Socotra Island Yemen Tour

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YPT is delighted to announce our first Socotra Arabian Sea Tour for 2021. We will be taking advantage of the new flights going from Cairo into Socotra, stopping by Seiyun in Yemen.

Suffering civil war, coups, revolutions and bombings in recent years, the country of Yemen is generally off the radar for tourists. Unless, that is, you know about the island of Socotra. Located between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula where the Arabian Sea meets the Indian Ocean, Socotra is an ecological wonder. Alien landforms sit above beautiful beaches, and the archipelago is home to a diverse and often unique flora and fauna.

Whether it’s visiting a new and inaccessible country or exploring an ecological paradise, Socotra is a place for everyone.

The tour will take us all around the island to take as many of the sights as possible as we will stay there for a week (until the next scheduled flight brings us back, that is!)

Demand is big and spaces are limited to 14 people at a time!

At the end of this tour, you can join us on our Alternative Egypt tour as well!

Please note that the price of the tour does not include the Yemenia Airways Cairo-Socotra roundtrip ticket which cannot be booked online (approximately $1275) nor the visa fee ($175). These will also be asked to be paid for at the moment of the booking.

ITINERARY

Tuesday 16th March – Cairo

Arrival at your convenience in Cairo
Around 7:00 pm we will meet somewhere central and there will be a place to leave your bag before we head out for dinner and get to know each other.
Around 10:00pm we will head to the airport to catch our Yemenia Airways flight to Socotra.

Wednesday 17th March – Habido – Ayhaft Canyon National Park – Delisha Beach

We will catch our 2:00am flight from Cairo, stopping for a quick layover in Seiyun, mainland Yemen and heading to the island!
Arrival in Habido, Socotra at 8:45am . Upon arrival we’ll be greeted by our local Socotri guide who will accompany us for the trip.
Short drive to Ayhaft Canyon National Park.
Time to wash off the tiredness from that redeye flight by swimming at Delisha Beach. It is a beautiful white beach next to the sea and a lagoon.
Enjoy the magnificent sunset over the sea from the sand dunes, where you’ll see different ships passing by.
Dinner at the Delish Tourist Complex.
Overnight in our centrally located hotel in Hadibo.

Thursday 18th March – Homhil National Park – Arher

After breakfast we’ll head for Homhil National Park. Homhil National Park is famous for its Dragon’s blood trees, which cannot be found anywhere else. 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.
Lunch.
The most hardcore amongst us can descend from the mountain on foot. Others can walk back to the car and be driven down towards the beach.
Drive to Arher.
Arher is the meeting point of freshwater and saltwater, creating an impressive natural phenomenon. Over here you’ll find some giant sand dunes.
You will be free to walk around the area on your own. Those up to the challenge can climb the 300m-high sand dune found here.
Dinner and overnight in Arher.

Friday 19th March – Arher – Hoq’s Cave/Raw Ersil – Dihamri Marine Protected Area

After waking up next to the beach people can choose between 2 morning activities:
A steep hike to Hoq’s Cave (4 hours). This is one of the most important spots on the island. OR:
Be driven to Raw Erisel, the meeting point of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean and walk from there back to the camp.
Once everybody has returned from their chosen activity, we’ll 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!
We’ll bring back freshly caught fish from the sea for dinner in Dihamri. .
Overnight in Hadibo.

Saturday 20th March – Dixsam

We’ll 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 way we’ll stop for photos at Shehahon’s viewpoint
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.

Sunday 21st March –Zahek & Hayf – Dagub – Amak

Today, we`ll head out for walk through the village accompanied by our new local friends, including a visit to the local garden, where they try to plant new Dragon’s Blood trees.
Drive towards the Southern coast at Nogud.
Stop at the big sand dunes of Sahek and Hayf at Amak Beach, where you can swim in the sea.
Cave of Dagub.
Lunch at the cave or at Amak Beach, depending on the sun.
Dinner and overnight in Dixsam, surrounded by Dragon’s Blood trees.

Monday 22nd March – Qalansiya – Shuaab

Early morning drive to Qalansiya, the second biggest 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. 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.
Overnight camping at Detwah Eco-campsite.

Tuesday 23rd March – Hadibo

Return to Hadibo.
We’ll spend the day on a city tour of Hadibo and learn more about life in Yemen.
Our first stop will be the women market (including its spice market) where you will get to see the kind of goods people barter on the islands.
We will then head to the fish market. Here the fishermen bring a cornucopia of sea creatures and try to sell them to make ends meet. This place can get very lively and we might catch some auctions!
We’ll then head to the khat market; it is here that the stimulating narcotic — all the rage in Eastern Africa — is sold.
We will stop by the streets of the manufacturers of doors; these artists make ornate doors like those that can be found around many middle-eastern countries. They really make an art of it as each door is unique and is supposed to represent the family that lives inside the house it protects.
We finish our day trip popping by a local school where we meet students, as well as the teachers, and interact with them. An impromptu English lesson, maybe?
Tonight is our last night in the faraway paradise, so we will celebrate the great times we had!
Overnight in our hotel in Hadibo

Wednesday 24th March – Habido – Cairo (Egypt)