toft photo 2015 madagascar photo tour

TOFT PHOTO
2015 MADAGASCAR PHOTO TOUR
Madagascar Photo Safari & Tour
September 22 - OCTOBER 7, 2015
22 September (Day 1)
Johannesburg /Antananarivo
Arrive in the capital of Madagascar (known for short as “Tana”) where we clear passport control and customs, and
then transfer to the venerable Hotel Colbert, a hotel that’s been in continuous operation since colonial times.
23 September (Day 2)
Antananarivo / Andasibe
Set off on the well-maintained National Road #2
through the verdant Imerina countryside heading
towards the eastern rainforest, “ala atsinanana.”
Stop for lunch and a visit of “Madagascar Exotic,”
a nature farm that was started by famed naturalist
André Peyriéras – the place has seen better days,
but the chameleons, geckoes, frogs and a few other
rare denizens are still there. Overnight Vakôna
Forest Lodge. (BLD)
24 September (Day 3)
Andasibe
Early rise to hike into the reserve of Analamazaotra
to try to see and hear the haunting “babakoto”
Indri lemur. Several other species of mammals,
reptiles and birds make this forest their home and
we can spend the entire morning exploring the
different portions of the reserve. After lunch at the
lodge, enjoy a visit to Lemur Island on the grounds
of the hotel where you can visit with the friendly
denizens. Overnight Vakôna. (BLD)
25 September (Day 4)
Andasibe
Another full day to explore Analamazaotre where Indri is the main attraction. Overnight Vakôna. (BLD)
26 September (Day 5)
Andasibe / Antananarivo
Morning visit to Lemur Island and then drive back to Tana. Overnight Relais des Plateaux near Tana airport. (BLD)
27 September (Day 6)
Antananarivo / Morondava / Kirindy
Transfer to the airport for our morning flight to Morondava. Upon arrival, we bravely drive on up to Baobab Alley
and then to Camp Amoureux, set in the deciduous dry forest of the West. After lunch we visit Kirindy, once a man-
aged forest and now part of the protected areas of the central Menabe, which shelters several species that do not
live in the wild anywhere else. Overnight Camp Amoureux. (BLD)
28 September (Day 7)
Kirindy / Bekopaka
Drive North to cross the Tsiribihina river and stop for lunch
in Belo/Tsiribihina, the cultural capital of the Menabe. We
continue in the afternoon to Bekopaka, the little village at the
entrance to Bemaraha National Park. Overnight
Soleil des Tsingy. (BLD)
29 September (Day 8)
Tsingy of Bemaraha
This is our first day to explore the famous Tsingy of Bemaraha. We will first visit the “Petit Tsingy,” with stunning eroded
limestone formations extending all the way down to the Manambolo river and beautiful views of the gorges of the
river. Overnight Soleil des Tsingy. (BLD)
30 September (Day 9)
Tsingy of Bemaraha
For our second day in Bemaraha, we will drive up to the “Grand Tsingy” (about 20 km North of Bekopaka), then
hike along the Andamozavaky trail. An alternate option would be the newly opened “Holy Excursion,” a canoe
visit to different caves and natural pools. However, this option requires a departure from the lodge no later than
6am and returning not much before sunset around 5:30pm. Overnight Soleil des Tsingy. (BLD)
1 October (Day 10)
Bekopaka / Morondava
Daylong drive back to Morondava, with a stop for lunch in Belo
/ Tsiribihina.We should reach
Baobab Alley just before sunset.
The Alley is about a kilometer
long and we can enjoy different
vantage points of the majestic
“Reniala” (translated “mother of
the forest,” the Malagasy name
for the Grandidier’s Baobab) and
the surrounding rice paddies and
wetlands. As luck would have it,
this is the only time of the year
one can see these trees bare as
the leaves start arriving in October and the last flowers usually
fall off in August. Before dark, we
continue to Morondava, less than
a half-hour away. Overnight Palissandre Côte Ouest on the Nosy
Kely beach. (BLD)
2 October (Day 11)
Morondava / Antananarivo
Transfer to the airport for our flight back to the capital where we transfer from the airport to Hotel Colbert. Dinner
and overnight at Hotel Colbert classic wing. (BLD)
3 October (Day 12)
Antananarivo / Fort Dauphin / Berenty
Transfer to the airport for our flight to Fort Dauphin (known in Malagasy as “Tolañaro”), whick is at the southeastern tip of the island where we are met by a representative of Berenty Reserve for the 3-hour road trip to Berenty.
Stop along the way to admire the local flora (including the trihedral palms endemic to this part of the island) and
the funerary art of the Antandroy and Antanosy people. Overnight Gîte de Berenty. (BLD)
4-5 October (Days 13 - 14)
Berenty
We enjoy two additional full days by the Mandrare river to explore Berenty, its forest, the sisal plantation, etc.
Meals and overnight at Gîte de Berenty. (BLD)
6 October (Day 15)
Berenty / Fort Dauphin
After the better part of a day at Berenty, we drive back to Fort Dauphin in the afternoon to get ready for the flight
the following morning. Overnight Croix du Sud. (BLD).
7 October (Day 16)
Fort Dauphin / Antananarivo
Transfer to the airport to fly back to Tana. If time permits, we may visit the Queen’s Rova atop the highest hill overlooking Tana. Overnight Hotel Colbert. (BLD)
RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK
MADAGASCAR TOUR EXTENSION
October 7 - 13, 2015
7 October
Antananarivo
Overnight Hotel Colbert.
8 October
Tana / Ranomafana
Drive off this morning heading South along National Route #7 through the terraced rice paddies that are characteristic of the Central Highlands with a stop en route to the prosperous town of Antsirabe. Afterwards, we travel to
Ambositra, the center of the Zafimaniry woodcarving cottage industry and, finally, the rainforest of Ranomafana.
