Pre-Departure Information

MAGICAL MADAGASCAR Table of Contents

TRAVEL INFORMATION Passport Visas Money Tipping Special Diets Communications Electricity

MEDICAL INFORMATION Inoculations International Health Card Malaria Prevention Staying Healthy

HELPFUL INFORMATION Shopping Photography Being a Considerate Traveler Donations or Gifts Tips For Safe Shopping And Walking Around Town

PACKING LIST The Essentials WT Gear Store Luggage Clothing Safari Equipment Personal First Aid Supplies Optional Items

READING LIST Essential Reading Also Recommended Reminders Before You Go

WELCOME!

We’re delighted to welcome you on this adventure! This booklet is designed to guide you in the practical details for preparing for your trip. As you read, if any questions come to mind, feel free to give us a call or send us an email—we’re here to help.

PLEASE SEND US

Trip Application: Complete, sign, and return your Trip Application form as soon as possible if you have not already done so. Medical Form: Complete, sign, and return your Medical Form as soon as possible if you have not already done so. Air Schedule: Please forward a copy of your email confirmation, which shows your exact flight arrival and departure times. Refer to the Arrival & Departure section of the Detailed Itinerary for instructions. Please feel free to review your proposed schedule with Wilderness Travel before purchasing your tickets if you have any questions about the timing of your arrival and departure flights or would like to confirm we have the required minimum number of participants to operate the trip. Vaccination Card: Please send us a photo or scanned copy of your completed Covid-19 Vaccination Card if you have not already done so. Just the front side of the card is sufficient.

PLEASE CAREFULLY REVIEW

Travel Documents & Medical Information: Carefully review the Travel Documents and Medical Information sections of this booklet to familiarize yourself with Passport and Visa entry requirements for your destination, as well as any recommended inoculations. Optional Travel Insurance: Review the Trip Cancellation & Transfer Fee Schedule included in the Detailed Itinerary. We recommend that all trip members purchase Travel Insurance. Extra Services: Request any Extra Services (hotel nights, transfers, extensions) with your WT office contact using the Extra Services Request Form sent with your confirmation packet. Final Documents: Approximately three weeks before your trip, we will send you final departure documents, including hotel and local contact information and rendezvous instructions.

QUESTIONS?

Call: 1-800-368-2794, go to our website (www.wildernesstravel.com) or e-mail us at: [email protected]. Travel Information

PASSPORT

A valid passport is required for your trip. Be sure to check the expiration date. Your passport must be valid for six months after your date of exit from Madagascar. We recommend your passport have at least two completely blank visa pages for every country you will be visiting.

In addition, to enter South Africa (even if you are only in transit through a South African airport), your passport should have at least three completely blank visa pages. This is an important official requirement, and you can be denied entry to South Africa or other southern African countries if you do not have the correct number and type of passport pages. It is very important that the blank pages say “Visas” at the top. The last few pages of your passport, which say “Amendments and Endorsements,” and the final page of your passport, which may not have a page number, are not considered to be legitimate visa pages. You can request a new passport through US Passport Services Office(http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html) (the service of adding pages for visas was discontinued as of January 1, 2016) or use a visa service agency, which can take care of your passport renewal and expedite the process, if needed. We recommend Passport Visas Express(http://www.passportvisaexpress.com/?affId=2120). Be sure to allow sufficient time to acquire this before your trip.

It is a good idea to carry photocopies of your passport’s photo page and any acquired visa pages for your trip (if applicable) in case your passport is lost or as an additional piece of identification.

The following documents are required when traveling to Africa with children under the age of 18: In addition to a valid passport, children under the age of 18 are required to travel with an unabridged birth certificate. If they are not traveling with both of their parents, a notarized letter of consent from the non-traveling parent(s) is also required.

Even though it is possible that a copy of the birth certificate would suffice in some countries, the authorities worldwide have become stricter about this requirement so we recommend that you bring an original birth certificate. If you have questions about entry requirement details for child travelers, please contact the relevant embassy or consulate. VISAS

Travelers staying in Madagascar fewer than 30 days can easily obtain a visa on arrival at the Antananarivo Airport in Madagascar. The visa fee is $37. You can pay cash in US dollars but it is better to have the correct amount since you are unlikely to get change if you give them $40.

