Aldabra Atoll
Seychelles · Outer Islands · 8 m
Description
Aldabra is the largest raised coral atoll in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lying eleven hundred kilometres southwest of Mahé and closer to Madagascar than to the rest of the Seychelles. Its isolation kept it intact, and around a hundred thousand Aldabra giant tortoises live here, more than anywhere else on earth and far more than on the Galápagos. The flightless white-throated rail is the last flightless bird of the Indian Ocean. Access is by research permit or expedition ship only, and visitor numbers stay in the hundreds each year. Nobody lives here beyond the research station staff.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 3 to 12 days (optimal 7 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: December – April
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Aldabra Atoll (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Around a hundred thousand giant tortoises
- Flightless white-throated rail
- Tidal channels and the lagoon at full flood
- Frigatebird and red-footed booby colonies
- Green turtle nesting beaches (October - February)
- Champignon limestone formations
- Diving on the untouched outer reef
- Research station on Picard island
- Tiger sharks and manta rays in the passes