There’s 130 species of these characterful, and oh so cute, creatures. They reside across all four corners of the country and you’d be rather unlucky not to see at least one of the species if you visit any of Madagascar’s many national parks and reserves. The stars of the show are the Indri Indri, the largest lemur from the eastern rainforests renowned for its piercing eyes and haunting ‘song’ which can be heard up to 4km away and the Sifakas, found in the south east which due to their short forelimbs means walking on all fours is impossible so they spring energetically about on their powerful hind legs - they are not called dancing lemurs for nothing! And not forgetting the famous ring tailed lemur aka King Julian from the movie.

Fun fact: most lemur societies are matriarchal meaning the females here are very definitely in charge. That’s girl power right there.

Over half of the world’s species of these masters of disguise are found on the island, 86 of them are unique to Madagascar.  My personal favourites were the blue nosed chameleon with their horn like nose and Pygmy chameleons which are impossibly tiny, not much more than an inch long from nose to tail and can lay claim to being the smallest reptile in the world.

Fun fact: all chameleons have monocular focusing where their eyes move independently from each other. This allows them to stalk prey while keeping an eye out for predators behind them. There’s a famous Malagasy proverb, ‘Like a chameleon, always keep one eye on the future and one eye on the past’.

In common with many warm climate countries, these lizards can be found throughout Madagascar and you’re sure to come across one of the flashy neon green geckos watching you from a door frame, table leg or balcony balustrade during your visit. However, I was lucky enough to spy a leaf tailed, or Uroplatus gecko during a hike through the Amber Mountain National Park. Native to the island, these remarkable geckos are far more subtle than their common cousins. Inactive and almost totally blind during the day, they perfectly match their colouring to the trunk of any tree they flatten themselves against. So invisible it took some convincing from my guide that there was a gecko there at all! At night they use their extraordinary night vision to hunt insects.

Fun fact: when threatened, leaf tailed geckos can lose their tails. But not to worry. They quickly grow another, in as little as one week.

With around 120 endemic species, the island is truly a birders paradise. Keep your binoculars peeled for the country’s national bird - the majestic Madagascar Fish Eagle. Critically endangered, it is restricted to the western coastal regions but a sight to behold should you be lucky enough to spy one soaring across the skies. In the rainforests of the north east, another top spot is the distinctive Helmet Vanga with its enormous bright blue bill.

Fun fact: kingfishers aren’t all blue. The Madagascar Pygmy Kingfisher is orangey red with a white underside. Though only a size of a sparrow, it’s a fantastic hunter. Definitely small but mighty!

Famed for their enormous size and longevity (some are thought to live for a thousand years) can be found across the country but particularly in the west. Six of the nine species are unique to the island. These bulbous trunked trees are often called ‘upside down trees’ as they look just like they have been uprooted, turned upside down with the roots forming a canopy up in the air. Their unusual shape allows them to store thousands of litres of water in their trunks - providing a lifeline for people and animals in times of drought.

The Avenue of Baobabs is a must visit on any Madagascar itinerary. Capturing a shot with these ancient giants of the tree world as the sun sets or with the Milky Way as a spectacular back drop is particularly popular for keen photographers but sunrise is equally impressive. Do be prepared for some of the bumpiest roads you’ve encountered anywhere though. 

Fun fact: the hollowed-out trunk of a baobab is known to have been used to make a great shelter with plenty of room for several people. That puts a new meaning to the term treehouse!

The most ‘direct’ route is via East Africa e.g. Kenya or South Africa. However, Emirates - the flag carrier of Dubai - introduced an exciting route via Dubai last year with a touchdown in the Seychelles. This opens up some exciting twin or triple centre holiday option. After your Madagascar adventure why not kick back on the extraordinary beaches of the Seychelles? Or add on a Dubai stopover for a spot of glitz and glam after the getting your fill of wildlife wonders.

As the logistics of getting around this huge island of varied terrains can be complex, Madagascar is best explored on a Guided Small Group Adventure tour. Take a look at our recommendations on our Madagascar Holidays pages.