This wonderful country is home to some of the world’s most unusual wildlife. Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island, often referred to as the “Eighth Continent” and it is here that we will conduct our epic journey in search of the many endemic birds and mammals. Madagascar has no less than 115 true endemic birds and five endemic bird families, which include the Ground-Rollers, Cuckoo-Roller, Mesites, Asitys and Vangas. Lemurs are one of the star attractions and we will find many, both diurnal and nocturnal. Two thirds of the worlds Chameleons are found here and we should see from the smallest to the largest on our visit. Human expansion has impacted heavily on Madagascar and many species are in a very real danger of extinction.
We will visit some of the top birding sites on the island and hope to reach our goal of 200 bird species - with some luck and good weather we should be able to achieve this. Our guide, Errol de Beer, has traveled all over Madagascar and he will also rely on local guides for their impeccable knowledge of their home turf at many of the sites. So come and join us for the adventure of a lifetime.

Optional Extension to Kruger NP Nov 16-21, 2008

Getting to Madagascar:
Option 1 – (Nov 8): Overnight flight from US to Johannesburg; (Nov 9): Arrive Johannesburg late afternoon. Transfer to hotel; (Nov 10) fly from Johannesburg to Antananarivo (Tana), Madagascar
Option 2 – (Nov 9): Fly directly to Tana from various other destinations to arrive by Nov 10.

Day 1 (Nov 10)
For those on the Pre-tour Kruger trip we will fly from Johannesburg, South Africa to Antananarivo (Tana), Madagascar. Time permitting we will visit Lac Alarobia (Parc de Tsarasoatra) a 66 acre bird-oasis near the centre of the capital, where we will have our first encounters with some of the Malagasy birdlife. Dimorphic Egret, Madagascar Kingfisher and various duck species are common. Squacco Heron and Madagascar Pond Heron occur side by side and makes for easy comparison. We have even recorded Eleanora’s Falcon here. O/N at one of the many fine hotels in Tana.

Day 2 (Nov 11)
We have a leisurely drive ahead of us to our next destination Analamazoatra Special Reserve better known as Perinet. Ample time for birding en-route, possibilities include: Madagascar Cisticola, Hamerkop and Madagascar Pratincole. O/N at Vakona Forest Lodge or Feon’ Ny Ala.

Day 3 (Nov 12)
We will bird Mantadia National Park, which is undoubtedly the finest place to find Ground-Rollers in Madagascar. Four of the five Ground-Rollers are found here, the only exclusion being the Long-tailed Ground-Roller. Some of the lesser-seen specials at Mantadia include Red-breasted Coua, Madagascar Serpent Eagle, and the incredibly scarce Red Owl. More common birds include Greater and Lesser Vasa Parrots, Madagascar Starling, Madagascar Blue-Pigeon, Madagascar Flufftail, Madagascar Little Grebe, Madagascar Pygmy Kingfisher, Forest Fody, Ward’s Flycatcher, Crossley’s Babbler, White-throated Oxylabes and many more. The elusive Diademed Sifaka and Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur are present here.

Day 4 (Nov 13)
Birding Perinet Reserve: We will be looking for Red-fronted and Blue Coua, Velvet Asity, Madagascar Blue Vanga, Nuthatch Vanga and Red-tailed Vanga. The thrill of birding in Perinet would not be complete without hearing and seeing the world’s largest living Lemur, the Indri. The spine-chilling howls of this creature are something you will not soon forget. Other birds to be on the lookout for include, Madagascar Wood Rail, Madagascar Cuckoo, Madagascar Spinetail, Tylas, Nelicourvi Weaver, Souimanga Sunbird, Common Sunbird-Asity and Madagascar Cuckoo-Roller
What would a visit to Perinet be without a nocturnal outing and so we will embark on an unforgettable evening in the forest, watching for nocturnal Lemur’s and Birds, which might include Long-eared Owl, Rainforest Scops Owl and both Madagascar Nightjar and the rare and little known Collared Nightjar and then on the Lemur front, Eastern Woolly, Greater Dwarf and the diminutive Brown Mouse lemurs.

Day 5 (Nov 14)
We will spend the morning at one of these two reserves, depending on our target list, where after we will depart and head for Anjozorobe (approx. 244 km, 4-5 hrs.). WE could possibly find France’s Sparrowhawk and Madagascar Lark en route.

Day 6 (Nov 15)
Anjozorobe comprises the largest intact remnants of Madagascar’s highland forest eco-system. Ten of Madagascar’s thirty three Lemur species are found here and birding is also very diverse, top birds to be found in the forests are Red-tailed Newtonia, Grey Emutail, Grey-crowned Greenbul, Yellow-browed Oxylabes and Common Sunbird-Asity at the wetlands we should look out for the rare Meller’s Duck, Madagascar Snipe, Madagascar Little Grebe, even the super rare Slender-billed Flufftail has been recorded here. Other good birds include Henst’s Goshawk, Madagascar Partridge and Madagascar Buttonquail.

