Passage through the Seychelles
Island Hopping in the beautiful Seychelles aboard the MS Caledonian Sky
- 8 November 2020
"Spread out over a vast area of the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles offers everything from quiet sophistication and enchanting scenery to wild and uninhabited nature reserves, where the very remoteness of the islands has protected them from the worst excesses of mankind."
The Seychelles offers the visitor a tropical beauty that is difficult, if not impossible to match anywhere else in the world. Spread out over a vast area of the Indian Ocean, they offer everything from quiet sophistication and enchanting scenery to wild and uninhabited nature reserves, where the very remoteness of the islands has protected them from the worst excesses of mankind. If ever there was a region perfect for expedition cruising it is here and the MS Caledonian Sky is the perfect size and equipped vessel for our voyage.
Our journey will include all aspects of this extraordinary island nation from the lesser known and rarely visited Outer Seychelles where we visit Aldabra Island Group, the world’s largest coral atoll and a World Heritage Site to the developed Inner Seychelles with staggeringly beautiful islands such as Praslin, La Digue and Aride.
Being one of the most difficult places in the world to access and having a lack of freshwater has saved Aldabra from any tourism development and only small vessels like the MS Caledonian Sky are allowed to visit. It is therefore a great privilege to be able to land on the untouched beaches of Aldabra, the breeding ground for giant tortoise and home to some of the rarest birds in the Indian Ocean. To explore the abundant crystal clear waters of the vast lagoon and to set foot on atolls which have never been exploited by the hand of man is a rare experience.
Useful links & Travel Advice
Please find a selection of useful websites to refer to for information from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, on visa requirements, NHS travel health advice and other useful travel tips.
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What to Expect...
Flexibility is the key to an expedition cruise; sometimes the whole day’s schedule will be changed to maximise your experience, something that would not be possible on a large cruise ship. Each day holds something new and below are some extracts from the ship’s log from last season which will provide you with an idea of what to expect.
Cosmoledo: Today we had another day in the Aldabra group, this time to the island of Cosmoledo. Like the other islands of the Aldabra group this is an uplifted coral island. It was an early start due to the tide times and at 07:30 the flotilla of Zodiacs made the lengthy journey into the mouth of the atoll, across the lagoon to the eastern shore. Once we arrived the site was wondrous with thousands of birds sitting on the coral rock. They were mostly boobies, both red footed and masked, but there were also species of herons, terns, noddies, frigate birds and tropic birds. The sea was also full of turtles. There seemed to be hundreds darting about in the shallow water. The Zodiacs took their time passing up the shore, allowing plenty of bird photos to be taken. We then found little patches of beach to land on and to have a small walk about or a little swim or paddle. All the while the tide was quickly dropping and the beaches were becoming larger and larger. Soon it was time to head back to the ship and for the ship to set sail for the Farquhar Group of islands. Once back aboard we enjoyed lunch and a great talk all about the biology of coral reefs.
Aride & La Digue: The intrepid birders set out early on Aride and were rewarded with the sight of birds that were totally unafraid of man, many of them at very close range. The birds were certainly friendly as were the two species of skink. Whitetailed tropicbirds swooped through the woodland and crash landed in the shrubbery on their way to their nests, their landing technique a stark contrast to their grace in flight. The fairy terns sat on their branches and met us eye to eye. Most people got to see the fluffy little chicks, hatched on a bare branch and now moving around, waiting for their feathers to grow so that they could fly. Seychelles fodies were everywhere! There were many newly fledged chicks, able to fly, but still insisting that their parents provided them with food! The common noddies looked down their noses at us, while common moorhens run around in the undergrowth, far away from water, apart from the falling kind, of course. They too, had chicks. This afternoon we were back in our trusty Zodiacs for a short ride to a very civilised landing on a floating pontoon inside the busy little harbour on La Digue. Here we boarded our camionettes, converted trucks with seats in the back, for our tour of the island. The more adventurous among us boarded bicycles and headed off to explore independently. We drove through the little village of La Passe, full of weaving bicycles, to the l’Union Estate. At the estate we were shown all the processes used in exploiting the coconuts, from dehusking to the copra kiln and the coconut oil mill, powered by a very patient and placid bull. We were also taken to the original old plantation house. Behind the house was the tortoise pen, where we got to meet the giant Aldabra tortoises that are so much part of the image of the Seychelles. We clambered back aboard our camionettes for a short ride to the beach at L’Anse Source d’Argent. The beach is famous, much photographed because of the dramatic contrast of rugged granite boulders, white sand and clear blue sea and we enjoyed a swim before returning to the vessel.
