The Best of Madagascar

Tour Code: MDG01

A 24-day wildlife holiday in search of the unusual birds, plants and mammals of the forests of Madagascar.

24 days from
£8,195 (Inc flights)
Land only price from
£7,295
book now

Highlights

Summary

Summary

Madagascar has been isolated from mainland Africa for 165 million years. This isolation has allowed evolution to take its own unique course and today over 80% of all Malagasy wildlife is endemic, occurring nowhere else on Earth. This comprehensive tour gives a broad overview of Madagascar’s habitats and wildlife including the lush rainforests of the east, the bizarre baobab-dotted 'Spiny Deserts' of the south-west and the dry deciduous forests of the north-west. This is a general wildlife holiday that will introduce you to a fascinating world of the weird and wonderful, including singing lemurs, beautiful endemic birds, wonderfully camouflaged geckos and a truly unique and fascinating country.

  • The most comprehensive wildlife tour to Madagascar
  • Encounter lemurs… from the largest, the Indri, to the smallest, the Mouse Lemurs
  • Hear the plaintive dawn chorus of the Indris at Andasibe Mantadia
  • Experience day and night walks in pristine rainforests and bizarre spiny desert
  • Endemic birds – including ground-rollers, mesites, couas and vangas
  • Chameleons, Leaf-tailed Geckos and other reptiles

Grading

Grade B. Day walks but sometimes along narrow, uneven paths on hilly terrain. Optional night walks.

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.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Depart London
Day 2
Arrive Tana
Day 3
Antsirabe
Day 4/6
Ranomafana National Park
Day 7/8
Isalo National Park
Day 9
Ifaty
Day 10
Tana
Day 11
Tolagnaro (Fort Dauphin)
Day 12/13
Berenty Private Reserve
Day 14
Tana
Day 15/16
Ankarafantsika National Park
Day 17
Mahajanga
Day 19/21
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
Day 23
Depart Tana
Day 24
Arrive London
cloud_downloadDownload Full Itinerary
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    We stay in the best hotels and lodges available (some of these are fairly basic), most with private facilities. 

  • Food:

    All food is included in the price.

Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Mon 6th Oct – Wed 29th Oct 2 £8,195
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£7,295
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£995
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Bob Elliot
IMG_2324.JPG

Tour Leader: Bob Elliot

Bob enjoys leading groups and helping people to enjoy the natural world, which serve as a welcome antidote to his challenging day job as Director for OneKind, an animal welfare charity based in Edinburgh. Bob is an experienced naturalist with extensive knowledge of wildlife, nature conservation and animal welfare issues both in Scotland and internationally.

Bob was born in North Yorkshire, and spent much of his childhood in the Yorkshire Dales. His passion for nature led him to join the Harrogate and District Naturalists Society, in which he soon became a prominent member. His career in nature conservation started with two head warden posts on the Farne Islands before moving to Scotland to work for the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), undertaking Countryside Ranger/Naturalist roles at lowland sites in Dumfries and Galloway. A promotion to Countryside Manager for the Highlands and Islands meant overseeing the work of Rangers, as well as being involved with wider countryside management. His work involved the management of reserves including the mountainous areas of Glencoe, Kintail, West Affric and Torridon, and iconic islands such as Iona, Canna, Fair Isle and St Kilda. Bob also managed the Countryside Ranger and Warden Service for Scotland's first National Park, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, before joining the RSPB in 2007. Bob was the head of the investigations and species protection team for the RSPB for 14 years, fighting wildlife crime both in the UK and internationally. He is now the Director for OneKind, an animal welfare charity based in Edinburgh, which exposes cruelty and persecution to Scotland’s animals via investigations, research and campaigning.

Bob has much experience with wildlife overseas, having taken trips to Antarctica, Peru, South Africa and Europe. Bob has assisted in a vulture feeding project in the Spanish Pyrenees, Iberian Lynx watching in Spain and the nest monitoring of Bearded Vultures in France and Spain. In recent years he has worked on trips to Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Switzerland and the Scottish Islands, including St Kilda and Fair Isle. He's an expert on birds and mammals, and has specialist knowledge of birds of prey and seabirds, as well as field experience of using camera traps and remote surveillance techniques.

 

Mon 13th Oct – Wed 5th Nov 6 £8,195
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£7,295
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£995
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Luca Boscain
Luca Boscain.jpg

Tour Leader: Luca Boscain

Luca is an Italian naturalist from Treviso. He started birding during his childhood and gradually became more and more interested in all aspects of nature, especially butterflies, reptiles and orchids. He spends much of his year exploring the varied habitats of the Adriatic basin, including the wetlands, mountains, islands, forests ... and much more! After graduating with an honours degree in Natural Sciences, Luca later became a nature guide. He has been guiding natural history groups since 2012, including Naturetrek groups in the Dolomites, Sicily and further afield since 2015.

