We deal directly with each tour operator, which means we can guarantee you the best price. If within 24 hours of your booking you find the exact same tour elsewhere for a lower price, let us know and we'll refund you the difference!
Cycle Madagascar
Experience a 14-day cycling adventure on the world's fourth-largest island - Madagascar! Roam around the country's exquisite landscapes and coast that's inspired artists and movies alike. On this cycle tour, explore the real-life beauty of the country as you come across natural swimming pools, one-of-a-kind rock formations, deep canyons and mesmerising waterfalls.
- CategoryCultural & Historical
- TypeFully Guided
- Duration14 days
- Culture LevelAdventurous
- Skill Level3 - Intermediate
- Activity Level4 - Challenging
- Elevation2 - Moderate
- TerrainMixed
- Distance331.2 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance47.8 miles
Where does the tour start and end?
The tour starts and ends in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar. It is serviced by the Ivato International Airport (TNR).
How long is the tour? How many cycling days?
The tour is 14 days long with 8 days of cycling.
What's the tour like?
This trip is classified as Road with an Activity Level of 4.
The routes follow a mixture of back roads and a few main roads, but Madagascar lacks heavy traffic in most areas. Some of Madagascar is mountainous and there are a few tough climbs and long downhills in the first week, but vehicle support is always available. Road condition are varied; some are excellent with smooth new tarmac, however some can be bumpy and pot-holed and in some places not suitable for cycling, which is when you'll transfer using the bus. There are a few bumpy and dusty dirt road sections.
Mountain bikes are ideal for this trip and flat bars are preferable, but a good strong tourer will suffice.
Madagascar is a rewarding destination with its wealth of flora and fauna, however, before you decide to travel, the following issues must be considered:
Travelling by vehicle in Madagascar can be uncomfortable as some of the road quality varies. There are a few transfers but the diverse scenery more than makes up for time spent on the bus. The road journeys is broken up with stops to take photos and to stretch your legs.
There will be lots of early starts and long days.
Please note that in the winter months, the days are shorter with sunset coming by 5.30pm. If cycling is not completed by this time, it will be necessary for safety reasons to get on the bus.
Madagascar is one of the world's poorest countries and a degree of flexibility and improvisation is required at times. The tourist infrastructure in Madagascar is still new and some services are limited. It is not unusual for there to be changes to accommodation or internal flights and for this reason, the order of the itinerary (but not the content) may sometimes have to be changed. However, what tourism does exist is of a pleasantly good standard and you may be impressed by the level of services in some of the places we stay.Is a bike available?
Yes, a Specialised Pitch mountain bike with front suspension is included in the tour.
Alternatively, you can bring your own bike (BYO) but this is on a request basis and additional charges may apply to cover the transportation of your bike during the tour.
Conditions
1. The equipment remains the property of the supplier and you may not sell, hire out or part possession with the equipment.
2. You must not misuse the equipment and must return it in the same condition as when received (ordinary wear and tear excepted). The supplier is entitled to charge for any damage caused to the equipment during the period of hire.
3. You must ensure that the equipment is adequately secured when not in use. In the event of the equipment being lost or stolen, you may be liable for the replacement value of the equipment
4. You must not use the equipment whilst under the influence of drink or drugs and should immediately notify the Supplier in the event of breakdown or loss.
Extra Bike Bits
You may like to bring your own pedals and saddle (excluding the seat post) or gel saddle cover to fit to the hire bikes. The tour operator encourages this, if it is your preference. However, please note that you are responsible for your own equipment, and removing your saddle/pedals at the end of the trip. They cannot guarantee the return of any bike parts left behind.Should I have travel insurance?
Yes. It is a condition of joining this holiday that you must be fully insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs and air ambulance or helicopter rescue services where appropriate). On arrival in destination for your trip, you will be asked to present details to your leader or local representative of your policy.
What's the weather like?
Madagascar has a tropical climate with two seasons - rainy and dry.
The driest season extends from April to October. It is often cold on the central plateau (including Antananarivo) in the evenings, and in the rainforest areas, so you should bring warm clothes (fleece and waterproof).
There is considerable regional variation but coastal areas will normally be very hot and dry. Expect daytime in the shade temperatures up to 38ºC from October-December and up to 30ºC during the trips running from April-June and September.Are there any travel documents needed?
Passport
All nationalities require a full passport that must be valid for 6 months beyond the intended length of stay. It is your responsibility to have the correct personal documents and to obtain your own visa, if one is necessary, in accordance with the regulations of the country you are to visit.Visa
Visas are required for entry to Madagascar. 30-day tourist visas may be obtained at the airport on arrival. If obtaining a visa at the airport, you should ensure that an entry stamp is recorded in your passport. The visa fee is payable in US dollars or Euros (US$37/€35).
Visa regulations can change without notice: please check the current regulations in good time to obtain a visa if one is required.Are any vaccinations required?
