Madagascar

Friday 12 September to Thursday 2 October 2008
Cap Masaola extension to Tuesday 7 October

Friday 11 September to Thursday 1 October 2009
Cap Masaola extension to Tuesday 6 October

with Brian Finch as leader.

Cost: £3670 (2009)

Single room supplement: £510

with Cap Masaola extension: £4740 (2009)

Single room supplement: £600

In country prices only - allow £1270 for flights from London if booked by Sunbird.

Click here for explanation of price breakdown

Maximum group size: 9 with 1 leader.

Bird List

Tour Map

Booking Form

The heaviest bird that ever existed, the Elephant Bird, lived in Madagascar and may actually have survived until only 300 years ago.  The Musée de l’Académie in Antananarivo has the only complete skeleton, but the rest of this great red island is even today so full of strange and wonderful life forms that we’ll soon understand how something as astounding as the 1000-pound Elephant Bird could have developed here.  To most of us, Madagascar is a place where evolution has run wild.  Of the 198 nesting birds, 106 are endemic and another 25 are limited to the ‘Malagasy Region’.  There are no fewer than five endemic families, an endemic sub-family and 32 endemic genera. It’s a mind-boggling degree of endemism.

Our trip will be orientated towards the endemic birds and mammals, and we’ll spend most of our time in the eastern rainforest, the western deciduous woodland, and the southern spiny desert. In addition to the birds, we’ll look at everything natural in Madagascar – plants, reptiles and insects – as well as experience Madagascar’s friendly and hospitable people and sample widely from its delicious cuisine.

Day 1:  The tour begins this evening in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar.

Day 2:  This morning we’ll visit the private garden of Tsaratsaotra where a lake protected by a resident Malgasche family holds a breeding colony of herons. Among the more widespread Great and Cattle Egrets are numerous Dimorphic Egrets and with the abundant Squacco Herons are a few pairs of Madagascar Squacco Herons.  Along with the many White-faced Whistling-Ducks and Red-billed Teal we should find a few Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, Knob-billed Ducks, and the diminutive Hottentot Teal.  If we’re lucky we may spot the sombre but increasingly rare endemic Meller’s Duck.  Other endemic species found here include the ‘Madagascar’ Kestrel, Coucal, White-eye, Swamp Warbler, Brush Warbler, Red Fody, and Mannikin. 

From here we’ll drive to a local restaurant that is an oasis of greenery and is located conveniently close to the airport.  While we have lunch we may be visited by Madagascar Wagtail, both Souimanga and Long-billed Green Sunbirds and the resident form of Stonechat.  After a delicious traditional meal we’ll depart for the airport and our short flight to Mahajanga.  We’ll check in at our hotel and from the hotel’s balcony may see Namaqua Dove, African Palm Swift, and Madagascar Bee-eater.  Night in Mahajanga.

Day 3:  An early start will see us on our way to Ankarafantsika Reserve, one of the last stands of western deciduous forest.  Many bird species here are among the last of their kind. The bizarre endemic family of mesites, of unknown taxonomic affinity, is represented by White-breasted Mesite. One of the rarest of the vangas, Van Dam's, from another endemic family, may be found ripping into rotten wood with its heavy hooked bill.  A third endemic family, asitys, are present in the form of Schlegel's Asity but they are very scarce and difficult to locate.  Among the great variety of species in this reserve we'll be looking for the bizarre Madagascar Crested Ibis, Madagascar Fish-Eagle, Madagascar Harrier-Hawk, Madagascar Buzzard, France's Sparrowhawk, Cocquerel's, Red- capped and Crested Couas and an impressive variety of vangas including White-headed, Blue, Chabert's, Rufous, Hook-billed and the extraordinary Sickle-billed in addition to Van Dam's.  A large dam nearby could produce Humblot's Heron and  Madagascar Jacana.  Night in Mahajanga.

Day 4:   After a full day in Ankarafantsika Reserve, we'll return to Mahajanga.  Night in Mahajanga.

Day 5:  We'll take motor boats in search of Bernier's Sacred Ibis and Bernier's Teal, both of which are found on mangrove islands in the estuary.  We'll return to Mahajanga in time to catch our flight back to Tana.  Night in Tana.

Day 6:  Early this morning we’ll visit the nearby Tsimbazaza Botanical Gardens.  It is here in the museum that we’ll find the complete skeleton of Aepyorni maximus, the heaviest bird that ever lived.  There is a near completse collection of birds and larger mammals on display, but they are rather clothed in history! In the gardens lemurs live in enclosures and among the captive birds are Meller’s Duck, Bernier’s Teal, and Madagascar Fish-Eagle.  Among the wild birds is a pair of Madagascar Little Grebes that usually resides on the lake.  Later we’ll catch a flight to Fort Dauphin in the far southeast.  We’ll have lunch on arrival and afterwards visit the clifftops looking for seabirds, Kelp Gull and the enormous Humpback Whales that frequent the seas off headlands at this time of year.  Night in Fort Dauphin.

