Best time to visit Madagascar: a month-by-month guide
Madagascar is a year-round destination, but the timing of your trip shapes what you will see. Here is how the seasons work and the best time to visit depending on what you want to do.
The two seasons
Madagascar has a dry season from roughly April to November and a warmer, wetter season from December to March. The dry months are the most popular for travel: comfortable temperatures, clear roads and excellent wildlife watching. The green season brings lush landscapes and newborn lemurs, but heavier rain on the east coast and a cyclone risk between January and March.
Because the island is so large, conditions vary by region. The highlands around Antananarivo are cool, the east coast is humid and tropical, and the south and west are hot and dry. We plan routes around your dates so you travel in the best conditions wherever you go.
Best months for wildlife
September to November is prime time. Lemurs are active, many species are carrying babies, reptiles and chameleons are easy to spot, and the weather is dry. This is the sweet spot for a classic wildlife trip taking in parks like Andasibe and the south.
If you dream of seeing the ring-tailed lemurs of Berenty or hiking the Tsingy de Bemaraha, the dry season is essential, as the access roads to remote western parks become difficult after heavy rain.
Best months for whales and beaches
July to September is humpback whale season off the east coast and Ile Sainte-Marie, one of the great wildlife spectacles on Earth. For beaches and islands like Nosy Be, the dry months from May to November bring the clearest water and best diving. Read more in our whale watching guide.
Month-by-month at a glance
April to June: fresh and green after the rains, fewer travellers, good wildlife. July to September: peak dry season, whales, cool nights, book ahead. October to November: warm, dry, superb wildlife and our favourite window. December to March: hot and wet, lush scenery and baby lemurs, but plan around cyclone season and east-coast rain.
Whatever your dates, tell us what matters most and we will build the route around it. Request an itinerary and quote to get started.