The Magic of Madagascar – land of lemurs
You travel in a small group (maximum 14 participants) by plane, boat and 4 wheel drive / minibus throughout Madagascar exploring various national parks with their treasure troves of unusual plants and animals – lemurs, chameleons, frogs and birds. You are escorted by Michèle, Rod and/or James plus our trusted and knowledgeable Madagascan naturalist and English-speaking partner as well as other local guides when required. You learn about the variety of people of Madagascar and their culture.
An extension to nearby Mauritius & Reunion Island is possible.
Madagascar is located off the east coast of Africa. Locals call it the red island because of its iron-impregnated soil. Due to its isolation for such a long time Madagascar has developed a unique flora and fauna – strange baobab trees, unusual succulents and rare orchids make it a real botanical paradise. It is a unique landscape with tropical lowland rainforests, cool central highlands, deserts and beautiful beaches.
The fauna is also extraordinary. For the keen birdo’s there are 258 bird species, with almost half of these being endemic (found nowhere else in the world). For the herpetologists, there are half the world’s population of chameleons (small reptiles that can change colour). Madagascar is home to over 100 different sorts of lemur (the only place in the world where our distant cousins are found), 100’s of species of colourful, endemic frogs and zillions of multi-coloured butterflies.
Madagascar has a fascinating history as it was on the trade route to the East Indies. It has exotic stories of trade, pirates and massacres. It was settled by the French in the mid 1600’s, became a French colony in 1896 and achieved independence in 1960. Today it is a mix of diverse cultures from Asia, Africa and France.
This tour is not on offer in 2024 but please register your interest.