Day 7:  After an early breakfast we’ll depart for Berenty, a private reserve set in a sea of sisal.  The abundant tamarind trees provide nourishment and cover for numerous lemurs and birds, while the nearby remnant spiny forest contains a unique fauna.  The delightful, inquisitive Ring-tailed Lemurs make for a pleasant distraction while we search for local specialities such as Giant Coua, White-browed Owl and Madagascar Dry-forest Scops Owl.  Other species may include Madagascar Turtle Dove, Ashy Cuckoo-Shrike and Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher.  More obvious mammals include Brown Lemur and the sideways-prancing Verreaux’s Sifaka.  A visit to the Madagascar Flying-Fox colony is an impressive experience.  Night at Berenty.

Day 8:  An early departure from Berenty will enable us to investigate the nearby spiny forest reserve.  Species such as Running Coua, Archbold’s Newtonia, and Lafresnaye’s Vanga occur here but are much more readily seen in the southwest.  We’ll also see some unusual plants including an endemic pitcher plant.  After our delicious lunch in Fort Dauphin overlooking one of the many attractive bays, we’ll catch a plane to Tulear, arriving in the early evening.  Night in Tulear.

Day 9:  We’ll have an early departure on the road to St. Augustine to search for the recently described Red-shouldered Vanga (at the time of writing only three pairs are known) and the very local and scarce Verreaux’s Coua.  At midmorning we’ll board speedboats for the island of Nosy Ve, where there is a thriving colony of nesting Red-tailed Tropicbirds that allow very close approach.  After our picnic lunch here we’ll cross the water to the mainland for a quick search for Littoral Rock Thrush in the sparse coastal scrub.  Night in Tulear.

Day 11:  This morning will probably be dedicated to finding the difficult-to-locate Longtailed Ground-Roller.  While in the spiny forest we should encounter more widespread species such as Madagascar Hoopoe, Greater Vasa Parrot, Grey-headed Lovebird, Madagascar Magpie Robin, and various vangas including our first Red-tailed.  Our lunch will be at the hotel, where Madagascar Bulbuls, Souimanga and Long-billed Green Sunbirds, Madagascar Mannikins, Sakalava Weavers and Red Fodys come to drink in a bath specially prepared for them. In front of our rooms Whimbrels and Greater Sand, White-fronted and Madagascar Plovers trot across the mud.  In the afternoon we’ll have the choice of visiting the forest or enjoying the pleasures of a tropical beach.  Night in Ifaty.

Day 12:  This morning we’ll have a pleasant investigation of the spiny forest only a couple of kilometres from the hotel.  We should encounter many of the local bird specialities and photographers and interested parties alike will have the chance to examine this unique vegetation in detail.  Lunch will be at the hotel and in the afternoon we’ll depart for Tulear with a look at coastal lagoons and swamps en route.  Night in Tulear.

Day 13:  We’ll depart early for the Zombitse Forest where we’ll stop to look for the endemic Appert’s Greenbul found only here!  Other birds may include Banded Kestrel, Cuckoo Roller, and Madagascar Sandgrouse.  From here we’ll pass through the impressive rock formations of Parc National d’Isalo for our overnight stop.  Night in Isalo.

Day 14:  Before breakfast we’ll have a walk around the lodge.  Usually the local endemic Benson’s Rock Thrush is the first bird to greet us, as it has found the roof of the lodge to its liking.  Our walk could also reveal Lesser Vasa Parrot, Madagascar Lark, or Madagascar Cisticola.  Leaving here we’ll cross the Plateau l’Horombe where we’ll keep a watchful eye out for the dapper Reunion Harrier.  After lunch we’ll continue on our long journey to Ranomafana, arriving at our lodgings in the early evening.  Night in Ranomafana.

Days 15-16:  Ranomafana National Park will provide our first look at the eastern rainforest, the richest region in Madagascar for all forms of wildlife.  Our two full days will allow us to sample most of the specialities of the area.  Golden Bamboo Lemurs were discovered here in 1986 and almost simultaneously the Greater Bamboo Lemur, once thought extinct, was rediscovered.  These events led to the park’s creation.  Birds have profited from this, and we’ll be alert for the huge Henst’s Goshawk, timid Brown Mesites, Madagascar Wood Rail, the stunning Blue Coua, the secretive Yellow-browed Oxylabes, mixed flocks containing Spectacled and Grey-crowned Greenbuls, spectacular Pittalike Ground-Rollers, plus lesser denizens such as Green Jery and Rand’s Warbler. The more highland forest areas produce a different group of birds including Rufous-headed Ground-Roller, Brown Emutail and the stunning, and often very confiding, Yellow-bellied Sunbird- Asity.  In the nearby river and swamps we could find Madagascar Pratincole, Madagascar Snipe, and with luck, Madagascar Partridge, and the rank marshy grasses hide Grey Emutail.  Nights at Ranomafana.

