This special wildlife photography tour to Madagascar takes you to all corners of this remarkable island to see and photograph its most captivating, unusual and sometimes surprising mammals in the company of Nick Garbutt, well known authority on Madagascar’s wildlife.
In addition to the island’s ‘flagship’ mammals, lemurs, we go in search of Madagascar’s enigmatic carnivores, unusual rodents and peculiar tenrecs.
We begin in one of Madagascar's most spectacular National Parks, the Tsingy of Bemaraha, where the stunning all-white Decken’s sifaka moves effortlessly over the rocks traversing between forest patches. There are many other highly localised lemurs and tuft-tailed rats to find here in addition to rare birds and reptiles and all amongst some of the most photogenic landscapes on the island.
Moving south, we explore different deciduous forests in Kirindy to look for fosa, Madagascar’s largest carnivore that combines feline elements with those of civets and mongooses. There is also the more dainty boky-boky or narrow-striped boky, another small carnivore plus the endearing giant jumping rat.
Next comes Tsimanampetsotse National Park, with its extremely familiar species like the ring-tailed lemur, but also rare oddities like Grandidier's vontsira (a small carnivore). We also visit the seldom visited forests of Daraina in the north, home to the crowned lemur and golden-crowned sifaka, one of the rarest primates on Earth, as well as the iconic and completely unique aye-aye.
Our final location is the eastern rainforest of Andasibe. Here lives the stunning beautiful diademed sifaka and the charismatic teddy-bear-like indri, famous for its haunting song. After dark, there is a different night shift, when woolly lemurs, mouse lemurs and dwarf lemurs become active, and it's sometimes possible to find hedgehog-like tenrecs. With the emphasis very much on weird and endearing mammals and offering outstanding photography, this is a very special tour.
Typical Itinerary
-
Day 1:
Fly to Antananarivo
Fly from London to Antananarivo, arriving in the evening. We transfer to our hotel located in a wooded park, conveniently close to the airport.
Accommodation: Le Relais des Plateaux, 1-night
-
Day 2:
Fly to the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park
This morning we take a charter flight from Antananarivo to an airstrip at Bekopaka, the gateway to the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. We then have an onward road transfer to our hotel. In the afternoon, there is time for our first excursion, perhaps a visit to Petite Tsingy and adjacent forest areas.
Accommodation: Soleil des Tsingy, 3-nights
-
Days 3-4
:
Morning and afternoon walks and photography in the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park
Tsingy de Bemaraha is one of the most spectacular areas on the island. Here outcrops of limestone have been sculpted over the millennia into a fortress of razor-sharp pinnacles that are interlaced by ribbons of forest forming an intricate labyrinth that is a haven for wildlife. Decken’s sifakas and rufous brown lemurs move effortlessly over the rocks, traversing between forest patches. On the forest floor, there are ring-tailed vontsira (a type of carnivore) and western red forest rats, while bird life includes several species of endemic vangas and couas. The botany of the area is also fascinating, with many plants being specifically adapted to the harsh, arid conditions: of note, are elephant’s foot plants (genus Pachypodium) and various Pandanus, Euphorbia and Dracaena.
To allow safe tourist access, an intricate network of trails, boardwalks, ladders and suspension bridges has been installed, so many of the more remote, most visually spectacular areas can be visited. We have the opportunity to explore a number of circuits of varying lengths.
-
Day 5:
Transfer to Kirindy Reserve
Today we drive south to Kirindy, a journey of around eight hours. This is one of the most remote parts of the island, and we have to cross two major rivers, the Manambolo and Tsiribihina. The ever-changing scenery and rural villages give us a greater insight into life in this part of the island.
Accommodation: Akiba Lodge, 3-nights
-
Days 6-7
:
Morning, afternoon and night walks in Kirindy Reserve
Kirindy is arguably the best and most diverse area of western deciduous forest remaining. Located at the heart of the Menabe region that is famous for baobabs (Adansonia spp.), Kirindy is the best place to look for fosa, Madagascar’s largest carnivore that combines feline traits with those of civets and mongooses. More dainty is the boky-boky or narrow-striped vontsira, another endearing and rare small carnivore.
Lemurs too are diverse with Verreaux’s sifaka and red-fronted brown lemurs commonly seen during the day, while after dark no fewer than six nocturnal species may be encountered including Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur – averaging a mere 25 grams it lays claim to being the world’s smallest primate. Also seen at night is the giant jumping rat, in appearance less a rodent and more like a rabbit crossed with a miniature kangaroo.
Kirindy is accessible and offers easy walking on generally flat sandy trails, and with many of the species being tolerant and habituated there are excellent photography opportunities.
