Madagascar Travel Information: Best Time to Travel, Safety, Money and Health

The best time to travel depends on which regions you visit and what you want to do. Madagascar is almost as large as France and Switzerland combined, and the climate varies greatly from region to region. For most tours: April to November is the best time. December to March is the rainy season, and from January to March cyclones are also possible, especially on the east coast.

The overview below shows the best travel times for the MadaPlus TRAVEL tours.

Eastern Madagascar: Rainforest, the Pangalanes and the Highlands

Best time to travel: April to December. Along the Pangalanes Canal and in Andasibe you experience the rainforest with indris and other lemurs. The tour then continues through the volcanic landscape of Ampefy to Antsirabe in the highlands. Showers are possible on the east coast in any season. From January to March we do not offer this tour because of the cyclone risk.

→ To the Eastern Madagascar tour

Western Madagascar: Baobabs and Tsingy

Best time to travel: June to October. In these months the Avenue of the Baobabs, the dry forest of Kirindy, the river trip on the Tsiribihina and the Tsingy de Bemaraha combine best. In May, the condition of the dirt roads can still be uncertain depending on the rains. From early November the Tsingy close because of the rainy season. We check access to the Tsingy and the river trip before every booking.

→ To the Western Madagascar tour

Southwest Madagascar: Rainforest, Canyons and the Sea

Best time to travel: April to November, partly into December. This route has the longest travel window. You travel through the highlands and the rainforest of Ranomafana to the canyons of Isalo and on to the coast at Ifaty. From June to August nights in the highlands can be cool; from November temperatures rise noticeably. We adapt hikes and drives to local conditions. In July and August you can watch humpback whales at Ifaty.

→ To the Southwest Madagascar tour

Beach extension: Nosy Be and Sainte Marie

Nosy Be – best time to travel: April to December. The island in the northwest has its own, sunnier climate than the rest of the country and is ideal for a few days by the sea after a tour. You can swim, snorkel or dive and visit the small islands of the archipelago such as Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely and Nosy Iranja. From October to December whale sharks can often be seen off Nosy Be. January to March is the rainy season with a risk of cyclones.

Sainte Marie – best time to travel: June to November. The island off the east coast is known for its bays, palm-fringed beaches and its pirate history. From July to September humpback whales pass through the channel between the island and the mainland. Together with Ifaty in the southwest, it is one of the best places in Madagascar to watch them.

Both extensions can be added to any of our tours. We are happy to advise you.

Yes, with the usual precautions Madagascar is a safe destination, and on a privately organised tour you are particularly well looked after. Throughout your trip you travel with an experienced driver who knows the routes, the accommodation and local conditions. In the national parks you are accompanied by local guides. And we can be reached via WhatsApp at any time during your trip.

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. Pickpocketing and petty scams do occur, especially in towns and busy places. With a little attention they are easy to avoid:

• Carry money and cards close to your body, for example in a neck pouch or money belt.
• Leave jewellery and expensive watches at home, and do not display valuables openly.
• Keep valuables you do not need during the day in the hotel safe or in your suitcase.
• Carry a copy of your passport and save a photo of it on your phone.
• Take particular care of your passport throughout the trip. Losing it in Madagascar is complicated: a replacement document is only available from your embassy in Antananarivo, which can disrupt your travel plans.
• Do not walk around towns at night. Our partner hotels will help you arrange a taxi.

The national currency is the ariary (MGA). One Swiss franc is worth around 5,000 ariary (as of October 2026).

Our recommendations:

• Change cash at the airport when you arrive, enough for the first few days. There is also a cash machine in the arrivals hall.
• Bring euros, not Swiss francs. Euros can be exchanged easily everywhere; Swiss francs hardly at all.
• Bring a debit card with low foreign-currency fees, for example from Neon or Revolut, plus a second card as a backup. Not all cash machines accept every card; Visa is the safest choice.
• Keep some cash in euros (small notes) as an emergency reserve in case a cash machine does not work.

Good to know:

• Cash machines are available in the larger towns, but not everywhere along the route. Your driver will tell you in good time where you can next withdraw money.
• Card payment is usually only possible in larger hotels. Restaurants, markets and small shops generally accept cash only.
• Small notes are handy for tips, markets and drinks along the way. Ask for some smaller notes when you change money.

If you travel directly from Europe, no vaccination is compulsory.

Recommended are:

• the usual basic vaccinations: tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, and measles, mumps and rubella
• hepatitis A
• depending on the length and style of your trip: hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies

Seek advice at a travel clinic or from your doctor 4 to 8 weeks before departure. Some vaccinations require several doses.

Yes. There is a malaria risk throughout Madagascar all year round, highest in the coastal areas. In the highlands around Antananarivo and Antsirabe the risk is lower, but not zero. Specialists therefore recommend preventive antimalarial medication for tours. Discuss with your doctor which medication is right for you.

Protection against mosquito bites is just as important, especially from dusk:

• long, light-coloured clothing in the evening
• an effective insect repellent on your skin
• a mosquito net at night. Most of our accommodation provides one.

The same measures also protect against dengue fever, which also occurs in Madagascar.

If you live in Switzerland, we recommend becoming a patron of Rega before your trip. The Swiss Air-Rescue supports its patrons in a medical emergency abroad as well, for example with repatriation to Switzerland.

More information: www.rega.ch