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Travel health can often be something people forget about before going away, but a little preparation and knowledge can go a long way to help you stay fit and healthy while abroad.
Bilharzia is known to occur in some of the lakes or rivers visited on this itinerary, we therefore advise all to take advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim.
The above information can change at short notice; as we are not qualified to answer all your questions about travel health we strongly recommend you contact your Medical Professional or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up-to-date information.What should I bring?
Essential Equipment
Casual clothes. As it is generally hot, light cotton clothing is recommended for most of the trip, though it will be a little cooler in the central plateau (including Antananarivo) in the evenings, and in the rainforest areas, so you should bring some warm clothes (fleece and waterproof).
Due to the strict baggage allowances on the internal flights (with Air Madagascar between Tana and Tulear) you are advised to pack carefully and avoid taking excess baggage. Allowances on those flights are 20kg checked luggage and 5kg hand luggage with charges for the excess of 35 EUR for up to 30 KG checked luggage, and 50 EUR for a second piece of checked luggage up to 20kg,
We recommend packing the following items:
Cycling water bottle
Padded cycling shorts
Breathable cycling tops
Cycling helmet (compulsory on this trip)
Strong sun cream
Torch
Lightweight waterproof jacket
Sunglasses / cycling-specific eyewear
Sunhat
Anti-bacterial gel
Mosquito repellent
Comfortable shoes for cycling/walking in
A swimming costume will be well used
Warm sweater or fleece jacket (as nights can be chilly)
A first aid kit is carried on each trip, but you should bring your own first aid kit with diarrhea treatment, painkillers, rehydration sachets, plasters and a blister treatment kit.
A buff/bandana to cover your mouth on the short dirt sections.
Long trousers and socks for walking in the national parks are advised in case of leeches if there has been heavy rain.
Water Included
Plastic bottles are a big issue in many countries where recycling isn’t yet widely available; they often end up in landfill sites or get burnt, both processes are harmful to the environment and we would like to reduce our impact here. For your trip we provide an alternative to single-use plastic bottles in order to reduce the amount of plastic used. This means that safe drinking water will be available throughout so all you need to do is bring a bottle to re-fill along the way. Please add this to your packing list!
Optional Equipment
Binoculars
Camera
Daysack
Earplugs if you have trouble sleeping
Please note that tampons are virtually impossible to get hold of in Madagascar
Due to laws in Madagascar about the dispensing of medicine, the guides are not able to carry any basic medicines should you feel unwell. These include Paracetamol, Imodium and Aspirin. Although they are available to buy in Madagascar, if you believe you may need these we advise you to bring them with you from home.What's the local cuisine like?
Food standards in Madagascar can vary and are probably not of the same standard you are used to at home. A one-course lunch/dinner should cost GBP 4.00 - 6.00 (USD 5.00 - 7.00) while a three-course lunch/dinner should cost GBP 9.00 - 12.00 (USD 11.00 - 15.00) . Please allow approximately GBP 220 (USD 286.00) for meals not included, plus a little more if you enjoy a drink with dinner! Malagasy lager is reasonably priced and easily available. Malagasy wine is also reasonably priced but is not to everyone's taste. It is sometimes possible to get hold of French or South African wine. A delicacy in Madagascar is the various flavoured rum’s which are widely sold and very reasonably priced.
Please note that if you eat neither fish nor meat, your food options will be rather limited (i.e. omelette, cheese, pasta, vegetables and rice) on this trip. Breakfasts are usually simple, eggs, a baguette, jam and coffee or tea, and sometimes fruit. You may wish to bring something to supplement your morning meal (e.g spread, peanut butter etc).Can I have private room? What is the single supplement cost?
A single supplement is applicable if you are travelling alone or wish to have your own room. The price varies depending on the dates chosen with minimum price starting at AU$759.00.
If you would like to book a single room please contact us.
Fantastic trip to fascinating but very poor country.Quite hilly cycling but well supported with regular stops for refreshments such as fresh pineapple and papaya.Lovely people with friendly children always running up in rural villages to see you
great trip in an exciting and interesting part of the world.
Absolutely loved it. My only criticism being that I felt like we should have set the bikes up on the evening of our first get-together. We spent a lot of time fussing with bikes on the first morning. That way we could have got away earlier on Day 1. We…
Absolutely loved it. My only criticism being that I felt like we should have set the bikes up on the evening of our first get-together. We spent a lot of time fussing with bikes on the first morning. That way we could have got away earlier on Day 1. We could have got out of the city earlier and quicker, had more time watching the Dancing Limas at the Reserve and not been biking so long in the hot sun. Also, the trip to Ramofama was unpleasant - too many tourists all there at the same time and scrabbling through and breaking the native forest. We saw very little in the way of Limas - saw many more further on in the trip.The evening event was great so you would really only need to stay there one day.