Practical information
Madagascar tour: self-drive or get a driver guide?
Do your travellers want to explore Madagascar on four wheels? Fantastic! Here at Madafocus, we believe that’s the best way to discover our incredibly beautiful island. (Why? Find out here.)
We offer jeeps to get around the island. Your travellers can either drive themselves (self-drive) or head out with a driver who also acts as a tour guide (driver guide).
We won’t beat around the bush: we recommend a driver guide, because it adds so much more to the trip. There’s no doubt about it. Your customers will always have someone on hand to deal with any problems that crop up. That leaves them with more time to enjoy themselves and immerse themselves fully in Madagascar.
In practice, 90% of our travellers do opt for a car with a driver. But because 10% ask for a self-drive holiday, we also have some great packages waiting for them. Tried and tested.
Very important for tour operators or travel agencies:
In other words, your travellers need to convince us that they are more than capable of managing a self-drive tour safely. Not the other way round.
Why so cautious?
Adventure is a sure thing in Madagascar (your link to adventure is here). The distances are long, and not all the roads are paved. You’ll soon find yourself off road, and 4×4 skills are crucial.
You’ll find the pros and cons of both self-drive and driver guide options below. 
Self-drive
- A fun option for young couples on their honeymoon, for example, or for people with self-drive experience at distant destinations.
- If your customers choose self-drive, they need to feel completely confident with their choice.
- Your customers must be experienced drivers of 4×4 off-road pick-up truck vehicles. They will often be driving off road, in the bush. Some stretches are challenging, e.g. crossing a river on a bamboo raft.
- Madafocus has its own 4×4 fleet and also works with tried and trusted self-drive partners.
- Your travellers must be competent and resourceful. They will communicate with the locals en route, which means liaising with the police or patrollers. Patrollers are local people who know their way around certain remote areas.
- Your travellers will receive an itinerary for each day, with information about what they will be doing that day and where they need to be by the evening. They will also get a roadbook with the exact route. They will have an online meeting with our Madafocus founder Frank beforehand to go over the route in detail. There is also a telephone in the car with useful numbers. So, they will be very well informed and prepared.
Car with driver guide
- We take all the stress off your travellers’ hands.
- Our drivers know the jeeps through and through. They can maintain and repair their cars. They also have a network of garages all over the island.
- You get more than just a driver: our drivers are guides and problem-solvers too. We have about 60 driver guides at Madafocus. They have all taken our training and regular refresher sessions. They know the island and are used to dealing with tourists. On the way, they will tell your travellers about Madagascar, with all the information at hand to ensure the trip goes perfectly. Every evening, they will brief your customers on what to expect the next day. Vouchers, taking your travel group to the right guide in a natural park, fixing any problems… your driver guide deals with it all.
- In certain remote areas in the bush, we recommend taking a patroller along. These are local people in the border towns whom we call in to help out. For example: A wooden barrier that is closed, where you have to pay an entrance fee. Or a ferry that just doesn’t turn up. In situations like these, it helps to have a patroller with you who communicates with the people there and sorts everything out. Our driver guides will find a patroller for your travellers.
- With this option, the Madafocus team always know exactly where your travellers are.
Self-drive is cheaper, right? Actually, it isn’t.
If your travel group chooses a driver guide, we offer you a complete package as your DCM. It includes all the costs of the car, insurance, the driver and fuel. Because the route is entirely fixed, we can calculate exactly how much fuel they will need.
On a self-drive tour, only the car and insurance are included. Your travellers will pay for fuel as they go. Something else that’s good to know: for self-drive tours, we use newer cars because these vehicles suffer more wear and tear, with a new driver behind the wheel for each tour.
Madafocus is constantly updating its fleet. This is just one way we try to be as sustainable and socially responsible as possible.
Conclusion: Self-drive doesn’t work out any cheaper than a car with a driver. Plus, you can never be sure how much the fuel will cost.
Which option will your customers choose?
Self-drive or a car with a driver guide? We at Madafocus prefer the driver guide option . But whatever they choose, they’re bound to have an unforgettable trip. And we’ll provide support with both options.
Got any questions about self-drive or driver guide?
Got a burning question?
Frank will be happy to make time for you.
