Madagascar Bugs
I recently met someone who specializes in spiders and insects on Madagascar. I wanted to check if there would be any interesting by anyone in participating in an organized trip to Madagascar to search them out. The timing would be in the Jan - April 2025 timeframe.
Daniel has written various guidebooks and wildlife guides to Madagascar.
Update from @danielaustin on proposed itinerary and pricing:
A 14-night trip would be optimum, so as not to rush. This is longer than we were at first proposing, so we can look at the feasibility of options closer to my original 11-night suggestion if people are short on time. For now, the guideline quote is based on that, with the following assumptions:
Six people in the group. Obviously there would be some limited economies of scale if it was a larger group, reducing the per-person price a little.
The price is £4,795 (approx US $6,000) per person sharing in a twin or double room (for those wanting solo accommodation the price would typically be about 15% more).
The price includes all accommodation, all meals, the internal flight, all transfers and transportation in 4x4 vehicles, services of myself as tour leader as well as the various drivers and local guides etc, all excursion and activities, park/reserve permits, park/reserve guiding fees, and bottled water on excursions/journeys.
So the price includes pretty much everything except: your international flights, and obviously any extras (like drinks, souvenirs or laundry etc), and tips.
ROUTE & HOTELS:
Day 1: Arrive, overnight near airport
Day 2-4: Drive to Andasibe for 3 nights at Mantadia Lodge
Day 5: Head back to Antananarivo, overnight there
Day 6-7: Fly down to Tulear, drive to Ifaty, 2 nights at Paradisier
Day 8-9: Up the RN7 to Isalo for 2 nights ar Jardin du Roy
Day 10: Continue up RN7 to Ambalavao, overnight Betsileo Country Lodge
Day 11-13: Continue up RN7 to Ranomafana, 3 nights at Hotel Thermal
Day 14: Overnight Antsirabe, Couleur Café
Day 15: Departure
As a side note, the Magic Eyes of Masoala is a stunning, big, heavy coffee-table book with about 500 pages and tonnes of incredible photos. Mainly about the moths. The work was done in Masoala (northeast) but a lot of the species are found throughout the rainforest belt including Andasibe and Ranomafana that feature prominently on our proposed itinerary.
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