I'm traveling to Madagascar... any pointers?

[FFSTRescue]

I am in the works of planning a trip to Madagascar, aside form every ecotourism website available online, does anyone have any suggestions for who I should go through and where to go once there? Any suggestions at all would be appreciated!

 

[Mario]

Here you can get Informations about Travel in Madagascar
http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=2&L=1

and for special Reptiles and Amphibian-Tours
http://www.tanalahorizon.com/index.php?id=115&L=1

i wish you a nice Trip to Madagascar... i cant wait till my next Tour in March 2011

 

[Thor Hakonsen]

This would depend deeply on what you wan't to see..

Feel free to contact via MSN

karmoyrovfisk[at]hotmail.com

 

[Leilaskeeper]

Brush up on your Malagasy

 

[FFSTRescue]

Thanks guys! And for those of you that have already been there, you are incredibly fortunate. I am studying Malagasy as we speak, I want and need to know the language well, at least probably for the places I will be going to. For those of you that have gone, do you have any pictures you can post? I am just so excited I want to see everything I can about Madagascar!

 

[chameleonneeds]

What I would do is start at tamatave then follow up all the way around till you get to the nosy mitsio and nosy faly islands so you get to see some good panthers.

And I find this very important: panthers are coastal chams but since you will probably walk in the forests aswell . . WHATCH YOUR STEP as there are pygmys chilling on the floor. If you want to find them, they are sometimes sitting in dead half curled leaves on the floor.

Make sure to take plenty of pics of EVERYTHING you find

 

[FFSTRescue]

That is my biggest concern... stepping on the little pygmy chams on the floor! It is so funny telling people that I am not worried about anything else in regards to safety, but the safety of those little guys!
It will be a long hike since I will be watching each step I take

 

[GoFast]

Yes, I do have some advice for you!

































Take me with

 

[chameleonneeds]

That is my biggest concern... stepping on the little pygmy chams on the floor! It is so funny telling people that I am not worried about anything else in regards to safety, but the safety of those little guys!
It will be a long hike since I will be watching each step I take

Lol I would be very worried about stepping on them.
When I am in the cape looking for pumilum I walk so slowly checking every bush so it takes me quite a while to walk just 1km, I can scan a pathway 1km long for 3 hours and find about 10 chams

 

[Thor Hakonsen]

Thanks guys! And for those of you that have already been there, you are incredibly fortunate. I am studying Malagasy as we speak, I want and need to know the language well, at least probably for the places I will be going to. For those of you that have gone, do you have any pictures you can post? I am just so excited I want to see everything I can about Madagascar!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thorhakonsen/sets/72157623615235663/


https://www.chameleonforums.com/chameleons-situ-madagascar-39364/

 

[Titan]

Ok I had to make a statement on the Pygs on the floor. I had one that would park itself under a leaf consistantly, as if backed into a garage looking out. I would watch it back itself in and sit happily content Prob is from above I think stepping on a Cham like this could be real easy. Dont mean to have you walking on egshells there, but the statement made me add this Sorry!

 

[draetish]

Hey Kristen will you bring me back an Ampiskiana Male Panther?

 

[FFSTRescue]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thorhakonsen/sets/72157623615235663/


https://www.chameleonforums.com/chameleons-situ-madagascar-39364/

Wow Thor, those are amazing! I especially like the picture of the Red-Bellied lemur, that's a great shot. I don't want to pack too much, so what lenses do you think are the most important to bring? I have a Nikon D90 and need to purchase more lenses for the trip.

 

[Thor Hakonsen]

The only lenses I really ended up using on my trip was my Sigma 150mm macro and a 35mm f/2 wideangle. But I use a FX camera (D700) - so for you I would recommend a app 100mm macro for reptiles and either a 30mm f/1.4 normal or a zoom around 17-50mm f/2.8 for environment and stuff
And I would prefer to use a macroflash (sigma ring flash or Nikons R1C1), or at least a good external flash (as Nikon SB 600)

I also brought 50mm f/1.4, 120-300mm f/2.8, 60mm macro - none of those actually got used when I only brought one camera body. (will travel with to body's next time)

 

[Kent67]

That is my biggest concern... stepping on the little pygmy chams on the floor!

When you step forward, wave your lead foot from side to side over the area you are about to place it down and you can often get them to do that jerking motion and thus give themselves away.

What species are you wanting to see while there?

 

[FFSTRescue]

Thanks Thor for the advice, 2 camera bodies is a good idea, I'm sure I will have more questions for you as I have progressed further with my planning if you don't mind . And no Donna, I will not be smuggling back any chameleons for you... I will be smuggling them back for myself!
I am really wanting to see the different Brookesia sp., and I know this sounds boring, but I have my heart set on seeing F. oustaleti and C. verrucosis. People probably are wondering why I care about those brown dinosaurs, but I want to learn as much as I can about their behavior in the wild. My Ousties have such unusual social behavior compared to my other species, that I want to know the best way to care for them in captivity, since there is so little written about them.