YPT Tours to Socotra
Young Pioneer Tours are proud to announce our Socotra Tours for 2026 and 2027, as well as our Socotra independent tour options.
Suffering civil war, coups, revolutions and bombings in recent years, the Republic of Yemen is generally off the radar for most tourists, unless of course you know of travel to the paradise-like island of Socotra.
An ecological wonder with flora and fauna that is unique only to the island, this the most alien place on Earth. While mainland Yemen remain mostly off-limits, now is the best time to visit Socotra.
GROUP TOURS TO SOCOTRA (YEMEN)
Whether it’s coming to a new and inaccessible country, exploring an ecological paradise, hiking, camping, spotting wildlife or having an in-depth experience of Yemen, Socotra is a place for everyone.
Every facet of the Yemen visa process is taken care of by YPT for €200 – no need to send your passport away anywhere. The Yemenia Airways Jeddah – Socotra chartered round-trip ticket is an additional $950 per person, which we also arrange for you.
2026 Socotra tours
Our first tour of 2026 to Socotra. This has us hitting up all the major sites, as well as the hidden gems that only YPT know about.
Socotra Yemen Island March Tour – March 4th – 11th, 2026 – €1695
Socotra Yemen Island October Tour – October 13th – 19th, 2026 – €1645
Our first tour after the windy season has abated in Socotra, this a great time to visit Socotra. One of our most popular Socotra tours and one which fills up very quickly!
Socotra Yemen Island December Tour – December 15th – 21st, 2026 – €1645
INDEPENDENT TOURS TO SOCOTRA
In case our dates do not fit yours, you would like to travel alone, or you would like a bespoke Socotra itinerary, then Young Pioneer Tours can help arrange the perfect Socotra tour. Prices depend on the number of people and what level of accommodation you require.
Example of a Socotra Itinerary (6 nights, 7 days)
The following is the standard itinerary we use for our Socotra tours. Our current standard tour starts and finishes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Day 1 – Tuesday – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – Hadibu, Socotra
- Depart 8:00am at Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport for check-in at the Yemen Airways counter. You’ll be able to discuss tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers
- Depart on our 11:00am flight to Hadibu, Socotra, arriving at 2:30pm. Upon arrival we’ll be greeted by our local Socotri guide who will accompany us for the trip.
- Begin our drive to Ayhaft Canyon National Park where you can enjoy a short walk to stretch your legs after the flight and lunch.
- Continue to Delisha Beach – a beautiful white beach next to the sea and a lagoon where we can enjoy the sunset and beverages
- Dinner at the Delish Tourist Complex.
- Overnight in our centrally located hotel in Hadibu
Day 2 – Wednesday – Qalansiya – Shuaab – Detwah
- Breakfast and early morning drive to Qalansiya, the second largest city on the island.
- We’ll take an half an hour long boat trip to Shuaab, passing by huge rock formations and flocks of birds. If we are lucky we might spot a few dolphins!
- Relax at the most beautiful beach of Socotra and meet the local goat herder, guarding his flock against the lupine hordes.
Afternoon
- Lunch on the beach.
- Upon returning to Qalansiya we’ll drive to Detwah Lagoon.
- Here we’ll make our camp and you can walk around the big lagoon and see the amazing landscape.
- Located by the lagoon is a hidden cave where Ellai, famously known as the Socotra caveman spends his days fishing, preparing aloe vera and goat skins. He’s incredibly welcoming to our groups and will show you what he days on a daily basis.
- Overnight camping at Detwah Eco-campsite.
Day 3 – Thursday – Dixsam – Derhur – Fermahin
- Breakfast and begin drive to the Dixsam Plateau. This is the most famous spot for the Dragon’s Blood trees, where you can also spot many rare birds.
- Along the drive we’ll stop for photos at Shehahon’s viewpoint
Afternoon
- We will have lunch in the village of Dixsam. Here we’ll meet the head of the village who will happily tell more about his functions here and the situation of the people living on Socotra Island.
- Stop at Wadi Derhur where we can take a walk. This used to be a famous camping spot, but sadly, after a major storm everything was damaged.
- Hike through the beginning of Fermahin – a forest of Dragon’s Blood trees.
- Tonight we’ll mingle with the people of a typical Socotri village!
- Dinner and overnight at a homestay in Dixsam.
