Most Affordable & Trusted Volunteer Programs in Madagascar from $580

It was one of the best experiences of my life. MRCI camp made me feel like I was truly living an adventure. Exploring the main island of Nosy Be was also a huge source of fun and entertainment. The staff were all amazing and incredibly nice and helpful. If there is anything that I would note is that you should choose your programs wisely because they are truly the deciding factor in everything. I would definitely go back for another round because life in Madagascar truly charmed me.
I am currently planning my next IVHQ volunteering trip to a new destination in the world. Then maybe I'll head back to visit Madagascar later.

Program details:
I did both construction and Turtle conservation. They were both amazing programs. While doing those, I also joined the teaching english programs in my extra time, and I have to say, they all had me visiting different amazing places and meeting the new cultures.

Free time:
Nosy be is an amazing place to hang out. Whether its renting scootors and cruising(funny story happened to me with that!) or simply taking boats and exploring other islands. And its extremely cheap considering the normal expenses you have in everyday life.

Hi my name is Matt Bradley, I am from Cape Town, South Africa. Volunteering in Madagascar on the Island Outreach Program was easily the most incredible experience I’ve had. With so many endemic species and untouched coastlines, you are able to get a real feel for how nature should be thriving. Conducting field surveys, cleaning up beaches, interacting with the local communities and working with an international team of volunteers definitely gave me a different perspective on life. The field surveys were an eye opening experience as you get an understanding to the extent of the variety of different species that call Madagascar their home. The highlight of the program would have to be the turtle watch surveys as well as playing football with the locals after the English lectures. IVHQ were extremely helpful and made all of this possible.

Hi, I'm Laura, from Reus, Spain. I am 22 years old and I volunteered in Madagascar for three weeks in the teaching project. The experience was amazing! I could teach kids classes in the mornings, and also English classes to adults in the afternoons. All the local people from Nosy Komba are so nice, friendly and interested in learning english as much as they can. This attitude and their smiles in their faces made my day everyday. Their lifestyle is really calm and atracts you to join their culture and all the beauty of the country.
On the other hand, there are all the other volunteers, lovely and open-minded people that you have to share everything with, and I will never forget. I am so glad to still be in touch with some of them and hope to see again soon!

I loved my experience volunteering in Madagascar -- I had signed up to be on the Construction Project, but right away when I arrived on camp I learned that I could also do the Teaching Project! This was amazing because I was busy everyday and always felt like I was contributing as much as I could be. Also, the other volunteers were amazing! I made some lifelong friends while I was there. The locals were some of the most friendly and inviting people I have ever met, they will forever be in my heart. Also, I felt safe the entire trip; the staff does a great job of making you feel comfortable. They also give volunteers lots of freedom on the weekends to do whatever they want! I went on some really fun and beautiful trips to nearby islands. Everything was amazing.

Every day a new adventure awaits on the coast of Nosy Komba. If you go on this journey be prepared to fall in love with the lush mountains and the water. Be prepared to miss Madagascar every day you aren't there after you've left. I learned so much about myself, so many things I'd never learn had IVHQ not been available to me. Madagascar will teach you things you didn't even know were possible. I've never had more fun in my whole life. Every day was exciting and brought new things. The housing was huts, that were nice and comfy. The food provided was great. Wifi isn't really a thing unless you get a local phone with data, which is highly recommended. The nightlife is so awesome if you love loud music and dancing. Everyone who thinks they should go to Madagascar SHOULD go to Madagascar, and I hope if you've spent the time to read this you will highly consider letting this place change the way you think. I'm grateful for IVHQ because without them my experience wouldn't be the same in any way.

