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Madagascar, Benahy Descent - Adventure with Pioneer Expeditions

months available

April, May, July, August

Facilities & Awards

Description

Madagascar, Benahy Descent - Adventure with Pioneer Expeditions.  This expedition aims to achieve a rafting descent of the Benahy river before continuing down the Onilahy river.

The Benahy, a narrow river running through canyons that are only a few meters wide, is not marked on the maps of Madagascar and is seldom rafted. Along the route we will encounter truly fantastic landscapes as well as face interesting and challenging situations.

This is a unique Pioneer expedition which offers a fantastic opportunity to explore a remote area of Madagascar and see much of the endemic wildlife.

Madagascar is a one-off; there is no other place like it. Its landscapes, animals and plants are simply fantastic! Near the equator with an astonishing array of habitats, ranging from rainforests to deserts and from mountain tops to mangrove swamps, it is one of the most important countries for biodiversity on the planet. The tropical climate is a perfect host to the process of nature and, like nowhere else, the variety and richness of life has flourished.

We will follow the isolated Benahy river into the Onilahy river and continue all the way down through the delta to the coast at Saint Augustin. We start deep in the Isalo canyons south of Isalo National Park, the southern part of the Isalo canyons is, unlike its northern National park, remote and untouched by tourism.

The only people we will encounter while crossing this range are locals - cattle rustlers and sapphire diggers. We will get the chance to see many of the favourite Madagascan fauna including lemurs and chamelons. We can also can expect to spot crocodiles (from the safety of our raft) during our time on the rivers.

We will spend the last few days of our time in Madagascar relaxing at the Anakao beach resort on the Mozambique Channel.

About Pioneer Expeditions
Pioneer Expeditions offers real adventures achieving extraordinary 'Pioneer Firsts'.

Our original 'Pioneer' itineraries are only run a limited number of times. This allows very small groups (usually up to 8 people) to visit exotic and little visited destinations, minimising the negative impact on the local environment and maximising the positives.

Nature and culture are important to us and there are plenty of opportunities on every trip to explore the fascinating flora and fauna, unusual places and landmarks around us. And after comfortably 'roughing it' in the wilds, we tend to spend the last few days relaxing in more luxurious accommodation. We try to make life as comfortable as possible, even when camping out in the wilds.

Our expedition leaders are very experienced field professionals and, while they are highly knowledgeable about their expedition area, we know that no one knows a place better than the people who live there so we always employ local guides and experts to work with our Pioneer leaders.

On many expeditions we aim to be the first group to achieve an unusual objective or particular mission. Canoeing a river from source to sea, climbing a remote mountain, swimming a volcanic lake, trekking a glacier or traversing a tropical island; we are constantly researching new ideas and experiences.

You will not need any specialist skills to come on a pioneer expedition – though you may leave with some – and age is no barrier.

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