Madagascar Comprehensive Birding and Wildlife: Mega Birding Endemics, Lemurs, Chameleons and More
Trip Description
Brief Itinerary
Our 18 day Comprehensive Madagascar birding and wildlife tours kick off in the little-known deciduous woodlands of the northwest. Here we will search for such specials as White-breasted Mesite, the stunning Schlegel’s Asity and Van Dam’s Vanga. Endangered waterbirds we may encounter include Madagascar Fish-Eagle, Bernier’s Teal and Madagascar Sacred Ibis. We continue our tour through the bird-rich sites of Perinet and Mantadia National Park in the eastern rainforest zone, searching for exotic birds including Madagascar Ibis, Madagascar Wood Rail, Red-breasted Coua, Velvet Asity, Nuthatch Vanga and Brown Emutail.
We usually succeed in obtaining scope views of all four forest ground rollers, sometimes achieved during one glorious day! The unforgettable song of the Indri drifts through these forests, and we will take time out to find a family group of these, the largest extant lemur species. Our coverage of the eastern rainforests of Madagascar also includes Ranomafana NP, where we stand a chance for Golden and Greater Bamboo Lemurs, Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity and Brown Mesite.
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See below for detailed itineraries on both the main tour and pre-trip extension.
Day 1: Arrival Day and PM Birding Start at Lac Alarobia
Day 2: Fly to Tulear and Drive to Ifaty; and Late PM Start Birding in Thorn Forest and/or Nearby Areas
Day 3: Birding Full Day in Ifaty: AM Didierea Woodland and PM Wetlands Birding
Day 4: Ifaty to Tulear: Key Birding Trip by Boat to Nosy Ve and San Augustin, and Birding to La Table Mountain
Day 5: AM Very Early Start for Full Day Birding: Zombitse Forest and then Isalo National Park
Day 6: Bit of Birding on Long Drive to Ranomafana National Park
Day 7 & 8: Two Full Days Birding (and Wildlilfe-Watching) at Ranomafana National Park
Day 9: Another Bonus Full Day Birding (and Wildlife-Watching) at Ranomafana National Park
Day 10: Long Day in Vehicle Driving from Ranomafana to Antananarivo
Day 11: Sleep In in Antananarivo; Mid-Day Flight to Majunga and Start Birding Ankarafantsika Reserve and Ampijoroa
Day 12: Ampijoroa Dry Forest: Birding for Key Endemics and More (Including Lemurs and Reptiles), and PM Birding Wetlands/Lake (and After Dark: More Lemurs)
Day 13: Early AM Start for Key Wetlands Birding and Betsiboka Delta Birding; Likely Late PM Birding and/or Bit of Relaxation
Day 14: AM Final Birding around Ankarafantsika National Park; Drive to Airport in Majunga; Driving from Antananarivo (Tana) to Perinet for Most of Afternoon
Day 15 & 16: Perinet Special Reserve and Mantadia National Park
Day 17: AM Final Perinet Birding and Wildlife Watching or Try for Helmet Vanga; PM Back to Tana
Day 18: Departure Summary
Optional Pre-trip Extension: 4 Day 3 Night trip to Berenty Lemur Reserve
Pre-trip Day 1: Arrival into Antananarivo
Pre-trip Day 2: AM Arrivals into Fort Dauphin, Transfer to Berenty Lemur Reserve via Manangotry
Pre-trip Day 3: Full Day at Berenty Lemur Reserve
Pre-trip Day 4: Berenty Lemur Reserve to Fort Dauphin, fly to Tulear and Join Main Tour
More details about this Trip:
Detailed Itineraries
View our detailed Madagascar itinerary below, or download it via the link on the right. Click the other link on the right to see the Berenty Lemur Reserve detailed itinerary.