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The three orchid societies in the Gauteng Province of South Africa, namely The Orchid Society of Northern Transvaal (ONT), the East Rand Orchid Society (EROS) and the Witwatersrand Orchid Society (WOS), are combining resources in presenting the Gauteng International Orchid Conference and Show in September 2010 in Pretoria, the capital city of South Africa. The other Orchid Societies affiliated to the South African Orchid Council (SAOC) are also supporting this effort to make it an enjoyable and informative experience to all orchid enthusiasts in South Africa and elsewhere. In the following notes we wish to provide more information to our overseas friends about the event and to encourage them to join us and make it an even bigger success. For more information on the Orchid Conference visit www.ont.co.za A Post conference tour to Madagascar will be led by Hendrik Vorster Saturday 2 October to Tuesday 12 October MADAGASCAR ORCHID TOUR 2 – 12 October 2010 DAY 1 SATURDAY - OCTOBER 2: 14h10. Depart O.R.Thambo Airport per Madagascar Air flight MD 125 for Antananarivo. ETA 18h00.After clearing customs, we transfer to the Au Bois Verte Hotel. Dinner own cost DAY 2 SUNDAY - OCTOBER 3: 5h00, Early morning road transfer to Andasibe home of the biggest lemur species, the Indri. As we start to descent we pass through Mandraka home of Gastrorchis francoisii and the start of the eastern forests. At Perinet we will be met by Joseph the local orchid expert where we will have breakfast at our hotel, the Vakona Lodge. Johary, Joseph and Hendrik will lead the trek through the Mantadia primary forest to see orchids like Angraecum viguieri, many Bulbophyllum species, Cynorkis uncinata and Eulophiella roempleriana, arguably Madagascar’s most beautiful orchid, growing high up in the Pandanus utilus. After a box lunch we are off to see the Indri and to Cymbidiella flabellata growing in the sphagnum bog time permitting, Overnight at Vakona Lodge BLD DAY 3 MONDAY - OCTOBER 4: Perinet –Anjozorobe. After breakfast we return to the Highlands We stop at some granite insulters to see Angraecum sororium; Angraecum rutenbergianum, Aerangis ellisii and Polystachia rosea in situ. Drive on to Anjorobe to find patches of the last remaining forests on the highlands. Overnight at Mananara Lodge. BLD DAY 4 TUESDAY - OCTOBER 5: Anjozorobe. Full day to explore forest and see orchids like Aeranthes nidus, Angraecum linearifolium and Aerangis citrata with box lunch in the fields. Here we will also find quite a few of the 60 species of chameleons. Overnight at Mananara Lodge BLD DAY 5 WEDNESDAY - OCTOBER 6;Anjozorobe-Antananarivo.Drive back to Tana. After we have checked into the Au Bois Verte we are off to the flower market in town, lunch at the French Hotel, then to the zoo to see all the lemurs and other endemic animals. Overnight at Au Bois Verte B (Dinner own account) DAY 6 THURSDAY - OCTOBER 7: Tana – Moroansetra. Morning to shop for gemstones before we transfer to airport for flight to Moroansetra (12h35-13h500). Here we will be joined by our local guide Ellison Pascal before we start our boat ride to Nosy Mangabe. Swimming and beachcombing for orchids before we have a few THREE HORSES BEERS for sundowners. We will also try to see the elusive Aye-aye at night. Camping full board (excluding drinks) BLD
DAY 7 FRIDAY – OCTOBER 8: Nosy Mangabe After breakfast we have a hard days climb ahead of us to see some rare and spectacular orchids like Oeonia brauniana, Graphorkis ecalcarata and Eulophiella elisabethae growing in the palm Dypsis fibrosa. Full board camping BLD DAY 8 SATURDAY - OCTOBER 9: Nosy Mangabe – Ambanizana. 06h00 boat transfer to Tampolo lodge on the east coast of the mainland. After booking into our bungalows on the beach and a tropical breakfast we stroll along the beach to see Angraecum sesquipedale Grammangis ellisii and other orchids growing on the beach. After lunch it is siesta time or snorkeling in the emerald sea. Full board Tampolo Lodge BLD DAY 9 SUNDAY - OCTOBER 10: Ambanizana. A short boat trip before Alison takes us into the forest to look for the rare Gastrorchis simulans and other beauties like Bulbophyllum hamellini. Full board Tampolo Lodge. BLD DAY 10 MONDAY - OCTOBER 11: Tampolo – Antananarivo. After a last dip in the Indian Ocean we take the boat back to Moroansetra to fly back to Tana (13h00- 15h15) for last minute shopping. Overnight Au Bois Verte B (Dinner on own account) DAY 11 TUESDAY - OCTOBER 12: 06h20: Antananarivo – Johannesburg. Hotel will provide early breakfast and transfer to airport for flight back to O.R. Tambo Airport, Johannesburg. Estimated time of arrival in Johannesburg is 14h00 Price: per person Twin Sharing Euro 2900 + airport taxes approx Euro 210 The above pricing is based on 12 people traveling together and is subject to change pending the group size Single supplement: Euro 340 B: Breakfast L: Lunch D: Dinner Order of itinerary may be rearranged following the final flight schedule for 2010. Subject to our terms and conditions which will be supplied on booking with the reservation form. Please note: Cut-off date for bookings is 15 June 2010 | 
