Birding tours from Cape Town to Cameroon and Madagascar, with the only African Birding Specialist
Birding Madagascar
Madagascar is famous for being unusual and unique, to the extent that it is often referred to as the eighth continent.
Its birds exemplify this: a remarkable 140 species are endemic or near-endemic, including several spectacular and rather strange families. These include the spectacular Ground Rollers, varied Vangas, exquisite Mesites, Cuckoo Rollers and Asities, and striking Couas.
Although these amazing birds will form the focus of our tours, we'll have time to sample some of the island's other oddities. Among these are the fantastic and diverse lemurs, chameleons and frogs flaunting a riot of colour, and, in general, a fascinating array of faunal and floral evolutionary experiments, such as the giraffe weevil, an unwieldy beetle with an exceptionally long neck.
We offer a 16 day essential tour that includes Madagascar's essential birding sites, and a 5 day extension to the "Helmet Vanga's" Masoala peninsula. Both can be combined into a fabulous 21 day clean-up tour.
As we organize the ground operations directly, our expertiese allows you to customise your itinerary exactly to your needs. And depending on your interests, we offer guides that specialise in birds, birds and lemurs, botany, reptiles, amphibia and insects. We personalize your experience.
Our 16 day tour explores the famous forests of Andasibe-Mantadia or Perinet where the largest living lemur (Indri) is regularly seen; Ranamafana, a national park with primary forest in the eastern highlands and famous for its recently discovered but endangered golden bamboo lemur; Ankarafantsika National Park or Ampijoroa in the western dry deciduous forests and Zombitse in the south east; Isalo National Park with its ruiniforme sandstone formations in the central highlands; and Tulear's coastal area with its unique 'Spiny Desert'.
The northern extension, will appeal to those who are a little more adventurous. We'll visit the idyllic and remote Masoala Peninsula, in search for Helmet Vanga.
1. Antananarivo to Perinet
2. Full day at Perinet
3. Full day at Perinet
4. To Antananarivo, to Majunga
5. Ampijoroa
6. Ampijoroa
7. To Majunga, to Tana
8. To Antsirabe
9. To Ranamafana NP
10. Full day in Ranamafana NP
11. Full day in Ranamafana NP
12. To Isalo NP
13. To Ifaty, spiny desert
14. Full day Ifaty, spiny desert
15. To Tulear
16. Return to Antananarivo.
16. Arrive Antananarivo
17. Fly to Maraontsetra, boat to the Masoala peninsula
18. full day at Masoala National Park
19. full day at Masoala National Park
20. full day at Masoala National Park
21. Return to Antananarivo
More
than 100 endemics, including Couas, Vangas, Mesites, Asities, Cuckoo
Roller and Ground Rollers
Next
departures
All our 2007 tours are fully booked. 2008 tours still have some spaces available:
16 days tour: 19 September - 4 October
16 days tour: 6 - 21 October
21 days tour: 15 November - 5 December (includes the Masoala pensinsula)
Please contact us if you wish to travel on other dates, or if you prefer to design your own private tour, or to combine focus on birding and lemur watching with our specialists.
Prices
For a person sharing a room: 16 days tour: GBP 2250 21 days tour incl. Masoala GBP 3160 The single room supplements are GBP 350 (16 days tour) and GBP 490 (21 days tour).
This includes all in country expenses (except drinks or other items of personal nature): it includes park fees, guide fees, accommodation on full board, flights, road transport, all scheduled group activities.
Please contact us if you wish a quote for your tailormade tour.
