
Madagascar Reef & Rainforest
12 nights from £4,725 p/p
Our expertise in Madagascar
I’d love to create your perfect destination experience to Madagascar . Give me a call and I’ll share my first-hand expertise so you get the most from your trip.
Travel Specialist
Derek's review
While technically you could visit Madagascar year-round, the climate is so (surprisingly) diverse across the country that the month you decide to travel in is pivotal in terms of determining which regions – or even sub-regions – you will or won't be able to explore. It's also crucial to ensure that, before you travel, you secure the services of capable and experienced guides so as to make the most of the time you have.
More than 90% of first-time visitors want to see some of the country's wildlife, much of which is endangered. Scattered around the country is a large selection of protected areas. We can arrange visits to those which allow access to tourists. Discover hugely popular national parks such as Isalo National Park and Andasibe-Mantadia National Park and new sites like Andrafiamena Andavakoera, Loky-Manambato and magnificent Tsingy de Namoroka, which our clients come back raving about.
Derek's Top Tips
- Madagascar's essence lies in its contrasting habitats, so if you're a first-time visitor, you should aim to explore at least one key eastern rainforest site (Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is pivotal). The direct opposite can be experienced by then going to the sub-arid south. To complete your overview, add a tropical deciduous forest in the island's western half.
- The more desirable lodges servicing popular protected areas like Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Ranomafana National Park, Ankarana Special Reserve and Montagne d'Ambre National Park (Amber Mountain National Park) are subject to an intense international 'bunfight' for rooms a year or more in advance. So, book early to avoid disappointment.
- The country's most enjoyable microclimate is the Sambirano Domain in the far northwest. There, we work with a reputable, responsible outfit (based on Nosy Be) which can take you whale watching from July to September; look out for whale sharks from October to December and observe marine turtles on coral reefs year-round.
Best Time To Visit Madagascar
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Quick Country Facts
Time Zone:GMT +3 hours
Capital:Antananarivo
Currency:Malagasy Ariary
Madagascar travel guides
Why visit Madagascar?
Madagascar is a strong contender for offering the most distinctive wildlife tours on the planet. The island separated from the African mainland some 165 million years ago. And much of its fauna and flora has evolved in a unique way – an astonishing 80% of which is endemic.
Around 5% of the world's known animal and plant species are found only here.
For most visitors, the number one attraction is Madagascar's lemurs, of which there are over 100 species and subspecies. But beneath the forest canopy, you'll also find fossa, tenrecs and a myriad more interesting animals. Innumerable highlights include:
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The world's smallest and largest chameleons
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Some 106 species of birds, including five unusual endemic families
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More than 400 frog species, 99% of which are unique to the island.
And these aren't the only attractions. Madagascar tours offer deserted white sand beaches to lounge on, a coastline along the Indian Ocean ready to be snorkelled and a melting pot of Malayo-Polynesian, African and European cultures for you to explore.
Derek Schuurman
Travel Specialist
What’s included in a Madagascar holiday package with Rainbow Tours?
At Rainbow, our Madagascar holiday packages are available in the form of safaris, small group and bespoke individual tours, which are respectful and responsibly delivered. Each is crafted by our expert Travel Specialists and led by our trusted resident guides, taking you to see endemic wildlife in unusual places.
Whether it's exploring the natural beauty of diverse geological highlights including Isalo and Ankarana or seeking out critically endangered indri in the dense rainforest of Andasibe-Mantadia, our Madagascar holidays can be tailored to you.
Price Includes
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Return international flights as per the itinerary
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All airport taxes and security charges
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Accommodation and meals as listed
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Transfers as indicated
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Activities and guided excursions as specified
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All entrance fees on sightseeing tours as detailed
Price Excludes
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Travel insurance
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Any meals not specified in the itinerary
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Gratuities
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Optional excursions not included in your itinerary
What can I expect on a Madagascar holiday?
Safari holidays to Madagascar differ from the traditional African safaris you may be aware of as it isn't like a typical safari destination. The absence of dangerous large predators and herbivores means that Madagascar’s protected areas are safe to explore on foot. With diverse habitats and scenery including quiet beaches, it can offer marvellous trips for natural history enthusiasts.
The island's best-known native inhabitants are the lemurs, so scanning the branches of a mist-enshrouded forest to spot them can be the highlight of any Madagascar safari. They come in all shapes and sizes, from golden bamboo lemurs to ring-tailed lemurs. Some could fit into an egg cup; others are the size of a large baboon. To see nocturnal species, night walks are a must, the forest coming alive as darkness sets in. Look out for dwarf and mouse lemurs, chameleons, tree frogs and various Malagasy owls and nightjars as you stroll quietly through their natural habitat at night.
It's not just the interior teeming with wildlife. A Madagascar holiday introduces you to the magnificent coast dotted with colourful reefs and remote islands that are a haven for marine species. Watch humpback whales breaching off Île Sainte-Marie (Nosy Boraha) or Nosy Be from July to September; spot whale sharks (October to December) around Nosy Be archipelago; or swim near marine turtles nibbling their way through sea grass on an unforgettable snorkelling excursion.