-
Day 8:
Travel to Ambola
Today we have a morning drive to Morondava, with a stop en route at the famous ‘Avenue of Baobabs’. We take a charter flight south direct to Toliara, where we then transfer to the port and travel by boat further south to Ambola.
Accommodation: Domaine d’Ambola, 1-night
-
Days 9-10
:
Exploring Tsimanampetsotse, including night walks
Tsimanampetsotse lies in the extreme south-west, in the heart of the driest region of Madagascar, an area dominated by bizarre ‘spiny forest’. Perhaps more than any other habitat, this encapsulates the ‘other worldly’ feel of Madagascar. Here, the extreme aridity has helped fashion trees with tentacle-like branches sporting vicious spines, while others develop grotesquely swollen and convoluted trunks.
In this harsh environment live familiar species like the ring-tailed lemur (that descend into underground caves to drink) and Verreaux’s sifaka, but also rare lesser-known oddities like Grandidier’s vontsira (a small carnivore), that can sometimes be seen foraging amongst the rocky outcrops after dark. There is also an endemic species of blind cave fish! Reptiles, including several chameleons and other species of lizard are frequently seen. On the west edge of the park is a large soda lake that offers the only breeding site for greater flamingos on the island.
Accommodation: Serviced camping, 2-nights
-
Day 11:
Transfer to Toliara, Arboretum d'Antsokay
This morning we transfer to Ambola to take our return boat trip to Toliara and on to the Arboretum d'Antsokay. In the evening, we can enjoy a night walk in the Arboretum.
The Arboretum d'Antsokay is an impressive botanical garden combining natural forest areas with planted areas showcasing around 1,000 plant species endemic to the region. The area offers excellent birdwatching and a chance to see a variety of chameleons and other reptiles. Night walks are good opportunities to see mouse lemurs and reptiles.
Accommodation: Auberge de la Table, 1-night
-
Day 12:
Return to Antananarivo
Depending on the time of our flight, we may have time for a morning walk in the grounds of the Arboretum. We later transfer back to Toliara Airport and take our flight back to Antananarivo. On arrival, we are transferred to our hotel.
Accommodation: Le Relais des Plateaux, 1-night
-
Day 13:
Travel to Daraina
This morning we return to the airport to take our flight to Sambava and then transfer by road to Daraina.
Accommodation: Akiba Daraina Lodge, 3-nights
-
Days 14-15
:
Morning, afternoon and night visits to Daraina
The forests around Daraina are amongst the most intriguing on the island, being located in a region where influences from the east, west and north meld. They are home to the incredibly rare and beautiful golden-crowned sifaka, which despite its rarity is relatively easy to see – several groups have territories close to our lodge. In addition, crowned lemurs are also often seen.
Night walks offer a potential trip highlight, as these forests provide a genuine chance to see an aye-aye in the wild, surely one of the world’s most unusual and spectacular mammals: it's a lemur that mimics a rodent and feeds like a woodpecker! In addition, there are locally endemic mouse lemurs, sportive lemurs and noisy fork-marked lemurs.
-
Day 16:
Travel to Sambava
After a final morning photographing the lemurs of Daraina, we depart after lunch for the drive to Sambava.
Accommodation: Hotel Carrefour, 1-night
-
Day 17:
Travel to Andasibe
This morning we take our return flight from Sambava to Antananarivo, where on arrival we transfer by road to Andasibe.
Accommodation: Andasibe Hotel, 2-nights
-
Day 18:
Explore Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
The Andasibe-Mantadia region is perhaps the premier rainforest site in Madagascar. It offers several parks and private reserves within a small area that offers access to a considerable diversity of species. During the day, we concentrate our efforts in the forests of Mantadia, Analamazaotra and Maromizaha, where top species include the charismatic teddy-bear-like indri, famous for its haunting song and the stunning beautiful diademed sifaka. There are also bamboo lemurs, brown lemurs and black-and-white ruffed lemurs. Those keen on birds will not be disappointed, with several couas, vangas, ground rollers and other endemic species regularly seen.
At night, we visit the neighbouring private reserves of Mitsinjo and VOIMMA, where nocturnal mouse lemurs, dwarf lemurs, woolly lemurs and sportive lemurs can be found. These forests are also very good for frogs and several species of chameleon.
-
Day 19:
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park & fly home
Today we have a last morning to discover and photograph the wildlife of the Andasibe reserve. Later, drive back to our hotel in Antananarivo, where we have use of a room and the facilities at Le Relais des Plateaux. Later it is time to return to the airport for our flight home.
-
Day 20:
Arrive UK
Please note: At Tsimanampetsotse National Park there is no permanent accommodation, so for our two nights here we utilise a campsite to enable us to explore the park and its surrounds at the best time of day and night for its special wildlife.
