Madagascar Safari Tours & Holidays
Amongst an array of African destinations, the island of Madagascar has an allure all its own. Separated from the mainland, it is home to a true menagerie of different animal and plant species, set against a diverse natural backdrop of mountainous terrain and sweeping savannah.
Whether you're seeking wildlife encounters, or are looking to bask on the sands of one of Madagascar's unspoilt beaches, this is one destination you don't want to miss out on.
At Bench Africa, we have a passion for bringing Australians closer to some of Africa's top experiences, which is why we endeavour to create inspiring journeys to this unrivalled, under-the-radar destination.
Introducing Madagascar
As the world's fourth-largest island, Madagascar's shores are exactly as you might picture them - pale golden sands fringed by palm trees, crystalline waters lapping at the coast. Interestingly enough, until 165 million years ago, Madagascar was still attached to the mainland, with the split creating an isolated sanctuary for a range of unique species to evolve. Today, Madagascar is home to 5 per cent of all the world's animal and plant species, with 80 per cent native to the island itself, such as the lemur.
Madagascar's impressive size (just smaller than Spain) covers just under 588,000 square kilometres, with the central highlands, or Hauts-Plateaux, creating distinct western and eastern regions. The capital of Antananarivo, locally known as Tana, is situated in this area, its colourful buildings a patchwork of European and local influence. Particularly noteworthy is the Rova, or palace of Antananarivo, which sits proudly atop the city's highest point, making it visible throughout.
As you explore Madagascar, you'll encounter the local language, Malagasy, as well as French and some other dialects. When it come...
Madagascar Safari Tours & Holidays
Amongst an array of African destinations, the island of Madagascar has an allure all its own. Separated from the mainland, it is home to a true menagerie of different animal and plant species, set against a diverse natural backdrop of mountainous terrain and sweeping savannah.
Whether you're seeking wildlife encounters, or are looking to bask on the sands of one of Madagascar's unspoilt beaches, this is one destination you don't want to miss out on.
At Bench Africa, we have a passion for bringing Australians closer to some of Africa's top experiences, which is why we endeavour to create inspiring journeys to this unrivalled, under-the-radar destination.
Introducing Madagascar
As the world's fourth-largest island, Madagascar's shores are exactly as you might picture them - pale golden sands fringed by palm trees, crystalline waters lapping at the coast. Interestingly enough, until 165 million years ago, Madagascar was still attached to the mainland, with the split creating an isolated sanctuary for a range of unique species to evolve. Today, Madagascar is home to 5 per cent of all the world's animal and plant species, with 80 per cent native to the island itself, such as the lemur.
Madagascar's impressive size (just smaller than Spain) covers just under 588,000 square kilometres, with the central highlands, or Hauts-Plateaux, creating distinct western and eastern regions. The capital of Antananarivo, locally known as Tana, is situated in this area, its colourful buildings a patchwork of European and local influence. Particularly noteworthy is the Rova, or palace of Antananarivo, which sits proudly atop the city's highest point, making it visible throughout.
As you explore Madagascar, you'll encounter the local language, Malagasy, as well as French and some other dialects. When it comes to currency, you'll be using the Malagasy Ariary, which replaced the French Franc as the official currency back in 2005.
Madagascar tourism
Some of the highlights of this special destination include the Isalo National Park, where you can marvel at the intriguing shapes of the sandstone mountains as well as a glittering natural waterfall and the forested Canyon des Singes.
Other parks include the renowned Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, as well as Ranomafana and Lake Tsimanampetsotsa National Parks. A truly iconic experience, a trip down Baobab Alley will see you gazing up at the towering cluster of baobab trees which crowd one of the local roads in the Menabe region.
Fancy a relaxing few days to round out your trip? Escape to the tropical Nosy Be archipelago off the northwest of the Madagascar coast. Beloved by visitors, Nosy Be is exactly what you want in an island getaway with a laidback atmosphere and stunning beaches.
Staying in Madagascar
Generally speaking, tourism is still developing throughout Madagascar, which means that accommodation tends to be more on the basic end of the spectrum. However, when you book with Bench Africa, you can be assured of a good experience, wherever you choose to stay. To find out more about accommodation in Madagascar, talk to one of our travel specialists today.
Getting to Madagascar
If you want to include Madagascar in your upcoming trip to Africa, Bench Africa can help make it happen. Australian travellers will need a visa to enter Madagascar, which your travel consultant should advise you about during the booking process. You can fly into Madagascar's Antananarivo airport with a stopover usually in Mauritius.
To start planning your Madagascar holiday, explore some of our Madagascar experiences, or be sure to get in touch with one of our expert travel consultants.
