Day 1: Depart on flight to Seychelles.
Day 2: Arrive at Seychelles International Airport and transfer to beach-side hotel. Remainder of day at leisure.
Day 3: Morning flight to Assumption Island by chartered plane. The flight to Assumption covers some 600 miles and will give us a real appreciation of the vast expanse of the Seychelles Archipelago. Board our expedition ship. Chance for an island visit or swim.
Days 4-9: Six full days exploring the outer waters of the southwest Seychelles in search of whales and dolphins. Sperm Whale, Seychelles This is a particularly productive area and we can expect to see impressive numbers of tropical cetaceans and seabirds. We will definitely make time for shore excursions to Aldabra Atoll (the world’s largest raised atoll, with its unique landscape, the world’s largest population of Giant Tortoises, the world’s second largest Frigatebird colony, a huge population of Green Turtles, plus a fascinating selection of endemic landbirds and some superb reef channel snorkelling). We will also visit Cosmoledo Atoll (famous for its large Booby population) and if time allows we may also call in at the remote Astove Atoll.
Days 11-13: From our hotel base on Praslin we will make excursions to the Vallé de Mai (a World Heritage Site and home to the endemic Coco-de-mer and Seychelles Black Parrot, among others) and the spectacular seabird island of Aride (depending on sea conditions, to see thousands of tropical seabirds plus local endemics). We will also visit the nearby island of La Digue (to look for the gorgeous Petite Anse, La Digue Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher and visit what some say is the most beautiful beach in the World).
Day 14: Final day in Seychelles. Morning at leisure. Transfer to Seychelles International Airport by afternoon internal flight, for night flight home.
Day 15: Arrival at home.
CETACEANS
The Seychelles sprawls over a vast expanse of ocean, with different areas being home to different assemblages of cetaceans. Around the main, granitic islands, the waters are dominated by toothed whales, from mighty Sperm Whales to diminutive Spinner Dolphins. In contrast, the far-flung atoll of Aldabra is a breeding ground for Humpback Whales during the southern winter. Species seen on our trips include:
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae
Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus
Dwarf Sperm Whale Kogia sima
Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris
Spotted Dolphin Stenella attenuata
Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus
Indo-pacific Bottlenose Tursiops aduncus
Fraser’s Dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei
Rough-toothed Dolphin Steno bredanensis
Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus
Shortfin Pilot Whale Globicephala macrorhynchus
Melon-headed Whale Peponocephala electra
False Killer Whale Pseudorca crassidens
Cuvier’s Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris
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