Birds & Lemurs

Day 1: Arrival in Antananarivo
Overnight stay in IC Hotel
Welcome to Madagascar! Our team will meet you at Antananarivo airport and give you a warm welcome. We will take you to a nearby hotel. There you can relax after the long journey and get your first impressions of Madagascar.

Day 2: Antananarivo –  Antsirabe
Overnight stay in Hotel Voyageur
Today, our vehicles take us on a leisurely drive of around 170 kilometres through the southern highlands to Antsirabe, the city of gemstones and thermal springs. Along picturesque rice terraces, there are already many opportunities for landscape photography and encounters with Merina, the people of the highlands.

Day 3: Antsirabe – Morondava
Overnight stay in Hotel Laguna Beach
Today we travel through the western savannahs of Madagascar to the hot Miandrivazo on the Tsiribinha River. Here we have lunch before continuing towards the famous baobabs. We visit the gold prospectors at their hard work on the river and take away many impressions. In the early evening, the first baobabs appear on the horizon – we will soon be there! Once we arrive in Morondava on the coast, we can relax by the pool or take a short walk along the beach. The Mozambique Channel is perfect for night-time star photography.

Day 4: Morondava – Kirindy
Overnight stay in Relais de Kirindy
After breakfast, we take a leisurely drive to Baobab Alley to photograph the majestic silhouette of what are probably Madagascar’s most famous trees. Here we can observe the first birds. Just in time for the start of the rainy season, the Sooty Falcons arrive in Madagascar and nest in the giant trees. The Sakalava Weavers are also preparing their nests. At midday we arrive at our beautiful lodge not far from the Kirindy dry forest. After lunch, we set off on our first excursion into the forest. It’s time to pay our first visit to the dry forest!

Day 5: Kirindy
Overnight stay in Relais de Kirindy
Today is all about the birds. With a telephoto lens, we go on the hunt to spot the White-breasted Mesite. These small birds, which move almost exclusively on foot, are threatened with extinction and are a sought-after photo opportunity. Other feathered friends we want to find today include the Crested Coua, Giant Coua and Forest Rock Thrush. We take a well-earned break at midday, when the heat is at its highest. Only when the temperature drops again do we go on a second hike in the dry forest. Accompanied by Paradise Flycatchers and Madagascar Hoopoes, we dedicate an entire excursion to the Vangas. Similar to Darwin’s finches, the various Vanga species have developed completely different beaks and habits in order to occupy their own ecological niches. In Kirindy we can find Rufous, Blue and White-headed Vangas.

Day 6: Kirindy
Overnight stay in Relais de Kirindy
We head into the forest early today. The Fossa, Madagascar’s largest predator, is now active and we definitely want to encounter the shy lurking hunter. November is the mating season for these sneaky predators. The females sit on trees and wait for suitable partners, who find their mates using scent marks – and usually not just one male comes along. Observers are treated to an incredible natural spectacle as the fossas climb up and down tree trunks upside down. We also visit the Verreaux’ Sifakas, whose young are just making their first excursions. The red-fronted lemurs will be grateful for a few drops of water, which we are happy to offer them in the dry forest. In the evening we go on an exciting night excursion to discover fork-marked lemurs, sportive lemurs and the smallest primate in the World, Madame Bertha’s mouse lemur.

Day 7: Kirindy
Overnight stay in Relais de Kirindy
After breakfast, we head to a nearby waterhole. It is a meeting place for countless birds and other animals. Malagasy kingfishers are abundant here, as are the entertaining grey-headed lovebirds, hunting for food or enjoying a refreshing dip in the cool water. Later, lemurs usually join them. In the late afternoon, we visit a small, secluded baobab forest, which shows Madagascar’s landmarks from their particularly picturesque side at sunset.

Day 8: Kirindy –  Morondava
Overnight stay in Hotel Laguna Beach
Today we can sleep a little longer before travelling back to the beach in Morondava. We arrive at the baobab avenue just in time for sunset to take a few more photos. We like to stay a little longer, as the most beautiful sky colours can often only be seen after sunset.

