SOCOTRA - AN ISLAND FORGOTTEN IN TIME
Sitting 240 km from the Horn of Africa, and 380 km from the Arabian Peninsula, is a small group of almost desert-like islands lost in the Arabian sea.
The largest island, Socotra, is only 70 km long and 20 km wide and was once part of the great Gondwana supercontinent. Its separation and isolation some 5 million years ago (during the Miocene epoch) created the perfect conditions for the evolution of a 21st century Jurassic Park! This unique environment has gained UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the range of endemic flora and fauna is rivalled only by Hawaii, Galapagos and New Caledonia – over 700 native animal and plant species.
This Yemeni territory is home to the Hoq cave with its discovery of ancient inscriptions, drawings and other archaeological objects. These date to as early as the first century BC and appear to have been left by sailors using Socotra as a stopping point in the maritime trade routes of the time. The islands are mentioned in numerous historical works – even by Marco Polo!
The curious umbrella-shaped Dragon Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari) is probably the most recognised species on the island. The impressive name comes from the red resin produced by the tree, used for all sorts of purposes including folk medicine, dye, and even ritual magic! You’ll also find it used to colour the local musical instruments. The tree, which can grow up to 9 metres high, is believed to be a survivor of the ancient Laurasian subtropical forest covering the region during the Miocene period. Having died out in the harsh conditions on the Arabian Peninsula, the tree's presence here is unique. Although still endangered with extinction, there are plenty to admire on Socotra! Many other impressive species are on show including Dendrosicyos socotranus, known as the Cucumber Tree.
While both flora and fauna are fascinating, Socotra has other delights to charm you. Its isolation, unpaved roads and lack of infrastructure make this a place visited little by outsiders. There are no well-beaten tourist trails to be found here! The result? Beaches, mountain ranges and a landscape practically untouched. There aren't many places that can compete with this enchanting island for the title of 'paradise'!
The island itself is only half the story. The surrounding waters are a playground for divers and anglers alike. Hordes of sharks can be found, famously fished by the locals. Many wrecks, some from ancient voyages, litter areas with a plethora of fascinating remains, just waiting to be explored. Fishing enthusiasts? You’ll doubtless believe you’re in paradise! The warm Arabian Sea provides plenty of large pelagic species such as marlin, kingfish, trevally, barracuda and tuna. The challenge awaits!
Why Visit:
Itinerary:
Day 1 - Depart Poland for Cairo with a change in Europe.
Day 2 - Morning flight from Cairo to Socotra via Yemen (a technical stop only, we don’t leave the plane). Our guide will meet us at the airport, and a driver will transfer us to the nearby hotel for rest. After lunch, we visit the amazing beach of Delisha before returning to our hotel and dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 3 - An early breakfast before setting off at 07:30 am for the Dihamri Marine Reserve. The 50-minute drive takes us to the shores of the longest coral reef on Socotra and your first chance to dive in the tropical waters. Diving tanks and weights will be conveniently waiting for us. From the beach we make our way into the water and out to the reef. After a tasty dinner to refuel we’ll go for another dive - this time we get out a bit further by boat. If time permits, we may even squeeze in a third dive for the day! By evening, you should be well accustomed to the warm clear waters of the Indian Ocean! We camp tonight, tents and equipment will have been set up for us, and a personal chef is ready to prepare all our delicious meals.
Diving here is a pleasure - relaxed and easy. The logistics on land are the most challenging part of the experience. Because tourism is in its infancy, associated infrastructure and accommodation is at a more fundamental level than your usual tourist routes. However, the underwater experience more than compensates for any inconveniences. The reefs are in superb health, and favourable ocean currents provide an ideal environment for a vast range of fish - even unique hybrid crossovers of Red Sea and Indian Ocean species! No wonder the Socotra Archipelago is often known as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean!
Day 4 - After breakfast, we head for the marvellous Homhil Reserve. This place is famous for its frankincense trees. The Boswellia serrata is a medium-sized tree usually found in India, north-east Africa and the Middle East. The plant is considered to have numerous medicinal and healing purposes, including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer. The primary compound used for health products is a resin called olibanum, obtained from the tree’s bark and then cleaned. A robust, rich incense extracted from the Boswellia serrata has seen it used in cultural and religious ceremonies since the beginning of time.
As we make our way through the reserve, we’ll have plenty of encounters with the famous Dragon Blood trees before reaching a beautiful natural freshwater pool. We spend the night in camp at Dihamri.
Day 5 - A quick breakfast and we leave camp to head north-east. The Rosh Marine Reserve awaits us. Here we’ll board a boat, and head out for about 15 mins to complete two dives before lunch. This fantastic site is known for its one-kilometre long reef stretching out off the coast.
Day 6 - Up bright and early today! A 6:00 am start sees us travelling to the east of the island (about one hour) to the fishing village of Irsel. We’ll be wreck diving primarily and have a chance to encounter a large number of sharks - this site is famous for them. Watch out for the currents; they can be quite strong here! We return to Hadibo for the night in a hotel.
Day 7 - We set-off today on a 4x4 adventure to the mountains of the Dixam plateau, famous for its plethora of native Dragon Blood trees. Breathtaking views and spectacular photographs are the order of the day! A small community lives in the area, the children love having their photo taken and you can buy many interesting products created from the ‘red blood’ of the famous trees. A great chance to support the local people! Eat lunch in the shade of one of the Dragons before driving on to Qalansiyah Beach and the nearby Detwah lagoon. Here we spend a pleasant, restful afternoon.
Many stingrays live in the area so be careful walking in the shallows; footwear is a must!
Day 8 - Another early rise today and a journey by sea to Shuab Bay. Here we have another fantastic wreck to explore. Warm, crystal clear water will leave us with lasting impressions on our final two dives of the trip. If we’re lucky, a pod of dolphins may accompany our travels, playfully riding the boat’s bow wave. We’ll enjoy lunch aboard before returning in the afternoon to Qalansiyah, and then on to Hadibo by vehicle. We spend our last night in paradise thinking about our imminent return to civilisation...
Day 9 - A morning trip to the Ayhaft Canyon National Park before transferring to the airport for our flight to Cairo. An afternoon touchdown and transfer to our Cairo city centre hotel, the rest of the day is free.
Day 10 - Around noon we fly out to Europe, touching down in the evening.
End of trip.
PRICE:
USD 3,950 + flights
Included in the Price:
Not Included in the Price:
