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Day 1: Join tour Mahé Island
Arrive at hotel and check-in. We spend our first afternoon exploring Mahé's capital, Victoria, on foot. While it may be more of a 'capital town' than a capital city, Victoria (population 25,000) is definitely worth exploring. Independence Avenue, the modern shopping centre, is as charming and full of life as the old colonial quarter with its colourful houses and market. Even new buildings are constructed in traditional Creole style in keeping with the preservation of Creole culture. The heart of the city is the area around the cathedral and its clock tower. We include a visit to the Botanical Gardens to see the famous, suggestively-shaped coco de mer nut, giant tortoises and a collection of rare, exotic plants.
Overnight Guest House (H+)
Day 2: On Mahé Island
Mahé is the Seychelles' political and economic centre. Only 27km long and 8km wide, the island has some beautiful beaches, with soft white sand, graceful palms and imposing granite boulders. The incredible diversity of the island's scenery and vegetation is due, in part, to its mountainous interior. Morne Seychellois, with an altitude of 905m, is Mahé's highest peak and is often bathed in swirling mists. Roads on Mahé are wellmaintained and provide good access to some of the many coves and villages. On one of our days here you have the opportunity to join an optional tour of the island. During the tour we plan to follow the short 'Glacis Trois Frères Trail' through lush rainforest and across weathered granite boulders to a viewpoint with a magnificent panorama of Victoria. A visit to Port Launay Marine National Park and a drive around the bays and beaches of the south is also included in the optional tour.
Overnight Guest House (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Optional snorkelling trip to Baie Ternay
Baie Ternay was designated as a protected Marine Park in 1979. The calm, crystal clear waters are perfect for snorkelling and the Seychellois are proud to show visitors the magic of an underwater world. An optional boat trip can be booked through your tour leader providing a fascinating insight into the natural history of the reefs. The far-sighted policy of the Seychelles government has ensured that the corals and fish in the Marine National Park form one of the best-protected marine environments in the world.
Overnight Guest House (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Optional Walks
Today your leader can organise other optional walks for those interested. You could, of course, choose to simply find your own quiet place in paradise to soak up laid-back island life or cool off in the inviting waters of a hidden cove.
Overnight Guest House (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Catamaran to Praslin Island
Today we transfer to Victoria harbour and take the fast catamaran ferry north to Baie Ste. Anne on the island of Praslin (approx.1 hour crossing). Praslin, the second largest island in the Seychelles, has around 7,000 inhabitants, yet is only 40 sq.km in size! Coral reefs surrounding the island are said to be only six to eight thousand years old – young for reefs! The rest of the day is free to explore the island. You might like to join your leader for an optional walk in the afternoon.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 6: On Praslin Island
Today your tour leader can organise a trip by local bus and on foot – a great way to discover back road charm and island hospitality.
Overnight Guest House (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Optional boat trip for snorkelling
Praslin is also an ideal place from which to visit many of the other, smaller, islands off the coast. Boat excursions can be organised locally including a visit to Cousin Island, Curieuse Island Marine Park and the islet of St. Pierre – a perfect place for snorkelling. Cousin Island Special Nature Reserve is of particular interest to nature and bird lovers. It has the largest population of breeding Hawksbill turtle in the Seychelles (though rarely seen) and an occasional Green turtle. There are also a small number of giant Aldabra tortoise which have been reintroduced and 'wander' around freely. The island is, however, mainly noted as a bird sanctuary with over 52 species recorded here. With no predators, ground-nesting birds flourish on Cousin. Lesser Noddies nest in huge numbers in season (up to 100,000 pairs on the island). While Brown Noddies, bridled terns, fairy terns, the Seychelles fody (or tok tok), Madagascar fody, shearwaters and warblers can regularly be seen.
Overnight Guest House (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Visit to Praslin NP, PM Free
Praslin is home to one of Seychelles' two World Heritage Sites – the Vallee de Mai. It is a primeval rainforest containing the famous coco de mer palms that have the largest, heaviest and most suggestively-shaped nuts in the world. Local folklore has it that, at sundown, the male coco de mer trees lean over the female trees and no human spectator ever lives to tell the tale of what follows. The result of all this nocturnal activity is the curious double-hulled nut that resembles the female pelvis. Vanilla orchids, a variety of lizards and some of Earth's rarest birds also reside there. We include a visit to this fabulous rainforest in Praslin National Park with an option to follow a scenic 2 hour walking trail through the park.
Overnight Guest House (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 9: Ferry to La Digue
Today we take a short ferry ride from Baie Ste. Anne to laidback La Digue Island. We transfer by ox cart to our accommodation and settle in to our new island surrounds. For tropical charm, La Digue has it all – tumbledown plantation houses, dusty roads used by slow-moving bicycles and ox-carts and a working coconut plantation open to visitors. The beaches of La Digue are supposedly the most photographed in the world and are distinguished by the weathered granite boulders that resemble modern art pieces. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore at leisure.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 10: On La Digue Island
Sleepy La Digue is only 10 sq. km in size with a population of around 2,500, most of whom work in either tourism, fishing or boat building. It is the epitome of idyllic isolation and time here is generally left unstructured to allow you to follow your own interests. Your leader will, for those that are interested, lead a walking tour on the island to include the working coconut plantation of L'Union Estate which is home to a wonderful example of Creole architecture and provides access to a succession of stunning beaches featuring massive or bizarrely eroded granite boulders.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 11: Optional walks
During your time on La Digue you may like to take a walk through La Digue Vev Reserve. This special reserve was created in 1987 as a safe haven for the rare and very beautiful black paradise flycatcher, (or vev in Creole). Your tour leader will also accompany an optional early morning walk to 'Belle Vue', one of the island's best viewpoints.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 12: Optional Snorkelling excursion
The island is almost completely encircled by coral reef allowing opportunities for snorkelling and diving. An optional boat excursion to the nearby islands of Grande Soeur, Cocos and Felicite is possible on one of our days. Bicycle hire is also available.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 13: Ferry and Catamaran to Mahé Island
Today we return to Mahé Island by ferry and catamaran and enjoy our last day in this tropical paradise. Passengers with group flights booked direct through Explore have access to hotel rooms until departure for the airport. Land only passengers end their tour on arrival in Maché at approx 11am.
Included meals: Breakfast