9. Tag: Morondava
Overnight stay in Hotel Laguna Beach
Before sunrise, we drive back to Baobab Alley to photograph the jungle giants against Madagascar’s fantastic starry sky. And of course, we don’t miss the sunrise with its hundreds of pastel colours against the fantastic silhouettes of the baobabs. Today we have a typical local breakfast right by the roadside. Then we make our way to a nearby private reserve, which offers even more animal encounters. In the evening, we can relax by the pool and finally look through our many photos.

Day 10: Morondava – Antsirabe
Overnight stay in Hotel Voyageur
Our journey takes us back to the highlands of Madagascar. Although we already know the route, this direction offers completely different insights into the country. The orange-coloured brick houses of the highlands are particularly beautiful to photograph at sunset.

Day 11: Antsirabe – Andasibe
Overnight stay in Lodge Feon’ny Ala
From Antsirabe, we set off for the rainforests of Andasibe, the contrasting programme to the hot west of the island. We arrive at our lodge with a direct view of the rainforest in the late afternoon. At dinner, we listen to the many sounds of the jungle and watch the fat-tailed lemurs not far from the restaurant terrace.

Day 12: Andasibe
Overnight stay in Lodge Feon’ny Ala
Breakfast is already accompanied by the songs of the Indris, which put us in the mood for our visit to the remote primary rainforest of Mantadia. Madagascar’s largest lemur lives here, as well as the communicative black and white ruffed lemurs. In addition to these fantastic lemurs, we are particularly keen to find some flagship bird species, including the Scaly, Short-Legged, Pitta-like and Rufous-headed Ground-Roller. We return to the hotel around midday. From the terrace, we can comfortably photograph kingfishers, rails and colourful weavers. In the evening, we head to a small community park in the dark. Experiencing the rainforest at night is fascinating and allows us to see completely different animals than during the day.

Day 13: Andasibe
Overnight stay in Lodge Feon’ny Ala
Today we spend the day in a small, rather unknown reserve that is an insider tip for birdwatchers. Here we look for the iconic Helmet Vanga, which has many nests in this rainforest. At lunchtime, we look for the beautiful Madagascar fruit dove near our lodge, which we have seen here several times before. Incidentally, the Andasibe area is known as an absolute paradise for frogs and reptiles – one frog is even named after our hotel here. On a walk along the road, we are sure to spot a frog or two and a number of chameleons.

Day 14: Andasibe
Overnight stay in Lodge Feon’ny Ala
New day, new luck! Today we visit the Maromizaha reserve not far from Andasibe, which, unlike the better-known national park, is visited by far fewer people. Here we visit Indris and the Diademed Sifakas which are threatened by extinction. Maromizaha is also home to the beautiful Blue Coua, which we hope to photograph. We then follow the tracks of the second subspecies of Parson’s chameleon – so it’s worth having a macro lens ready today as well as a telephoto lens.

Day 15: Andasibe – Akanin’ny Nofy
Overnight stay in Palmarium Lodge
Our journey continues towards the east coast. Around midday, we reach the beach of the Lake of Kings, where we board our motorboat. We take a leisurely 26 km trip along the Canal des Pangalanes to the “Nest of Dreams” – the name says it all. The heart of every animal lover and every nature photographer beats faster when there are so many motifs that you don’t know where to look first.

Day 16: Akanin’ny Nofy
Overnight stay in Palmarium Lodge
Even at breakfast, it’s worth having your camera with you. One or two Crowned Lemurs simply can’t keep their hands off the delicious plates of fruit. We dedicate today to the reserve’s many lemurs: Indris, black and white ruffed lemurs, red-bellied lemurs and black lemurs can be seen so close that many a guest didn’t want to leave the rainforest. The motifs are numerous and almost always in the immediate vicinity.

