Madagascar · Indian Ocean

Madagascar

Antananarivo to Morondava · The Avenue of the Baobabs · Lemurs up close

The trip

Baobabs, lemurs & the long road west.

We visited Madagascar in September 2026, flying in from the Seychelles with Emirates to the capital, Antananarivo. This incredible country has so much to see, so our honest advice is to spend as much time as you can and to have a very clear plan or book a well-organised tour. We did it in a tight five days: a private driver took us 18 hours across the island to Morondava for two jam-packed days of baobabs, lemurs and a fishing village by boat, then 18 hours back. To some that might sound rushed, but for us the timing was perfect, and we got to see the two great symbols of Madagascar, the baobab trees and the lemurs, up close.

When to go: September was great. It's the cooler, dry winter season. We heard the summer months get very hot, and the rainy season runs roughly from December to May.

Part one

The road west

Antananarivo sits high in the central highlands. From there, one long highway runs all the way across the island to Morondava on the west coast, through highland towns, red-earth hills and village after village.

The single highway curving through a colourful highland village on the drive west across Madagascar

Golden grassland and eroded red-earth hills of the Madagascar highlands seen from the road

Our green Toyota 4x4 parked in a courtyard at night after a long day on the road

The journey01

18 hours across Madagascar

📍 Antananarivo → Morondava

We did Madagascar in a very different way. We booked a five-day trip with a private driver and drove over 18 hours from the capital, Antananarivo, all the way west to Morondava, then another 18 hours back. It was extremely long, but honestly it was one of the most incredible parts of the trip. Our driver was super friendly and had an older 4x4 that, luckily for us, ran perfectly the whole way. We booked it all through Remote River Expeditions: communication was great, they built exactly the trip we wanted in the time we had, and at about €65 a day for the driver the price was very reasonable compared to the other operators we contacted.

Long but unforgettableBook a driver

🚙 Remote River Expeditions We booked this

Private driver & 4x4 from Antananarivo to Morondava — about €65 per day

Visit Remote River Expeditions →

Villagers washing clothes in a shallow river and laying them out to dry on the grassy banks

A woman in a red skirt carrying a bundle of firewood on her head along the roadside

Red-earth houses with thatched roofs and bundles of reeds in a village along the highway

Everyday street life in a Malagasy town: a man cycling with a child, people carrying shopping

Eye-opening02

Life along the road

📍 Village to village, east to west

The single highway that crosses the island from east to west passes through some of the most remote villages in the world, one after another. We saw children walking along what seemed like an endless road, villagers washing their clothes in the rivers, and farmers preparing their crops. It was truly eye-opening, and something we wouldn't change, even for all the hours and the distance. If you'd rather have a guide handle everything, there are longer multi-day tours that cover this route too.

Slow travelRespectful photos only

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6-Day Madagascar Discovery: Rainforest & Baobab Avenue

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Part two

Morondava & the baobabs

Morondava is the gateway to Madagascar's most famous sight. We packed two very full days in here: the baobabs at sunrise and sunset, two lemur parks, and a boat trip through the mangroves to a fishing village.

Us walking hand in hand down the Avenue of the Baobabs between giant baobab trees

A zebu cart rolling down the sandy Avenue of the Baobabs in the late afternoon light

The sandy road of the Avenue of the Baobabs lined with towering trees under a deep blue sky

The highlight03

The Avenue of the Baobabs

📍 Allée des Baobabs, near Morondava

This was the absolute highlight for us, and the whole reason we took that long drive. To us, the baobabs are the symbol of Madagascar, and they're something to truly marvel at. Their size is incredible, and walking down the Allée des Baobabs, the famous sandy road lined with these giants, felt like a miracle. We're so grateful we got to see it. If you'd like a guided version of this exact trip, this tour is a good one to compare.

The symbol of MadagascarWorth the drive

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Antananarivo: 5-Day Guided Tour of Morondava & the Avenue of the Baobabs

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Us smiling together with a row of baobabs glowing against an orange sunset

A row of baobab silhouettes against a pink and orange sunset sky

Baobab trunks lit soft gold by the early morning sun

The Avenue of the Baobabs in deep blue twilight with the first stars appearing

Golden hour04

Baobabs at sunrise & sunset

📍 The Allée des Baobabs

We saw the Avenue of the Baobabs at both sunrise and sunset, and both were miraculous. At sunset the trees turn into perfect silhouettes against an orange and pink sky; stay a little longer and the blue hour brings out the first stars above them. At sunrise the trunks glow soft gold and it's much quieter. If you can, do both.

