Madagascar’s Endemic Birds

Arrive into Antananarivo (Tana). Met on arrival at the airport and transfer 10 minutes to your nearby hotel.

Today depart for the 5 hour drive to the rainforest reserves of Andasibe, stopping for lunch en route by the riverside at Mandraka Park. Later as you cross the Mangoro River stop to look for the Madagascar pratincole.

In the late afternoon and evening take a night walk in the community managed VOIMMA Reserve to spot nocturnal wildlife including Goodman's mouse lemur, Eastern woolly lemur and sleeping Parson's chameleons.

Today take a morning walk in the Perinet Reserve to enjoy some close sightings of the magnificent tail less indri. This is also the best location to encounter the stunning diademed sifaka, Eastern grey bamboo lemur and common brown lemur.

The birdlife here includes the nelicourvi weaver, Madagascar paradise flycatcher, nuthatch vanga and the perfectly camouflaged collared nightjar.

In the afternoon explore the community managed Mitsinjo Reserve where the indris are habituated and often allow an exceptionally close approach and a very intimate sighting. Contuine the walk once dark to spot more nocturnal species.

An early drive (1 ½ hours) to Mantadia National Park to the north. Enjoy a full day with a packed lunch to explore the wonderful primary rainforest of this large National Park in search of its special birds. Highlights to look for here include 4 species of ground roller and the shy red-breasted coua is another speciality of this forest.

Other birdlife includes the Madagascar pygmy kingfisher, Madagascar starling, tylas, blue and Crossley's vangas, blue and red-fronted couas, white-throated oxylabes, Meller's duck and Madagascar cuckooshrike.

The agile and often vocal black-and-white ruffed lemur is often found here on the ridgelines and other wildlife includes the colourful painted mantella frog and bizarre giraffe-necked weevil. Take another night walk in the evening for nocturnal wildlife.

Today rise early again to drive (1 hour, 30 mins) on a very bumpy track to the remote and little visited Antavolobe Forest Reserve. This is a large area of primary and secondary rainforest that supports an exceptional biodiversity. Of note, the striking helmet vanga and rare Bernier's vanga have both been discovered nesting here.

The spectacular helmet vanga is very rare in this region of Madagascar but between September and November, usually two nests are monitored by the local guides here and with their help you have a good chance to see them at or near their nest. Please note that the walking to reach the nest sites will likely be along very small, narrow paths through dense forest that will usually involve crossing small shallow streams and some undulation, but the going is mostly moderate.

Alternative forest areas can also be visited today.

Morning excursion to the Torotorofotsy Marsh where the endangered slender-billed flufftail can occasionally be seen with some patience, along with Madagascar snipe and rails and hopefully also the skulking grey emutail. After, perhaps also visit the main Andasibe rainforest reserve again to see more lemurs and exciting rainforest species.

After lunch return 5 hours by road back to Antananarivo.

Morning transfer to the airport. Take Tsaradia flight to Majunga (Mahajanga). Met on arrival and transfer 2 hours by road south to Ankarafantsika National Park.

Take an evening night walk tonight in search of many nocturnal lemur species such as the highly localised golden-brown mouse lemur, found only in this Park as well as the Milne-Edwards’s sportive lemur and Western woolly lemur.

Today enjoy a full day to explore the wonderful wildlife rich habitats of Ankarafantsika National Park (aka. Ampijoroa Forest Station).

The Park is characterised by typical western dry deciduous forest (Dalbergia-Commiphora-Hidegardia).

There are many localised avian specialities here to see such as the declining Madagascar fish eagle, Van Dam’s vanga, Schlegel’s asity, white-breasted mesite and Coquerel’s and red-capped couas. One of the lemur highlights here will be watching the charismatic Coquerel’s sifaka make acrobatic leaps between the trees.

Today enjoy another full day to explore the National Park, exploring different trails and perhaps taking a gentle boat trip around Lake Ravelobe which is excellent for sightings of the rare fish eagles. There are also good bird watching towers where it is easy to watch flocks of glossy ibis and several species of herons and egrets in the reed beds.

More widespread dry forest bird species include the sickle-billed, white-headed, hook-billed, blue and rufous vangas, Frances’s sparrowhawk, greater and lesser vasa parrots, Sakalava weaver and many more.

Among the reptiles you may encounter are the rhinoceros and Oustalets's chameleons, leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus henkeli and Uroplatus guentheri), fish-scaled and giant green day geckos, hog-nosed snake and Madagascar ground boa.

In the late afternoon transfer back to Majunga for the night.

This morning transfer 2 hours by road back to Majunga airport. Take Tsaradia flight back to Antananarivo.

In the afternoon take a guided excursion of Tsarasaotra Park (Lake Alarobia) in a nearby district of Tana for some unusual Hauts Plateaux birdwatching.

Herons, egrets and ducks in particular are very abundant with white-faced whistling ducks, red-billed teal, knob-billed ducks, fulvous whistling ducks, hottentot teal, and with luck the rare endemic Meller’s duck all possible.

Morning transfer to the airport to take Tsaradia flight to Tulear in the arid south of the country.