A Madagascar visa obtained in advance is valid for six months from the date of issue but is limited to a stay of no more than 30 days within that six-month period. You can contact a local Madagascar consulate to purchase your visa for $37 (subject to change). For a list of the consulates, please check this website(http://www.madagascar- consulate.org/embassies-usa.html).

For expedited service, you may contact our recommended service, Passport Visas Express(http://www.passportvisasexpress.com/?affId=2120) (PVE). PVE can also be reached by phone at 888-596-6028. Let them know you are booked on a Wilderness Travel trip.

If you are a citizen of any country other than the US, check with a local consulate for entry requirements.

MONEY

The currency in Madagascar is the Malagasy ariary (MGA). We suggest you bring your funds in US cash in smaller denominations ($50s or less) and in bills dated from 2009 and newer. You can exchange money at the airport or at the bank next to the Hotel Carlton. There is an ATM in the hotel lobby so you can easily obtain Malagasy ariary at that time. Your trip leader is also happy to assist you if needed.

ATMs are also available in the capital, Tana, but not elsewhere, and they only accept Visa-branded ATM cards (not HSBC or other brands). Traveler's checks are not accepted. Credit cards are accepted at the larger hotels but not accepted in Ranomafana. To use an ATM internationally, you must have a four-digit PIN. If you plan to use your credit cards, inform your credit card company before your departure that you will be using the card abroad.

You will need to budget spending money for gratuities, any meals or beverages not included in the trip itinerary, and for personal items such as snacks, phone calls, etc.

Please do not put any of your cash or valuables in your checked bag. Also lock your luggage before checking it in on the international or internal flights. There have recently been some incidents at the local airports of petty theft. Wilderness Travel is not responsible for any lost or stolen cash or items

TIPPING

Tipping is discretionary but customary. Over the years, clients have asked us for tipping guidelines to reward guides for outstanding service. A range of reference would be $190-230 USD per trip member for the Trip Leader. The Trip Leader takes care of gratuities for luggage handling, waiters at restaurants, drivers, and the local naturalist guides. For the Isalo extension, the suggested range for your local Isalo guide is $20-25 USD per person per day. You can tip your guide in any currency (USD, EUR or MGA). SPECIAL DIETS

We will do our best to accommodate special dietary needs, however, please keep in mind that certain cultural differences or limitations due to logistics can make it extremely difficult and at times impossible to accommodate dietary restrictions. Please inform us at least eight weeks before your trip if you have a restricted diet. It is important to bring a flexible attitude and supplemental snacks.

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone The international dialing code for Madagascar is 261, and the area code for Antananarivo is 22. Please contact your cell phone company for specific instructions for international use.

Email & Internet Access Internet access is limited at lodges outside the capital. Most lodges have internet in the main lobby but not in the rooms. Note there is no internet available in Berenty.

ELECTRICITY

Madagascar has 220-volt current and uses both the type C and type E plugs (both have two round pins). Medical Information

The following recommendations should be used as a guideline only; consult your physician for medical advice. It is vital that you let Wilderness Travel know of any medical problems, allergies, or physical limitations you may have. Please fill out and return the personal medical questionnaire, and feel free to consult us if you have any questions about your ability to undertake this particular trip.

Wilderness Travel is not a medical facility and has no expertise or responsibility regarding what medications or inoculations you and your physician decide are necessary for your safe participation in the trip.

Traveler's health information is available from the Centers for Disease Control. (http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm) Medical travel products are available from Travel Health Medicine (http://www.travmed.com) and from Magellan's Travel Supplies. (http://www.magellans.com)

INOCULATIONS

Entry requirements are subject to change; check with the Centers for Disease Control for updates. All shots should be entered on your International Health Card (yellow card), which is provided by the facility giving the shots. Keep it with your passport while traveling. This provides an important personal record for you to refer to when making future travel plans. We recommend you discuss the following with your physician:

Yellow Fever Although yellow fever is not a disease risk in Madagascar, the government requires travelers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. If you will be traveling to one of these countries where yellow fever is present before arriving in Madagascar, this requirement must be taken into consideration. This includes an overnight in transit in such countries but does not include a layover where you don’t exit the airport. Health officials at borders often (but not always) request proof of the shot. It’s a good idea to get the shot and have it recorded in your International Health Card. The vaccination is good for 10 years (it now may be good for a lifetime). For more information, refer to the CDC website(http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm).

