Madagascar: A Budget Travel Guide to the Land of Lemurs

Madagascar is an island country known for its lemurs, baobab trees and bizarre landscapes, and is the fourth largest island in the world. The area changes frequently and abruptly from a spectacular route along Boabab Avenue to dense rainforests and sudden crevices. Madagascar tourism really can’t be completed by car. You will often have to go on long walks with a guide. If you find yourself on the road to Madagascar, let us help you plan the most profitable trip to Madagascar possible within your budget.

Madagascar tourist guide

What is Madagascar famous for?

The island of Madagascar is known for its most unique biodiversity and vegetation, but there is more to learn about the island. Madagascar is perhaps the oldest island on the planet since the collapse of the Gondwana continent. The island is famous for its unique biodiversity and vegetation; It is home to lemurs, fossae, Madagascar swatts, chameleons and frogs. Coastal waters are breeding grounds for humpback whales.

Baobab Boulevard

One of the unique features of Madagascar is the abundance of exotic Baobab trees. These trees can live up to 1000 years. They can grow to an incredible 38 feet with a maximum circumference of 98 feet. In Madagascar, these trees can be found almost everywhere. However, if you really want to see its grandeur, this ancient Baobab Boulevard is one of the best places to see in Madagascar.

Isalo National Park

Make sure you take irreplaceable photos for your Instagram page. Including the most beautiful views of Madagascar, this travel destination is known for its innumerable geographical diversity. Isalo National Park has everything from rocks to ravines, canyons to ravines, various fauna and interesting hiking trails. Top tip:It is important to hire a tour guide. The area is wide and complex enough for first-time visitors to easily explore. Entrance fees are typically about $ 17, and guide prices range from $ 21 to $ 26.

Lemur island

Do you like to go on wildlife safari? For some reason did you go to one that specifically contains lemurs? Lemur Island is one of the unique travel destinations that you don’t visit often on your regular trips. Where else can you see an island famous for its abundance of four different lemur species? Even the name of the island shows how popular it is among visitors. I’m not talking about the movie connection, an animation made it popular among children. The four species of lemurs that live on Lemur Island are usually purely Madagascar.

Top tip: After being shown to tourists, these lemurs are sent to their natural habitat. Often these lemurs can live very safely in a designated park. The entrance fee to this park will fit your budget very well and is only $ 3.

Ranomafana National Park

Ranomafana national park challenges Lemur Island for the best site location for Lemur detection. While there are four lemur species on Lemur island, this spot is known to be home to 12 different lemur species. Do you remember watching the fun-filled animated movie Madagascar? If your answer is yes, then you must have loved the somewhat bizarre or possibly unstable character of King Julien XIII, a ring-tailed lemur. Royal counselor Maurice was characterized as an aye-aye lemur, and the child lemur Mort, who was constantly offended when idealizing King Julien, was a Goodman’s mouse lemur. While lemurs are the common attraction of this place, a wildlife watcher, there is more to do in Ranomafana national park. Giraffe beetle, unique chameleon species, and unique and migratory exotic birds are other must-see wildlife here.

Top tip: Hiring a tour guide (for your own safety and comfort) is also mandatory here. It is a popular spot with its hiking opportunities, and tours for this are organized at 3 different times: morning, afternoon and evening walks. The entry price is almost nonexistent, only about 0.50 USD. The guide price is acceptable at least around 21 to 31 USD, consistent with other destinations in Madagascar.

Mantadia National Park

Madagascar is famous for its wildlife safaris. No matter how full of potholes on the excursion roads. These safaris are the best you can do to spot some rare animals you just read about. Mantadia national park is located about 160 km east of the island nation’s capital. It boasts numerous bird species with an estimated 115, 84 species of amphibians and 14 species of lemurs. Many of the endangered amphibian species can also be seen here. Top tip:Entry fees are usually in the $12 range. There are also accommodation facilities here that cost around $55 per night.

Nosy Be

A combination of outstanding restaurants and resorts, crystal water and expansive walking beaches with white sand are the highlights.

