Madagascar
Madagascar: Madagascar is an island nation in
the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa. Madagascar is the 4th
largest island in the world. It is the home to five percent of the world's
plant and animal species, 80 per cent of them are unique to Madagascar. Most famous among these species are the lemurs. Madagascar and Mauritania are the only countries not to use a decimal currency. Its teeming fertile
forests and geographical isolations have served to preserve and propagate
'nature's design laboratory' in a mix found nowhere else on earth. Madagascar's forests are a shimmering and seething mass of a trillion stems and
dripping leaves.
History & Background: The written history of Madagascar began in the seventh century A.D - when Arabs established trading posts
along the northwest coast. However, the first people who came to Madagascar were from Southeast Asia, mostly from the Indonesian islands. These people arrived in
around the fourth century, probably via East Africa. This explains the Malagasy
features which are a mixture of Asian (Austronesian) and African, as well as of
the Arabs who came later. Because of tropical storms which commonly affect the
coast, some of the early settlers left the coast and went to live in the centre
of the island in the mountains where the weather was cooler and less
windy. The people who live in the mountains today have preserved many of the
Asian features.
Scheduled and Tailor-Made Safaris: Madagascar is a unique beach and
island safari destination off the African coast. Below you will find numerous
small group (maximum of 10 clients) safaris that Eco Tours runs in and
around Madagascar. You can join one of our scheduled camping or lodge safaris
or if you'd like, one of our experienced travel consultants can tailor-make a
private safari to meet your departure date, time period, group size and budget.
There are so many options available to the adventurous traveler, from a
cultural tour, to a beach holiday through to the many special interest tours
like, scuba diving, birding, kite surfing, surfing, fishing etc. We can
help you with all your travel arrangements inclusive of flights.
Best Time to travel: With Monsoon time from December through to March
the best time to travel to Madagascar is generally in February to
December. Madagascar has two seasons: a hot, rainy season from November to
April; and dry season with a cooler temperature from May to October. There is,
however, great variation in climate owing to elevation and position relative to
the dominant winds. The east coast has a subequatorial climate and, being
most directly exposed to the trade winds, has the heaviest rainfall
- averaging as much as 3.5 meters annually! Because rain clouds discharge
much of their moisture east of the highest elevations on the island, the
central highlands are drier and, owing to the altitude, also cooler. The
dry season in the highlands is pleasant and sunny, although somewhat chilly,
especially in the mornings. During this time, the blue skies of the central highlands
are considered by many to be among the clearest and most beautiful in the
world. The west coast is drier than the east coast and the central
highlands because the trade winds lose their humidity by the time they reach
this region. The south-west and the extreme south are semi-desert; as little as
one-third of a meter of rain falls annually at Toliara (Tulear).
Madagascar Information
• Area: 594,180 sq km
• Capital: Antananarivo (Tana) (pop 588,000)
• Currency: Malagasy Franc
• Climate: : It is hot with sub tropical weather. From
November to March is it's summer which is also known as the hurricane
season. From April to October it is winter, which is dry and the
temperature are mild.
• People: Eighteen major ethnic groups, including
Malayo-Indonesian, African, Arab, French, Indian, Creole and Comoran
• Official Language: Malagasy, French
• Time: GMT plus three hours