Day 17:  After a last short look at Ranomafana we’ll reluctantly depart on our long journey to Tana.  Before our lunch stop at Ambositra we’ll visit some highland swamps that have not been converted to rice; sometimes Meller’s Ducks take refuge here.  We’ll arrive in Tana after dark.  Night in Tana.

Days 18-19:  This morning we’ll leave for Perinet, perhaps the best known of Madagascar’s reserves, as it is home to the largest of all the lemurs, the tail-less Indri.  Our accommodation will be in the neighbouring Mantadia National Park, where many species not found in Perinet/Analamazaotra can be seen with relative ease.  The understorey provides cover for all four species of rainforest ground-rollers, including Scaly and Short-legged. Red-breasted Coua is on the edge of its range here and lives in the shade of the luxuriant growth with Red-fronted Coua.  Mixed flocks of vangas and flycatchers often contain the extraordinary Nuthatch Vanga as well as Ward’s Flycatcher and Nelicourvi Weaver.  Both Velvet and Common Sunbird-Asitys are not uncommon, and other birds here include Madagascar Rail, Madagascar Flufftail, and Madagascar Spinetail.  In the nearby Analamazaotra Reserve, in addition to appreciating Indris, we’ll look at night for Collared Nightjar, whose song is still unknown, Madagascar Long-eared Owl, Madagascar Crested Ibis, Wedge-tailed Jery, and Forest Fody.  We will not forget the lemurs, with luck adding Greater Dwarf, Common Bamboo, Eastern Woolly, Rufous Mouse, and possibly even Blackand-white Ruffed Lemurs to our list.  Nights in Mantadia.

Day 20:  After a final morning birding in these rich forests we’ll bid farewell to Perinet for our return to Tana.  On the way back we’ll stop at a private zoo where many reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates may be examined.  We’ll have dayrooms in Tana (and overnight rooms for those going on the extension) and after our final dinner those departing tonight will be transferred to the airport in good time to catch their international flights.

Cap Masaola extension:

Day 21:  We'll leave for the airport and our morning flight to Maroansetra in northeast Madagascar. Since the excursion includes a night of camping on Nosy Mangabe Island, we'll leave anything we don't require in storage in Tana. The normally strong afternoon winds will prevent us from going directly to Cap Masoala so we'll transfer to a nearby hotel where we'll have dinner and spend the night, which should include a search for the bizarre Tomato Frog, only found in the immediate vicinity of Maroansetra.  If there is an early flight (uncertain from year to year) and we arrive in the morning at Maroansetra, we'll take an afternoon excursion on the adjacent canal looking for such species as Allen’s Gallinules and African Pygmy Geese.  There may as well be an optional night outing to a reserve for a chance of Aye-Aye, but this depends largely on the weather conditions. Night in Maroansetra.

Days 22-23:   On Day 22, we'll cross to the beautiful and largely unspoiled Cap Masoala ahead of us.  On arrival at our bush lodging we'll have lunch and in the afternoon enter the forest for our first look.  Many of the species we have seen at Perinet and Ranomafana are here as well and will be familiar to us.

Species we'll be looking for in the forest include Helmet Vanga, certainly the most bizarre-looking bird on the island, vaguely like a small hornbill but dressed in attractive black and tan.  Its most spectacular feature is the enormous bill, impressive enough but rendered unforgettable in fluorescent dayglow blue!  Far rarer is the dowdy all-black Bernier's Vanga, the barred female being more attractive. Two other very special species that are present here are Red Owl and Madagascar Serpent-Eagle.  Should the diligent researchers, seasonally resident on the Cap, have located territories we may have a chance of seeing these two but they are not found every year.  The Scaly Ground-Roller, probably the most attractive of this endemic family, is not uncommon and can be absurdly indifferent in contrast with its behavior elsewhere.  The colorful Red-breasted Coua is also quite numerous.  We have one-and-a-half days at this location and we'll make a valiant attempt at finding many of these species.  Nights in Cap Masoala.

Day 24: Early this morning we'll leave Cap Masoala and cross the Baie d'Antongil by boat.  If the tides are favorable we may see groups of Crab Plover shortly before we cross the strait toward Nosy Mangabe, an island famous for its Aye-Aye population.  We'll spend the evening and, with the help of local guides, hope to see the Aye-Aye and, among other things, the most magnificent of the extraordinary species of Leaf-tailed Geckos and a few attractive endemic frogs.  Night camping on Nosy-Mangabe Island.

Day 25: After a final morning, we'll departing early by boat for Maroansetra continuing on by air to Antananarivo where we'll have hotel rooms available for freshening up.   After our final dinner transfers will be arranged to the airport for international flights. 

The ground arrangements for this tour are organised by our American associates WINGS.

E-mail or phone +44 (0)1767 262522 for availability.

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Last updated August 2008.