THE EIGHTH CONTINENT
Luxury Madagascar Escapes
4th
LARGEST ISLAND ON EARTH
90%+
WILDLIFE FOUND NOWHERE ELSE
ATOL
PROTECTED
Why Madagascar
15+
HAND-VETTED RESORTS
A World That Evolved Alone
Madagascar broke from the African mainland some 160 million years ago and has been evolving in isolation ever since. The result is the fourth-largest island on earth and one of the most biologically singular places anywhere: more than nine in ten of its mammals, reptiles and plants exist nowhere else. Lemurs, the otherworldly baobabs, the spiny forest, chameleons the size of a thumbnail — this is nature's own laboratory.
At HighStreet Holidays we don't simply book Madagascar — we route it. The island is vast and its logistics demand expertise: the right internal flights, the right lodges, the right season. We handle all of it, so the journey is seamless and the only thing you have to do is look.
A typical journey pairs rainforest and dry forest for wildlife with the powder-sand beaches of Nosy Be or a private-island finale — the wild heart of the island, then the reward of the coast.
Nowhere else on earth looks, sounds or moves quite like Madagascar. You don't visit it so much as discover it.
Signature Experiences
Moments That Linger
Madagascar rewards the curious like few places on earth. These are the experiences our clients come home remembering.
Lemur Encounters in the Rainforest
From the indri's haunting call in the rainforest at Andasibe to ring-tailed lemurs basking in the southern reserves — meeting Madagascar's signature animals in the wild is the heart of any journey here.
Avenue of the Baobabs
At sunset near Morondava, a corridor of ancient baobabs — some eight centuries old — turns to silhouette against a burning sky. One of the most singular sights in all of Africa.
Nosy Be & Islands
Off the north-west coast, Nosy Be and its scatter of smaller islands deliver the beach finale — turquoise water, snorkelling, and (July-September) humpback whales passing offshore.
Tsingy de Bemaraha
A UNESCO-listed forest of razor-sharp limestone pinnacles you cross by suspension bridge and via ferrata — a genuinely otherworldly landscape found nowhere else on the planet.
Rainforest & Reserves
Ranomafana and Andasibe-Mantadia protect misty montane rainforest alive with lemurs, chameleons and endemic birds — best explored on guided day and night walks with expert local trackers.
Whale Watching
Between July and September, humpback whales migrate through the channel off Nosy Be and Île Sainte-Marie to calve — a world-class encounter to pair with the beach leg of your trip.
Featured Properties
Where You'll Stay
Every lodge and resort we feature has been carefully vetted by our specialists — the addresses that make a complex island feel effortless.
Recommended Packages
Curated for Every Occasion
Every package includes return flights from your nearest UK airport (lowest fares ex-London), internal flights, guided wildlife experiences and selected dining — tailored by your specialist.
Most Popular
7 Nights
Madagascar: Lemurs, Baobabs & Beach
- Antananarivo arrival (TNR) - light aircraft to Andasibe rainforest
- 2 nights Andasibe (Mantadia rainforest, indri lemurs)
- 1 night Antananarivo | 4 nights Nosy Be (northwest beach island)
- Bed & breakfast | internal flights | rainforest night walk
- Lemur tracking with naturalist | Nosy Be reef snorkelling & dhow sailing
- Return flights from London airports (via Nairobi/Addis/Paris)
Signature Journey
7 Nights
Anjajavy & the Tsingy
- Antananarivo arrival - light aircraft to Anjajavy
- 4 nights Anjajavy le Lodge (Relais & Ch�teaux, private peninsula, baobabs & lemurs)
- 3 nights luxury lodge near Tsingy de Bemaraha (UNESCO limestone forest)
- Half board | all internal flights | private naturalist guides
- Tsingy pinnacle walk | lemur & chameleon encounters | private beach picnic at Anjajavy
- Return flights from London airports (via Nairobi/Addis/Paris)
Ultra Luxury
7 Nights
Miavana by Time + Tide
- Antananarivo arrival - private helicopter to Nosy Ankao island
- 7 nights at Miavana by Time + Tide (private island, 14 villas, all-inclusive, helicopter access only)
- Half board / fully inclusive (dining, drinks, most activities)
- Private diving & snorkelling | sea turtle nesting | lemur island excursion by helicopter
- Private chef beach dinner | whale watching (season) | grand piano villa with private pool
- Return flights from London airports (via Nairobi/Addis/Paris), premium cabin upgrade available
Looking for something different? Enquire below or call us on 020 3322 7866 and we'll curate a Madagascar journey around you.