Do bothSunrise is quieter

A zebu and a colourfully painted wooden cart resting in front of baobab trees

Melody smiling on a dirt path in front of a huge baobab in warm evening light

Us standing beneath a giant baobab in the warm evening light near Morondava

Andrew leaning against the base of a towering baobab, looking up at its branches

Up close05

Life around the baobabs

📍 The villages beside the Avenue

The Avenue isn't a museum. It's a working road, and life goes on around it. Zebu carts roll slowly past the trees, painted in bright colours, and small paths lead off into the bush to baobabs you can walk right up to. Standing at the base of one really shows you how small you are.

Watch for zebu cartsWalk the side paths

A heart made of stones in the red sand in front of the twisted Baobab Amoureux trees

For couples06

The Baobab Amoureux

📍 Near Morondava

A short drive from the Avenue are the Baobabs Amoureux, the "lovers' baobabs": two trunks that have grown twisted around each other. It's a sweet, quieter stop, and a lovely one for couples.

Twisted trunksQuick stop

Part three

The lemurs

Found nowhere else on Earth, lemurs are Madagascar's other great symbol. We visited two places near Morondava, and both were unbelievable.

Andrew smiling with a ring-tailed lemur and a red-fronted lemur perched on his shoulders

Three brown lemurs climbing along Andrew's arm and shoulder

Two lemurs on Andrew's shoulder and arm in front of a bungalow at Kimony Resort

A small radiated tortoise with a star-patterned shell resting in the palm of a hand

Up close07

Lemurs at Kimony Resort

📍 Kimony, near Morondava

You can't do Madagascar without seeing lemurs, and we were so fortunate to visit two places near Morondava that were unbelievable. At Kimony Resort we had a great visit where the lemurs actually jumped onto our shoulders: ring-tailed lemurs, red-fronted brown lemurs and even a crowned lemur, all around the gardens. There were also radiated tortoises, with beautiful star-patterned shells, found only in Madagascar.

Lemurs on your shouldersRadiated tortoises

Melody sitting in the forest beside a sifaka lemur carrying its baby on a tree

A white sifaka lemur clinging to a tree right next to Andrew

Close-up of a Verreaux's sifaka lemur with golden eyes hugging a branch

A sifaka lemur holding a thin tree trunk and snacking on the forest floor

A forest walk08

A guided walk at Akiba Lodge

📍 Akiba Lodge, near Morondava

Our second lemur visit was at Akiba Lodge, where a really nice guide walked us through the open forest to see lemurs in the wild. The white sifakas gave us quite a show, coming very close and then hopping sideways across the ground, which honestly looked like they were dancing. We even spotted a mother carrying her baby. For more forest and the famous stone "tsingy", this tour is worth comparing.

Guided forest walkWatch them "dance"

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Morondava: 3-Day Tsingy de Bemaraha & Kirindy Forest Tour

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Part four

Betania fishing village

Just off the coast from Morondava, reached by boat through the mangroves, is a very different side of Madagascar: a small island community that lives almost entirely from the sea.

Villagers crossing the water in a wooden outrigger pirogue near Betania

Fishing families and outrigger pirogues pulled up on the sand at Betania

A young fisherman carrying bundles of fishing nets across the sand in Betania

Children playing on a brightly painted outrigger pirogue at the water's edge

Eye-opening09

A fishing village by boat

📍 Betania, near Morondava

We also took a tour by boat through the mangroves to the island of Betania, where a local walked us through what life is like for the village. Only around 2,000 people live there, and roughly 90% of them are fishermen. We watched boats coming in, nets being carried up the beach and children playing on the brightly painted pirogues. Most of these villages have no electricity or running water, and it was a completely eye-opening experience. Go with a local guide and be respectful: ask before taking photos of people.

Go with a local guideAsk before photos

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