I was looking for a reliable organisation to volunteer with, and came across IVHQ, who set me up with MRCI and it was the best time of my life!
First off: the food was awesome (rice, veggies, sometimes pasta or noodles, zebu, chicken, fish), the local staff were superb, the huts were spacious and clean, camp was really nicely laid out (we even had fancy western toilets and showers!) - I was very comfortable living there.
I did forest conservation on the island Nosy Komba: we did lemur studies (observing the diet & behaviour of wild lemurs and lemurs in the park), reptile transects (I LOVED these because it gives you the chance to walk through the forest and just look out for different species, I enjoyed being able to identify them too, it was way more interesting for me when I knew), line plots (frogs!)...I loved agroforestry, where we’d often go to local farmers’ plots to help clean/plant their land. Seedling collecting was great too, we got to plant it on MRCI’s plot of land, to encourage the growth of native species into the area, I was super interested in hearing different ways to farm to increase efficiency.
We had the chance to go to mainland Madagascar, in Ampohana, to build a clinic for the one doctor in the area. Such hard wrk making concrete in that heat, but I’m soooo glad I did it! At the opening ceremony a few weeks later, there were so many people there, I was so surprised at how they all rely on this small clinic?! Rum, zebu, dancing and music, it was the best celebration!
Free time at the weekends was well spent: we visited Nosy Iranjia and Tanikely, went on a whale shark trip, swam with turtles, saw sacred waterfalls, had party weekends in Ambataloaka and just hung out with everyone on the beach.
Met so many incredible people from all walks of life that I think I really can learn from, it feels so much like a family when it’s that intense for such a short period of time - I cried leaving them!
Would definitely go back 🤙🏼

My volunteer experience in Madagascar was Breathtaking. On board “The Spirit of Malala” the research and conservation vessel for the Island outreach program was an experience of a lifetime. I met lots of nice people, the staff were inspiring and really helpful.
The Island Outreach program which was abit of teaching, small construction, marine conservation, forest conservation and community development was truly a fulfilling adventure. The opportunity to do all these on and around the magnificently beautiful tropical Islands of Madagascar was life changing, i wish i stayed longer. I definitely came back a BETTER me.

Volunteering with IVHQ is one of the best opportunities I've had in my entire live. They are not only really organised, but also very committed on helping volunteers get prepared for their magical experiences. The support from my program manager was outstanding, she will always replied as soon as possible and guided me through every step. The quality of the project and the seriousness of MRCI (organisation in Madagascar) were incredible. The only drawback for people that come from less developed countries as me, is that the program is still a little expensive, although in comparison with other organisations it is impressively cheap! In overall, I would volunteer with IVHQ over and over again!!!

Volunteering in marine conservation in Madagascar for one month was an incredible experience. The support before, during and after my trip was impeccable. The IVHQ staff got back to me ASAP with all of my questions answered. They made me feel much less scared and more prepared. Whilst in Madagascar, the activities carried out were very well organised and well thought out in order to help the marine environment. I achieved my open and advanced open water fortifications whilst out there, both of which were completed quickly and thoroughly. I now feel like a confident diver and I feel as though I can carry on using my skills in order to further help the ocean. This trip has changed me as a person, helped me to grow and to become more independent.

I spent 1 month at MRCI and during that time I was able to take part in literally every aspect of the organizations' goals. I was initially signed up for Construction and teaching both of which classify under community development. Upon arrival, I was told about the Island outreach which is a 10-day outreach they run out of the nearby islands and Malagasy mainland with the dive vessel; The Spirit of Malala. The outreach was an incredible experience and when I returned to "camp" for the latter half of my time in Madagascar the staff continued to support me by allowing me to participate in Teaching, Construction, Forest walks, and Kyle the dive master even allowed me to obtain my PADI open water dive certification at a reasonable cost. My time in Madagascar was unforgettable and the MRCI staff have everything to do with that fact. I would highly recommend MRCI Madagascar to anyone and everyone.

Madagascar is an amazing country, Especially Nosy Be and its surrounding islands i.e. Nosy Kumba where the camp base is. The community is so nice and welcoming and safe to be in. The camp was much more spacious than i expected it to be, all staff were laid back and welcoming which made it so easy to settle in and made it feel like home for the 9 weeks i was their. Everyday we were driving at least once followed by a turtle watch and a beach clean or survey of some sort. I really feel like i fulfilled my volunteering expectations and beyond. Aside from volunteering we had a good share of down time which was not wasted, their was always walks we could go on and of course their was not one day that went by that i did not take advantage of living so close to a reef so i was out snorkeling every day, lets just say more than half of my time on Nosy Kumba was not spent on the island itself but instead in the sea. I would go back again in a heart beat. And i will definitely be recommending it to others, not just people that like the sea as the forest was quit challenging and not for the light hearted, which is exactly what i would expect from forest conservation. I will definitely complete more IVHQ programs around the world in years to come.

