|
15-DAY FOUR - COUNTRY TOUR BIRDS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS with Ian Davidson Dates : 13 to 27 May 2007 Briefly - 15 days
Day 01 (Sunday)
: Late afternoon flight from Jo'burg to
Reunion. Arrive St Denis and overnight
Juliette Dodu (B&B). Price (2007) [subject to any airline ticket/fuel surcharges, adjustments for 2008 departures] Minimum 6, Maximum 8 passengers 2007 Price per person sharing ex Johannesburg (subject to availability)
Euro6950 per person sharing ex Johannesburg
Excludes **********************************************
FULL ITINERARY Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands Dates: 13 to 27 May 2007 This is a 15 day tour visiting the Indian Ocean islands of Reunion, Seychelles, Mauritius and Rodriques. In all we visit eight isles, each one different to the next in search of birds and any other wildlife. These western Indian Ocean islands have an interesting collection of birds many of which are endemic; many are rare and some are very difficult to see. This tour begins and ends in Reunion, which is known for its dramatic forest clad volcanic mountains, which rise steeply from the Indian Ocean. Here we’ll hope to see Reunion Cuckoo-shrike, Reunion Stonechat, Reunion Grey White-eye, Reunion Olive White-eye and Reunion Bulbul. Our next port of call will be Mauritius and its satellite isle of Rodriques. These islands are home to some of the world’s rarest birds. We will visit the tiny remnant patches of tropical forest in search of Pink Pigeon, Mauritius Parakeet and Mauritius Kestrel. From Mauritius we head for the beautiful, ancient granitic islands of the Seychelles. Here we will visit the islands of Mahé, Praslin, Cousin, Aride and La Digue, each with their own special birds. Some birds that we may find include the very rare Seychelles Scops Owl, Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher, Seychelles Fody and Seychelles Magpie-Robin and we will see thousands of Sooty Terns and noddies at their colonies. Frigatebirds hang overhead in the deep blue sky, waiting their chance to steal food from any unsuspecting quarry. Aside from time spent birding, there will be ample time to take to the azure blue waters for swimming and snorkeling and enjoying the atmosphere of these relaxing islands. May 13 (Sunday) : We depart from Johasnnesburg International airport for Reunion where we arrive late in the evening. Transfer to Juliette Dodu (B&B). May 14 : Today we will leave early before the mists descend on the high peaks for an area where we would hope to see most of Reunions birds. These include Reunion Cuckoo-shrike, Mascarene Swiftlet, Reunion Stonechat, Mascarene Paradise Flycatcher, Reunion Grey White-eye, Reunion Olive White-eye, Reunion Bulbul and Reunion Harrier. Overnight Juliette Dodu (FB), St Denis. May 15 : We will return to Reunion later on this trip but for today it is an early flight to the island of Mauritius. We are met and transferred to our hotel. Later an excursiuon to look for some of the birds of Mauritius. Overnight Indian Resort (FB). May 16 : Today we have a full today exploring the island visiting Black River Gorge. Here we hope to see Mauritius Kestrel, Pink Pigeon, Mauritius Parakeet, Mauritius Cuckoo-shrike, Mauritius Bulbul, two species of white-eye and a fody. Overnight Indian Resort (FB). May 17 (& 18) : Later today we will fly to the tiny island of Rodriques where between our time of arrival and our departure later tomorrow we should find the Rodriques Warbler and Rodrigues Fody. We overnight on Rodriques at Mourouk Ebony (FB). Our return flight to Mauritius later in the day will allow us to spend some further time on the island before our return to Mauritius in the late afternoon where we overnight L'Exil or Andrea (FB). May 19 : We have another day on Mauritius with time to catch up on anything we may have missed. Our flight to the islands of Seychelles is in the late afternoon. On arrival in the Seychelles we will transfer to our hotel on the south side of the island. We can access the well-known localities for Seychelles Scops Owl and Seychelles White-eye from here. Overnight Mahe at Le Meridiens Barbarons Hotel (B&B). May 20 : Day on Mahe accessing the well-known localities for Seychelles Scops Owl and Seychelles White-eye as well as the other Mahe specials - Blue Pigeon, Kestrel, Sunbird and Swiftlet. Packed lunch in the Seychellois Botanical gardens. Overnight Le Meridiens Barbarons Hotel (FB). May 21 : Morning continuing our search for the resident Mahe species before an afternoon flight to Praslin. We may have time for a visit to the Vallee d'Mai to look for the Seychelles Black Parrot. Overnight Coco de Mer Hotel (FB). May 22 (& 23) : During the following days we are scheduled to visit Cousin island, a Birdlife International Reserve which supports one of the two populations of Seychelles Magpie Robin and Seychelles Brush-warbler as well as Seychelles Fody. On the trip across from Praslin we may encounter two species of shearwater, two species of noddy and perhaps Bridled Tern. A highlight of the trip will be a visit to the the island of Aridé. This island is also home to very large numbers of White-tailed Tropicbirds as well as Sooty Terns. A few pairs of Red-tailed Tropic-birds also occur as do Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds. We also plan to visit the Island of La Dique to look for the highly threatened Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher. Later on our last day we will return to Praslin and then fly to Mahe island for overnight at the Wharf Hotel and Marina (FB & BB). May 24 : Today it is an early departure by air for the island of Mauritius. We arrive midmorning in Mauritius and will transfer to a hotel here with the option of an excursion to look for anything we may have missed here or some R&R before our late afternoon flight to St Denis on Reunion. We transfer and overnight at Ferme de Pommeau (B&B) in the southern highlands of Reunion island.
May 25 :
From here it will be easy to access the
Forêt de Bébour in the highlands, refresh
our previous sightings of Reunion birds and
see a few more that we may have missed on
our earlier visit. We will also visit the
southern shores of the island to look for
Barau's and Mascarene Black Petrel.
Overnight
Ferme de Pommeau (FB). May 26 : Another day on Reunion taking in the sights. Overnight Ferme de Pommeau (FB). May 27: We transfer to St Denis airport for our return flight to Johannesburg. |
|
|