Caledonian Sky
The MS Caledonian Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky and MS Hebridean Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world.
Itinerary
Day 1 London to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Fly by scheduled indirect flight.
Day 2 Dar es Salaam.
Arrive today and transfer to the MS Caledonian Sky. Enjoy welcome dinner and drinks on board as we sail this evening.
Day 3 Zanzibar.
Here the colourful harbour, crowded with dhows, very much sets the scene for our visit to this Arab-style city with its long narrow streets, bazaars, houses with overhanging balconies and intricately carved doorways. On a morning walking tour, soak up the timeless atmosphere of Stone Town including Livingstone House, Sultan’s Palace, the slave market and the old Fort. The afternoon is free to relax and explore independently or join a tour to a spice farm to experience the various fruits and spices cultivated on the island. Alternatively, travel to Jozani Forest which sustains a variety of wildlife and birds, including the rare red colobus monkey, indigenous to the island.
Day 4 At Sea.
Spend a relaxing day at sea as we cross to the Seychelles.
Days 5 to 7 Aldabra Island Group, Seychelles.
We have two and a half days to enjoy the Aldabra group of islands and our itinerary will be in the hands of our Expedition Leader and Captain who will monitor the local conditions to ensure we maximise our time here. Whilst our itinerary is flexible, after a morning at sea, we will plan to call at the island of mankind. Assumption, for clearance into the Seychelles. Assumption was ruthlessly plundered for its vast deposits of guano in the early 20th century but peace has returned and the wildlife of rare birds and green turtles are once again in abundance. Our time here will be spent beachcombing, on a nature walk or snorkelling. We also hope to reach Cosmoledo where a huge ring of twelve islands circle a lagoon. Many of the atolls are still to be surveyed and we will explore some of them by Zodiac. This is an important bird area with all three species of booby found in the Seychelles including the last breeding site for the brown booby. Also spot sooty terns and great frigate birds. We also plan time on Aldabra, the island referred to by Sir Julian Huxley as “One of nature’s treasures and should belong to the whole world”. Aldabra is unique and every time we call at what is believed to be the world’s largest atoll we find something new of interest. Sightings have been made of the extremely rare white throated rail and the atoll is also home to the world’s second largest colony of frigate birds and to the largest crab, the coconut crab. Whilst exploring by Zodiac it is difficult to know in which direction to look. The clear blue seas abound with colourful life, the skies are alive with varied birdlife and ashore giant land tortoises forage as they have done for millions of years. We will explore Picard Island with a short walk to see some of the thousands of tortoises and numerous robber crabs. We will include as much as possible with our time on Aldabra making landings on South Island and trips into the lagoon, a vast 17 mile stretch of shallow clear water. From our Zodiacs we can watch the everchanging undersea world and snorkel in colourful coral waters teeming with marine life.
Day 8 Farquhar Islands.
After a morning at sea we will anchor off Farquhar over lunch where we will use our Zodiacs to explore the sparkling lagoon of this remote atoll ringed island of coconut and casuarina trees. Hawksbill and green sea turtles come to the atoll for nesting, and several of the Farquhar Group’s islands are Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas. The island is a haven providing us with a delightful afternoon of bird watching or snorkelling.
Day 9 Alphonse Islands.
There are three islands in the Alphonse group which is located directly south of the Amirantes. As we approach the islands over lunch you will understand why they are regarded by many to be the most beautiful of the 115 islands in the Seychelles archipelago. On the main island the circular lagoon offers good snorkelling and there are a number of tracks across the island to enjoy island walks.
Day 10 Amirante Islands.
This morning we arrive at the 28 islands in the Amirante Group of islands which were discovered by Vasco de Gama in 1501 and are, considered to be, some of the most pristine and untouched islands in the world. If conditions permit we will spend the day on Desroches, the largest of the islands, although still only measuring six kilometres by 1.5 kilometres. Enjoy nature walks with our naturalists and the island’s conservation team observing the flora and fauna and in particular the giant tortoises and nesting turtles. Meanwhile keen snorkellers will have the chance to swim over the outlying coral.
Day 11 Aride & Curieuse.
Early this morning we will anchor off Aride, one of the finest and most important seabird islands in the Indian Ocean. Over one million seabirds breed on the island including tropical shearwater, lesser noddy, frigatebirds and roseate tern and also five species unique to the Seychelles such as the Seychelles warbler and Seychelles magpie robin. The island is largely covered in native woodland, including the endemic wright’s gardenia, a shrub with beautifully scented flowers found nowhere else in the world. Sail over lunch to Curieuse, a rugged island which was once home to a leper colony and now houses an eco-museum and visitor centre. The island is an important nesting site for hawksbill turtles and boasts endemic vine and mangroves which we explore on an island walk.
