The Best of Madagascar

Madagascar lies off the coast of east Africa, across the Mozambique Channel, and straddles the Tropic of Capricorn. Separated from the African mainland for some 165 million years, the island has developed in its own ecological niche and today possesses a unique and extremely diverse natural history. About 80% of its plants, 40% of its birds and virtually all of the mammals, reptiles and amphibians occur nowhere else in the world. It harbours 34 known species of chameleon (whereas Africa has only nine!), over 100 species of lemur (primates unique to Madagascar) and seven baobabs (Africa has only one). Even now, new species are still being discovered as biological survey work continues, and its exceptional biodiversity makes Madagascar a world conservation priority.

Madagascar enjoys an extensive network of protected areas, most of which are open to visitors. Park fees go towards maintaining reserves, with some economic benefits to local people ensuring that Madagascar’s tourist industry provides a good incentive to conserve its valuable ecology.

Our holiday begins with a flight to Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, known colloquially as ‘Tana’. From here we head south through the terraced hillsides of the Hauts Plateau to the lush highland rainforests of Ranomafana National Park, spending one night in Antsirabe en route. Ranomafana is one of Madagascar’s most recently designated national parks. Here we hope to see our first lemur species ranging in size from the large Milne-Edwards’ Sifaka to the tiny Rufous Mouse Lemur. If fortunate we may even glimpse a Golden Bamboo Lemur, a species endemic to the park, discovered in 1986. We are also ensured of a wide variety of exciting birds which we hope will include Yellow-bellied Sunbird-asity, Rufous-headed Ground-roller, Brown Mesite and Crossley’s Vanga.

We next head south-west, across typical high plateau scenery of rice paddies, villages and smooth granite mountains, known as ‘Inselbergs’. We will visit Isalo National Park, an eroded karstic limestone massif. Here we will find several species of the bizarre Pachypodium (literally ‘thick foot’) plants as well as Forest Rock-thrush.

Moving on, we drive to the coastal town of Toliara and head north to Ifaty, our base for a night whilst we explore Madagascar’s dry south-western domain, rich in plant-life and with the highest proportion of endemic plant families in the country. From our comfortable beach-front hotel we will explore the famous Malagasy Spiny Forest, characterised by the cactus-like trees of the Didiereaceae family, where we will search for the elusive Sub-desert Mesite and the stunning Long-tailed Ground-roller, arguably the most beautiful of Madagascar’s many endemic birds.

Returning to Toliara, we take a flight back to Tana for an overnight stay. The following day we will take another flight to Fort Dauphin on Madagascar’s south-eastern tip and drive to Berenty, its most famous lemur reserve. Here we will stay for two nights allowing us plenty of time to enjoy the resident troops of Ring-tailed Lemurs and the opportunity to see the celebrated ‘dancing lemurs’, the Sifakas of Berenty, which come down to the ground to cross in crab-like hops between the trees. Berenty is also home to a wide variety of other wildlife and during our stay we will be on the look out for birds such as Madagascan Cuckoo-hawk and Madagascan Sparrowhawk and reptiles such as Oustaleti and Lateralis Chameleons and perhaps the large Madagascar Ground Boa.

Next we fly north to the coastal town of Mahajanga, from where we transfer to Ampijoroa Forestry Station, part of the larger Ankarafantsika National Park, for a 2-night stay. The reserve protects some of Madagascar’s very best western dry forests and is home to the Coquerel’s Sifaka, a beautiful silky-white and chestnut lemur, together with Mongoose Lemur, Western Avahi and the rare Golden-brown Mouse Lemur. Birds are equally plentiful and include Van Dam’s Vanga, Schlegel’s Asity, White-breasted Mesite and the critically endangered Madagascan Fish Eagle.

We end our holiday with three nights at Andasibe (also known as Périnet) and the unforgettable experience of entering the forests at dawn to hear the eerie cries of the Indri, the largest and most vocal of the lemurs. We also hope to see this beautiful animal during our stay, along with Diademed Sifaka, Grey Bamboo Lemur and Red-bellied Lemur. Birdlife is equally abundant and should include Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher, Red-fronted Coua, Madagascan Wood Rail and Scaly Ground-roller. All these are a supporting cast, however, for they cannot hope to compete with the sound of the Indri at dawn, a fitting finale to our tour and an experience to remember as we drive back to Tana to catch our flight home.