Polio People who have received the primary series of at least three doses of polio vaccine are considered fully immunized. People who are unsure of their status should receive the vaccine (three doses spaced at intervals).

Hepatitis The vaccines HAVRIX and VAQTA (two injections, six to 18 months apart) give long-term protection against Hepatitis A and are worthwhile if you travel regularly to developing countries.

Tetanus Booster A booster is strongly recommended (effective for 10 years).

Typhoid The CDC recommends the shot or the oral vaccine, Vivotif Berna. You may not be able to take the oral vaccine simultaneously with mefloquine (for malaria prevention). INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARD

A Yellow Fever vaccination is required if you are extending to or coming from Zanzibar, Uganda, or Rwanda or other countries in the yellow fever zone. Have the shot recorded in your International Health Card and carry the card with your passport as proof of vaccination.

MALARIA PREVENTION

Malaria is a serious but preventable disease spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. All travelers are urged to take antimalarial medications, available only by prescription. Please discuss antimalarial medication with your doctor, who will explain various antimalarials and their side effects and recommend a regimen for you. In addition to medication, a further precaution against malaria is to wear long sleeves and long pants at dusk. Thin clothing should be sprayed with insect repellent, especially around the elbows and ankles. Use repellent containing DEET.

If, after returning from your trip, you have a persistent fever with chills, muscle aches, and headache, report to your doctor the possibility of exposure to malaria.

For further malaria information, consult your doctor or the CDC Malaria Hotline(http://www.cdc.gov/travel/malinfo.htm): 888-232-3228.

STAYING HEALTHY

In hotels, don’t brush your teeth with tap water; use bottled water. Don’t use ice in your drinks unless you are sure it was made with treated water. When in doubt, ask your Trip Leader for guidelines. Wilderness Travel will provide bottled water every day.

In order to reduce the use of plastic water bottles, Wilderness Travel will also provide filtered water in Antananarivo and in Andasibe. We are using a system from LifeStraw that has an advanced water purification technology. It removes viruses, bacteria parasites and microplastics. For more information you can check their website (www.lifestraw.com) - the filtering system we are using is called LifeStraw Community. We will be sending each trip member a Wilderness Travel stainless steel water bottle by Klean Kanteen. Please put your name on the water bottle and bring it with you on the trip. Helpful Information

SHOPPING

There will be time to shop at boutique shops and markets for souvenirs during your adventure in Madagascar. Some of the goods you're likely to find include wood carvings, silk, jewelry, lamba garments, vanilla beans, spices, and embroidered tablecloths.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Camera Recommendations With the many advances in digital technology, a simple compact digital camera or even your smartphone is capable of taking pictures suitable for the needs of most people. For higher quality images and the ability to use long lenses for closer wildlife pictures, a DSLR camera is well worthwhile, though heavier. Most digital cameras and phones have good video options, but you may want to consider a GoPro for a lightweight, waterproof option. Always practice ahead of time with new equipment and bring your manual with you. Camera equipment is available for rent from Borrow Lenses (https://www.borrowlenses.com/discount/wildernesstravel), with a 10% discount offered to Wilderness Travel clients. This is an especially good idea for renting large zoom lenses that you may need for just one trip.

Camera Accessories We recommend bringing at least two large capacity memory cards or a small digital storage unit (or tablet) to back up your photos, freeing space on your memory cards. Don’t forget to bring a battery charger and a backup battery so one is always charged and ready to use. For trips where you may be away from power sources for multiple days, consider looking into a solar-powered battery charger or buying additional backup batteries, and check that you have the appropriate adapter for the electrical outlets in your destination.

Sharing Your Images We would love for you to share photos from your trip, and with your permission, may even use your photos in our marketing materials or on our photo blog. We request that you send us a small sample of your best images. Please email your photos to [email protected] or tag us @WildernessTravel on social media.

