The diversity of marine life, wildlife and island beauty we experience on our October Madagascar Whale Shark Research - Islands, Marine Life & Lemurs trips, can really spoil you for tropical travels you do elsewhere.

Central to this experience is the team you will join, which consists of the leading Whale Shark researcher in Madagascar, Stella Diamant; and Aqua-Firma's Ralph Pannell, formerly of the charity Rainforest Concern. Stella & Ralph are passionate about all that Madagascar has to offer and can provide great insights into the ocean giants and wildlife we can see there. Your hosts are also highly experienced marine life and wildlife photographers, who can help you to log the highlights of what you see with on the go assistance with your own cameras; and copies of the best of what they photograph on the trip.

Whale Sharks are huge and beautiful creatures, which in Madagascar we find in some of the clearest bluest waters you can imagine. Something particularly exciting about locating them here, is what we find them with. Whale Sharks glide the tropical oceans in search of hotspots for plankton and small fish; something which the team's satellite tags monitor throughout the year. They are not alone in this search and when we swim with them in Madagascar, we usually find ourselves snorkeling with dozens of seabirds diving into the water around us; and schools of 200 or more bonito tuna, so busy at that the sea surface that the water literally boils with their feeding frenzies.

We might also snorkel amongst large schools of fast-moving Mobula Rays; sometimes a Giant Manta Ray or two; and of we are really lucky, one of the rarest whales on Earth: the Omura Whale (Balaenoptera omurai). Also known as a False Fin or False Brydes Whales, there 'roqual' baleen whales can reach 11 metres or so. Dolphins are usually a daily sight and we can sometimes snorkel with these too. Humpback Whales are another regular sight above water - usually females with their calves, getting ready to migrate to Antarctica for the southern polar summer.

Healthy corals reefs and seagrass beds house yet more marine life. Reefs, such as those at Nosy Tanikely, are best for Hawksbill Turtles; whilst the seagrass beds stepping out from our base, provide excellent opportunities to swim with Green Turtles as they graze.

No trip to Madagascar is complete without seeing Lemurs and Chameleons. For starters, we will base ourselves close to a Sacred Forest where Black Lemurs frequently feed close to our camp. We will also spend a full day in the best-preserved forest on Nosy Be (Lokobe) in search of the Nosy Be Sportive Lemur, Mouse Lemur and Black Lemurs; and watch large troops of Brown Lemurs on the island of Nosy Tanikely.

In pursuit of pure beauty, we will embark on an overnight trip to one of the most idyllic tropical islands you can hope to find called Nosy Iranja. When we head to this island, we will start by seeking whale sharks, but also keep an eye out for female Humpback Whales nursing their newborn calves. Once at Nosy Iranja, we will provide excellent food and a large comfortable yet rustic beach tent from which you can walk across powder white sand into a shallow calm water bay.

Photography and video opportunities will be available above and below water. Stella and Ralph will be able to provide photography guidance and support throughout the trip. This will cover underwater and above water photography, plus use of software to edit your hard-earned images. Stella will also provide evening talks and day by day insights when out at sea into Whale Shark Ecology and latest research findings from around the world. Your participation in this trip helps to fund whale shark research in Madagascar, as do our other Whale Shark Research experiences at Mafia Island in Tanzania and The Yucatan of Mexico; and our Special Galapagos Shark Insights & Photography liveaboard trips.

Some scuba diving can be fitted in for those qualified, including night dives in which you can opt to use fluorescent dive lights and mask filters. You will be amazed how the reef and fish look when we bring colours usually outside our visible range, into the observable spectrum. If you would like to conduct additional diving, then we can arrange an extension on Nosy Be dedicated to that.

Swimming with Whale Sharks  -  Snorkel with Whale Sharks  -  Swim with Whale Shark Madagascar  -  Freediving  -  Freedive holiday  -  Baleine Safari