There are many things to take into account when you go on a trip. To go to Madagascar, you have to organize yourself to prepare for your trip. Things to take into account when traveling are usually the time you plan to travel, the budget, the steps to take and practical information. When we have all the necessary information, we can organize our trip and live the adventure.
When is the best time to visit Madagascar?
The best time to visit Madagascar is from May to September during the dry season. To take advantage of the lush green vegetation, it is better to go there just after the rainy season, which is in May and June. The cyclone period is from January to April and it is therefore not recommended to go there this season.
The other period to avoid is the rainy season which runs from November to March and which makes certain roads and paths impassable.
It should also be noted that the climate is not the same across the country. In the east and north, the climate is tropical humid, it is more temperate in the highlands, drier in the west and semi-arid in the south.
What is the ideal budget for visiting Madagascar?
The budget to visit Madagascar varies according to the wishes of the visitors. If you want to visit the country “locally”, it will cost you much less than if you want to visit it in the western way. Here is a small overview:
€ 1,300 for a two-week trip if you travel “locally”: around € 800 for the plane ticket and € 500 on the spot (without taking internal flights, by traveling by train or bush taxi, choosing decent accommodation around 20 € per night (for a double room) and meals in the restaurant without alcohol and eating local products for 4 € the meal);
€ 2,000 for a two-week trip Western way: around € 800 for the plane ticket and € 1,200 on site (taking an internal flight at around € 150 for a single ticket, € 70 for the night of hotel with television and air conditioning (for a double room), € 70 per day for the rental of a vehicle with driver and € 10 per meal at the restaurant).
What are the steps to follow to get to Madagascar?
No vaccine is required for a trip to Madagascar. However, you have to be up to date with your vaccines, especially for diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis and hepatitis B.
Some additional vaccines can be given depending on the length and conditions of the stay (typhoid, hepatitis A, meningococcal meningitis, yellow fever). They can be made in the event of an extended stay and contact with the population.
Malaria medication will also need to be taken. Please note, depending on the pharmacies, the prices at which Malarone and its generic are sold (a treatment against malaria) vary from 6 to 60 € for a box.
Finally, other boards of health must be respected once there:
– Use bottled water rather than tap water;
– Wash your hands often with soap or a hydro alcoholic solution;
– Protect yourself against mosquito bites by spraying yourself with repellent, using a mosquito net, putting on clothes that cover your legs and arms;
– Take some diarrhea medication;
How to visit Madagascar?
Know first that we will not be able to visit all of Madagascar in a stay of one or two weeks. It will be necessary to limit oneself to a geographical area.
Several solutions for visiting the country: rent a vehicle (with or without a driver) or take public transport (train, Bush Taxi). The second solution allows you to be closer to the inhabitants and their lifestyles but it is also the most chaotic.
Railway lines do not serve all destinations, so bush taxis will have to be used. Do not be in a hurry either: the train is not very punctual.
You can rent a car without a driver, but some precautions must be taken:
– Be careful during the rainy season: some roads / tracks require renting a 4×4 and knowing how to drive in these conditions;
– Have good insurance that covers you in the event of an accident;
– Avoid driving at night.
You can now organize your holidays on the big paradise island of Madagascar.
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