Day 17: Akanin’ny Nofy
Overnight stay in Palmarium Lodge
We head to the Indian Ocean beach shortly before sunrise. The fishermen from the nearby village venture into the dangerous surf in their simple dugout canoes at sunrise – it’s not only breathtaking, but also promises great shots. Afterwards, enjoy breakfast at the lodge and then experience the rainforest once again. With a bit of luck, we might spot Madagascar Green-pigeons eating fruit from the trees. As soon as dusk falls, we have a very special highlight ahead of us: we take a boat to a small island, home to Madagascar’s most bizarre lemur, the Aye-Aye. Observing this nocturnal animal is the dream of many travellers to Madagascar – we’ll make it come true for you!

Day 18: Akanin’ny Nofy – Andasibe
Overnight stay in Lodge Feon’ny Ala
In the morning, we say goodbye to the people and animals we have grown fond of in the Nest of Dreams. We travel back to Andasibe with unforgettable memories. In the evening, we can go stalking again to find mouse lemurs or small chameleons.

Day 19: Andasibe – Antananarivo
if the journey is extended overnight stay in IC Hotel
In the morning, we listen to the songs of the Indris one last time before leaving the rainforest behind us and immersing ourselves in the colourful hustle and bustle of Tana. We stock up on souvenirs, spices and Malagasy delicacies at the craft market and the nearby markets. After a final dinner and one last THB, we head to the airport. Veloma, Madagasikara – maybe see you next time!

Day 20 (extension): Antananarivo – Ankarafantsika
Overnight stay on National Park’s Campground
Those who have opted for the extension only spend one night in Antananarivo before travelling on. Our vehicles take us into the winding northern highlands. We have a good 425 kilometres to cover today. Kites and Fodys accompany our journey to the north-west, during which we take several breaks. The closer we get to our destination, the warmer it gets. We reach the Ampijoroa campground in the evening and pitch our tents between the lake and the dry forest.

Day 21 (extension): Ankarafantsika
Overnight stay on National Park’s Campground
In the morning, the Coquerel’s sifakas visit us and watch from the trees as we eat our delicious breakfast. With cameras at the ready, we then head out into the dry forest to go birding. Ankarafantsika is home to around 130 different species of birds, over half of which are endemic. One of the most famous inhabitants is the majestic Madagascar Fish Eagle, which we will observe at Lake Ravelobe. A tiny but extremely colourful highlight is Schlegel’s Asity. Ankarafantsika also has a lot to offer in terms of scenery: The incredibly impressive Ambalabongo Canyon glows in the sun. Back at camp, we savour the delicacies that our chefs have conjured up on the table.

Day 22 (extension): Ankarafantsika
Overnight stay on National Park’s Campground
Today we head out onto Lake Ravelobe. The boat offers completely different perspectives and the water birds in particular, including various species of herons, ducks and geese, can be observed much better from the water. Sacred Ibis, White-winged Ibis and Spoonbills prefer to stay at the edge of the lake, where you can best reach them by boat. With a bit of luck, you may also see Nile Crocodiles and the endangered big-headed turtle. At lunchtime, we fortify ourselves at the camp before watching the Coquerel’s Sifakas and Mongoz lemurs of the dry forest.

Day 23 (extension): Ankarafantsika
Overnight stay on National Park’s Campground
Early in the morning, over breakfast, we observe the Sickle-billed Vangas nesting in the large trees directly above the campground. We then set off on a hike around the lake, where we can find more vanga species. On land in the dry forest, there is a completely different variety of species to marvel at than on the water, including Couas and Madagascar Nightjar. We may even see some birds of prey hunting mouse lemurs.

Day 24 (extension): Ankarafantsika – Antananarivo
Overnight stay in IC Hotel
After a final breakfast in the dry forest, we break down our tents and leave Ankarafantsika. With the call of the Fish Eagle in our ears, we can reflect on the many adventures of the past week as we drive. It has been an eventful journey! In the evening we return to the capital, Antananarivo. We have really earned our shower and dinner today. The last night in Madagascar dawns.

