DETAILED ITINERARY FOR THE WEEK-LONG TOUR
Envision stepping onto an alien world where pure bliss envelops you at every turn.That surreal experience awaits you on a journey with Socotra Bliss. Buckle up for a week of enchantment and make your dreams a reality!
Day One: (Airport, Arher)
The magic begins at Socotra International Airport. Upon your arrival, our dedicated tour guide will warmly greet you and our local team will then drive you to the mesmerizing Arher Beach, a haven of high coastal cliffs and pristine white sands, kissed by freshwater streams flowing from the cliffs to the shore. Dive into the turquoise waters or climb up the sand dunes for some truly unforgettable views before the sun bids adieu. Your day ends with a delicious dinner and a night of comfortable camping at this magical destination.
Day two: (Homhil or Hoq Cave, Erissel)
An amazing second day awaits! At dawn, before the sunrise, you can take some of the most breathtaking sunrise photos of your life. Then, breakfast will be ready and after that, you can choose between to experiences: to go to Homhil protected area OR to Hoq cave.
Homhil Pool is located in one the most attractive protected areas in Socotra. This area is also home for a versatile selection of Socotri trees, including: Boswellia, Godrova, the desert rose, the legendary Dragon blood trees and many others. Wandering among these rare species and the natural pool is an extraordinary journey.
Hoq Cave is the cave of darkness and freshwater. Here you will see attractive stalagmites and stalactites, and also wonderful flowstones. Hoq is a magnificent cave in its original state, there are no lights or boardwalks in here, just nature in its wildest form.
For our next stop we return to Arher for lunch. In the afternoon, we have time to relax and you will be then driven to Ras Erissel in the eastern corner of the island where the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean meet. Here, you can enjoy your time until sunset when we will explore even further and visit a local family house for a Socotra tea. Afterwards, we will have dinner on our camp and fall asleep once more on the fabulous Arher beach.
Day three: (Kilissan, Dihamri)
It is morning, guys! Breakfast is ready. After having breakfast, you will be driven to Kilissan Wadi, the biggest natural pool on the island, surrounded by different endemic trees and white limestone cliffs. If you keep an eye out, you can also spot some colour-changing chameleons! We are here until noon, so you have all the time in the world to swim in the breathtaking wadi and jump into itfrom different heights. The second half of your day continues in the water wonderworld when we will drive to Dihamri Marine Reserve, a protected area in the northern coast of Socotra and one of the best places to snorkel on the island. A dive master is available on site and you can rent diving equipment if you want to explore the deeper waters of the sea. The quickest way to immerse yourself in the incredible scenery, however, is to snorkel as Dihamri is home to one of the richest coral reefs of the archipelago. You can easily spend hours in the water and spot countless species of marine life from sea turtles and octopuses to leopard eels, parrot fish and man others. Dinner and overnight camp at Dihamri Beach.
Day four: (Zahek)
This morning feels different! We will travel through the island from north to south, reaching the vast Noged plains a few hours later. This is where the fabulous Zahek sand dunes will be waiting . In this place in the world, all life seems enchanted. Glistening beaches and dancing ocean waves mean only one thing: you have reached the shores of the Indian Ocean. In Zahek, where our camp is pitched, lunch also gets prepared. You can take a nap in the shade and wake up to see how the entire mood has changed together with the light. Every moment in Zahek is magical in its own way, beckoning you to climb the white sands for unparalleled sunset photos and views that are truly one of a kind Dinner and overnight camp in Zahek..
Day five: (Diksam)
Here we go! After having breakfast early in the morning, we will make a quick detour to explore Dagub Cave; a cave of watery rocks where time has honed out marvellous shapes with the help from tiny waterfalls. Then it is time to drive to a higher ground, to a place like no other on Earth, Diksam Plateau, the home of the legendary Dragon blood trees.
We drive through the national park where the alien-looking trees line the roadsides. Here, beauty is as alive as nature itself. Before heading up to the world’s only forest of the dragon trees, we make a stop at the deepest canyon on the island, Wadi Dirhur. Here, palm trees grow at the bottom of the wadi and chunky bottle trees grow straight out of the towering canyon walls. It is a sight to behold! From the wadi, we head up as high as we can, to Firmihin forest where the famous trees are born. We will have lunch under an old tree and have the entire afternoon to explore the forest. We also go for a sunset photo walk with a local guide to see the best views in this otherworldly place. Dinner and camp in the forest.
Day six: (Detwah)
This morning, after having breakfast in Diksam, we leave the high central plateau behind and head to West Socotra, to an amazing village called Qalansiya, the second biggest dominion on the island. From here, it is a short journey to Detwah lagoon, a protected area situated near the meeting point of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. You have all day to swim and explore the beach. We will have lunch in a beautiful cave with a local caveman who will then introduce you to the sweet and wonderful creatures of the lagoon. He knows the lagoon very well, so you don’t need to worry about anything else than taking in all the wonderful sights…
After exploring the lagoon, we return to the camp, have time to shower, eat dinner and will camp overnight on the beach at Detwah lagoon.
Day seven: (Shoab)
This morning is for sailing the waves! Your day starts with a boat ride to Shoab beach, a ride that takes approximately hour and a half. We will hopefully see lots of dolphins on our way and then have plenty of time to swim at Shoab beach, one of the most pristine beaches on the island. We return to the camp for lunch and have time to relax afterwards – after all, you are on your holiday! For the evening sunset photos, you can take your camera out in two following places :
In the first location you can climb to the top of a small mountain to have a high overview of the Detwah lagoon and its blue waters next to the white sands. It is a view out of a beautiful dream but all real in our own world.
The second location is accessible by a car and we will drive to this viewpoint where a wider view of the surrounding landscapes unfolds. Here you can take in the view of both the sea and the surrounding mountain landscape. Dinner and overnight camping at Detwah lagoon.
Day eight (Airport)
We bid you farewell with a delicious breakfast, then drive you to the airport for your flight home.
As nature is the ruler of this island, our adventure-packed itinerary dances to the rhythm of nature’s whims, shifting and swaying with the changing seasons and weather conditions. Brace yourself for the unexpected twists and turns, as we explore the untamed wonders of Socotra, daring to traverse the itinerary in reverse if needed!