Photography Etiquette When taking pictures of local people, be aware of cultural considerations. Approaching people with a warm smile and using polite gestures or simple phrases to ask permission to photograph them usually works well. It is always recommended to engage people in conversation before asking to photograph them, but if people do not wish to have their photo taken, please honor their requests. We urge travelers to avoid giving money in exchange for photo opportunities, which makes it harder for future travelers to have a meaningful personal interaction with local people. Please always heed your Trip Leader’s guidelines for what is appropriate. BEING A CONSIDERATE TRAVELER

Please show respect for the cultures we are visiting by observing local customs concerning appropriate dress, particularly in sacred places. Your Trip Leader is always available to answer any questions that you may have regarding this. If it is necessary to use a cell phone during the trip, please do so privately. Smoking is rarely an issue these days, but if you do smoke, please do so only away from the group.

DONATIONS OR GIFTS

We suggest that you do not give anything to soliciting children, including candy, balloons, or pens. It encourages begging, which has become a problem as tourism has increased. If you feel you would like to help the local people, you can bring small items such as school supplies (crayons, maps, postcards, pens, notepads) to be given to the Trip Leader to donate to a local school.

TIPS FOR SAFE SHOPPING AND WALKING AROUND TOWN

A little precaution goes a long way when walking in a city. Do not carry purses, wallets, daypacks, or bags that you don’t need while walking on the streets. Most hotels have safes or safe deposit boxes available for storage of valuables. Do not carry your passport in the street. When you go out, carry a photocopy of your passport’s first pages in a money belt or neck pouch. If you carry your camera, wear it across your chest—if it’s small, carry it in an inside pocket. Do not wear much jewelry, especially expensive jewelry. If you have a fanny pack, wear it in the front, preferably with something over it. Be aware in the streets; there’s no reason to be afraid, but you should always be alert. Packing List

THE ESSENTIALS

Air tickets (or E-tickets) Passport One other picture ID, such as a driver’s license International Health Card (“Yellow Card”) with proof of Yellow Fever inoculation within the last 10 years (if arriving from a country where Yellow Fever is present) Expense money

WT GEAR STORE

To help you prepare for your next WT adventure, we've put together a great collection of top brands including Patagonia, Outdoor Research, Eagle Creek, and more at our WT Gear Store (http://wildernesstravel.newheadings.com).

LUGGAGE

If your checked luggage is delayed, it may take several days for it to be delivered. We recommend you bring all irreplaceable items for your trip (cameras, medications, money, credit cards, travel documents, eyeglasses, etc.) in your carry-on bag.

Should your luggage be delayed, you must file a claim with the airline at the airport in Antananarivo prior to leaving the airport. You must also sign a “power of attorney” document to be used by our local representative (limited to this instance only) so that he or she can retrieve your bags and forward them to you as soon as possible in case you leave the capital before your luggage arrives. We ask that you restrict your luggage to one duffel bag rather than a suitcase.

Baggage Restriction on internal flights: Each passenger is allowed one checked bag (weighing a maximum of 44 lbs.) and carry-on luggage weighing a total of 11 lbs. so please pack lightly. Soft-sided luggage Daypack, large enough for a light fleece jacket, rain gear, water bottle, camera, and other items you want with you during the day

Please do not put any of your cash or valuables in your checked bag. Also lock your luggage before checking it in on the international or internal flights. Wilderness Travel is not responsible for any lost or stolen items. CLOTHING

The clothing list below is provided as a guideline only. For most of the trip, comfortable, lightweight clothing for travel in a humid tropical climate is appropriate. Gore-Tex jacket with hood or rain jacket Fleece sweater or sweatshirt Lightweight walking pants, jeans for city wear Hiking shorts Long-sleeved shirts. Quick-drying “travel” fabrics are recommended. T-shirts or short-sleeved shirts. Synthetics are best. Shade hat with a wide brim Comfortable lightweight hiking boots with good ankle support Running shoes, Tevas, or other comfortable shoes for city wear Underwear and socks Bathing suit (for hotel pools) Sleepwear

SAFARI EQUIPMENT

Strong flashlight and extra batteries for nighttime wildlife walks Good quality sunglasses. Personal toiletries, biodegradable soap (please note some hotels do not provide shampoo or conditioner) Kleenex packets or Handi Wipes Converter and plug adapter kit for appliance use at hotels. Binoculars