Day 4 – Friday – Arher
- After breakfast, we drive to Arher, where towering white sand dunes meet the sea and a freshwater stream flows directly into the ocean.
- In Ahrer, you’ll have the opportunity to swim in both the sea and the freshwater creek, relax on the beach or climb the dunes for sweeping views.
- Free to explore around the area on your own. Those up to the challenge may climb the 300 meter high sand dune found here.
Afternoon
- Lunch
- After lunch, we’ll drive to Raw Erisel, the meeting point of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
- Dinner and overnight in Arher.
Day 5 – Saturday – Hoq’s Cave – Homhil
- Breakfast, then a hike to Hoq’s Cave (4 hours). This is one of the most important spots on the island.
- After the hike to the cave entrance, you’ll have time inside to see stalactites, stalagmites and ancient inscriptions dating back to early settlements on Socotra.
Afternoon
- After lunch, we’ll head for Homhil National Park – famous for its Dragon’s Blood trees, which cannot be found anywhere else outside of Socotra. But that’s not all: many other impressive forms of flora like the bottle tree and the cucumber plant can be found here. After an hour’s walk we’ll reach an amazing crystal-clear pool with a view over the whole southern part of Socotra.
- Overnight at our campsite in Homhil.
Day 6 – Sunday – Dixsam – Zahek & Hayf – Dagub – Amak – Dixsam
- Breakfast
- We’ll then travel to Wadi Kalisan, stopping at Qaria Lagoon along the way, where flamingos and other birdlife are often seen.
- You’ll walk down into Kalisan Canyon, known for its clear freshwater pools and lush surroundings.
Afternoon
- We’ll have lunch and drive to Dihamri Marine Protected Area. While the beach may not be so spectacular here, in the sea you’ll find a great diversity of flora and fauna.
- Here, diving and snorkelling are available (rental available, extra cost) or you can also decide to join the local fishermen for sea expedition!
- Overnight in Hadibu
Day 7 – Monday – Hadibu – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Early breakfast and before heading back to the airport
- On the way, we stop at a small women-run heritage and souvenir shop, supporting local Socotri women and their livelihoods.
- We’ll board the 10:30am flight, arriving in Jeddah at 2:00pm
- Tour concludes
Bespoke Socotra tours
We do not list all of our bespoke Socotra itineraries, but can offer some examples, such as the following;
- Diving in Socotra tours – Diving can be added to any itinerary, even group tours, but with an amazing amount of aquatic beauty we can offer scuba diving specific tours to Socotra.
- Scientific tours to Socotra – With the unique wildlife, flora and fauna found in Socotra, we can arrange Socotra tours specifically designed around this. Get in touch so that we can arrange everything regarding your project.
- Two week tours to Socotra – With the flight situation as it is, tours can be one week, two, or theoretically longer! While three weeks would be a bit if push, there is certainly enough to warrant a two week Socotra tour. Again, get in touch for options.
- Socotra Tours for journalists – Much like other countries in the region, journalists wishing to do a story about Socotra need a special visa. YPT can arrange Socotra Tours for journalists. Please get in touch to discuss requirements.
- Fishing Tours to Socotra – Socotra offers some of the best and untouched fishing in the world. We can arrange fishing tours to Socotra to suit all needs and budgets. This includes utilizing local fishing boats for budget tours, or chartering bigger boats for more intensive fishing tours to Socotra.
Frequently asked questions about travel to Socotra
The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about our tours to Socotra. If you have further questions then get in touch and talk to the Socotra experts
June to September is the infamous windy season which makes it incredibly difficult to be on the island so we advise against travelling during those months.
There are no ATMs and credit cards are not accepted anywhere on the island.
We will stay in a homestay where there isn’t access to electricity or running water. You are advised to bring plenty of power banks to make sure you have all the power you need to take photos of the memorable things we will encounter and use your electronics during our stay.
As we will go camping, it would be well advised to make sure you can go on around 72 hours without plugging your electronics. If you have car adapters, it is well advised to bring them so that you can charge your electronics as we go.
Socotra commonly uses a mixture of pins such as the 3 round pin “euro-style” power points, the American style PowerPoint and even sometimes the UK-style power points. It is highly advised to bring a universal adaptor as the standard voltage is different from the ones found in Europe and America.
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If you have more questions about traveling to Socotra then please get in touch.
