Dry Season, May - October

The dry season, during the Austral Winter, is warm at the coasts with fresh evenings while the high plateau is mild to warm during daytime but with fresh to cold evenings and nights. Not seldom, the temperature in the elevated areas as Andasibe or Ranomafana National Parks can drop below 5°C during the night time. Sometimes the peaks of the Andringitra Massif have a white powdery presence in the early mornings as the nights are bitterly cold in the mountains. We advise warm clothing, above all for the evenings and a warm pyjama for the nights, as many hotels and lodges do not have heating in the rooms.

Diving

The diving season in Madagascar is year-round, but the best time may be from April to October when the waters are less turbid, rivers and streams carrying less silt in the sea.

Adventures & Safari

Month of May sets the beginning of the adventurous tour season into the remote areas as to the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park or the tracks between Morondava and Tulear, the massif of Makay, the Tsingy de Namoroko to just name few. By June the average rainfall is fast decreasing, although there may still be a surprising odd shower. The rice fields of the highlands start to be fallow and the southern savannah are shining golden in the warm afternoon sun.

Lovely warm temperatures and little rain are making October a good and last month to explore the remote areas of the red island, before the first rains in November will make such trip impossible until the next dry season starting in May.

Music & Culture

The end of May to beginning of June marks the time of one of the biggest cultural events in Madagascar. Celebrating the unity of the people of the Indian Ocean, various artists from the neighbouring islands of Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues, the Comoros as well as from some mainland African countries and the artist of the host country Madagascar will congregate at Nosy Be for the music festival Donia. For several days, Donia showcases home-grown music, dance and sport. In the evenings, there are concerts which bring thousands of music fans together. Music is for many a means of escape, it is a dialogue and an instrument of peace. Donia means in Sakalava dialect “lively life.”

Whale Watching

June is the time of the return of the humpback whales to the coasts of Madagascar. Every year, humpback whales migrate from the Antarctic feeding grounds to the warm waters of Madagascar to mate and give birth.

Above during the mating season, the male whales perform spectacular jumps and splash their tails just offshore the eastern coast in the channel of Saint Marie and the protected area of Antongil bay further north, two places among the best whale watching areas in Madagascar. One may also hear whales singing their marine songs while snorkelling in these protected waters. The whales remain here for the next four months, the time necessary for the newborn calves to grow up before returning back to the rich feeding grounds of the Antarctic waters.

Wildlife

Some of the reptiles as snakes and chameleons are hibernating, therefore hard to spot if at all during Austral Winter. September brings warmer temperatures the signal for hibernating creatures to become active again.

October is the month of baby lemurs. Now, just a few weeks old, they adorably cling to their mothers’ fur as they swing through the trees. Here they will stay, gaining their confidence until they are totally weaned at about five months of age.

Hiking & Trekking

Hiking and trekking can be carried out year round in regions accessible during the rainy season. Beware of relatively high average daily temperature and the risk of sun burn and carry enough water. Rise of temperature in September perfects trekking and hiking activities in the Highlands.

Generally speaking, if you are hiking or climbing to the peaks of Madagascar you will need warm layers no matter in which season you travel.

Remarks on Hotel Vacancy & Beach Resorts

July marks the start of Madagascar’s peak tourist season, therefore it is advised to book well in advance to avoid disappointment given the limited number of beds in specific areas. By now you are in the middle of the Austral Winter, temperatures drop to cooler 15 - 20°C during daytime and fresh to cold nights below 10°C in the high plateau. This is the time for those who do not support heat who prefer the fresher season for traveling.

Temperatures in August are similarly cool as in July, therefore those who love warm weather are advised to stay in the coastal areas as temperatures are highest at sea level or in the north of Madagascar.