Madagascar photography vacation
| country: | Madagascar | ||||
| departures: | 2010: 14 Jun | ||||
| price: | From US $7,499 (14 days) excluding flights, single supplement US $1000. Price includes all meals and domestic flights within Madagascar. Group size is restricted to 15 individuals. We can help arrange flights.
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| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Madagascar photography vacation
Join us on a unique adventure through Madagascar, one of the most extraordinary places on Earth. Here you will find all of the world’s lemurs (some 40+ species) and over half of the world’s chameleons, in addition to more than 170 kinds of frogs. Every year scientists discover new species of plants and animals in its deserts and forests.
There is no question Madagascar is a nature lover’s dream. It is also an exceptional photographic destination; many of the animals are habituated and easily approached, making for terrific photographic opportunities. Our itinerary is designed to include some of the island's highlights, with three different eco-systems and the greatest diversity of wildlife and photographic subjects.
There is no question Madagascar is a nature lover’s dream. It is also an exceptional photographic destination; many of the animals are habituated and easily approached, making for terrific photographic opportunities. Our itinerary is designed to include some of the island's highlights, with three different eco-systems and the greatest diversity of wildlife and photographic subjects.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Antananarivo, Madagascar. Antananarivo, capital city of Madagascar, affectionately known as "Tana". Upon arrival, clear customs and meet our private transfer to the Hotel Colbert. Overnight at the Hotel Colbert (D) |
| Day 2: | Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. We begin our photo expedition this morning with a short walking tour of the capital Antananarivo and a delicious lunch at La Varangue restaurant. Early in the afternoon we depart in 4X4 vehicles for the Andasibe Mantadia National Park, an important area of protected rainforest, and home to the largest of the lemur species - the Indri. Our destination is the luxurious Vakona Lodge, in a lovely setting at the edge of the forest. Overnight at Vakona Lodge (B,L,D) |
| Day 3: | Perinet Reserve. Visit one of Madagascar's most celebrated reserves. We track Indri through the forest; the world's largest chameleon can be found here, together with a variety of tree frogs, geckos and colorful tropical birds. Evening walk to look for nocturnal lemurs - if we're lucky we may see the brown mouse lemur, greater dwarf lemur, or even the avahi (eastern woolly lemur). Overnight at Vakona Lodge (B,L,D) |
| Day 4: | Andasibe-Mantadia National Park to Antananarivo. This morning we spend some time photographing lemurs at a private reserve located on a small island near Vakona Lodge. Several lemur species are easily approached and photographed here. We return to Antananarivo, stopping at the incredible La Mandraka Nature Farm en route. This private zoo has an excellent collection of native reptiles and amphibians and offers wonderful opportunities for close-up photography. We plan on enjoying lunch at La Mandraka and continue to Antananarivo in the late afternoon. This evening representatives from the Durrell Wildlife Trust will join us for dinner and explain their remarkable efforts to protect a number of endangered species, including the most endangered tortoise on Earth - the ploughshare tortoise. Overnight at Hotel Colbert (B,L,D) |
| Day 5: | Ankarafantsika National Park (Ampijoroa). This morning we fly to Mahajanga on Madagascar's western coast, we will visit the colorful fruit and vegetable market, and then continue for approximately two hours on level roads to Ampijoroa. Along the way we pass through swamps and wetlands that are home to a number of endemic birds, including the extremely rare Madagascar fish eagle, as well as the Madagascar crested ibis, and Madagascar pygmy kingfisher. We stay the next two nights at a simple lodge immediately adjacent to the Park. We hope to arrive late afternoon, and perhaps have the opportunity to take a short cruise on the Lake as the sun sets. Overnight at Gite d'Ampijoroa (B,L,D) |
| Day 6: | Ankarafantsika National Park (Ampijoroa). We have the whole day to explore this tropical dry, deciduous forest. Wildlife is easy to find here, especially the stunning Coquerel's sifaka, with it's white soft fur and chestnut brown arms and thighs - one group is regularly seen right at the park entrance! This is also the only place in the world where you may find the recently discovered golden-brown mouse lemur. There are numerous trails here: some easier, some more rigorous. Later today we will also visit the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust's Project Angonoka, set up to help protect the ploughshare tortoise, the World's rarest. A long-running captive breeding program has now seen the re-introduction of these tortoises to the Baly bay area. We plan for a unique behind-the-scenes tour here, with chances to photograph some of the captive-bred wildlife. Overnight at Gite d'Ampijoroa (B,L,D) |