Day 7 (Nov 16)
Early morning drive back to the capital Tana from where we catch a flight to the coastal town of Mahajanga. On our arrival at Mahajanga we waste no time in heading to Ankarafantsika National Park where we will be staying for the next couple of nights. The camp offers comfortable chalet’s and the restaurant serves traditional Malagasy fare. We will encounter our first “campsite residents” such as Lesser Vasa Parrots, Crested Drongo, Madagascar Magpie Robin, Sakalava Weaver, Madagascar Hoopoe and Madagascar Green Pigeon, not forgetting the ever present Coquerel’s Sifaka. At Lac Ravelobe, only a stone’s throw from the camp, we will look for the critically endangered Madagascar Fish-Eagle that is known to breed here. White-throated Rails are also commonly found here.

Day 8 (Nov 17)
A full day to explore this remarkable area, White-breasted Mesite’s and Grey-headed Lovebirds are sometimes seen within the camp. We will make good work of exploring the splendid network of trails through the park, eight species of Lemur can be found around the camp which include Common Brown Lemur as well as the rare Mongoose Lemur. The jewel-like Schlegel’s Asity will be high on our list of priorities as will Van Dam’s Vanga and also the two species of Coua found here: Red-capped and Coquerel’s Coua’s. Vanga’s are well represented and other than Van Dam’s we should also find Rufous, Hook-billed, White-headed, Chabert’s and Red-tailed Vanga’s. Reptiles are plentiful - fortunately though there are no poisonous snakes on the Island. Oustalet’s Chameleon (the worlds largest) and Rhinoceros Chameleon are common in the forest. After dinner we will go on a night walk for some of the nocturnal Lemur’s, Fat-tailed Dwarf and Grey Mouse Lemurs are possible and if we are extremely lucky, the recently described(1998) Golden-brown Mouse Lemur that is only known from this area.

Day 9 (Nov 18)
This morning we will try for any of the birds that we might have missed the previous day, we should also be on the look-out for Madagascar Crested Ibis, Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher and Sickle-billed Vanga. Madagascar Green Sunbird breeds in the camp and we will make another visit to Lac Ravelobe where we could find Mascarene Martin, Madagascar Jacana and Purple Heron. On the way to Mahajanga we will stop at Lac Amboromalandy where we might find Humblot’s Heron, White-faced Whistling Duck, African Pygmy Goose and Hottentot Teal. O/N in Mahajanga.

Day 10 (Nov 19)
An early morning boat trip up the Betsiboka Delta promises to create much excitement. This is one of the only way’s to find the rare Bernier’s Teal and also Madagascar Sacred Ibis. This is a great time to tick some waders and we should find Greater Sand Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Whimbrel and Crab Plover. On our return to Mahajanga we will board our flight back to Tana, where we will spend the evening.

Day 11 (Nov 20)
We will depart Tana after an early breakfast, today will be mostly a traveling day as our next destination Ranomafana is quite a distance away. We will however have the odd-stops along the way. O/N Ranomafana

Day 12 (Nov 21)
A full day to explore Ranomafana, Ranomafana means hot/warm water, which refers to the hot springs in the area. The park was originally proclaimed to protect the Golden Bamboo Lemur, first described to science in 1987. Other Lemurs that we may encounter include both Greater and Grey Bamboo lemurs, Red-fronted Brown, Red-bellied and Small-toothed Sportive lemurs and the impressive Milne-Edwards’ Diademed Sifaka. Nocturnal mammals include, Greater Dwarf Lemurs, Brown Mouse Lemurs and Madagascar Striped Civets (Fossa), some of which we might see on a night outing.
Birds that we will be on the lookout for include the elusive Brown Mesite, Forest Rock Trush, Wedge-tailed Jery and Pollen’s Vanga. Pitta-like Ground-Roller is also fairly common. The higher elevation forest is home to the localized Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity, we may also locate Rufous-headed Ground-Roller, Brown Emutail, Rand’s Warbler and Cryptic Warbler.

Day 13 (Nov 22)
Another full day around this, one of Madagascar’s largest parks. The morning will be dedicated to forest birding and we should find birds such as Blue Coua, Yellow-browed Oxylabes, Grey-crowned Greenbul and with huge amounts of luck we might spot Madagascar Cuckoo Hawk.
After lunch we will visit the Vohiparara marsh for Meller’s Duck, Madagascar Harrier, Grey Emutail, Madagascar Snipe and the very rare Slender-billed Flufftail. We will constantly be on the lookout for the 12 known species of Lemur that occur here as well as a myriad of Chameleons and other reptiles and amphibians.

Day 14 (Nov 23)
Today we will be driving from Ranomafano to Isalo National Park via the Horombe Plateau, a distance of about 366 km’s which will take us about 6hrs of comfortable driving to reach. Our target bird here is Benson’s Rock Trush, other good birds include Madagascar Sandgrouse, Madagascar Partridge and Madagascar Harrier. We will spend the afternoon birding around our overnight stop at Relais de la Reine, located between the town of Ranohira and Isalo National Park.

