2020 Wilderness Travel Catalog of Adventures

Isolated from mainland Africa since the time of the dinosaurs, Madagascar shelters exotic life forms found nowhere else, including more than 100 species of lemurs and wildly colorful chameleons ranging from thumbnail-sized to two feet long. In this treasure trove of nature, we bring you into seven national parks and reserves, from spiny deserts to rich rainforests. Each day we maximize your experience with your choice of guided hikes, whether a photo-paced ramble, a moderate hike, or an early morning bird walk. You’ll meet wildlife researchers, visit reforestation projects—and even plant a seedling on the famed Avenue of the Baobabs! Madagascar: Off the Beaten Path WHERE NATURAL HISTORY ABOUNDS WITHOUT LIMITS

HERBERT HOPFENSPERGER

HIGHLIGHTS • Choice of hiking options, night walks, early morning birding outings • Outstanding Trip Leaders, extra local naturalist guides at each park • Sunset at Avenue of the Baobabs • Travel by air-conditioned vehicles • Visit local school, sample traditional Malagasy cuisine

with colorful reptiles such as the two-foot-long Parson’s chameleon, and home to the Indri indri, the famed black-and-white lemurs whose haunting treetop calls carry for miles. We also visit Lemur Island, with its orphaned lemurs. Depart on Day 16 via Antananarivo. ON OUR WEBSITE MAGICAL MADAGASCAR Discover renowned Andasibe, Berenty’s dancing sifaka lemurs and spiny forest, spectacular limestone tsingy landscapes of Ankarana and Amber Mountain national parks. May 3-16, Jul 5-18, Aug 2-15, Oct 4-17, Nov 1-14, 2020 From $5595.

Days 1-4 Antananarivo / Avenue of the Baobabs / Kirindy Reserve Explore “Tana,” the capital, then head to the photogenic Avenue of the Baobabs to sip Malagasy sundowners and watch the sunset amid these majestic natural monuments, some over 800 years old. We enjoy walks in Kirindy Reserve, home to primates including Verreaux’s sifaka, a host of colorful endemic chameleons, and the elusive fossa. Days 5-8 Antsirabe / Ranomafana In Antsirabe, we visit artisan-weaver workshops, then take nature walks in pristine Ranomafana National Park, one of the most biodiverse places on the

DETAILS • 16-day trip begins and ends in Antananarivo

• 15 nights hotels and wildlife lodges • All meals included except 1 dinner

DATES Apr 12-27, 2020 Sep 6-21 Sep 27-Oct 12 Oct 18-Nov 2

TRIP COST $6395 (9-12 members) $6795 (5-8 members) Single supplement: $995

Internal airfare: $945 (subject to change) Ankarana and Amber Mountain National Parks Extension: from $2490 Cape Town Extension: from $1395 Gorilla Tracking in Rwanda’s Parc National des Volcans Extension: from $2695 TRIP LEVEL 1 2 + 3 4 5 6 Easy to moderate nature walks, rugged road travel

planet. Twelve lemur species have been recorded in this rainforest, including the rare golden bamboo lemur. One evening, we enjoy a private talk with a wildlife researcher. Days 9-12 Anja / Isalo / Zombitse-Vohibasia Get eye to eye with the friendly ring-tailed lemurs at community-run Anja Reserve, hike in the sandstone gorges of Isalo National Park, and enjoy the baobabs, exotic birds, and lemurs of Zombitse-Vohibasia, a rare example of Madagascar’s dry deciduous forest. Days 13-16 Andasibe / Lemur Island Our grand finale is Andasibe National Park, a rainforest teeming

Enjoy a choice of naturalist-led hikes (easy, moderate, or photo-paced) in Madagascar’s most fascinating wildlife reserves. PHOTO: KONRAD WOTHE

MICHELE BURGESS

FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION VISIT WILDTRAV.COM/WT/MADAGASCAR