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Located in the Arabian Sea, Socotra is an isolated island that has always kept safe and attracted visitors, despite belonging to war-torn Yemen.
Home to around 60,000 people, Socotra is also rich in a very unique flora and fauna that made it become a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008.
Dragon trees, white sandy beaches, unique cultural heritage and a wide range of endemic species, Socotra is a very different destination from anywhere you’ve seen in the Middle East.
Join us on this epic expedition to Socotra at the end of the year!
December 31st, 2024 to January 7th, 2025
€1690
8 days
Lead by Leti Lagarda
Note that we always keep the itinerary flexible, and it may be subject to change, depending on the political situation.
Day 1 – Arrival in Hadibou & Hutan Dara
Day 2 – Aomak beach & Zahek sand dunes
Day 3 – Wadi Kalysan & Homhill
Day 4 – Arher beach
Day 5 – Hoq cave
Day 6 – Detwah Lagoon
Day 7 – Shoab beach
Day 8 – Transfer to Hadibou and departure
On December 31st, we will meet at the respective check-in counter in Abu Dhabi International Airport around 3 hours before departure.
Upon arrival in Hadibou, we’ll go straight for lunch, followed by a quick stop at the currency exchange office.
Then, we’ll drive to Hutan Dara, the Dragon Blood Trees forest, where we’ll set up our camp.
Overnight in Hutan Dara campsite.
Day 2 of the tour will be the first day of the year (January 1st), a day which is going to be very special since you will be waking up in the middle of Dragon Blood Trees.
After breakfast, transfer to the south of the island to Aomak beach for a swim. Then, transfer to Zahek campsite for lunch.
After lunch, we’ll do a hike across the sand dunes towards the beach, one of the most unspoiled and best beaches in Socotra. Hiking time: around 2 hours, easy.
Overnight in Zahek campsite.
Early start, breakfast and drive to Wadi Kalysan, a natural valley home to a massive and absolutely mind-blowing pool. Hiking time: around 1.5 hours, easy-moderate.
Then, we’ll head for Homhill, not without first stopping in a gorgeous butter tree forest.
After lunch, we’ll hike down to Homhill Infinity Pool for another swim.
Overnight in Homhill campsite.
Arher is one of the most popular sites in all of Socotra, popular for its colossal sand dunes overlooking the pristine beaches of this part of the island.
In the morning, however, we will offer the possibility to hike down from Homhill to the coast. Hiking time: around 1.5 hours, easy-moderate.
From there, we’ll transfer to Crab Beach, one of the most gorgeous campsites in Socotra.
After lunch, possibility to hike up one of the highest dunes.
Overnight in Crab beach.
Early start to hike up to Hoq Cave, a pretty impressive and nearly 3-kilometer deep cave, which we will certainly explore with our local team. Hiking time: 4-5 hours, moderate.
After the hike, we’ll go to Ahrer, where we’ll camp for the night.
Dinner and overnight in Ahrer.
We will start the day heading to Qalansiya, the second largest city in Socotra, a sleepy town with a fishermen’s atmosphere.
From there, we’ll take a boat to Shoab, a tropical beach only reachable by boat.
Then, we’ll go back to Qalansiya and make our way to our campsite in Detwah Lagoon.
In the afternoon, there will be the possibility of visiting the caveman, but it’s not guaranteed. Otherwise, we recommend walking to the beach.
Overnight in Detwah Lagoon.
In the morning, hike up the highest hill in the area, the best viewpoint on the island and, in Joan Torres’ opinion, the best hike in all the Middle East. Hiking time: 4-5 hours, moderate-hard.
Then, drive to Delisha, a pretty cool beach relatively close to Hadibou.
We’ll set up camp in Delisha. After lunch, there’s the possibility of hiking another pretty cool and high dune.
Overnight in Delisha.
After breakfast, transfer to Hadibou International Airport.
End of the tour.
Visa processing and respective fees
Transportation and driver around Socotra
English-speaking Socotri guide
International tour leader
Airport transfers
All camping
All meals and water
Entrance fees to all places listed in the itinerary
International flights to Socotra from Abu Dhabi (around $950)
Tips. In Socotra, the local team will expect tips.
Travel insurance (from €38)
December 31st, 2024 to January 7th, 2025
€1690
8 days
Lead by Leti Lagarda
We don’t stay in any hotels. Socotra is a full camping trip.
For camping, we’ll all stay in individual tents.
All tents will also have their own mattress, pillow and blanket, so you don’t need to bring any extra camping gear.
You can fly in and out from Abu Dhabi.
Flights can’t be booked online, but we will book them for you through a local agent based in Abu Dhabi.
We will arrange it for you, no worries. All we’ll require is a copy of your passport.
All nationalities, and that includes US citizens too.
We will limit it to a maximum of 12-13 people.
To secure your spot on the tour, we require a deposit.
More details will be shared upon booking.
Yes, if you want to join any of our expeditions, you must purchase travel insurance, this is non-negotiable, and it must be with IATI.
Why do we have to book it with IATI?
Against the Compass has been a partner with IATI for a very long time. We know their CEO, the marketing team and we do a lot of collaborations together so in the unlikely case something happened, we’d know what to do.
Moreover, IATI Insurance covers all the countries where the FCDO advises against all travel.
You may also benefit from a 5% discount if purchasing it from the below link.
Get a quote here to claim your discount
Please refer to our Terms & Conditions.