Day 12 Praslin & La Digue.
From our overnight anchorage we will land on Praslin to explore the ‘Vallee de Mai’, the last remnant of the original high canopied Seychelles palm forest and home to the coco de mer. We will walk its paths looking out for the rare black parrot and enjoying its natural beauty. Return to the ship for lunch as we sail the short distance to La Digue where huge granite boulders that lie like giant sculptures on the brilliant white beaches of the island. Tour the forested nature reserve and the L’Union Estate, a superbly restored 19th century colonial house. Rent a bicycle, relax or swim from one of the beaches. Tonight we will sail to Mahe where we moor overnight.
Day 13 Mahe to London.
Disembark this morning and transfer to the airport for our scheduled indirect flight to London. Arrive this evening.
Dates and Prices
8 to 20 November 2020 | ||
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Category | Brochure Price | Special Offer Price |
Castle Deck Standard Suite | £9495 | £8995 |
Caledonian Deck Superior Suite | £9795 | £9295 |
Promenade Deck Premium Suite | £9995 | £9495 |
Bridge Deck Deluxe Balcony Suite | £10995 | £10495 |
Promenade Deck Premium Balcony Suite | £11295 | £10795 |
Promenade Deck Owner's Corner Suite | £12495 | £11995 |
Castle Deck Standard for sole use | £11495 | £10995 |
Caledonian Deck Superior for sole use | £11795 | £11295 |
Tour Reference Code: SCCSK081120
PRICE INCLUDES: Economy class scheduled air travel • 11 nights aboard the MS Caledonian Sky on a full board basis • House wine, beer & soft drinks with lunch & dinner on board • Noble Caledonia expedition team • Shore excursions • Gratuities • Transfers • Port taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance, visas.
Important Visa Information: For entry into Tanzania, a single-entry visa is required and must be obtained prior to departure. You can apply for this visa no earlier than 90 days prior to your exit date from Tanzania. You may obtain your Tanzanian visa either via a Tanzanian consulate or via a visa agency (such as CIBT Visas) - we will send you a visa pack from CIBT Visas, and visa application guidelines, along with your pre-departure information.
Caledonian Sky
The MS Caledonian Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky and MS Hebridean Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world.
What to Expect...
Flexibility is the key to an expedition cruise; sometimes the whole day’s schedule will be changed to maximise your experience, something that would not be possible on a large cruise ship. Each day holds something new and below are some extracts from the ship’s log from last season which will provide you with an idea of what to expect.
Cosmoledo: Today we had another day in the Aldabra group, this time to the island of Cosmoledo. Like the other islands of the Aldabra group this is an uplifted coral island. It was an early start due to the tide times and at 07:30 the flotilla of Zodiacs made the lengthy journey into the mouth of the atoll, across the lagoon to the eastern shore. Once we arrived the site was wondrous with thousands of birds sitting on the coral rock. They were mostly boobies, both red footed and masked, but there were also species of herons, terns, noddies, frigate birds and tropic birds. The sea was also full of turtles. There seemed to be hundreds darting about in the shallow water. The Zodiacs took their time passing up the shore, allowing plenty of bird photos to be taken. We then found little patches of beach to land on and to have a small walk about or a little swim or paddle. All the while the tide was quickly dropping and the beaches were becoming larger and larger. Soon it was time to head back to the ship and for the ship to set sail for the Farquhar Group of islands. Once back aboard we enjoyed lunch and a great talk all about the biology of coral reefs.
Aride & La Digue: The intrepid birders set out early on Aride and were rewarded with the sight of birds that were totally unafraid of man, many of them at very close range. The birds were certainly friendly as were the two species of skink. Whitetailed tropicbirds swooped through the woodland and crash landed in the shrubbery on their way to their nests, their landing technique a stark contrast to their grace in flight. The fairy terns sat on their branches and met us eye to eye. Most people got to see the fluffy little chicks, hatched on a bare branch and now moving around, waiting for their feathers to grow so that they could fly. Seychelles fodies were everywhere! There were many newly fledged chicks, able to fly, but still insisting that their parents provided them with food! The common noddies looked down their noses at us, while common moorhens run around in the undergrowth, far away from water, apart from the falling kind, of course. They too, had chicks. This afternoon we were back in our trusty Zodiacs for a short ride to a very civilised landing on a floating pontoon inside the busy little harbour on La Digue. Here we boarded our camionettes, converted trucks with seats in the back, for our tour of the island. The more adventurous among us boarded bicycles and headed off to explore independently. We drove through the little village of La Passe, full of weaving bicycles, to the l’Union Estate. At the estate we were shown all the processes used in exploiting the coconuts, from dehusking to the copra kiln and the coconut oil mill, powered by a very patient and placid bull. We were also taken to the original old plantation house. Behind the house was the tortoise pen, where we got to meet the giant Aldabra tortoises that are so much part of the image of the Seychelles. We clambered back aboard our camionettes for a short ride to the beach at L’Anse Source d’Argent. The beach is famous, much photographed because of the dramatic contrast of rugged granite boulders, white sand and clear blue sea and we enjoyed a swim before returning to the vessel.