If you’re going to Nosy Be, don’t forget to attend one of the fun beach parties, too. You can attend beach parties every Sunday. Some of the popular things to do in Nosy Be range from snorkeling, fishing and scuba diving. Whale watching is one of the most popular activities you can choose to attend as a visitor.

Madagascar tourism budget travel planning Accommodation costs

Hostels are very rare in the country. Prices for accommodation in the dormitory range from 10 to 20 US dollars per night. A 1-bed dormitory usually costs about $ 8 per passenger. It is usually $ 20 for those looking for a private room. Although hostels are rare, hotels can be found in budget options. Expect to pay $ 17 a night for a room with free Wi-Fi and a double / kraicha bed. Some hotels may even offer a free breakfast as a free service. Madagascar is no stranger to Airbnb services. This facility is usually available in large cities. With Airbnb rental, you can find rooms for about $ 16 a night and all houses or apartments for $ 25.

Food costs

Rice is the most widely consumed food in Madagascar. Most dishes revolve around the idea of presenting it as a side dish with rice. Some of the most commonly consumed foods are seafood and zebu. Zebu is a humped cow that is often used in agriculture. A traditional Madagascar meal can cost you about $ 2. Western food will cost you more. It may be hard to believe, but pizza is a favorite dish of the locals. You can find pizzerias almost everywhere in Madagascar. Pizza prices start at about $ 2. In many parts of the world where food prices are high, it may be a good idea to prepare your own meals to save money. But food prices in Madagascar are ridiculously cheap. Even in high-end restaurants. Keep in mind that most of the rooms you stay in, even the upper classrooms, do not have kitchen appliances. Therefore, it is usually better to go to a nearby restaurant. You can buy coffee for about $ 1.50, and beer is very cheap for only $ 0.80. The price of water in a plastic bottle can be about $ 0.50.

Madagascar tourism: a guide for backpackers.

If you are traveling independently on a limited budget, stick to hostels rather than large hotels. Try it and be your own guide. Use public transport instead of renting a car. Stick to traditional local cuisine, which has a higher chance of being cheaper and a new experience for your taste buds. If you stick to this regimen, make sure you don’t exceed a budget of $ 30-35 a day. If your budget allows you to spend about $ 75-85 a day, your plan should be completely different. You can stay in Airbnb hotels instead of hostels. You can join several guided tours and expand your excursion to several islands. You can also replace crowded public transport with a relatively luxurious minibus. If you have a budget to spend $ 310 per night, that’s fine. You will be able to stay more luxurious in four-star hotels. Take small trips on domestic flights and eat unlimited meals at any restaurant. In fact, this budget is too high for a convenient travel destination like Madagascar.

The best way to travel in Madagascar

Multi-day tours are an essential Madagascar feature to get around the different travel destinations in the big island country. Multi-day tours are known to take around 7 to 24 days, depending on how extensive you want your experience to be. The costs of guided tours can hit your budget, but by a conservative estimate they can cost anywhere from $1400 to $4500. Buses: Whether you want to try Madagascar’s bus transport system actually depends on your budget. Buses in the island country cannot be said to be reliable. There are many potholes on the roads that can cause buses to be delayed or malfunction. But if you’re on a tight budget, it’s the perfect solution to get around. Although for some it is sometimes a little frustrating.

Budget options

In Madagascar, buses are so cheap that it costs about $ 5 to travel about 350 km from Antananarivo to Toamasina. It can be said that minibuses are more reliable and more (relatively) expensive. Air Madagascar is currently the island nation’s solo airline. While air travel may sound good, it may not be the right choice for most dense or mid-budget travelers. Even if you have an unlimited budget, flights that cost more than $ 250-300 can be canceled at random without notice. There are trains from Manakara to Fianarantsoa, and tickets usually cost about $ 18. Madagascar has its own history, culture and traditions, which the locals are proud of and try not to set foot on. The country is not very safe for travelers, mainly due to thefts.