Please be careful with your photography equipment and other electronic gear. Madagascar has some rough roads that can be quite bumpy so you want to keep any equipment in a padded bag in case it falls to the floor. Wilderness Travel cannot be held liable for any accidents or any damage. PERSONAL FIRST AID SUPPLIES

Every trip member must bring a small kit for personal use. Sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. We recommend mineral-based sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide because they do not contain harsh chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Brands such as Honest Company, Badger, and Alba Botanica are found in most sporting goods stores and drugstores. Lip balm with sunscreen Aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol, Tylenol PM for sleep Topical antibiotic (such as Neosporin) for cuts, bites, or sores Insect repellent. Repellents with DEET are recommended. DEET content of about 30-35% is ideal (higher DEET content is not recommended). Wipe DEET off your hands before touching plastic surfaces (such as binoculars) because it can damage the plastic. Aerosol repellents are useful for spraying on clothes. Blister kit. Look for the long-lasting gel-type bandages that you can apply directly on blisters, such as Band-Aid Advanced Healing Bandages or Curad Gel Multi-Day Bandages. Anti-bacterial gel for hand washing Antihistamine such as Benadryl and cold remedy such as Sudafed Imodium for diarrhea. If you wish to bring an antibiotic for diarrhea prophylaxis, please consult your physician. Prescription medications properly labeled Spare contact lenses or extra prescription glasses

OPTIONAL ITEMS

Camera, spare batteries Field guides Reading/writing material Skirt or slacks for women (for wearing at dinner) Travel clock Collapsible hiking pole Money belt or neck pouch. Always carry your passport, credit cards, and cash with you in a money belt or neck pouch tucked down inside your shirt or blouse. Decaf coffee (only available in Antananarivo hotels) Herbal tea (bring your favorite brand or your leader can purchase locally) Reading List

ESSENTIAL READING

Madagascar Wildlife: A Visitors Guide The Song of the Dodo Derek Schuurman David Quammen 2015, 192 PAGES 1997, 704 PAGES This handy guide describes and illustrates in color Well-spoken and engaging, Quammen narrates his photographs 250 species of Malagasy animals, not just the adventures on the trail of natural wonders in Madagascar, lemurs, fossas and other endemic mammals, but also birds, Mauritius, Seychelles, Galapagos and Komodo and reptiles and invertebrates. With chapters on habitats, explains complex evolutionary phenomena with humor, ecology and conservation. wit and understanding.

Madagascar Bradt Guide Madagascar David Attenborough Hilary Bradt 2011 2014, 432 PAGES Produced by the BBC, this spectacular three-part series Now in its 11th edition, Bradt's comprehensive guide to narrated by the inimitable Attenborough showcases the Madagascar, its history, people and nature remains our nature, wildlife and habitats of the island continent, with model for guidebooks: personal, culturally astute and an the many species of lemurs given the starring role. absolute pleasure to read. With photographs, sketch maps and wise travel information.

Madagascar Map Freytag & Berndt 2014 A clear shaded relief map of Madagascar at a scale of 1:2,000,000.

ALSO RECOMMENDED

Coral Reef Fishes Lonely Planet Madagascar Robert Myers Lonely Planet Publications 2002, 400 PAGES 2016, 288 PAGES This compact handbook features 2,500 illustrations of In the Lonely Planet hallmark style, this practical guide to shallow-water fishes around the world. Madagascar features a good overview of culture, history and nature, maps and much nuts-and-bolts information on excursions, accommodations and sightseeing. Madagascar, A Short History The Future of the Past Solofo Randrianja Alexander Stille 2009, 272 PAGES 2003, 339 PAGES A gracefully written summary of two thousand years of A survey of conservation and threats to cultures and human history on Madagascar. The island's inhabitants, monuments around the world. In these provocative essays, the Malagasy, remain one of the world's most least-known Stille travels to places as disparate as Sicily, China and societies. Madagascar.