Travelling with You
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Rear Admiral John Lippiett
John Lippiett had a 36 year career in the Royal Navy, serving in a large number of ships from aircraft carriers to minesweepers and deployed to all of the world’s operational theatres. He was second-in-command of the frigate HMS Ambuscade throughout the Falklands War, and his book “War and Peas; Intimate letters from the Falklands War” was broadcast on BBC’s Today programme for the 25th anniversary. John commanded three ships, a Frigate Squadron, and then the School of Maritime Warfare. On promotion to Rear Admiral, he flew his Flag at sea as Flag Officer Sea Training before serving in Naples as Chief of Staff of the NATO maritime forces in the Mediterranean. His final posting was as the Commandant of the Joint Services Command and Staff College. John retired and for nearly 13 years was the Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Trust, during which time he led the project to build the award-winning new museum and ensure Henry VIII’s flagship is conserved and displayed for future generations. John retired from the Mary Rose Trust in 2016 and spends much time back at sea as a speaker on maritime history - and this time with his wife Jenny. He much enjoys telling the stories both of exploration, often using old maps, and of naval ventures that have taken place on the world’s oceans over the last two thousand years.
Rear Admiral John Lippiett will be on the following tour dates: 8 to 20 November 2020
Tour Extensions
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Before joining the MS Caledonian Sky we are offering an extension to the Selous Game Reserve which is home to over 1,000,000 large animals and over half of Tanzania’s elephant population. However, one of the major attractions must be the mighty Rufiji river, home to one of the largest crocodile and hippo populations in Africa, swarming with fish which in turn bring about some of the world’s best water birding. The river has also formed several large lakes on its northern bank, navigable by boat and Siwandu Camp is situated on one of these lakes. All safari tents at the camp are widely spaced along the lake shore ensuring maximum privacy and wonderful views. Each tent sits atop its own raised timber platform with two large verandas. The spacious tents are luxuriously appointed, with en-suite bathrooms and open air hot-water showers. The camp has its own swimming pool, enabling guests to cool off in the heat of the day. The dining area and bar areas are raised on viewing platforms, with large comfortable sofas and a wildlife reference library.
The Itinerary
Day 1 London to Dar es Salaam.
Fly by scheduled indirect flight.
Day 2 Dar es Salaam.
Arrive today and transfer to the Hyatt Hotel (or similar) for an overnight stay.
Day 3 Dar es Salaam to Selous.
After breakfast we transfer to the airport for our 45 minute scheduled flight to Mtemere Airstrip in the Selous Game reserve. On arrival transfer to the Siwandu Camp and this afternoon enjoy your first wildlife experience with a boat safari on the Rufiji River, or on a nearby lake, looking for hippos, crocodiles and birdlife. This evening enjoy dinner at the camp.
Days 4 & 5 Siwandu Camp, Selous Game Reserve.
Enjoy two full days in the Reserve with included game drives each day. Maybe enjoy a full day game viewing in Selous Game Reserve with a picnic lunch or a half day walking safari through the bush with a ranger. Alternatively join another boat safari or simply relax in your tent. In the evening enjoy a delicious dinner at the camp.
Day 6 Selous Game Reserve to Dar es Salaam.
Enjoy breakfast in the hotel and a final safari option before transferring to the airstrip for your flight to Dar es Salaam where we transfer to MS Caledonian Sky.
Prices per person based on double occupancy
4 to 9 November 2020 Category Price Twin £3295 Single £4295 Price Includes: Overnight hotel accommodation in Dar es Salaam with breakfast, three nights accommodation at Siwandu Camp on a full board basis, internal flights between Dar es Salaam and Selous Game Reserve, transfers , gratuities, taxes, storage of main cruise luggage at hotel in Dar es Salaam.
Not Included: Travel insurance, Tanzania visa.
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Book with Confidence
Speak to one of our advisors on 020 7752 0000