Family Holidays to Madagascar

• Lokobe National Park, Nosy Be
  This 900ha primary forest park on Nosy Be is dense with wildlife, birds and plants. Not huge scale, so fun for self-guided walks and hikes.

• Whale Watching, Nosy Boraha
  Migrating Humpback Whales are a familiar sight off the coast of Nosy Boraha between June and September.

• Andasibe-Montadia National Park
  One of the country’s most accessible parks and the best place to get up close to large Indri Lemur and spot their tiny opposite number, Madame Berthe’s Mouse Lemur, on nocturnal guided walks.

• Lemurs’ Park, Antananarivo
  A short drive from noisy and hectic Antananarivo (Tana), Lemurs’ Park is a peaceful haven protecting nine species of Madagascar’s legendary primate.

• Berenty Reserve, South East
  One of the most popular parks in Madagascar, Berenty’s known for easy hiking trails and huge population of people-friendly ringtailed, sifaka and brown lemur.

• Kirindy Mitea National Park, Morondava
  The little park to get close to ‘dancing’ Verraux sifaca lemur and see the famous Avenue of Baobabs.

• Horse Riding, Nosy Be
  No experience necessary to see the beaches and beautiful Nosy Be countryside on horseback.

• Snorkelling, Nosy Tanikely
  Close encounters with Hawksbill, Green and Leatherback turtles round Madagascar’s pristine coral reef.

• The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, Antananarivo
  The royal palace complex, 25km from the capital, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Madagascar’s best preserved monuments.

• Grotte d’Anjohibe, Mahajanga
  There are countless caves on Madagascar but the majority are inaccessible or dangerous to visit (high-risk of crocodiles). Anjohibe is the country’s only show cave and can be seen as part of a guided tour with older kids.

Educational value for kids

• Madagascar’s geographical evolution is unique and it’s one of the very few country’s in the world where almost all plant and animal species are indigenous.
• Superior primates wiped out native lemur everywhere except Madagascar, so this is the only place to see these charismatic creatures in their natural habitat.
• National Parks all over the country have well-marked hiking trails and taking at least one guided walk is fascinating for kids.
• Older kids love rainforest night walks and most lodges on the edge of national parks can arrange these for you.

• Many Malagasy tribes all over the country still live in traditional communities and benefit directly from eco-tourism. Appropriate and sensitive visits to villages, local markets or cultural events can be arranged by most recommended hotels and lodges.
• Madagascar’s a good country to get to know on a family volunteer holiday.
• Visit London’s Natural History Museum before you visit Madagascar for some background on the country’s unique environment, indigenous species and evolution – more involving than online research.

Getting about with kids in Madagascar

If any country in the world needs visitors to tread lightly, it’s Madagascar. Best seen and enjoyed safely and responsibly with guides and recommended operators, this is not the holiday for self-drive. Roads are notoriously bad, sometimes non-existent during the rainy season from November to March; wildlife’s wild and so are most of the national parks; and the world’s fourth largest island is just as enormous as it sounds.

Most UK specialists understand this is a once in a lifetime experience and work imaginatively to keep the adventure intact. They also make sure you stay safe, travel carefully and don’t impact negatively on an environment where tourism and conservation are so delicately balanced.