Day 1 (Sun)
Arrive Mahe where you will be welcomed to the island and transferred to your small comfortable hotel close to the Beau Vallon beach. You will have the remainder of the day to acclimatise and recover from your overnight flight.
Day 2 (Mon)
Today you have the option to relax, take in a walk of the stunning granite coastlines, swim or perhaps locally hire a car and discover the hidden beaches and forest cloaked mountains which define this beautiful island.
Divers will be able to take advantage of three boat-based dives to one of several excellent sites in the north of the island.
Day 3 (Tue)
If you are not diving then you will be collected in the morning by your natural history guide - a local expert who will provide an insight into Mahe's classic combination of native forest and exotic flora, including the extremely rare Jellyfish Tree (Medusagyne oppositifolia).
Divers will conduct this trek in the afternoon, whilst in the morning you will conduct two boat-based dives, perhaps taking in the idyllic island of L'ilot or entering the Baie Ternay Marine Park for the excellent underwater highlights at Grouper point.
Day 4 (Weds)
(B,D)
After a relaxed breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel and taken to the airport for a small aircraft flight to the Seychelles most northerly point: Bird Island. As you fly in, you should be able to see the turquoise waters around the island giving way to a darker blue off its northern tip. This is where the relatively shallow Inner Islands 'shelf' drops off some 2 kilometres into the deep Indian Ocean.
As soon as you step off the plane you will see the hundreds of thousands of birds which are either resident or seasonal visitors to this island. There are some stunning white sand beaches here, good snorkelling, the World's oldest known living tortoise and opportunities at some times of the year to see turtles.
Day 5 (Thurs)
(B,L,D)
Full day on Bird Island.
Day 6 (Fri)
(B)
After a relaxed breakfast you will be flown back to Mahe where you will stay overnight in the same hotel.
Day 7 (Sat) Classic Yacht embarkation
(B,L,D)
After breakfast you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the Victoria quay where you will join your classic yacht diving and sailing voyage around the inner islands. After a welcome and briefing by the captain, you will weigh anchor and head to Round Island, just off Praslin. In the evening you will enjoy a welcome Barbecue.
Day 8 (Sunday)
(B,L,D)
A morning of discovery, snorkelling or diving.
Afternoon, sail to Bay Ste Anne Jetty, Praslin Seychelles second largest inhabited island. This coral fringed island has sizeable stands of unique island rainforest as well as beaches and bays which are simply some of the most stunning on Earth. There are some great snorkelling and diving spots around the island where it is relatively common to see turtles and shoals of blue spotted rays, as well as some highly unusual pelagics such as the Guitar Shark. Praslin is particularly famous for the Valle de Mai World Heritage Site: the one and only home of the Coco de Mer palm tree whose giant nut is the world's largest. Size is not all that makes this nut famous and its phallic female form is matched by an equally dramatic male stamen. Guests can disembark to visit the World Heritage site: Vallée De Mai Nature Reserve.
Day 9 (Mon)
(B,L,D)
Today you sail towards La Digue island. La Digue is a beautiful island with a sleepy atmosphere. Car use is restricted and cycles and ox carts are the main mode of transport. Both styles are excellent ways of getting around, though you will need to walk to reach the island's highest point by taking a winding path through native forest. The views from here are excellent overlooking the coral reefs which encircle La Digue as well as other islands scattered beneath you across the Indian Ocean.
There are some excellent flatter walking areas on the island too, taking you through native forest which is home to the rare black paradise flycatcher. Other highlights include the chinese bittern, cave swiftlet, waxbill and two rare species of terrapin. After walking along one of these trails you can end up at just one of the island's spectacular bays whose white sand beaches are protected on two sides by giant granite boulders.
Day 10 (Tues)
(B,L,D)
Sail to Grande Soeur and Petite Soeur for a visit to these unique uninhabited tropical islands. Grand Soeur is dominated by massive granite boulders and reaches a height of just over 100m. The best diving and snorkelling is on the western beaches and there are several walks to enjoy around this very pretty palm fringed island. Its neighbouring sister island, Petite Soeur, is a little smaller island and separated from its neighbour by a deep channel. In the afternoon we sail to the Cocos island, part of a marine protected area where corals are protected and recovering well from the coral bleaching eposide of 1998.
Day 11 (Weds)
(B,L,D)
Sail to Booby Island for diving and water sports in the morning. After lunch, sail to Aride Island, nature reserve for an afternoon of exploration.
Day 12 (Thurs)
(B,L,D)
Sail to Curieuse Island for a visit through the mangrove forests and the giant tortoise conservation project. Barbeque lunch on the beach. The afternoon will be dedicated to diving, water sports or relaxing.
Day 13 (Fri)
(B,L,D)
After breakfast we sail towards Mahe. On the way we stop at Ile Seche for the last opportunity for snorkelling, diving and a farewell barbecue. During the evening we sail into Port Victoria for our overnight stay.
Day 14 (Sat)
(B,L,D)
Disembarkation at 8:30a.m.
Transfer to the airport for your flight home … unless you would like us to make arrangements to extend your stay.
Note: itineraries may be subject to alteration due to weather conditions, directions from the Seychelles authorities or the decision of the guides and captain. |
Print 
E-Mail