| Day 7: | Ampijoroa to Antananarivo. This morning we depart Ampijoroa for the journey back to Mahajanga and our return flight to Tana, stopping along the way for photography, or to see wildlife. Arriving in Tana in the early afternoon, we may visit the craft market on our way back to the comfort of the delightful Hotel Colbert. Dinner is on your own this evening, a chance to explore a number of the fine dining opportunities in Tana. Overnight at Hotel Colbert (B,L) |
| Day 8: | Isalo National Park.This morning we fly from Antananarivo to Tulear on the south-west coast, a town with a strong African influence. We will drive inland through some gemstone mining areas to Isalo National Park, a region of extraordinary beauty and stunning geological formations. This evening we will try to catch the sunset through "La Fenetre" a unique geological feature, a window onto the dramatic landscape. We will spend the next two nights in the delightful Relais de la Reine, built directly into the rock formations. Overnight at Relais de la Reine (B,L,D) |
| Day 9: | Isalo National Park.Today we will explore the dramatic scenery of Isalo National Park, we will begin with a hike to Piscine Naturelle, where you can swim in the refreshing waterfall and pool, afterwards you can choose to either hike to the Canyon des Singes, natural habitat of ringtail lemurs, sifakas and brown lemurs, or you can drive around and hike the short distance into the Canyon des Singes. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the Park. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Overnight at Relais de la Reine (B,L,D) |
| Day 10: | Isalo to Berenty Reserve. After breakfast we drive back to Tulear for our short flight to Fort Dauphin and then we drive to Berenty Private Reserve, at the southern end of the island. Berenty Reserve is located in the unique "spiny forest" whose strange thorn-covered plants are found only in Madagascar. At Berenty, we stay at a comfortable lodge in the middle of a remarkable private reserve, where animals are quite literally all around you. This evening, we take a walk in search of nocturnal animals, including white-footed sportive lemurs and white-browed owls. Overnight at Gite d’Etape (B,L,D) |
| Day 11: | Berenty. Full day to explore the reserve; the star attractions here are the large troops of wild ring-tailed lemurs, which are completely accustomed to people and seem delighted to pose for photographs. These desert lemurs "dance" across the path as they return to their roosts in the treetops. Berenty contains many birds and reptiles found only in this region, among them the giant coua and endangered radiated tortoise. Overnight at Gite d’Etape (B,L,D) |
| Day 12: | Berenty to Fort Dauphin. This morning we have a last chance to explore the spiny desert, or perhaps catch the dancing sifakas. After a leisurely lunch we drive to Fort Dauphin where we spend our last night at the comfortable Croix du Sud, so that tomorrow we will be in town for our morning flight back to Antananarivo. Overnight at Croix du Sud (B,L,D) |
| Day 13: | Fort Dauphin to Antananarivo.This morning we fly from Fort Dauphin at 9:25am back to Antananarivo where we have reserved day rooms at Relais des Plateaux a comfortable hotel located close to the airport. We enjoy a delicious farewell dinner at Ville Vanille with local entertainment before our transfer to the airport (B,L,D). |
| Day 14: | Depart Antananarivo |
how this holiday makes a difference
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Join one of our magical Madagascar eco-holidays to the land that time forgot, and know that your presence is making a difference, to the conservation and protection of biodiversity in Madagascar. Knowledgeable and friendly local guides/drivers enrich our experience, as no expatriate (foreign) guides or drivers are used.
 For every person who joins one of our tours, a US $250 contribution is made to Projet Angonoka, a program of the Durrell Wildlife Trust and the Malagasy Department of Waters and Forests. In 1993 the population of Angonoka (Ploughshare tortoise) was estimated to be between 100 and 400. To save these unique tortoises, Projet Angonoka was established in 1986 by the Malagasy Department of Waters and Forests and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Projet Angonoka includes research, captive breeding, and the participation of the local communities. The project has been very successful, and more than 150 baby tortoises have been born at the breeding center. Some of the captive born tortoises are being returned to the wild. During each Madagascar tour we visit the captive breeding facility of Projet Angonoka. We meet the researchers and scientists working with this critically endangered species, and also working with other endangered Malagasy reptiles, and we get a unique behind the scenes glimpse of active on-the-ground conservation work. We learn about the successes and the failures of this program. Also during this eco-tour we stay in locally owned and operated lodges, we also employ local guides at each National Park to further enhance our visit, and to provide revenue to the local community. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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