With around 270 bird species, Madagascar is a great place for birding. Around 40% of these birds is endemic. There are very rare birds, like three kinds of mesites. The most famous endemic birds on the Island are the Vanga, which are specialized in catching insects. There are several kinds of birds of prey, like the buzzard, the hawk, the owl and some very eagles. During our 19 days Birding Tour sit the best birding places, where you will see beside lots of birds other kind of animals like lemurs, chameleons, spiders, snakes and frogs.
Itinerary:
Antananarivo -Andasibe National Park -Antsirabe -Ranomafana National park -Anja Reserve -Ambalavao -Isalo National Park -Zombitse Forest -Arboretum d’Antsakay -Ifaty Spiny Forest -Antananarivo -Ankarafantsika National Park -Antananarivo
Day 0: Arrival of the group in Antananarivo:
One of our team will pick you up at the airport, assist you on all formalities. Transfer to your Hotel.
Overnight at Ecole-lodge Alakamisy
Day 1: Drive from Antananarivo to Andasibe National Park
The birding Tour starts with a drive to Andasibe. On the way you visit the reptile’s farm. You stop at the Mangoro River for birding and in the afternoon you drive to Vakona forest and take a dugout canoe to visit the Island of lemurs. You can see different kind of lemurs, like brown lemurs and bamboo lemurs.
Overnight in a hotel: Grace lodge
Day 2: Visit Andasibe National Park Perinet
After breakfast you drive to the entrance of the National Park, where you meet your local birding guide. With the birding guide you visit the Analamazaotra/PerinetNP.
Overnight in a hotel: Grace lodge
Day 3: Visit Mantadia National Park
Full day birding in Mantadia NP whith your local birding guide.
Overnight in a hotel: Grace lodge
Day 4: Drive from Andasibe to Antsirabe
Today you drive back to Antananarivo and continue to Antsirabe.
Overnight in a hotel: Soa Guest House
Day 5: Drive from Antsirabe to Ranomafana National Park
Today you drive to the rainforest of Ranomafana NP. It’s possible to do a night walk in Ranomafana NP with a local birding guide.
Overnight in a hotel: Setam lodge
Day 6: Visit Ranomafana National Park
You leave early for the first day birding in Ranomafana NP with your local birding guide.
Overnight in a hotel: Setam lodge
Day 7: Visit Ranoamafana National Park
This is the second day birding in Ranomafana. Today you will be birding around the forest with the local birding guide.
Overnight in a hotel: Setam lodge
Day 8: Drive from Ranomafana to Isalo, Visit Anja Park Reserve
You drive from Ranomafana to Isalo. On the way you visit the community-run Anja Park Reserve, where you can see the traditional Bara family tombs, caves and ring tailed lemurs. After luch time in Ambalavao and driver to Isalo NP. On the way there is a possibility for birding reunion harrier.
Overnight in a hotel: Toiles de l`Isalo
Day 9: Visit Isalo National Park
Isalo is sacred to the Bara tribe. The Bara uses the caves as cemeteries. You drive to entrance of the national park. You visit Isalo NP with your local birding guide. You can spot the benson’s rock thrush.
Overnight in a hotel: Toiles de l`Isalo
Day 10: Drive from Isalo to Tulear Visit Zombitse Forest
You leave early from the hotel and drive to Zombitse Forest and visit with birding local guide. After the visit of the park you drive to Tulear stop in arboretum d’antsokay the drive to Ifaty.
Overnight in a hotel, La Plage Hotel
Day 11: Visit the Spiny Forest in Ifaty
Today you go birding in the spiny forest. Overnight in a hotel: La Plage Hotel
Day 12: Drive from Ifaty to Tulear and flight to Antananarivo
You drive to Tulear’s airport for a flight to Antananarivo. At the airport in Antananarivo your driver is waiting for you to bring you to your hotel.
Overnight in a hotel: Ecolelodge
Day 13: Drive from Antananarivo to Ankarafantsika National Park
Today you drive to Ankarafantsika NP. It’s possible to go on a night walk with a local guide to see the grey mouse lemur and the sportive lemur.
Overnight in a hotel: Ankarafantsika Lodge
Day 14: Visit Ankarafantsika National Park
First day birding in Ankarafantsika NP with the local birding guide.
Overnight in a hotel: Ankarafantsika Lodge
Day 15: Visit Ankarafantsika National Park
On the second day birding in Ankarafantsika NP you will be birding around the lake in the forest.
Overnight in a hotel: Ankarafantsika Lodge
Day 16: Drive from Ankarafantsika National Park to Antananarivo
This is the last day of the birding tour. You drive back to your hotel in Antananarivo.
INCLUDED
- Double room on mentioned hotel or similar with breakfast,
- All transfers, ferry boat
- 4WD car +fuel and the driver (speaking reasonable English) + his indemnities for all the tour
- All park entry fees and local tour guide
- Full boardon mentioned places
- Car insurances, Taxes, our commissions
NOT INCLUDED
- International flights, domestic flights
- VISA which is 30 euro and you can obtain it up on arrival
- Personal spending, drinks, dinner and lunches (except in places mentioned half or full board)
- Whale watching, nautical activities if applicable
- Gratuities for the local team