Madagascar’s Variety In 27 Photos
Madagascar’s extraordinary diversity has been wonderfully captured on BBC2’s current Sunday night series. Narrated by David Attenborough, the three episodes explore the unique wildlife and distinct scenery of this ecologically distinct island.
Aardvark Safaris has been planning holidays to Madagascar for over 16 years and our travel experts have visited the island on numerous occasions. To give a flavour of what’s on offer on a holiday on the world’s fourth largest island we’ve chosen some of our favourite Madagascar photos here:
Amazing wildlife
Many of the extraordinary animals are endemic to the island making wildlife holidays the number one reason visitors from the UK travel to Madagascar.
While lemurs are the big tick for many on holiday in Madagascar, a good guide will talk you through the whole ecosystem, pointing out many other species, including some particularly colourful forest-dwelling reptiles.
Stunning Scenery
Madagascar sits in the Indian Ocean, separated from mainland African by the Mozambique Channel. Given its size and the fact it has a ‘wetter’ and a ‘drier’ side it’s no surprise the scenery is wide-ranging. You’re unlikely to see it all on one visit, but these pictures provide some idea of what you might find.
We plan holidays where you can travel through Madagascar by car, boat and helicopter, experiencing a mix of habitat as you go. It’s not all wildlife either and many will end a Madagascar safari with time on one of the island’s beautiful beaches which range from the new Miavana private island in the north on Nosy Ankao to Manafiafy in the south.
Luxury Holidays Madagascar
Until recently a wildlife holiday in Madagascar would have meant pretty rustic accommodation, but our experts have unearthed a number of small smart lodges and camps to rival those in other parts of the world. A luxury holiday in Madagascar is perfectly possible as these photos prove.
Beach properties lead the way with Tsarabanjina and Anjajavy at the forefront of the luxury holiday revolution on Madagascar, but Mandrare River Camp is catching up quickly and has given all the wildlife properties something to aspire to.
Delicious Dining
Visitors can enjoy cuisine that has improved dramatically over the last decade or so. Still with some influence from its French past you can find great food including freshly made croissants, locally grown vegetables, fresh fish straight from the sea, and delicious deserts using local vanilla.
It’s not just mealtimes that are luxurious, some camps have adopted the African tradition of sundowners – pick a beautiful spot and enjoy a G&T while the sun sets.
Local Culture
Madagascar’s size means there’s as much of a mix of tribal groups as there is of wildlife. Many camps offer those on holiday here the chance to meet local people as they go about their daily lives.
There’s plenty of cultural interest too, with many traditional activities still in evidence today.
Amazing activities
Wildlife in Madagascar is typically viewed on foot on fairly well made forest paths. That said, those looking for an active holiday are well catered for with boat trips, watersports, whale watching and deep sea fishing.
It’s worth repeating that Madagascar is the world’s fourth biggest island, similar in size to France. It’s not a place you can rush and we would recommend you spend at least a couple of days in each place.
We’ve put together an example of a holiday to Madagascar if you’d like an idea of what’s possible in 10 days on the island. This itinerary was designed with the viewer of the BBC programmes in mind and covers many of the areas the tv team visited and is simple an example of what is possible.
What Next?
If David Attenborough, the BBC series, or these photos have inspired you to visit this fascinating destination do give us a call or email us. Our Madagascar experts can take your ideas and help plan luxury holidays to make the most that Madagascar has to offer.
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