Best Time to Visit Antananarivo

Because Antananarivo stands more than 1,300 metres up in the Central Highlands, its climate is temperate and noticeably cooler than Madagascar's tropical coast. The year divides cleanly into a sunny, dry season from April to November and a warm, wet summer monsoon from December to March. For clear views from the Rova ramparts and comfortable walking weather across the hills, aim for April to May or September to November.

Autumn Transition (April and May) is one of the most rewarding windows to see the highland capital. The summer rains taper off by mid-April, leaving the terraced rice paddies around the Ikopa plain and Ambohimanga a luminous emerald green. Daytime highs hover around a pleasant 23°C to 25°C with crisp, clear morning light over the red-brick ridges.

Highland Winter (June, July and August) brings the driest skies of the year, with virtually no heavy rain and bright blue afternoons around 20°C to 21°C. However, travellers arriving expecting tropical heat are often caught out by the altitude: early mornings can bring a fine highland mist (known locally as erika) and night-time temperatures regularly dip to 10°C or 11°C. Winter is also the season of famadihana (the traditional highland ceremony of the turning of the bones) across rural Merina family tombs between June and September, as well as Madagascar's National Day celebrations on 26 June, when children carry paper lanterns (arendrina) through the streets on the eve of Independence Day.

Spring and Jacaranda Season (September, October and November) is arguably the finest time of all to photograph Antananarivo. Temperatures climb back to 24°C to 27°C while humidity remains low, baby ring-tailed lemurs cling to their mothers' backs at Lemurs' Park, and in October and early November hundreds of jacaranda trees encircling Lake Anosy and the avenues of Antaninarenina burst into a violet-purple canopy.

Wet Summer Season (December to March) brings warm mornings (26°C to 27°C) followed by heavy late-afternoon downpours, high humidity and the risk of Indian Ocean cyclones crossing into the highlands in January and February. Check what to wear in Antananarivo before packing.