Wild Madagascar
17 days, Guided Groups, Fixed Departures
The magical and enchanting island of Madagascar is the world's fourth largest island. Even the country's name exudes a feeling of excitement and wilderness. It is full of varied ecosystems and endemic, exotic flora and fauna including lemurs, Litter-trapping Palms, orchids and the famous Baobab trees, to mention only a few species of the vast biodiversity that the island is renowned for. This tour takes you from the dry sandstones in Isalo in the south west to the primary rainforest of Marojejy in the north east. You explore Andingitra National Park and climb Madagascar's highest accessible peak, Pic Boby. You then travel north to the wild jungle of Marojejy National Park. Here the goal is Marojejy Peak (2137 metres) although simply walking through the rainforest with monkeys and lemurs jumping all around is an experience in itself! After an early start the summit provides a view of endless mountains covered in dense impenetrable rainforest. Swirling clouds created by the humidity will give the mountains another dimension and the wilderness experience will be so awesome that no one will ever forget it. Spending a few days, especially walking, in each of these different places gives you a true sense of this country and its people.- Day 1. Outbound
- Fly to Antananarivo (Tana), Madagascar's capital city.
- Days 2 to 5. Isalo National Park
- After flying to Toliara in the southeast you enter Isalo National Park where the classic Magalsy tree (the Baobab) abounds. The climate here in the south is hot and dry and the red sandstone cliffs and canyons draw up images of Arizona. The canyons are more leafy providing shade for lunch after walks over the plateaux. You spend two full days enjoying walks surrounded by the strangely eroded sandstone rocks, ending the days with refreshing dips in cool pools. The park is home to Brown and Ring-Tails Lemurs and sifakas - so keep your eyes open!
- Days 6 to 10. Andringitra National Park
- Further along the dusty road a stop is made at Andringitra National Park. Over the next few days, with the help of guides and porters you climb Pic Boby (2658 metres), along one of the three main trails in the park. Apart from the forest cover and flower-filled valleys on the way up, there are also rivers and waterfalls, which cascade off the plateau, supplying the villages below with water. Towards the top the trees give way to rock escarpments, transforming the landscape, and soon you are standing on top of the dome-shaped summit with the immense verdant mass of trees and cloudforest below. As you plunge back into the forest on your descent you are again surrounded by the hum of insects, frogs and wildlife. You return to Tana for a hot shower and a comfortable bed on day 10.
- Days 11 to 15. Marojejy Summit
- Leaving the best till last, you fly up to Sambava, the gateway to the awesome Marojejy National Park. Twenty years ago there was no cleared path to the summit, you had to hack your way through with a machete and the likelihood of getting lost was extremely high! Now there is the luxury of a path and three campsites (with cabins) along the way. The approach is through rice paddies and cultivated areas before being submerged in some superb lowland rainforest. Here you might see many varieties of birds (including the Helmet Vanga and the Ground-rollers), and with a bit of luck the White-fronted Brown Lemur will make an appearance as well. Further up you enter the mid-altitude forest where rainforest cloaks rocky outcrops, producing some spectacular scenery. Above camp two there is a strong possibility of seeing the Silky Sifaka (the 'dancing lemurs' who bound upright over the forest floor or leap magnificently from tree to tree) and the Yellow-bellied Sunbird-asity. Finally you reach the summit (2137 metres) with its unsurpassable views of the jungle and the Malagsy wilderness, near where you may find tiny little chameleons in the dwarf palms.
- Days 16 and 17. Homeward
- After a feast of walking through wildlife and wilderness you fly back to Tana and onwards to the UK.
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- Tour grade: C
- Cost per person: £2,895
- Single supplement: £330
- CO2 offset cost: £19.71
- What is included: Flights, accommodation, private transfers, park fees, most meals, guide.
- Accommodation: Hotels, guesthouses, camping.
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Departure dates:
Wednesday, 3 October 2008.
Friday, 2 October 2009.