The best word to describe Madagascar’s wildlife is unique. The planet’s fourth largest island, Madagascar is often called the eighth continent because it’s nothing like Africa despite being so close to it. Much of Madagascar’s uniqueness stems from its high rate of endemism—not just on a species level but on a family level. Endemic bird families include grounds rollers (all of which you have a chance to see on this trip), mesites, couas, vangas, asities, and the Cuckoo Roller—it’s both a species and its own family!
This endemism extends to mammals we’ll encounter, which include a wide variety of lemurs—there are nearly 100 species of them. Ones we’ll see include Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur, Indri, Golden Bamboo Lemur and the Aye-aye, We should also see tenrecs (you might want to look this one up!), and, with some luck, a vontsira or a fossa. And let’s not forget reptiles, in particular, numerous species of chameleons. We’ll even see unusual insects like the Giraffe Weevil.
Madagascar is also a country of contrasts and these contrasts include its various ecosystems. We’ll visit two different highland rainforest locations, the grassy plains and mixed forest of the country’s central plateau, and the bizarre spiny forest of the southwest. Those who opt to join the Masoala National Park extension will encounter a Madagascar’s largest extant lowland rainforest with its own additional unique birds, mammals—and reptiles, and a beautiful beach where you’ll have the option to swim.
We haven’t offered this trip since 2021 since we know it’s a stretch for many birders. But it’s remarkable—many birders would rank it among their top birding experiences (I do!) For a list of all the birds seen on the 2021 trip, click here for the eBird trip report.
Cost: € 7,420 per person sharing, assuming 4-8 participants, plus about € 500 for the domestic flight, which we will book for you. Single supplement € 982.
Contact Birding Ecotours if you are interested in more information about the Masoala Extension—or any of the other Madagascar extensions that Birding Ecotours offers.