The balmy cluster of islands (of the Nosy Be archipelago) offers sparkling sands and some stylish lodgings. If you’re not the sit-on-the-sand type, you can continue your Madagascar adventure on a diving, horse-riding or kayaking excursion.
What types of tours do you offer in Madagascar?
Our Madagascar tours can be done either as a tailor-made tour or small group tour.
A tailor-made Madagascar tour is created to suit your interests. For example, our Madagascar Rainforests, Wildlife, Tsingy & Beach sample individual itinerary provides a baseline route for taking in the island’s humid eastern rainforest band at Andasibe-Mantadia; the remote Ankarana National Park for ‘tsingy’, caves and endemic baobabs and then ending with a spell on remote Baobab Beach.
To create your tailor-made itinerary, speak with our Travel Specialists by calling us today.
If participating in a small group tour in Madagascar, you head out on a set itinerary with like-minded travellers to experience some of the country's spectacular protected areas and seek rare, endemic wildlife species. For instance, our Madagascar Wildlife Discovery Small Group Tour has a maximum of eight participants, inviting you to enjoy observing a myriad of lemur species, endemic birds, reptiles, frogs and plants. These tours are led by highly experienced, internationally praised, professional Malagasy wildlife expert guides – giving you the best possible chance of notching up as many sightings as possible during your travels.
Can I book a tailor-made Madagascar holiday to suit my interests?
All of our tailor-made Madagascar holidays are fully bespoke to you.
So, if you wish (for instance) to experience the spectacular Tsingy de Bemaraha (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), our Travel Specialists can create an authentic, personalised holiday which features it. With its weird and wonderful wildlife in addition to stunningly varied landscapes, the island is sure to delight all types of travellers, from nature enthusiasts to active, adventurous families and honeymooning couples.
Madagascar holidays can be taken in the dry or wet season. But different places are at their best at different times of the year. So, speak to a Rainbow Travel Specialist for more information. The rainy season falls from December to March. However, the semi-arid south is usually dry year-round.
Are your Madagascar holidays suitable for families with children?
Our Madagascar family holidays are suitable for active children older than ten, as the island is a malarial area with a modest infrastructure and a difficult geography. During a family holiday, you can comfortably enjoy watching marine life along the coast, spend time relaxing on sunny beaches and go wildlife viewing in the protected areas.
Children enjoy learning about lemurs, chameleons and other endemic animal oddities. Our talented guides will help track flagship species down for you, also sharing their expert knowledge about how various iconic animals are associated with local legends and folklore.
A good example of a tour you can do is our Madagascar Reef & Rainforest tailor-made holiday. Start in Antananarivo, the capital city, before moving into Andasibe-Mantadia National Park for a rainforest walk into the enchanting mid-altitude rainforest. Then fly to the sunny Sambirano coast for a seaside break at remote Eden Lodge.
Speak with our Travel Specialists to tailor-make your family holidays to Madagascar.
The expert on Madagascar holidays
Few people know more about Madagascar and its wildlife than Derek Schuurman. He’s contributed to guidebooks on the region, including three editions of the Bradt Guide to Madagascar Wildlife, and works with us here at Rainbow. Derek and his colleagues, who've travelled around the island extensively, can craft a Madagascar tour that matches your interests and how you want to spend your time here.
Our Madagascar holidays take you to national parks and coastal locations. Visiting community-managed protected areas means you can meet some of the island's fabled creatures with help from our personable and experienced expert wildlife guides.
Where to go in Madagascar
Madagascar Holiday types
Whether you want to explore the natural world with the whole family or encounter rare species with just a few other travellers, choose the tailor-made itinerary that’s right for you.
Looking for inspiration?
You'll find expert travel guides, holiday ideas and insider tips now on the Rainbow blog
Best Wildlife Holidays for Each Month of the Year
The Six Types of African Safari
Best Time to Visit Madagascar: Weather, Wildlife & When to Go
Best Things to Do in Madagascar: Top Attractions & Natural Highlights
Lemurs in Madagascar: The Best Places to See Them in the Wild
Madagascar holidays: Q&A with the experts
Travels to Tana (Antananarivo): Responsible Rainbow in Madagascar
Madagascar In Conversation With Hilary Bradt
7 Places to Go to Enjoy Christmas in the Sunshine
African Primates: A Comprehensive Roundup of Our Top Primate Experiences
Kirindy Forest - Endangered Wildlife Among the Baobabs
Why Choose Us?
Passionate travel experts
- We've been leading wildlife travel since our first South Africa tours over 25 years ago
- Our Travel Specialists have lived in their specialist area for years
- We work with local guides to immerse you deeper in our diverse range of experiences
Personal & tailor-made
- You'll speak to your own expert who'll share their first-hand knowledge
- We'll make your itinerary seamless with 24/7 emergency contact available
- Your Travel Specialist will listen to ensure you have the best chance of seeing the wildlife you love
Responsible by nature
- We take care to actively contribute to the conservation of environments we visit
- For select countries, we make a charitable donation on your behalf when you make your booking
- We've partnered with conservation experts and NGOs to curate responsible tours
For the latest travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office check www.gov.uk/travelaware
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