Day 15 (Nov 24)
Depending our success with Benson’s Rock Trush we might head straight for the Zombitse Forest where we will search for one of the world’s most localized birds, the Appert’s Greenbul. A variety of other dry, deciduous forest species are present including Giant Coua, Crested Coua, Madagascar Harrier-Hawk, Ashy Cuckoo-Shrike, Long-billed Greenbul and Madagascar Buzzard. The extremely rare and elusive Fosa, Madagascar’s largest predator, has also been reported from here. O/N La Mangrove Hotel in St. Augustine Bay.

Day 16 (Nov 25)
We have a very early start to our day as we head for the “coral rag scrub” at La Table, here we look for the localized Verreaux’s Coua and the recently discovered Red-shouldered Vanga, before returning for breakfast. After breakfast we head for the island of Nosy Ve via the Onilahy Delta where we might find Humblot’s Heron and Greater Flamingo. Nosy Ve is an uninhabited islet with a very confiding breeding colony of Red-tailed Tropicbird. Other attractions include Crab Plovers and numerous waders. Snorkeling is another famous pastime here and we might opt for this if so agreed.
Back on the mainland we will stop at Anakoa for Littoral Rock Trush, which are regularly recorded here. O/N La Mangrove

Day 17 (Nov 26)
Depart St. Augustine and head for Tulear where we will bird the mudflats around Tulear before lunch, species that we might see include Saunder’s Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Lesser Sand Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, both Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds are also seen from time to time. On the way to Ifaty we will stop to bird some wetlands where Greater Painted Snipe, Baillon’s Crake and Little Bittern has been reported from. Afternoon birding in the Spiny Desert around Ifaty for Long-tailed Ground-Roller. O/N Ifaty

Day 18 (Nov 27)
Early morning birding in the Spiny Desert, specialties include Sub-desert Mesite, Lafresnaye’s Vanga, Archbold’s Newtonia, Thamnornis Warbler, Banded Kestrel, Sub-desert Brush Warbler, Running and Green-capped Coua’s. The Spiny desert is home to numerous reptiles and we should see the numerous Three-eyed Lizards and may be lucky enough to find a beautiful Spider Tortoise or rare Dumeril’s Boa. After breakfast we head back to Tulear from where we will take a flight to Fort Dauphin. O/N Fort Dauphin

Day 19 (Nov 28)
After breakfast we drive from Fort Dauphin to Berenty, a privately owned Lemur Reserve (2-3 hrs.). On the way we might find Madagascar Coucal and Green-capped Coua. The reserve is situated on the Mandare River and protects an area of gallery forest surrounded by spiny forest as well as a working Sisal estate. The reserve is home to five species of Lemur, which are particularly easy to see here, Red-fronted Brown Lemurs are very common and both White-footed Sportive and Grey Mouse lemurs are regularly encountered on night walks. After dinner, we will go in search of Torotoroka Scops Owl and the impressive White-browed Owl. Other nocturnal creatures that we might encounter include Greater Hedgehog Tenrec and several species of gecko, including the remarkable Big-headed Gecko and unique Fish-scaled Gecko. O/N Berenty

Day 20 (Nov 29)
Early morning birding in Berenty before we return to Fort Dauphin for our flight to Tana. A network of trails behind our camp will be explored for Giant Coua, Running Coua, Peregrine Falcon, Bat Hawk (very rare), Madagascar Sandgrouse and Alpine Swift. Depending on our time of arrival in Tana we could make another visit to Lac Alarobia or visit the Tzimbazaza Zoo.

Day 21 (Nov 30)
Today most of us will fly home from Antananarivo arriving Dec 1. Depending upon flights and should time allow we will visit the Lemurs Park, on the outskirts of Tana, or Tzimbazaza Zoo. Alternatively some might opt for some of the exciting extensions (optional) to Diego Suarez & Mount Ambre National Park or to the spectacular Masoala Peninsula.
Please enquire about the extensions, 4 days duration each.

Cost: approx. $6500 per person from Antananarivo (Tana), Madagascar based upon double occupancy. Single Supplement: $795.

Cost includes all internal flights in Madagascar, meals, accommodation, guiding, road transport, activities and entrance fees. The cost international flights to Antananarivo , visa, arrival and departure taxes, items of a personal nature, alcoholic beverages, gifts and tips.

Group Size: Minimum of 6. Maximum of 12.

Leaders: Errol De Beer and local guides. Adrian Binns will join the tour as a second leader if the group is larger than 8.

Errol de Beer grew up on a farm in the North West Province of South Africa where he started birding at a very early age. He has travelled extensively throughout Southern Africa and has an intimate knowledge of the whole sub region and its birds. During his 20+ years birdwatching he has been to all corners of the sub continent in search of elusive birds. He has participated in many wildlife and community related projects, his excellent knowledge on all aspects of nature and easy mannerism makes him an excellent guide for all occasions.