Madagascar
Land of the Lemur
Thursday 24 September - Saturday 10 October 2009 (17 days)
Separated from the African continent by just a few hundred miles of sea but more than a hundred million years in time, Madagascar is really a tiny continent all of its own. Here evolution has followed a quite distinct course, producing a whole range of life-forms that are found nowhere else on earth. Join us for a fascinating fortnight in the land of the lemur!
Indri Lemur - leave mouse over photo to hear their amazing calls!
(Photo by tour participant Cliff Gilbert)
Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world, having severed the land-ties to Africa more than 100 million years ago. This vast span of time, coupled with the size of the land-mass and a great variety of landforms, has enabled the forces of evolution to play, to experiment, and now to dazzle wildlife enthusiasts with a range of creatures and plants both bizarre and unique.
This was the home of the Elephant Bird, the largest bird that ever lived, until just a few centuries ago - what a sight that would have been. Catastrophic habitat loss has led to the extinction of this and many other endemic species but there are still more than 100 endemic birds with several whole endemic families, including the amazing vangas with their great range of forms.
Madagascar is also home to more than half the world's chameleons including Parson's Chameleon, the world's largest at up to 60cm, and some quite extraordinary geckos. But perhaps the most famous group of creatures on the island are the lemurs, entirely confined to Madagascar and the nearby Comoro Islands. Lemurs are one of the most primitive groups of primates which have evolved into a stunning range of species ranging from the howling Indri, which greets the dawn in Périnet with its echoing calls, to the tiny nocturnal Mouse Lemurs.
We'll be travelling to several of the last remaining areas of lush forest, dry deciduous woodland, and spiny desert. In the face of vast commercial pressures, responsible ecotourism can help immensely to preserve these remnants with their immeasurably precious wildlife treasures. This will be an adventurous trip, with quite a bit of travelling to get the best out of this wonderful land, but we know that the beauty of the country, the friendliness of the people, and above all the extraordinary nature of its wildlife will make the effort worthwhile. Please note that early morning starts will be necessary on several days.
Prics:
£ 3,895
Single supp.:
£ 595
Deposit: £ 400 per person
The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of return economy scheduled Air France flights London-Antananarivo, internal flights, full board accommodation, transport, incidental tips, and the services of the leaders.
The price excludes travel insurance, Madagascar Visa (c£40), optional tips to local drivers and guides, drinks and other personal expenses.
Leaders: Tim Earl and local guides
Day 1
We fly London - Paris for an overnight stay at an airport hotel, to be in place for our flight the next day. Please ask us about flights from UK regional airports to Paris.
Overnight Paris
Day 2
We fly Air France from Paris to Antananarivo (known as Tana), departing early morning, and arriving late evening. On previous trips we have heard Madagascar Nightjar calling from the hotel roof.
Overnight Tana
Days 3 - 4
We catch an internal flight south to Fort Dauphin. From here we travel to Berenty private reserve. This is an area of tamarind gallery forest, reminiscent of the African bush. This is one of the best reserves for lemurs, with beautiful white Verreaux's Sifakas hurling themselves from tree to tree, Brown Lemurs that wander into the restaurant in search of food, and, most fearless of all, Ring-tailed Lemurs, whose gentle expression belies their banana-thieving intentions. Watching these endearing animals warming their tummies in the early morning sunshine can be one of the highlights of the trip.
We'll also have a chance to visit the bizarre spiny forest with its succulent plants. Endemics here include several vangas, Giant Coua, Madagascar Buzzard and Paradise Flycatcher.
We stay for two nights in the lodge bungalows, and will take the opportunity to look for Madagascar Scops and White-browed Owls.
Two nights Berenty Lodge
Days 5 - 6
After a final morning at the reserve we drive to Fort Dauphin airport to catch a local flight to Tulear on the south-west coast, from where we transfer to the coastal village of Ifaty.
The spiny forest in this area has many endemic birds with Long-tailed Ground-Roller, Subdesert Mesite, and the striking Sickle-billed Vanga some of the most sought-after. This is a limestone area, and erosion has created a fascinating landscape dotted here and there with freshwater lakes which can hold a good variety of waterbirds. The sandy beach can also be productive with the possibility of Madagascar Plover.
Two nights Ifaty
Day 7
After a last look at the beach for waders, which may include Greater Sand Plover and Terek Sandpiper, and terns, with Saunders' Tern possible, we drive north towards Isalo. A marsh may allow us to get to grips with the elusive Madagascar Swamp Warbler, as well as other waterbirds, with Dimorphic Heron and White-throated Rail seen here on our last visit. We will stop for birdwatching at the Zombitse Forest. Here we will look for one of the world's rarest birds, Appert's Greenbul, as well as France's Sparrowhawk, Reunion Harrier and Lesser Vasa Parrot.
Next day we will visit the Isalo National Park, an area of jumbled limestone pinnacles. Here we will look for another endemic, Benson's Rock Thrush, as well as Madagascar Bee-eater.
Overnight Isalo
Days 8 - 10
We take the long drive north towards Ranomafana, where we stay for two nights. Established in 1986 after the discovery of the Golden Bamboo Lemur, Ranomafana National Park is one of the premier ecotourism projects in Madagascar. Half the entrance fee goes to support sustainable development in the area and a training centre for naturalist guides has been established. The area is rich in lemurs and simply wonderful for birds. This is also probably the best site for the rainforest endemics. Here, as the morning mists clear, we'll look for Rufous-headed and Pitta-like Ground-Rollers, Pollen's Vanga, Brown Mesite and Velvet Asity amongst others.
Although the park speciality, Golden Bamboo Lemur, is very hard to see, we have succeeded in seeing them on two previous visits. The park is also a research centre and some of the lemurs wear radio-collars for tracking.
Three nights Ranomafana
Day 11
We travel north again, stopping for lunch at one of the villages. Here we have a chance to visit one of the local woodcarving workshops for which the town is famous. We continue on to Antsirabe.
Overnight Antsirabe
Day 12
We continue across the interior plateau, a land of small thatched villages and tiny terraced rice-paddies. The countryside has a distinctly Asian feel to it, perhaps not surprising considering that the Malagasy farmers who shaped the land are originally descended from Malay and Polynesian mariners. We continue on to Tana, where we have dinner and overnight
Overnight Tana
Days 13 - 15
We drive eastwards across the central plateau, stopping for a while at a small private reserve. After lunch we continue, stopping at one of the rivers to look for Madagascar Pratincole before arriving at the lush forests of Périnet. This is the wettest part of Madagascar, and the lush forest also contains some small lakes. We stay overnight at a lodge just outside the National Park.
We spend two full days in Périnet. Famous for its population of Indri, the largest of the lemurs, the forest is also home to an excellent range of birds, including several endemics. These may include Red-fronted Coua and Nuthatch Vanga. Indris are best looked for - and listened to - about an hour after sunrise, but we also hope to walk the area at night in search of Mouse Lemurs and other species. Other lemurs include Red-bellied and Common Brown Lemurs while the forest is also home to the huge Parson's Chameleon.
We'll visit the recently-opened Mantadia National Park, home to arguably the most beautiful of lemurs, the Diademed Sifaka, and Scaly Ground-roller. Wet areas can also host Tenrecs and some of Madagascar's spectacular frogs, such as Painted Mantella.
Three nights Périnet
Day 16
If time permits, we'll have a final morning near Périnet before driving back to Tana and catching our flight home, arriving on Day 17.
Accommodation: We stay in lodges and hotels with en suite facilities throughout. Standards vary from excellent at Périnet to basic-but-adequate at Ranomafana.
Numbers: Max. 14 clients