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Wild Socotra on foot

Fri, 27 Oct

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Meeting place: Socotra airport

Spend a week hiking through one of the remotest continental landforms on Earth. Walk among the rare dragon blood trees and summit secluded mountain passes hiding bedouin villages and shepherd trails. A swim next to majestic sand dunes will crown your adventure!

Wild Socotra on foot
Wild Socotra on foot

Time & Location

27 Oct 2023, 12:00 – 03 Nov 2023, 12:00

Meeting place: Socotra airport

About the trip

The Trip

This is a trip of a lifetime, an adventure into a land like no other.

We will hike through the central mountain ranges of Socotra, one of the most isolated continental landforms on Earth. Socotra is home to landscapes that feel out of this world.  Think high coastal cliffs hugging magnificently white sand dunes, mushroom-shaped trees, giant vultures circling the skies, and alien-looking plants growing out of towering rock walls. And trust us, that is just the beginning. Socotra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than a third of the species growing here not found anywhere else on the planet. It is a place that is an absolute privilege to experience, an island with a culture steeped in kindness and hospitality, surrounded by the waters of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Our hike will take us into the wild heart of the island, past mountain villages and into the world’s only forest of dragon blood trees. These legendary trees grow only on Socotra and have inspired seafarers and benefitted traders for thousands of years. We will follow trails through meandering wadis, climb up mountain passes, take in the views from the highest point on Socotra and finish our hiking journey in a unique natural spot with a freshwater pool to swim in.

During the hike, you will be carrying a day bag with your snacks and water, our camels will be carrying our tents and other camping gear.

TRIP OUTLINE

Day 1. Arrival to Socotra from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Preparations for the trip and briefing for the week ahead. Night at the campsite on the shores of the Arabian Sea.

Day 2. Early transport to the starting point of the hike. It is time to meet our camels, give them some of our heavier stuff and wave goodbye to our cars. To warm up our legs, we follow a dirt road up to a mountain pass and get off it just when the views get too alluring to ignore. By the time we reach our lunch spot, we are already surrounded by the magnificent Haeghher mountains. After lunch, we follow meandering trails through beautiful wadis, take shade under palm trees and set up camp before sundown.

Day 3. A glorious uphill hiking day that will take us to one of the most special forests in the world. On the high plateau in the middle of Socotra lies the Firmihin forest, home of the dragon blood trees. We have lunch under these magnificent creatures and spend the rest of the afternoon on local walks and chasing the sunset colours under the trees.

Day 4. The biggest mountain day with the biggest reward. Today we head to Skand, the mountain massif with the highest peak on Socotra towering at 1500 meters. Skand is a protected area with a high level of local endemism, making it an extraordinary area on already a unique island. Trust us when we say Skand will make your head spin – not because of the heights but from the attempt of trying to take it all in, to keep your eyes on the imposing peaks and on the plant life on the ground level. It is a special place to witness. After the summit, we come back down to the forest and set up camp for the night.

Day 5. A slower pace hiking day takes us down from the high plateau into a world looking like an ancient rock kingdom. Once again, we enter a completely different ecosystem with unparalleled canyon views and surprisingly green grasses.

Day 6. Our relaxing way downhill continues until we reach Wadi Ayahaft. Our final day is an easy walking day, finishing in a freshwater wadi where we can swim, rest and sunbathe. We set up camp in the wadi, and make a campfire in the evening.

Day 7. A short walk takes us to our cars. We say goodbye to our faithful camels and mountain guide and drive to a beach in eastern Socotra. We spend the entire day in the sun next to the tallest sand dunes on the island. You can follow your heart for the rest of the day – climb all the dunes, find your way up coastal cliffs or play in the waves until sundown. The night skies are something else in this corner of the island and we will fall asleep to the sound of the waves.

Day 8. Breakfast on the beach and transfer to the airport for the journey home.

PRICE OF THE TRIP: £1870

[£1320 payable on booking, 500 GBP on arrival]

By booking your spot for the trip, you accept the terms & conditions for travelling.

Tickets

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    Price of the trip: £1870 [£1320 payable on booking, 500 GBP on arrival]

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