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» Madagascar » Madagascar Comprehensive Photographic Safari 29 Oct - 21 Nov 2009 (24 days)
It is the world’s forth largest island (after Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo), yet its rivals the diversity of an entire continent. This legendary uniqueness is nowhere better reflected than in its mammals where every native terrestrial species, of which there are 148, is endemic to the island and found no where else on the planet! Apart from the amazing diversity of the islands mammals, Madagascar is world renowned for its endemic birds. Of the two hundred species regularly recorded on the island, no fewer than one hundred and forty are endemic or near endemic! Furthermore, these include six entire families of birds endemic to the island (the ground-rollers, cuckoo-roller, asities, mesites, Madagascar warblers and vangas)! But the wonder of Madagascar extends well beyond its mammals and avifauna to its colorful chameleons and fascinating flora of this appropriately named “laboratory of evolution”. Virtually every plant and animal on the island is also endemic but sadly most are threatened by continued deforestation, thus making Madagascar one of those “must-visit-soon” destinations. Tour Itinerary: Day 1: Arrival in Antananarivo Day 2: Tana to Maroantsetra Day 3: Maroantsetra to Masoala via Nosy Mangabe Day 4: Masoala Peninsula Day 5: Masoala Peninsula Day 6: Masoala to Perinet via Tana Day 7: Perinet Special Reserve and Mantadia National Park Day 8: Perinet Special Reserve and Mantadia National Park Day 9: Perinet to Antananarivo Day 10: Antananarivo to Kirindy Forest Reserve Day 11: Kirindy Forest Reserve Day 12: Kirindy to Isalo Day 13: Isalo Day 14: Isalo to Andringitra Day 15: Andringitra Day 16: Andringitra to Ranomafana National Park Day 17: Ranomafana National Park Day 18: Ranomafana to Tana Day 19: Tana to Montagne d'Ambre Day 20: Montagne d'Ambre National Park Day 21: Montagne d’Ambre to Ankarana Perinet: Here we will make a special effort to see the reserve’s most famous residents: the huge, singing Indri. A journey in search of these magnificent creatures is on a par with gorilla-trekking in the mountain forests of Uganda, and if we are fortunate enough we will be treated to a close encounter with a family group and their eerie, whale-like howling which echoes through the forest. Other lemurs we hope to see include Common Brown and Grey Bamboo Lemur. Another “must see” member of this reserve is the Giraffe-necked Weevil, a tiny red and black insect named for its unusually proportioned neck! In the evenings, we will embark on night walks. Nocturnal outings are a thrilling and indeed, essential part of any trip to Madagascar. Perinet is one of the best sites to search for the island’s nocturnal Lemurs. We will search for and should find Eastern Woolly, Greater Dwarf and the diminutive Goodman’s Mouse Lemurs. Even the most hardened naturalist would not fail to be impressed by the plethora of colorful and bizarre frogs, chameleons and geckos to be seen on an evening’s stroll through the rainforest. In particular, we will search for the giant Parson’s Chameleon and two species of eccentric leaf-tailed geckos: the huge Uroplatus fimbriatus and the aptly named Uroplatus phantasticus. Ranomafana: Ranomafana National Park was originally proclaimed to protect its population of Golden Bamboo Lemurs, an animal first described to science as recently as 1987. In addition to this species, we should see both Greater and Gray Bamboo Lemurs, Red-fronted Brown, Red-bellied and Small-toothed Sportive lemurs, the impressive Milne-Edwards’ Diademed Sifaka and other mammals such as Common Tenrec and the handsome Ring-tailed Mongoose. Isalo: The appeal at Isalo is certainly the remarkable landscape and mammals are not as prominent, but include Ring-tailed Lemur, Verreaux’s Sifaka and Red Fronted Brown Lemur. We will then depart for Zombitse Forest where we will take a short walk in the hope that we will connect with the highly elusive Fosa, Madagascar’s largest predator. This is a rare and shy beast and we would certainly be lucky indeed to see one here; one of our guides has however seen this beast here and we have heard additional reports augmenting this. Notes: Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the tour does not have sufficient registration, a small-party supplement may have to be charged. These costs are subject to major foreign exchange fluctuations and unforeseen increases in tour related costs and may have to be adjusted as a result. 
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