Met on arrival and transfer 20 minutes to the Honko Mangrove Project along the coast. Here you can explore the sustainably managed and restored mangrove ecosystem of the Bay of Ranobe. Enjoy a leisurely and interpretative walk through the mangroves along the raised boardwalks observing the special wildlife which includes mudskippers, mangrove crabs, dragonflies and Madagascar swamp warblers.

Continue 20 minutes by road to your hotel in Ifaty next to the beach. Ponds along the journey can offer sightings of painted snipe, greater flamingos and other waders.

Morning guided bird watching in the local spiny forest habitat, with a number of special endemic species to see including the sub-desert mesite, Lafresnaye’s vanga, Archbold’s newtonia, Madagascar nightjar, banded kestrel and the main event; the brilliant long-tailed ground roller.

The strange spiny forest here contains many endemic plants adapted to the arid conditions and is dominated by the thorny Didiereacae, or octopus, trees and the local baobab, Andansonia rubrostipa (fony).

Later explore the coastline and the Ifaty Saltpans where the endangered Madagascar plover can be spotted. In the evening take a night walk within the spiny forest which may reveal the gray-brown mouse lemur, Petter's sportive lemur, lesser hedgehog tenrec and warty chameleons.

Start with a second early morning excursion in the nearby spiny forest to enjoy more sightings of its specialist bird diversity.

After breakfast transfer north of Tulear to an area of low Euphorbia scrub around the La Table Mountain. This is a vast area of spiny scrub home to the beauiful and recently described red-shouldered vanga and Verreaux's coua, which both have very limited ranges.

Contuine the drive north (4 hours on a good road) to Zombitse National Park, with a stop at a dry riverbed to search for the elegant Madagascar sandgrouse.

Explore Zombitse-Vohibasia which acts as a transition zone between the dry and the humid forests of Madagascar. The flora is especially rich within the protected area with bottle baobabs and orchids particularly common.

Zombitse’s special bird is the rare Appert´s tetraka which only lives in this forest and one other. Other bird species include the white-browed owl, red-tailed, blue, rufous and Chabert’s vangas, Madagascar cuckoo roller and impressive giant coua. The Park is also home to the Hubbard's (Zombitse) sportive lemur, Verreaux's sifaka and standing's day gecko.

Contuine 1 hour by road to Isalo National Park.

Early this morning admire some of the scenery of Isalo National Park and look for the localised Benson's rock thrush. Then set off for the interesting drive north through vast open plains and impressive mountain scenery. Madagascar marsh harrier, Madagascar harrier hawk, Madagascar partridge, Madagascar bush lark and Madagascar cisticola can sometimes be found along the journey.

Break the journey at the community-managed Anja Park to see habituated groups of ring-tailed lemurs and tiny Brookesia chameleons in the leaf litter. After lunch continue north (3.5 hours) to Ranomafana National Park.

Today enjoy morning and afternoon guided walks in Ranomafana National Park, in search of its exceptional bird and wildlife diversity.

Well over 100 bird species have been recorded in the park with specialities including the attractive pitta-like, short-legged and rufous-headed ground rollers, Madagascar wood rail, red-fronted coua, yellow-browed oxylabels, velvet and yellow-bellied sunbird asities and brown mesite to name a few.

Please note that the Talatakely trails in Ranomafana are mostly on steep terrain, but all walks will be taken at a gentle pace and easier walks can be found on the Vohipara Circuit.

This evening take a night walk along the road in search of sleeping chameleons such as the huge O'Shaughnessy's chameleon and beautiful blue-legged chameleon. You may also spot rufous mouse lemurs, Madagascar tree boas, colourful boophis tree frogs and if lucky a satanic leaf-tailed gecko or the huge Madagascar comet moth.

Enjoy another day of guided excursions within Ranomafana National Park. Ranomafana is an exceptionally rich high-altitude cloud forest where lemurs are also a highlight. The very rare golden bamboo lemur was first discovered here and is now easily spotted as well as the the critically endangered greater bamboo lemur and the wonderful Milne Edwards’s sifaka and red-bellied lemur can also be tracked down.

A staggering 120 endemic frog species have also been recorded within the region.

Today perhaps focus on exploring the gentler Vohipara trail which passes through stunted forest.

This is the best area to find the rare and elusive yellow-bellied sunbird asity, brown emutail, yellow-browed and white-throated oxylabes and the elusive cryptic warbler. A small montane marsh here also offers a chance to see Madagascar snipe and grey emutail. This area of forest is also the best location to encounter the charming red-bellied lemur and many endemic frogs.

If of interest, a visit to the Kianjavato Forest Reserve can also be arranged to see more lemurs and perhaps the nocturnal aye aye.

Today depart for a drive north (7-8 hours depending on local conditions) to Antsirabe stopping at points of interest along the way (if of interest) such as the woodcarving centre of Ambositra or for birdwatching at roadside pools.

This morning transfer (4 – 5 hours) through Merina villages and mosaics of rice fields to Antananarivo.

If of interest take a short city tour of the capital city in the afternoon or some morning birdwatching at Tsarasaotra Park (Lake Alarobia) before a drop off at your hotel close to the airport.

This afternoon and evening you will have use of a room at the Au Bois Vert hotel.

Later in the night pick up from the hotel and transfer (10 minutes) to the airport to check in for your onward international flight.