Audley in Madagascar
There are two main ways to get around Madagascar, by flying or by being driven by a guide. As a general rule people tend to fly around the north and drive in the south. In Northern Madagascar distances are huge and roads poor and for this reason it is best to fly. Air Madagascar has a network of flights, all of which originate in Antananarivo and radiate to the major towns and islands. Key destinations include the islands of Nosy Be and Ile Ste Marie, Maroantsetra, the gateway to the Masoala National Park and Diego Suarez, from where you can access Amber Mountain and Ankarana. We will arrange for you to be met at each regional airport by a guide with a 4WD – or even a boat – ready to head off to parks, reserves or private islands.
The main road south from Antananarivo, Route Seven, is a good tar road winding through a number of villages and towns. It’s a scenic journey and we recommend exploring with a driver-guide. Driving south and exploring the parks of Ranomafana, Isalo and Berenty takes about ten days. On reaching the south coast most visitors fly back to Antananarivo from a regional airport such as Tulear or Fort Dauphin. Whilst Madagascar is a predominantly French speaking country you will find many people in the tourism industry speak English. We work closely with a number of English speaking guides who have fantastic knowledge of the country. Many have a particular expertise and so if you have an interest in lemurs, reptiles or birds we can find a guide with matching expertise.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Madagascar is not nearly as developed or as high a standard as it is on mainland Africa. There are no luxurious lodges with slick service, no large operators and no chains of hotels.
At Audley we love this as it means that there is a wonderful array of accommodation, all totally different in character. In the rainforest there are small tented camps where chickens cluck around the garden and their eggs are collected for breakfast. There are colonial homesteads where you will sleep in converted stable blocks and eat in a wood-panelled dining room. You might find yourself camping in the heart of the rainforest one minute and sleeping in a beautiful rosewood chalet the next – complete with lemurs on the roof! Finally, on the islands there are small guesthouses, boutique hotels and idyllic private islands. While the standards of comfort may vary, your diet will be excellent.
Madagascar has a very high standard of cuisine that blends Malagasy, French and Asian influences. Zebu steaks are a speciality, as are prawns, crab, lobster and fresh fish.