About Madagascar – Lemur Tours

In the island Madagascar, with an area of almost 590,000 km², live about 24 million inhabitants, the so called Malagasy people. The country is divided into 22 regions. The capital with 1,8 million inhabitants is Antananarivo as the only megacity. It is centrally located in the interior of the country with an altitude of almost 1,400 meters. With 40 inhabitants per km², the world’s fourth largest island is more than sparsely populated. Madagascar is located east of the African country Mozambique in the Indian Ocean. The distance between the capitals of both countries is 1,200 km by flight.

The special attractions for a holiday in Madagascar are the year-round pleasant climate as well as the cultural, historical and scenic diversity of a total exotic island. The traveler can enjoy a pleasant climate on average of 20 to 25 ° C and more throughout the year. In the interior, the seasonal temperatures with summer and winter are noticeable at high altitudes. In the highlands weeks during the winter can be extremely cold. All over the island are four dozen nature parks with a most exciting flora and fauna. Madagascar has become an attractive holiday destination over the past one or two decades.

In the state capital and coastal cities you will find the infrastructure for air and road traffic. Also you can find lots of delightful hotel and dining options. The big island offers unforgettable sights and experiences. Whether sport & adventure with diving & snorkeling or a sightseeing tour on the 200 km ² island Saint Marie near the east coast; Madagascar offers its visitors many opportunities for an unforgettable holiday in the Indian Ocean.

The country’s history dates back to the 7th century AD. Even then the island state was an important trading center due to its location in the Indian Ocean. The island was discovered in 1500 by the Portuguese navigator Diogo Dias. From there Madagascar became an European colony with changing ruling states. Until the late 1950s, the country was a French colony. Since then the state is an independent republic. The Kingdom of Madagascar ruled from the 1780s for a century into the 1890s. In the center of that time stood the present-day capital Antananarivo. The religious center Ambohimanga was also the royal seat of Merina. Historic buildings and landmarks recall nationwide the past of the kingdom and colonial era.

For the one-, two- or even several-week holiday trip to Madagascar there are three really good reasons.

• The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful with its diversity from north to south
• The flora and fauna is unique
• The Malagasy people are hospitable and communicative, they are literally adorable

The white sand beaches on the 320 km² large island Nosy Be, about 10 kilometers off the west coast in the north are the destination for a beach holiday. The island is considered as the country’s most beautiful holiday region. The jungle landscape in the east of the island and the mountainous regions in the north with lush vegetation and a wild rim landscape give very different impressions. Not to be overseen are the nationwide Baobabs, the African baobabs. Their speciality is the size, the age and their leaves. More than half of the world’s types of baobabs are found in Madagascar. There are also more than 12,000 plant species, more than 80% of them endemic. This makes Madagascar one of the world’s richest plant kingdoms. Endemic to Madagascar are the approximately 100 lemur species. Lemurs are primates from the group of the wet-nose monkeys. Endemites are plants and animals that only exist in a specific, spaciously limited environment. In this area they are endemic. These genus or families in flora and fauna are native to certain islands or archipelagos. Such an endemic region is, for example, the Galapagos Islands, and indeed all of Madagascar.

Attractions in the capital include the Royal Palace Rova with an altitude of almost 1,500 meters. Another highlight is the pirate museum. The museum was opened in the late 2000s. It shows the history of the pirate republic of Libertalia as well as much to see and know about piracy. On Fridays, Zoma is the citywide weekly market with all the goods and products that Madagascar offers.

A two- to three-week holiday in Madagascar is like plunging into another, completely new and fascinating world. Sightseeing, adventure and relaxation can be combined. This is ensured by numerous accommodations, from the hostel to the private room or guest house to the 5 * luxury class hotel.