This birding trip to Madagascar will take us to Masoala Peninsula, we visit the largest intact lowland rainforest in all of Madagascar. The rain forest is one of the continent island’s least disturbed areas, with untouched rainforest sweeping right down to clean, white-sand beaches. Masoala Peninsula supports several rare and range-restricted lemur species such as Red Ruffed, White-fronted, Seal’s Sportive, Masoala Fork-marked and Moore’s Woolly Lemur.
Day One: Arrival
Upon your arrival, the guide from Afrikan Wildlife Safaris will pick you and take to the hotel for the overnight. Deending on the time of your arrival, you can bird around the lodge and look out for Crested Drongo, Malagasy Coucal, and Malagasy Palm Swift. Given enough time, you can walk to the nearby area where you can spot the Purple and Striated Herons, White-fronted Plover, Greater Crested and Lesser Crested Terns, Eurasian Whimbrel, and Common Sandpiper, Lowland Streaked Tenrec. Dinner and overnight at Masoala Resort in Maroantsetra.
Day Two: Masoala National Park
This morning, we will take a boat trip across Antongil Bay. We cruise past the island of Nosy Mangabe and get to Masoala Peninsula which contains Madagascar’s largest lowland rainforest and its largest national park – Masoala National Park.On arrival, we will head out onto the trails behind our lodge heading into the rainforest where we can get start birding. Search for Brown Mesite, Blue Coua, Madagascar Spinetail, Madagascar Blue Pigeon, Velvet Asity, Red-tailed and Chabert Vangas, White-throated Oxylabes, Long-billed Bernieria, Madagascar Ibis. In the early evening, look out for the Madagascar Pratincoles and at night, look out for Rainforest Scops and White-browed Owls. You can also go for the optional night walk where we may encounter various chameleon species and Seal’s Sportive and Moore’s Woolly Lemurs. Dinner and vernight at Ecolodge Chez Arol, Masoala
Days Three and Four: Birding Masoala National Park
For these tow days, we will explore more of the forests and tropical beaches of Masoala National Park for some of Madagascar’s most sought birds like Helmet White-headed and Nuthatch Vangas, Red-breasted and Red-fronted Couas, Short-legged and Scaly Ground Rollers, Brown Mesite, Cuckoo-roller. We will also visit the nearby section of Masoala National Park which protects a different type of forest habitat, this being the littoral forest which is less dense, has a much lower canopy and is dominated by pandanus palms. Here we focus on the Bernier’s Vanga. Blue Vanga, Common Newtonia, Stripe-throated Jery, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Madagascar Pratincole. Check out also for the lemurs during our daytime birding hikes too and hope to find Red Ruffed and White-fronted Lemurs. Dinner and overnight at Ecolodge Chez Arol, Masoala
Day Five. Boat to Maroantsetra and fly to Antananarivo
After our breakfast, we will take a boat back to Maroantsetra where we will take a domestic flight to Antananarivo. On arrival in Antananarivo, the driver will pick you up and take you to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Relais des Plateaux.
Day Six. Fly Out
After your breakfast, the guide will transfer you to the airport depending on your flight time, to fly back home.