Madagascar walking travel guide

… you like adventure. Proper adventure. Open minds are as essential as good walking boots and sunscreen on a Madagascar walking holiday. Unpredictable weather, crazy terrain, appalling roads and dodgy tums mean that no matter how well planned your trip may be, flexibility has to be built in. These are remote landscapes, and the privilege of exploring deep canyons and unmapped rivers will always come with a certain level of unpredictability. We prefer to call it adventure.

… you want to contribute to conservation. Deforestation is an almost incomprehensibly huge problem in Madagascar. Pop into a national park for a few hours, and you’ll experience the forest. Spend two days trekking up to a viewpoint, and surveying the landscape you’ll realise that forest ends quickly, as deforestation has taken its toll. Luckily, the walking holiday companies partner with local conservation initiatives, and visitors between October-March may have chance to plant a sapling.

… you want to paddle as well as trek. Many of our walking holidays include around three days canoeing along little-explored river systems, through dense jungle, deep sapphire canyons where local people can be seen sifting the sand, and past isolated villages. There are calm stretches as well as rapids, and at times we’ll need to carry our canoes, especially during the driest months. Like we said – it’s an adventure…

… you’re a fair-weather walker. Rainforests and cloud forests are some of the most beautiful and biodiverse landscapes in the world – but with that comes steep, slippery terrain, unpredictable weather and the likelihood of a soaking. Bring waterproofs.

… you’re not a happy camper. Multi-day treks in particular will involve camping in remote locations each night, while even fixed bungalows and cabins may have only basic facilities. For many people this adds to the expedition-like nature of these trips – plus, you’ll be tired enough after a day of trekking over tough terrain that you’ll sleep like a log anyway. But if you’re not up for camping, perhaps a walking holiday in Madagascar is not for you.

… you’re here for the wildlife. Laurenne Mansbridge, from our Madagascar walking holidays supplier Pioneer Expeditions, explains: “During many of the hiking trips, you won’t be seeing lots of animals. Most lemurs can only be found within national parks, which have to be visited specifically. The multi day hikes are rarely in areas frequented by fauna.”