Dates May 5–23, 2006
Leader James Martin and local guides
Fee $7,695 from Antananarivo, Madagascar
Deposit $400
Limit 12
Terms and Conditions

Straddling the Tropic of Capricorn in the southwestern corner of the Indian Ocean is the strange and wonderful world of Madagascar. Here, acrobatic sifakas make dazzling leaps with grace and ease, vociferous indris howl plaintively like humpback whales, and spiny tenrecs snuffle blindly in the leaf litter. There are also frogs that look like tomatoes, lemurs the size of mice, and rainbow-colored chameleons with tongues as long as their bodies. In a few dozen miles the terrain of Madagascar can change dramatically, where dry spiny forests can transition to humid rain forests.

For millions of years, life on Madagascar evolved with little competition. The monkeys, cats, jackals and hyenas that doomed lemur ancestors on the African continent never made it to this magical island. Today, Madagascar is one of the most unique—and most endangered—ecosystems on the planet. Rising human population and slash-and-burn agriculture threaten to eliminate this great wildlife treasure.

We will begin our adventure in Nosy Be where we travel by boat to photograph the tame, sacred black lemurs of these northwestern islands. Later in the highlands, our group visits an exceptional game farm, La Mandraka, where we can pose and photograph, all in natural settings, a remarkable variety of endemic chameleons, geckos, snakes and insects. Also in the highlands, we will rise at sunrise to catch the dawn chorus of indris, search for sleeping chameleons on a nocturnal walk, and photograph as many of the wildlife wonders of Perinet National Park as we and our guides can find.
Other highlights will include the amazing forests near Maroantsetra where we can find lepilemurs, sportive lemurs, dwarf lemurs, tenrecs and bug-eyed chameleons—some no longer than a matchstick. Just when you think you can’t be surprised anymore, we will photograph in the remarkable spiny forest of Andohahela.


Join Jim Martin on this amazing Madagascar adventure. Time is growing short to see one of the world’s unique natural spectacles.



Day 1
Depart home for Paris.

Day 2
Fly to Antananarivo, departing this morning. Overnight in “Tana.”

Day 3
We spend a day exploring Tana, including a chance to photograph aye-aye at the Tsimbazaza Zoo. (BLD)

 Day 4
We fly to the beach resort island of Nosy Be on Madagascar’s northwestern coast. Spend sunset atop Mont Passot for expansive views. (BLD)

 Day 5
A boat excursion takes us to Nosy Komba, where sacred black lemurs are easily photographed, and to Nosy Tanikely. (BLD)

 Day 6
Travel to a Malagasy village and to the Lokobe Reserve. (BLD)

 Day 7
We visit a small photogenic ylang ylang factory before our afternoon flight to Tana. (BLD)
Day 8
We drive to Perinet Reserve, the home of the endangered indri—largest of the lemurs. En route we photograph at a private game farm with access to as many as 12 species of chameleons, leaf-tailed geckos, colorful frogs, bizarre predatory insects, dinner plate-sized moths and a good variety of butterflies. (BLD)

Day 9
Full day of photography in the reserve—several species of lemurs will be our subjects, including the legendary indri. (BLD)

 Day 10
After another morning in the reserve, we return to Tana. (BLD)
Day 11
Fly from Tana to Maroantsetra. (BLD)

 Day 12
All-day excursion to Nosy Mangabe for leaf-tailed geckos and small chameleons. Night walk near our hotel to see tenrecs and mouse lemurs. (BLD)

Day 13
Boat excursion to Andrifotra Reserve to photograph wildlife and people along the river. (BLD)

 Day 14
Morning photography at a local market. Fly to Tana. (BLD)

 Day 15
Fly south to Ft. Dauphin. Photography in the local area. (BLD)
Day 16
Full-day trip to Nahampoana Reserve for ring-tailed lemurs and sifakas in a garden/forest setting. (BLD)

Day 17
Full-day trip to the spiny desert forest in Andohahela National Park. (BLD)

 Day 18
Fly to Tana, have a dayroom to rest before transferring to the airport for a late night flight to Paris. (BLD)

 Day 19
Arrive in Paris and continue on flights home.



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