I cannot recommend the island outreach program enough! From the moment i arrived in Madagascar i received so much support from the local staff and other volunteers. The staff made sure i was safe and comfortable in my accommodation and always wanted to know about feedback to help the programs grow which i think is brilliant. The program itself was life changing and is an experience that will stay with me forever. It helped me get out of my comfort zone, grow as a person and i really felt like i had an impact on the local communities and wildlife. Every second of the program was incredible and i have made such good friends from the experience. If you're thinking about doing the island outreach program then just go for it! You won't regret it

I always dreamed to volunteer somewhere in Africa. I wanted to teach other, to help them and to motivate them to learn and grow personally. I went to Madagascar on a small island called Nosy Komba. I met so many great people, people who smile without a reason and do not judge. Best part of volunteering program were meeting local people, being able to work together with them. In the end I realised I came there to teach but for sure I can say that I have learned much more that I have taught. It really is life changing experience, it helps you to see out of the "box" in which we live. It helps you to start appreciate small things in life, values that you have completely forgotten about. Anyone who would like to grow personally, meet awesome people and start living should try something like that. :)

Within the module ‘Crossing Borders’ of my University I went to Madagascar for three month. I volunteered with the company IVHQ. They work with another organization, the Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute (MRCI). I followed the forest conservation program. I knew before, that Madagascar has a very special and endemic environment, but I was still surprised how gorgeous it is. I was living in a camp on the Island Nosy Komba, which is located in the North of Madagascar. It is a beautiful little Island with a 622 m mountain, compact forest and lots of beaches. I learned all the different species of lemurs, reptiles and birds. It was a pleasure to actually spot them in the forest. I worked from Monday to Friday and the work was diversified. During the weekend we were able to explore the Island Nosy Komba or other Islands around Nosy Komba, such as Nosy Be, Nosy Iranja and Nosy Tanikely. I was also able to travel to the Mainland of Madagascar. In the three month I learned a lot about the Forest, about the Malagasy culture and I made a lot of new friends. It was an unforgettable experience and it was absolutely worth it. Furthermore I wrote a Field Study Report for my University. I analyzed the impact MRCI has on commitment on environment and respect to nature. The results are very interesting; if you are interested in this topic you will find a conclusion here: http://www.madagascarvolunteer.com/mrci-impact-conservation-commitment-environment/ .
I made it to Madagascar and back on my own. I had to adapt on the culture, the lifestyle and also on the people, but after a few time this place which was so foreign in the beginning became the greatest experience I’ve ever had. Volunteering did not only increase my knowledge about how the world works , but also my self confidence. Volunteering with MRCI was a wonderful experience and I will never forget the beauty of the country and the kindness of both, local inhabitants and people from MRCI. My wonderful experiences will accompany me for lifetime.

I was a volunteer in paradise, I mean Madagascar, for 20 weeks with Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute via IVHQ, and in this time I discovered something very particular about this country, it makes time weird. On one side it feels that it was only a few days that I was living on camp, time flys in Madagascar. On the other when I came back to Mexico I did not feel that I was coming back home, I felt like I was leaving home. Like I had been there forever, and that is what Madagascar does, the culture, the people, the views, it all makes you feel something, something I can not quite explain myself. It's crazy to think that spending your days diving in the most gorgeous reefs, getting the chance to study amazing marine life, and getting to hang around teaching English to the cutest kids and kind people in the villages near camp is working as a volunteer. But here it is! and besides all this amazing things you know you are actually making a difference. that what you are doing with your time in that moment matters. There is nothing that can be compared to this, nothing more satisfying.
And the expectations i had? well, they were for sure exceeded. I came expecting to teach, to help, I left having learnt so much.
And in a way it all feels like a dream, like my very own Never Land. For me camp is the place where I discovered the me I like to be the most, the place where I've felt so loved and comfortable and free. The place that made me grow.
The people I met, the places I saw, it will all stay forever in my heart. Whatever happens next, Madagascar is now a part of me. So what did I get from my volunteering? I got a new family, an unconventional one but also a great one, I got tons of amazing memories and experiences and also I got me, I found me.
Thank you MRCI, for the best 20 weeks of my life.

Yours always,
POW!!