Overview
Take a trip to Antananarivo on your Madagascar Vacation
When travelling on a Madagascar vacation, situated inland, about 145 km (90 mi) from Madagascar’s east coast Antananarivo, the country’s capital and its largest city. Unlike many other capitals found in southern Africa, Antananarivo was already considered a major city before colonialism reached Madagascar.
Antananarivo was founded in the early 1600s and earned the name “The City of the Thousand” from the number of soldiers that were assigned to guard it. The city was captured by the French in 1895 bringing it into France’s Madagascar protectorate. When Madagascar achieved independence in 1960, Antananarivo remained the capital city and began to grow at a rapid pace.
Today, Antananarivo serves as Madagascar’s administrative, communications and economic centre and is divided into three different levels that are linked by stairways. First, there is the Downtown area that features the Avenue de l’Indéndence, a broad shopping centre with a market at the upper end. Next is the “Plateau du Colbert” located in the middle of the cliffs, and finally, the old city in the upper town where palaces, cathedrals and many ancient noble families are found on a Madagascar vacation.
Antananarivo is a unique city offering equally unique architecture. It is not uncommon to see a blend of wooden houses and modern office buildings as well as structures built in a traditional French colonial style. The best way to experience this capital city is on foot allowing for opportunities to visit markets and to see the sights when travelling to Madagascar.
Antananarivo is a unique city offering equally unique architecture. It is not uncommon to see a blend of wooden houses and modern office buildings as well as structures built in a traditional French colonial style. The best way to experience this capital city is on foot allowing for opportunities to visit markets and to see the sights when travelling to Madagascar.
At a Glance
Languages
French, MalagasyCurrency
Malagasy Ariary (MGA)Trending Trips
Unforgettable Journeys.4 Trips Found
Showper page
9
4 Trips Found
Classic Madagascar: Rainforests & Rivers
AntananarivoExplore Madagascar’s lush eastern rainforests and striking southern spiny landscapes on a private-guided journey seeking lemurs, wildlife, and rich local culture.
10 days
From US$7,524/p.p.
Request a Quote
1000 Views of Madagascar
AntananarivoSmall group Madagascar journey through rainforests, canyons and coastal shores, spotting lemurs and chameleons while meeting local traditions along the way.
14 days
From US$5,212/p.p.
Request a Quote
Explore Madagascar, Mandrare & Masoala
AntananarivoEncounter Madagascar at its most magical on this private-guided journey of wildlife, riverside calm and rainforest wonder, woven with vibrant local culture.
12 days
From US$17,485/p.p.
Request a Quote
Madagascar Adventure: Forests, Wildlife & Coasts
AntananarivoExplore Madagascar’s wild northwest and lush east on this private-guided trip through tsingy forests, rainforests, and remote coasts teeming with rare wildlife.
12 days
From US$15,198/p.p.
Request a Quote
Don't see the
perfect trip idea?
Request a custom quote.
Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
Classic Madagascar: Rainforests & Rivers
AntananarivoExplore Madagascar’s lush eastern rainforests and striking southern spiny landscapes on a private-guided journey seeking lemurs, wildlife, and rich local culture.
10 days
From US$7,524/p.p.
Request a Quote
1000 Views of Madagascar
AntananarivoSmall group Madagascar journey through rainforests, canyons and coastal shores, spotting lemurs and chameleons while meeting local traditions along the way.
14 days
From US$5,212/p.p.
Request a Quote
Explore Madagascar, Mandrare & Masoala
AntananarivoEncounter Madagascar at its most magical on this private-guided journey of wildlife, riverside calm and rainforest wonder, woven with vibrant local culture.
12 days
From US$17,485/p.p.
Request a Quote
Madagascar Adventure: Forests, Wildlife & Coasts
AntananarivoExplore Madagascar’s wild northwest and lush east on this private-guided trip through tsingy forests, rainforests, and remote coasts teeming with rare wildlife.
12 days
From US$15,198/p.p.
Request a Quote
Don't see the
perfect trip idea?
Request a custom quote.
Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
What do the experts say?
You should try a Zen meditation session. Imagine slipping into a silk kimono for the day—carefully tied by an expert dresser, every fold precise, every colour chosen to suit the season. It’s a ritual that feels as personal as it is timeless.