2026

Departures Availability Cost
Mon 5th Oct – Wed 28th Oct SPACES £8,395
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£7,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£995
Mon 12th Oct – Wed 4th Nov SPACES £8,395
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£7,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£995 
  Array
(
    [167] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 167
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/botanical-holidays
            [title] => Botany
            [alias] => botanical-holidays
            [description] => 
Botanical Tours – See Wild Flowers with our Expert Botanical Guides


There are few more pleasing sights in the natural world than a meadow filled with wildflowers. Seeing plants in their native habitat is always exciting and our flower tours offer you an incredible choice, from dazzling tropical blooms and the thrill of finding elusive orchids or delicate alpines, to seeing island endemics or British flora. Our tours range from week-long holidays focusing on the ‘Alpine flowers of the Swiss Alps’, the ‘Italian Dolomites’ and the ‘Alpine Flowers of Slovenia’s Julian Alps’, to orchid-hunting on Italy’s Gargano Peninsula and searching for the Autumn Plants of Greece’s Peloponnese. We also visit more remote areas of the world in search of plant-life, from the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan where we look for wild tulips, to the rainforests and spiny deserts of Madagascar where over 80% of the flora is endemic.  


Many of us want to know more about the plants we see around us. Whether inspired by an appreciation of the aesthetic appeal of flowers, or a more focused desire to identify individual species, everyone with an interest in botany will derive pleasure from joining one of Naturetrek’s flower tours.


Why choose Naturetrek’s botanical holidays?


    

  • All our botanical holidays are led by expert botanist guides
    • 

  • All levels of interest and expertise are catered for, from hobby gardeners and complete beginners to keen botanists who wish to explore a new area with the help of a knowledgeable leader
    • 

  • We keep the overall focus on flora, though expert guidance is also given on other wildlife
    • 



What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek botanical holiday?


    

  • Travel with a group of like-minded people
    • 

  • Stay at a comfortable hotel or lodge, close to an area of outstanding botanical interest
    • 

  • Enjoy a series of leisurely day excursions with ample time to appreciate the local flora
    • 



In addition to our dedicated flower tours, we also offer holidays with a wider theme to encompass birds, butterflies and other aspects of natural history as well as the flora. Our spring tours to 'Crete' and ‘The Island of Cyprus’ are both timed to allow us to enjoy the botanical highlights as well as the spring bird migration, whilst ‘Croatia and Slovenia – Spring in Istria’ also allows time to enjoy a little of the local culture. ‘Romania – the Wildlife of Transylvania’ combines an appreciation of the flora of the Carpathian Mountains with birding, butterflying and a trip to look for Brown Bears from a purpose built hide, and our holidays in both the ‘French Pyrenees’ and the ‘Spanish Pyrenees’ combine birds, butterflies and botany throughout the week.  




Our specialist recommends...






"I'd recommend 'Wengen – Alpine Flowers of the Swiss Alps', 'Crete' and 'The French Pyrenees', which all offer some fascinating European botany, along with plenty of wider natural history and some stunning scenery. If you’re keen to travel a little further afield, I’d suggest joining us in South Africa for our 'Wild Flowers of the Cape & Namaqualand' tour” 

David Tattersfield - Tour Leader




All Botany Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] => https://i.assetzen.net/i/6wx9O1cRFQUm/w:500/h:500/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => Botanical Holidays
            [note] => 10
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

    [180] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 180
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/birds
            [title] => Birdwatching
            [alias] => birds
            [description] => 
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists


The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.


Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours


We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.


The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:



Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection


Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.


 




Our specialist recommends...






"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader




  


 


All Birdwatching Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] => https://i.assetzen.net/i/6wx9O1cRFQUm/w:500/h:500/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => Birds
            [note] => 02
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

    [186] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 186
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/mammals
            [title] => Mammal Watching
            [alias] => mammals
            [description] => 
Mammal Watching Holidays


Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.


Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours


Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.


Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:



Bargain mammal selection


We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.




Our specialist recommends...







"Africa is perhaps the greatest continent for mammal-watching. I would recommend 'Botswana’s Desert & Delta (Mammals)' for combining stunning scenery and wildlife. We also offer a tour to Uganda which includes a chance to see Mountain Gorillas. And India, along with Tigers, has a superb variety of mammals. Closer to home, short breaks to Spain in search of Wolves and Iberian Lynx are hard to beat.”

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




  


All Mammal Watching Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] => https://i.assetzen.net/i/6wx9O1cRFQUm/w:500/h:500/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => Mammals
            [note] => 08
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

    [192] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 192
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/general-natural-history
            [title] => General natural history
            [alias] => general-natural-history
            [description] => 
            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] => https://i.assetzen.net/i/6wx9O1cRFQUm/w:500/h:500/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => General natural history
            [note] => 26
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

)

Tour Dates or Itinerary Don't Suit?

Allow our experts to create a private, customised itinerary with dates and prices to suit you.

Enquire

Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

Enquire
Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!