Day 25 (extension): Antananarivo
Overnight stay in IC Hotel
The day has come to say goodbye. Depending on when your flight home departs, we will be happy to take you to the colourful, large craft market and the local markets. Spices, carvings and other souvenirs are available in abundance. The day passes quickly and it’s time to say: Veloma, Madagasikara!

Tour itinerary
Birds & Lemurs
This trip takes you to the hot west of Madagascar and to the legendary baobabs, the landmarks of Madagascar. From the coast of the Mozambique Channel, we visit the dry forest of Kirindy, where we see larval sifakas, fossa and countless birds breeding. We then head to the east of Madagascar as a contrast. Completely different birds await us in the rainforests around Andasibe, where we mainly enjoy less-visited forests. The journey ends at a private refuge on Lake Ampitabe, where black and white varis greet us at breakfast. A fantastic trip with a maximum of bird watching!
And if that wasn’t enough birds and lemurs: We offer an uncomplicated one-week extension to Birds & Lemurs. We will travel with you to the “Kingdom of Birds”, the dry forest of Ankarafantsika. Between majestic sea eagles and noisy vasa, we sail across Lake Ravelobe and camp in the forest. The Coquerel sifakas are the icing on the cake before we head back to Antananarivo.

Travel period
We only offer this exclusive photo tour from November to December. During this time, the young lemurs are just a few weeks or months old and make their first independent excursions. In addition, most of the birds are at the start of breeding during this time and are particularly colourful. This trip can also be organised individually for four people.

Next date for a group trip:
 14. November to 02. December 2024
 15. November to 03. December 2025

Can it be a group tour?
“Group holidays, they’re just coffee trips with odd strangers!” This is probably exactly what many travellers imagine group travel to be. We at Tanalahorizon would like to prove to you that there are other ways of travelling than “all-inclusive and boring”! Each of our group tours is made up of hand-picked guests with similar interests who are just as nature-loving and open to new things as we are. Humour and good humour quickly bring our small groups of a maximum of ten people together – on exclusive safaris even just four people. We help and support each other as we explore the red island, learn about foreign cultures and search for animals. Many eyes see more than two! For us, travelling in small groups is the most fun and every year we look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones. We have already made many lifelong friends in Madagascar.

Or would you prefer something of your own?
Would you prefer to travel to Madagascar alone or as a couple? Do you already have a circle of friends with whom you are travelling, but don’t know your way around Madagascar? Then we have just the thing for you! With individually planned trips, you can experience your dream trip with just your family, friends or partner. We offer you our best guides, experienced drivers and the entire planning and organisation of your complete trip to Madagascar as a complete package (without flights). We are only limited by the local conditions, which we have known for 28 years. Let us organise your perfect Madagascar dream trip together – with heart, mind and the right feeling for the country and its people on the eighth continent.

What makes this trip special?
This exclusive photo tour offers plenty of time for photography with intensive lemur and bird watching. We don’t just dash in and out of the forest, but spend as much time on location in nature as you like. The small group is particularly important here: only four travellers and one tour guide are on the Birds & Lemurs trip together. The following highlights are also part of this special trip:

Photographing in the best bird hot spots during the breeding season
Watching Kirindy’s Fossas at mating season
Sun dawn and sunset on Baobab Alley
Helmvanga walk in the Iaroka reserve
Nature experience Mantadia National Park
Indri and Diademsifaka hike in Maromizaha
Boat trip on Canal des Pangalanes
Day excursion to the carnivorous pitcher plants
Night expedition in search of Aye-Ayes
Safari to see Ground-Rollers, Couas, Vangas and other birds
Crested ibis and kingfishers in the Akanin’ny Nofy reserve
Photo session at sunrise with fishermen on the Indian Ocean