What do I love about Japan? In a word - EVERYTHING. The incredible contrast that Japan offers - new/innovative vs old/traditional, the warm and welcoming people, the incredible rich culture, the culinary wonders awaiting around every corner, the cleanliness, efficiency and safety. It's one of the best places to visit in Asia in my opinion.
Pub Street in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is a local favourite with very inexpensive drinks. It's also a great place to try the local delicacy, BBQ frog.
I love how laidback and relaxed Laos is compared to other countries in Southeast Asia. It's like the best of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand all rolled into one, and then sent back in time 20 to 30 years.
The Festes Majors are summer festivals held in the villages of Andorra. Each festival is unique to the village, with its own distinct style.
antananarivo vacation packages
View of the Presidential Palace makes for a gre...
Panoramic view of Antananarivo
Most Popular Time to Travel
Know when to go.
Place
Conditions
Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
AntananarivoPartly Cloudy
32°C / 89°F
25mm / 1.0"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
-
Travel Stories
Get Inspired About Your Trip to Madagascar
Unlock more by subscribing to our newsletter.
With our newsletter, you’ll get access to regular communications that inspire you and help you explore the world your way.Exclusive Savings
Insider Benefits
Trending Stories
ExcellentBased on 5,285 ReviewsAbsolutely incredible trip! From beginning to end! All accommodations were excellent. If you want to experience Safaris this trip will fulfill all your expectations! A special thanks to our driver we had for our entire trip Evans! He made our trip over the top! The Hot air balloon ride in the Masai Mara is a must…it’s breathtaking!Pam SeitzI have worked with Goway several times in the past two years and every single trip has been unforgettable. Specifically, our travel advisor, Maria, has helped us book phenomenal trips to Thailand, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, and most recently, Iceland. Maria is so wonderful and easy to talk to, but what really stands out is her ability to get to know her clients so she can plan trips that perfectly align with our interests and desires. I cannot recommend her strongly enough! Her expertise, hard-work, and dedication towards each trip has given myself, my family, and friends memories to last a lifetime! Kayla CovelloJamil made our 40th birthday trip to Portugal so so very amazing and special! Great service, fabulous hotels, and wonderful day trips! Lane StricklandKatie was great, planned everything we needed, was great with changes and trip schedule conflicts. Fantastic working with her.CTI have been booking with GoWay for more than 2 years and feel so fortunate to have the best Travel Advisor, Maria Spitman, making our vacations unforgettable. I can’t say enough about Maria… she is personable, efficient, detail-oriented, and extremely knowledgeable about her specialty destinations. We have booked many trips with her, including Thailand, Spain, Portugal, Sicily, Iceland, and our most recent trip in Greece. Maria has not only curated nuanced itineraries, but has done so combining her vast knowledge of each region with our interests and needs being met perfectly. With that, it is evident that Maria learns about her clients to create vacation packages that far exceed expectations. I won’t book with anyone else! GoWay has a gem that is irreplaceable! I highly recommend seeking Maria out for all your destination needs. DarleenGoway has been amazing to work with. Farooq was my agent through Goway and she communicated promptly, planned a great international trip for my clients and was always organized. The trip was flawless to Rome and Malta from beginning to end!Kim KameleskyLisa Dachuk was incredible on organizing my trip. She took the time to know what I wanted and created an experience I will forever be grateful for having.Louise Helie MastersLori Mezzomo and the team at Goway Travel are fantastic! Lori helped plan a 3-week Australia trip for our family of 5. Our teenage boys enjoyed exploring Sydney, Uluru, Cairns and the Gold Coast. Highlights included a Sydney Harbour Bridge walk, sunrise hike around Uluru, snorkeling with turtles on the Great Barrier Reef, and surfing on the gold coast. Lori did a fantastic job of creating an itinerary that was engaging for our teenage boys and relaxing for the parents... not an easy task! We miss Australia and would gladly book again with Lori Mezzomo and Goway Travel.BlairSwati was fantastic! She worked with us to create the perfect Greece trip, and handled all the details to make it a worry-free experience.JtvMichael at Goway Travel was great to work with. We were planning a pre-trip with him prior to a group tour. He worked with us to hit the special places we wanted to visit and things we wanted to do. The accommodations arranged exceeded our expectations. Local guides were all amazing. This was the third trip we booked through Goway, and we will definitely book with them again in the future David Picka
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified