The Butterflies of Madagascar
A 3-week specialist tour to see the unique butterfly species of Madagascar.
8 - 27 November, 2002
The incredible fauna of this fascinating island-continent is disappearing at a frightening rate, and this tour will be one of very few remaining opportunities for butterfly enthusiasts to see the unique species that evolved here. The Malagasy lepidoptera includes many species of almost incomprehensible beauty, e.g. the large day-flying Sunset moth Urania ripheus, marked with brilliant iridescent green, blue and red on a black background, with multiple tails; and the incredible Comet moth Argema mittrei - brilliant yellow with huge red ocelli, a 9" wingspan and 8" long red tails! These are just 2 examples of insects that almost defy belief! Compared to their African counterparts, Malagasy butterflies are generally larger, more vividly coloured, and tend to have much more exaggerated wing shapes. Many of the Malagasy "subspecies" are in fact due to be reclassified as bona fide endemic species. Madagascar is, of course, famous for its lemurs, rare birds and abundant reptiles and frogs (especially chameleons), of which we will see a fantastic variety during the course of our tour.
Our tour begins in Morondava on the hot, dry west coast. After a night to recuperate from our travels and enjoy the coast, we transfer to the tropical dry deciduous forest of Kirindy, where we camp for 3 nights. It is an excellent location for butterflies, with an estimated 90 species, including the beautiful Acraeids A.igati and Pardopsis punctatissima, many attractive Precis/Junonia species and several beautiful Colotis Orange-tips and Purple-tips. The area is very under-recorded, and our findings here and at the other sites will be of considerable value to those directly concerned with conserving the habitats. Kirindy is probably best known for its remarkable flora, which includes three of the six endemic baobab species. It is also the island's best venue for viewing nocturnal wildlife. We drive back to Morondava for a night to relax and recuperate on the coast. There is a wide sandy beach in front of our hotel.
After a night in the capital, we continue to the famous Perinet rainforest reserve. With vehicle and guides at our disposal, we have 5 days to fully explore the area, including marshy places at Ampasipotsy and Torotorofotsy, the Maromizaha rainforest, and the spectacular primary rainforest of Mantadia national park. Perinet/Mantadia is Madagascar's richest area for butterflies, with 180 species recorded, including the very attractive Charaxes zoolina, the stunning yellow and black Graphium cyrnus, the iridescent blue-banded Papilio mangoura, several fascinating Heteropsis species (Satyrids with strangely pointed wings), the beautiful Aterica rabena (black marked with white on the forewings, and gorgeous red hindwings), the stunningly pretty Map butterfly Cyrestis elegans, and several lovely long-tailed Lycaenids, Iolaus and Hypolycaena.
We return to Tana to overnight before the flight to Fianarantsoa and road journey to Ranomafana, a beautiful montane rainforest with numerous streams and waterfalls, on the south-east escarpment. Ranomafana, and the adjacent Vohiparara, is another outstanding butterfly locality, with at least 135 butterflies including the stunning Acraea hova, 3 Saribia species (long-tailed Riodiniids), the spectacular scalloped Hypolimnas dexithea, 2 extremely pretty Graphium species evombar and endochus, a lovely white Satyrid Masoura ankoma, and many stunning Nymphalids including the fabulous mauve Salamis anteva, and several Charaxes species, among which are Charaxes analava with its fascinating cryptic underside, and the enormous Charaxes andranodorus, which has surely the most beautiful underside of any butterfly in the world. The reserve also has more than 100 birds, a plethora of beautiful frogs and 12 lemur species. Vehicles and drivers are at our disposal throughout our 5 day stay, allowing us to fully explore the area.
After Ranomafana, we return to Fianarantsoa and overnight. We then travel up the RN7 to the highland town of Antsirabe, where we spend our last night in Madagascar.
The Tour leader:
Adrian Hoskins has travelled extensively in the tropics during the last 15 years, studying and photographing the butterflies of Venezuela, Ghana, Borneo and India. He has escorted small private groups on butterfly tours to Trinidad, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Kenya, Malaya and Sri Lanka. Adrian will be spending much of the time on this tour indulging in butterfly photography, and he will assist participants with identifications, photographic advice and liasing with the local guides.
Itinerary:
November 2002
08 Fri
Midday flight from London to Paris, to connect with the overnight flight to Madagascar.
09 Sat
Early arrival in Antananarivo where we will be met by our experienced, English-speaking guide. We connect with the flight to Morondava on the west coast and stay the night at Chez Maggie.
10 Sun
Depart for Kirindy Forest to stay 3 nights in the (basic) campsite, all
equipment and all meals provided.
13 Wed
Return to Morondava, where we have the afternoon to relax on the beach or take an optional pirogue trip around the mangroves. Overnight at Chez Maggie.
14 Thu
We fly to Antananarivo, where we are met and taken to Perinet Reserve(Analamazaotra/Andasibe) in the montane rainforest of the eastern escarpment. We stay 5 nights at Vakona Forest Lodge.
15 Fri & 16 Sat
Perinet
17 Sun & 18 Mon
Mantadia National Park
19 Tue
Travel back to Antananarivo (3-4 hours on good road)in time for a late afternoon visit of the national botanical gardens, museum and zoo. Overnight at Hotel de France.
20 Wed
Fly to Fianarantsoa and then drive to Ranomafana National Park (3 hours along deeply rutted roads) to stay 4 nights at Hotel Domaine Nature.
21 Thu - 23 Sat
Ranomafana
24 Sun
In the late afternoon, drive to Fianarantsoa, to overnight at the Tsara Guest House.
25 Mon
We follow Madagascar's most popular overland route, the RN7, to Antsirabe in the Ankaratra range. The drive takes about 7 hours with stops and the road is good. Overnight at the Arotel.
26 Tue
Travel to Antananarivo (3-4 hours with stops) and visit one of the artsians' markets before we check in for our overnight flight departing 2130 to Paris
CDG.
27 Wed On arrival at Paris CDG, we connect on our onward flights to the UK.
Tour price per person sharing in a double or twin room: £2600
Single room supplement: £250
Price includes:
International return flights from London Heathrow; domestic flights, airport taxes, assistance and transfers; all excursions and activities as per itinerary; all accommodation and meals; organised camping in Kirindy with equipment and meals; reserve entrance fees and guide fees.
The tour is operated by Rainbow Tours, the leading experts in wildlife tours to Madagascar and Southern Africa. Please advise us if you wish to fly to Madagascar from somewhere other than London or Paris.
Prospective participants should note that this tour operates a "no collecting" policy.
Contact us
or phone (44) 20 7226 1004 for more information
