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Overall definitely the holiday of a lifetime - brilliant
S.J. Middlesex
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Northern Madagascar
Tour Code: MDG05Explore the remote forests and mountains of northern Madagascar in search of a wealth of endemic animals and birds.
15 days
from
£8,795 (Inc flights)
£8,795 (Inc flights)
Land only price
from
£7,795
£7,795
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Madagascar’s 165 million years of isolation has created an island full of the weird and the wonderful. The northern reserves of Ankarana, Analamerana and Montagne d'Ambre National Park are amongst the most unexplored on the island, and host a wealth of exciting wildlife including such birds as the amazing Pitta-like Ground-roller and White-breasted Mesite, such mammals as Crowned Lemur and Perrier’s Sifaka and a host of fascinating chameleons and geckos. This itinerary concludes on the idyllic island of Nosy Komba, where pristine waters lap palm-fringed white sands.
- Unique and endemic wildlife found nowhere else on Earth
- Beautiful Perrier's Sifakas at Analamerana
- Limestone tsingy of Ankarana National Park
- Leaf-tailed Geckos and tiny Brookesia Chameleons
- Endemic birds including White-breasted Mesite and Amber Mountain Rock Thrush
- Whale Sharks and Humpbacks around Nosy Komba
- Stay at exclusive, luxury lodges
Grading
Grade B. The terrain of the reserves, coupled with the heat and humidity, demand a good level of fitness and a sense of adventure! All overland travel in 4x4s.
From Tana, we take a short flight to Antsiranana and continue by road to the green oasis of the Montagne d’Ambre (Amber Mountain) National Park, located on Madagascar’s northernmost tip. From our base in a comfortable wildlife lodge, we explore this lush patch of montane rainforest in search of species including Sanford’s Brown Lemur, Amber Mountain Fork-marked Lemur, Crowned Lemur and perhaps even the elusive Fosa, the largest carnivore on the island. The birdlife here is especially abundant and includes the endemic Amber Mountain Rock-thrush, as well as Madagascan Crested Ibis, Souimanga Sunbird, Pitta-like Ground-roller, White-throated Oxylabes and Hook-billed Vanga.
Moving south, after a couple of hours we will turn off the road onto dirt tracks which lead to the local reserve of Analamerana within the wider Andrafiamena Protected Area. Here, a large patch of dry forest has been set up as a local nature reserve to protect a small population of the localised and rare Perrier’s Sifaka and two nights here maximises our chances of finding them these beautiful animals. The birdlife here is superb, and we can look in particular for such species as Madagascan Harrier-hawk, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Blue Vanga, Grey-headed Lovebird and Madagascan Buttonquail.
Continuing south, our next stop is to explore the dry forests of the Ankarana Special Reserve. The Ankarana massif is a limestone plateau which rises abruptly from the surrounding grassy plains. It has been eroded over the aeons into a dramatic landscape of jagged limestone pinnacles, known as tsingy, and numerous caves and other caste landforms, all edged by a dry deciduous forest. Wildlife here includes Crowned Lemur, Sanford’s Brown Lemur and birds such as Crested Coua, Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher and the localised White-breasted Mesite.
From here we head towards the coast and the beautiful waters around Nosy Be. The largest and most well known of the islands in this area, it has a significant number of endemic species concentrated in Lokobe Nature Special Reserve. We will visit here, but in fact stay on the south coast of the smaller Nosy Komba, in a small exclusive resort on an idyllic white sand beach. There is a population of Black Lemur here on the island and we will also head out to sea with the aim of seeing both Whale Shark and Humpback Whale, both of which can be found in the surrounding waters at this time of year.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London
Day 2
Arrive Tana
Day 3
Parc Tsarasaotra & Queen's Palace in Tana
Day 4/5
Montagne d'Ambre National Park
Day 6/7
Analamerana (Andrafiamena Protected Area)
Day 8/10
Ankarana Special Reserve
Day 11/13
Nosy Komba
Day 14
Depart Nosy Be
Day 15
Arrive London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
All accommodation is of very good quality and the best in the area. The majority are small, exclusive lodges in remote areas. All rooms are en suite.
- Food:
All food included, starting with dinner on day 2 and ending with breakfast on day 14
Reviews
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The Masoala Park was everything we hoped it would be. Pristine virgin forest with fantastic flora and fauna. The nocturnal fauna was very rewarding.
Mr & Mrs P. Essex
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Fri 31st Oct – Fri 14th Nov
SPACES
£8,795
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.
£7,795
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£1,195
2026
Departures
Availability
Cost
Fri 30th Oct – Fri 13th Nov
SPACES
£8,795
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.
£7,795
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£1,195
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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:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
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
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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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:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
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
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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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!
