Antananarivo Your Madagascar Launch Pad

It’s the peak of cyclone season across Madagascar. Tana sits at altitude and escapes the worst of it, but much of the island bears the full force — east coast beaches are battered, rainforest lodges are largely closed, and travel is genuinely difficult. This is a month best spent planning rather than travelling.

The rains slowly begin to ease in March. Tana gets pockets of beautiful weather by the end of the month — warm, sunny mornings before the afternoon showers arrive. The highlands are brilliantly green, but the coasts and the east are still difficult to reach.

The rains retreat, the sun reappears, and Tana starts to feel genuinely wonderful — warm days and cool evenings. The whole island is glowing emerald. The beaches are clearing up (although some camps and lodges are closed until mid-month), and the forests are alive with energy. April is one of Madagascar’s quietest, most beautiful months.

One of Madagascar’s finest months to begin an adventure. Tana is warm, bright and almost completely dry — clear skies, comfortable temperatures and a city that feels properly alive. Out in the rainforests, wildlife is abundant and the trails are firm. On the beaches, conditions are glorious. Rates are fair, crowds are minimal, and the whole island is quietly spectacular.

Tana’s dry season is well and truly here. Days are clear, sunny and pleasantly warm — evenings cool down significantly at altitude, so pack a layer. Out in the rainforests, wildlife is fantastically active and the light is exceptional for photography. Humpback whales begin arriving off the northeast coast by the end of the month. An excellent time to land and launch your adventure.

Travel to Madagascar picks up! Tana is cool and dry — take a jacket for evenings and early mornings at altitude, where temperatures can seriously dip. But out at the rainforests and on the beaches, conditions are superb. Humpback whales are arriving in earnest around Île Sainte-Marie and the northeast. The forests are crisp, clear and full of life. 

Tana is at its driest (barely a drop of rain all month), and the evenings are genuinely chilly at altitude. Pack warm layers for after dark. Across the island, this is prime time: whale watching peaks around Île Sainte-Marie, birding is exceptional and the beaches are at their beautiful best. 

Many rate September the best month in Madagascar — and it’s hard to argue with them. Tana is warm, sunny and genuinely glorious. Baby lemurs are clinging to their mothers across the rainforests, birdlife explodes in colour and noise, and whale sharks begin arriving in Nosy Be. Humpback whales are still around the northeast too. The whole island is firing on all cylinders.

Still dry and still excellent. Tana is warm and increasingly sunny as temperatures begin to build back up. Out west, it’s fossa season, whale sharks continue in Nosy Be through to December, and the rainforests are buzzing.

The first rains arrive in Tana — refreshing rather than overwhelming — and the island starts to shift gears. Wildlife remains superb across the board: whale sharks continue in Nosy Be, reptiles and frogs become dramatically active and night walks in the rainforest are absolutely extraordinary. A brilliant final window before the wet season takes hold.

Early December is warm, a little wet and still wonderful — time it right and the beaches and forests are in excellent shape. But the rains build fast and the humidity rises sharply. By late December, cyclone season is looming on the horizon. Travel early in the month is best.