Senior travel: Antananarivo
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
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Pace for a day
About 2 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 60 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- Marché de la Digue (craft market)Step-free: partial (check before you go) · about 45 minUneven canal-side paving; narrow aisles between stalls.
- Andafiavaratra PalaceStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 50 minA short entrance step; mostly flat once inside.
- Musée de la Photographie de MadagascarStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 60 minConverted house; check for a step at the entrance.
- Cathedral of AndohaloThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 25 min
- Lac AnosyThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 30 min
- Analakely market districtThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 60 min
- Rova of AntananarivoThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 90 min
- Tsimbazaza Botanical and Zoological ParkThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 120 min
Getting around in Antananarivo
Antananarivo is hard going on wheels: the historic centre is built on steep hills with long flights of steps and cobbled streets. Plan door-to-door taxi rides and check a hotel's access before booking.
- Hills and steps:
- The Haute-Ville is reached by steep roads and staircases; even short walks involve real climbs.
- Pavements:
- Uneven, sometimes absent in the lower town; expect to share the road with traffic in places.
- Getting around:
- A taxi to the door is the practical step-free option for most sights.
- Hotels:
- Lifts are uncommon outside larger, newer hotels; ask for ground-floor rooms if stairs are a problem.
Medicines and health on the ground
The Madagascar guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.
- Altitude:
- About 1,280 m: most people feel nothing, some feel mild breathlessness on steep climbs for a day or two.
- Cold:
- Dry-season nights (May–Sep) can be genuinely cold; pack a warm layer even for a short trip.
- Malaria:
- Low risk in the highlands city itself, higher at lower altitude on the way to the coast or lemur parks — ask a travel clinic before you go.
- Food and water:
- Bottled or filtered water only; choose busy stalls with fast turnover for street food.
- Rabies:
- Do not pet stray dogs or cats. After any bite or scratch, see a doctor the same day for treatment.
- Insurance:
- Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly advised — some conditions need evacuation to Réunion or further.
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.