 |
| The Animals of Madagascar: A Wildlife and Nature Safari in an Evolutionary Wonderland |
|
|
| ADVENTURE VACATION OVERVIEW |
 |
Join AdventureWomen on a wildlife and nature safari to see Madagascar’s fascinating animals in one of the most unique wildlife viewing hotspots in the world. Once connected to the African continent, and the fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar is located in the Indian Ocean only 250 miles from the eastern coast of South Africa. Considered today as one of the world’s top conservation priorities, Madagascar teems with enchanting animals and plant species found nowhere else in the world. More than 50 species of Madagascar lemurs swing through the forest, and fluorescent-colored chameleons and lizards cling to trees and ferns. Brilliant red tomato frogs peek out from the jungle floor, while the majestic and huge baobab tree, called the ‘mother-of-the-forest’ by the local Malagasy people, keeps a careful watch over evolution gone wild.
We’ll enjoy Madagascar’s natural treasures as we take wildlife pictures and view unusual species of flora in noted nature reserves and rainforests. We’ll visit Andasibe (Perinet) in the highland cloud forest; Mantadia National Park; and the spiny desert of unforgettable Berenty, where we will observe the Madagascar “leapin’ lemurs” in their natural habitat. No one actually knows exactly how many species of animals, insects and plants exist in Madagascar today—perhaps 200,000 or more. What IS known, however, is that the majority of the endemic plant and animal species are not found anywhere else on earth, and that over 80% of Madagascar’s wildlife is unique to the island. Of the country's 987 vertebrate species, 771 are endemic to the island. 12,000 species of plants and 45 percent of its 270 bird species are also endemic. These numbers are extraordinary, considering that Madagascar is roughly the size of Texas.
During our visit we’ll also discover Madagascar's rich culture, history, traditions, and the complicated belief systems that have originated from the early settlements in Madagascar by the Indonesian, Malaysian and African peoples. We’ll learn about the island’s tribal development, its European discovery, and its transition to a contemporary republic. We’ll also spend time at a beautiful beach resort in Madagascar, an ideal place for diving, snorkeling, whale watching, and relaxing on the beach.
We’ll travel in search of Madagascar lemurs, chameleons, orchids, baobabs, aloes, geckoes, sifakas and octopus trees. The island has no deer or antelope species, and also lacks large predators. Poisonous snakes are absent as they are a relatively recent evolutionary development. Madagascar boasts half of the world's roughly 135 species of chameleons. But it is the Madagascar lemurs that really draw wildlife photographers and enthusiasts to this unique destination. Regarded as "primitive" primates, lemurs are kin to monkeys, apes and humans, and their behavior and characteristics shed vital clues on our own distant past.
The island of Madagascar remains one of the most beautiful, mysterious, and unique places on earth, but now it is a global focus of conservation efforts. Fifteen species of Madagascar’s lemurs have become extinct since sea-faring humans arrived on Madagascar's shores about 2,000 years ago. As a result of its present agricultural slash and burn policies, the island’s natural resources are continually threatened. The current government is attempting to tackle this problem by backing the locals to derive more of their income from eco-tourism. The last chance for survival for the lemurs and other endemic plant and animal species on Madagascar may lie in the economic benefits generated by eco-tourists like us, who come from afar to view the islands fascinating creatures.
AdventureWomen invites you to become an “eco-tourist in Madagascar” as you join us on a nature and wildlife viewing safari to another once-in-a-lifetime destination in the far corners of the world.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
- Learn about the amazing 80% of endemic flora and fauna species that exist no where else on earth, and marvel at the island’s most famous inhabitant, the remarkable lemur.
- Visit spectacular national parks and private reserves on guided day and night hikes with our own English-speaking guide.
- Travel by vehicle and air to witness huge variations in ecosystems and geology, on an island the size of Texas.
- Marvel at the Indri Indri, the largest lemur in Madagascar (3 feet tall), and the “leaping lemurs” of Berenty Forest.
- Discover Madagascar's rich history, traditions, and the complicated belief systems that have originated from the early settlements of the Indonesian, Malaysian and African peoples.
- Stay in spectacular forest lodges, beautiful hotels, and a beachfront resort where we swim, snorkel, and whale watch.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
August 22 - September 3, 2008
|
|
|
$6,995.00 all-inclusive with international and all internal airfare from JFK, New York to Tana, Madagascar ($800 deposit)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|