Hi everyone,
I’ve been on the lookout for a few years for a birding trip in Madagascar. The problem is that Madagascar is very poor and has very poor roads, and most tours seem to be very expensive and quite protracted.
For family reasons I never want to be away birding for too long.
Now I have found a tour that is run by a local company, called the Madagascar Express. It is eight days and concentrates on birding near the capital and on the north-west coast. The itinerary promises quite a list of species, plus several lemur spp and chameleons and other wildlife. I have studied the target list and I believe that is trip gives participants a chance to see at least one species of each endemic family:
1. Mesites
2. Ground-rollers
3. Cuckoo-roller
4. Asites
5. Tetrakas (Malagasy Warblers)
6. Vangas*
*Some classifications have certain African and Asian species in the Vangidae, but the Madagascan spp are very distinctive.
Of these the Mesites are the most dicey as there is only one species on the tour list (there are only 3 anyway).
Here is the website
https://www.madagascarbirding.com/madagascar-charter-flight-flying-birding/
The cost per person for a single traveller is approximately €4000, but the price comes down if multiple people go (up to 5).
I am looking for other birders to come for the selfish motive lowering the price for myself, also having other birders to help me spot birds I have pencilled it in for September 2026 as this is a dry month at the beginning of the spring for Madagascar when birds are beginning to nest.
(Airfares are approx. $A3500 ex Sydney return, with Emirates: Sydney, Dubai, Seychelles, Madagascar).
If you are interested please let me know in the next few weeks. Once I have numbers I can get a firm quote for individual costs.
Cheers
John L
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