Overnight Setam Lodge. (BLD)
9-11 October
Ranomafana
Three days to explore Madagascar’s premier montane rainforest. We will undoubtedly hike along the Talatamaty
trails and enjoy an after-dark visit to try and see some of the nocturnal wildlife. Overnight Setam Lodge. (BLD)
12 October
Ranomafana / Antananarivo
Daylong drive North back to the capital, retracing the route we took on the way South, with a lunch stop either in
Ambositra or in Antsirabe. Dinner and overnight Hotel Colbert, classic wing. (BLD)
13 October
Antananarivo / Johannesburg
Morning free. At noon, transfer to the airport to check in for the flight to South Africa.
INTRODUCTION TO DIFFERENT HABITATS
KIRINDY
The area of Kirindy, the “central Menabe,” is characterized by numerous habitats and species of the West and
Southwest of the island. In addition to the dry primary forest, the central Menabe also shelters a transition zone
between the dense deciduous dry forest of the West, and the arid spiny thicket of the East. At least four diurnal
species of lemur are found here: Verreaux’s sifaka, the brown lemur,
the red-fronted lemur and the ring-tailed lemur. Other mammals
include the giant jumping rat, the elusive fosa, and the striped civet
(Fosa fossana). Many birds include the Madagascar crested ibis, Madagascar sparrowhawk, Henst’s goshawk, Sakalava weaver, Archbold’s
newtonia, Thamnornis warbler, Lantz’s brush-warbler, Sickle-billed
vanga, and the Giant coua. The most remarkable trees in Kirindy are
the three species of baobab: Adansonia grandidieri, A. za and A.
rubrostipa. Note: during the dry season a significant part of the local
wildlife, especially reptiles and amphibians, hibernate.
BEMARAHA NATIONAL PARK
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Bemaraha National Park is
home to a vast field of fantastic “tsingy” (translated: “to walk on
tiptoes”) limestone formations of marine origin that date back
to the mid-Jurassic period (200 million years ago). The park also
boasts eleven species of lemur, including Decken’s sifaka and
the red-fronted brown lemur; more than 90 species of birds, including the elusive fish eagle; chameleons of all sizes, including
the “armored” Brookesia perarmata; and over 350 plant species,
including baobabs, the showy Malagasy Flamboyant (Delonix
regia, a.k.a. “Flame tree”) now cultivated around the world; and
the unique wild banana native to Madagascar, Musa perrieri.
ANALAMAZAOTRA
Andasibe’s Analamazaotra Special Reserve is famous as the
home of the babakoto “indri” lemur (“indr-o” means roughly
“there it is” in Malagasy - a well-meaning guide for some early
explorers must have spotted a babakoto, pointed and shouted, and the rest is history). The largest of all living lemurs are
monogamous and do not live in captivity anywhere else in the
world. They greet the morning with a unique display of elaborate
calls that echo throughout the forest. Several groups in the reserve have become highly habituated and are relatively easy to see. The forest also shelters the beautiful diademed
sifaka, grey bamboo lemurs and brown lemurs, Parson’s chameleons (which can exceed half a meter in length),
the Madagascar tree boa and numerous birds, including the Madagascar blue pigeon, blue coua, Nelicourvi
weaver, Madagascar paradise flycatcher, the blue vanga and the Madagascar buzzard. Nearby Mantadia National
Park is quite similar, yet somewhat more forbidding, and so, is less-often visited.
FORT DAUPHIN and BERENTY RESERVE
The region of Fort Dauphin and Berenty Reserve is home to three different ecosystems: the southern spiny succulent forest, the wet rainforest, and a transitional forest. Each harbor different populations of lemurs, such as maki,
sifaka, Microcebus, and aye-aye). Most notable among the flora is the endemic trihedral palm (Neodypsis decarii).
Birds include the Madagascar hoopoe, crested drongo, crested coua, Verreaux’s coua, Madagascar coucal, and
the white-faced whistling duck.
RANOMAFANA NATIONAL PARK
The rugged topography of Ranomafana National Park owes much to the mighty Namorona river which bisects
it. Habitats include lowland rainforest, marshes, and high-plateau and cloud forests. Ranomafana is home to the
golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus) as well as the greater bamboo lemur and the grey bamboo lemur,
the diademed sifaka, the red-fronted brown lemur, the red-bellied lemur, and the black and white ruffed lemur.
Ranomafana’s birds include the pitta-like ground roller, the rufous-headed ground roller, Pollen’s vanga and the
velvet asity. Reptiles include several leaf-tailed gecko species (including the “satanic” gecko) and some brightly
colored Mantella frogs. The park is also home to the Helicophanta farafangana, which with a shell length of up to
4 inches, is Madagascar’s largest native land snail. In Malagasy “rano” is water and “mafana” means hot, and the
park features hot mineral springs, with possibly therapeutic thermal baths.
TOFT PHOTO & SAFARIS
2015 MADAGASCAR PHOTO TOUR
Tour Dates: Sept. 22- Oct. 7, 2015
Price: USD $8295 (Single-Supplement: $1500)
Tour Extension: Oct. 7-13, 2015
Price: USD $1950 (Single-Supplement: $500)
INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
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All lodging and meals in madagascar, as noted in itinerary
All domestic flights within Madagascar, including airport taxes and fees
Private vehicle and drive, as required along the itinerary
Excursions, entrance fees and local guides in the parks and reserves
English-speaking guide throught the itinerary in Madagascar
Any gratuities (a small tip at time of service is customary)
Bottled water
NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR
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All international flights to or from Madagascar, including airport taxes and fees
Personal items, such as phone, fax, laundry
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
TOFT PHOTO SAFARIS
WWW.TOFTPHOTO.COM
760.788.6003