Best Time to Visit
When to Go
DRY SEASON (BEST)
May to October
The dry Southern-hemisphere winter — the best overall window for Madagascar. Reliable weather, navigable roads and excellent wildlife viewing as lemurs and reptiles are active. The clear choice for a first journey.
WILDLIFE PEAK
September to October
Early austral spring, when the forests come alive — newborn lemurs, peak reptile and bird activity, and warming temperatures. Arguably the single best stretch for a wildlife-focused trip, and the busiest.
WHALE SEASON
July to September
Humpback whales migrate through the northern channels off Nosy Be and Île Sainte-Marie to calve and mate — a world-class spectacle that overlaps perfectly with the dry-season window.
AVOID: CYCLONE SEASON
January to March
The height of the wet season brings heavy rain, difficult roads and a real cyclone risk on the east coast. Many lodges and parks close or become hard to reach. We don't recommend travel in these months.
Sample Itinerary
A 7-Night Madagascar Journey
Every itinerary we create is bespoke — this is simply one way a perfect week unfolds, pairing wildlife with the coast.
1
DAY 1 — DEPARTURE
UK to Antananarivo
Your flight departs with a single connection via Paris, Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Istanbul — there is no direct service, and routing it well is part of what we do. You arrive into the highland capital, Antananarivo.
2
DAY 2 — RAINFOREST
To Andasibe
Transfer east to the rainforest of Andasibe. An afternoon and a guided night walk introduce you to your first lemurs — and, at dawn, the unforgettable, siren-like call of the indri echoing through the canopy.
3
DAYS 3-4 — WILDLIFE
Forests & Trackers
Full days in the reserves with expert local guides — diademed sifaka, chameleons, endemic birds. Madagascar's wildlife asks for patience and rewards it completely.
4
DAYS 5-6 — THE COAST
Nosy Be by Air
An internal flight north to Nosy Be — the beach reward. Turquoise water, snorkelling, a sunset dhow, and (in season) humpback whales offshore. The wild island gives way to the gentle one.
5
DAY 7 — FAREWELL
Final Morning & Departure
A last morning on the coast before your connecting flights home — a journey that began in the rainforest and ended with sand between your toes.
Madagascar
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Dates, party size, accommodation and budget.
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Dates & party
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Adults
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Budget & accommodation
Budget per person (flights + hotel)
£4,500
£500£50,000+
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Flights
Practical Information
Everything You Need to Know
Getting There
- No direct UK flights — one connection via Paris, Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Istanbul (around 14-17 hours total)
- Internal flights link the parks and islands — we book these for you
- Antananarivo (Ivato) is the main gateway
- Madagascar is 3 hours ahead of the UK
Entry Requirements
- UK passport holders need a tourist visa — available on arrival or as an e-visa (30 or 60 day, paid)
- Passport valid 6+ months with 2-3 blank pages
- Onward/return ticket required
- We guide you through the current visa process and fee
Health & Safety
- No vaccinations legally required from the UK, but several recommended — consult a travel clinic
- Anti-malarial advice depending on regions visited
- Carry cash; medical facilities are limited outside the capital
- Comprehensive travel insurance essential
Currency & Costs
- Malagasy Ariary (MGA); a largely cash economy
- ATMs are scarce outside major towns — carry euros to exchange
- Cards accepted only at larger hotels
- French and Malagasy are the main languages