8 Day | Madagascar Wildlife

Fly from Johannesburg to Antananarivo (Tana), the lively Malagasy capital in the Central Highlands. At the airport our English-speaking Malagasy agents will meet and assist you with formalities. Transfer to the Hotel. Overnight Maison Gallieni.

Transfer to the Ivato airport and fly to Fort Dauphin (Taolanaro), on the far Southeast coast. From here you will be taken directly to the Berenty Reserve, a four hour drive inland, from Fort Dauphin. Along the route you will get the chance to look at an Antanosy graveyard; then a slope covered with Triangular palms in the transition zone and finally, in the spiny desert, you’ll see endemic Baobabs and remote Antandroy villages. You will see plenty of friendly Lemurs. 2 nights Berenty Lodge.

Whole day to enjoy the Reserve. Berenty also offers great birding, as well as interesting reptiles and invertebrates. The spiny desert flora is remarkable plus there is also dry gallery woodland. A torch is useful for observing nocturnal fauna.

Transfer back to Fort Dauphin and check in for your flight to Antananarivo. Private transfer to Perinet reserve (3 1/2 hours by road. Picturesque scenery en route. Again a torch is useful here for any night walks looking for nocturnal wildlife in the rainforest. 3 nights at Mantadia Lodge.

Whole day to explore Perinet’s rainforest. To get the most out of your visit here it is best to start early as this is when the birds and wildlife are most active.The trails are not difficult to manage and forest guides speak good English. If lucky you will see Grey Bamboo Lemur, Red-fronted Brown Lemur, Blue Coua, Velvet Asity and perhaps Nuthatch Vanga. You will also discover reptiles like the Malagasy Tree Boa and Parson’s Chameleon. Orchids and other epiphytes festoon the trees.

Today you can visit the nearby primary rainforest of Mantadia National Park, where the Perinet guides are used to taking visitors. This is more challenging terrain, less developed with steep paths in places but you can do as much as you feel comfortable with. The primary rainforest here is spectacular and wildlife includes Diadems Sifaka, Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs and birds like Brown Mesite, Pitta-like and Scaly Ground-rollers, Brown Emutail and Madagascar Blue Pigeon.

Morning in Perinet before returning to Antananarivo by road in the afternoon. Overnight stay at the Maison Gallieni.

Transfer to the airport for return flight to Johannesburg.