Eccentric Islands, Travels Real and Imaginary Flashman's Lady Bill Holm George MacDonald Fraser 2000, 346 PAGES 1988, 330 PAGES Holm mixes his meditative journeys to five actual islands Another volume in the wildly entertaining, historically (Iceland, Madagascar, Molokai, Isla Mujeres and Mallard accurate Flashman series, this one set in Queen Island) with utterly made-up places in this poetic, Ranavalona's Madagascar. philosophical inquiry into the myth and meaning of islands.

Extinct Madagascar Island Life Steven M. Goodman Alfred Russel Wallace 2014, 296 PAGES 1997, 544 PAGES Goodman and his colleagues present a stunning variety of A popular account of the natural history of island groups life that went extinct on Madagascar, an island with such by Darwin's contemporary and co-presenter of the theory biodiversity that it currently boasts over 100 species of of evolution by natural selection. lemur.

Life Amongst the Thorns, Biodiversity and Madagascar, The Eighth Continent Conservation of Madagascar's Spiny Forest Peter Tyson Louise Jasper 2013, 375 PAGES 2015, 336 PAGES Tyson interweaves an account of his time in the field with Produced in cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund, travel, history and ecology for this wide-ranging report on this coffee table introduction to Madagascar's unique life in Madagascar. Spiny Forest includes authoritative, scholarly text and plenty of color photos.

Thank You, Madagascar: The Conservation Diaries of The Natural History of Madagascar Alison Jolly Jonathan P. Benstead Alison Jolly 2004, 1709 PAGES 2016, 432 PAGES Hundreds of experts contributed to this important, Best known for her lemur biology research, late scholarly overview of geology, climate, wildlife, plants primatologist Alison Jolly captures the successes and and conservation. failures of conservation efforts on Madagascar as well as the lives of the island's residents in this posthumous publication. The Remarkable Baobab Vanilla, Travels In Search Of The Ice Cream Orchid Thomas Pakenham Tim Ecott 2004, 144 PAGES 2005, 278 PAGES A celebration of the tremendous, twisted baobabs of A BBC journalist's lively account of travels to the vanilla- Africa, Madagascar and Australia in 60 large-format color growing regions of Mexico, Madagascar, Reunion and photographs. Tahiti on the trail of the prized orchid, its history, cultivation and allure.

Birds of Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands Roger Safford Olivier Langrand 2016, 336 PAGES 2013, 263 PAGES Part of the Helm Field Guide series, this book profiles This revised edition, including many new illustrations by species common in Madagascar and the various islands of Norman Arlott, Peter Hayman and others, covers 500 birds the Indian Ocean. Each bird species is paired with a color of Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, Reunion, Rodrigues distribution map, color plate and informative text. and Seychelles.

Fishwatcher's Field Guide Indian Ocean Lemurs of Madagascar, Conservation International Idaz Greenberg Tropical Field Guide A double-sided card illustrating 70 fishes of Seychelles, Stephen D. Nash Maldives and neighboring islands. 2010, 762 PAGES Updated with 30 new species, this third edition of the definitive field guide to all 101 species and subspecies of lemurs features 500 color illustrations, range maps, drawings and detailed, authoritative chapters on natural history and conservation.

Lemurs of Madagascar, Diurnal & Cathemeral Lemurs of Madagascar, Nocturnal Lemurs Russel Mittermeier Stephen D. Nash 2009, 22 PAGES 2007, 22 PAGES This handy laminated fold-up card, illustrated by Stephen This handy laminated fold-up card, with color illustrations, Nash, focuses on the 34 species of lemur active, at least range maps and checklist, includes the 65 nocturnal part-time, during the day. species of lemur.

Mammals of Madagascar Southern African Birdfinder: Where to Find 1,400 Nick Garbutt Bird Species in Southern Africa and Madagascar 2007, 304 PAGES Jonathan Rossouw An invaluable compact guide with full-page color 2007, 456 PAGES photographs of each species. An illustrated field guide to 39 bird routes and more than 330 birding sites throughout Southern Africa and Madagascar full of helpful information for the birder. Wildlife of Madagascar Ken Behrens 2016, 272 PAGES With 500 color photos and copious notes on identification, habitat, behavior and conservation, this field guide profiles the common wildlife of Madagascar.

Revised: February 20, 2020