A Little Bit of Paradise
Around 1,700km due east of Mombassa in Kenya, and around 1,100km north east of Madagascar lies the fairytale island kingdom of the Seychelles. On Mahé, the biggest island in the group, you can find both the capital city, Victoria, and the international airport.
The perfect weather and climate for a beach holiday
The country consists of a central group 4 large and 36 small granite islands together with more than 50 outlying coral islands, that are spread over a huge expanse of the Indian Ocean of nearly 1.4 million km2. The islands lie close to the equator and outside the cyclone belt, so the weather here is stable and calm, and the climate tropical. Most of the islands annual rainfall occurs in the months between November and April.
High season: April to October
SEYSCHELLES HIGHLIGHTS
- Outstanding white sandy beaches framed by beautiful, rounded granite rocks on the central islands.
- Small, remote “paradise” islands, with only a single exclusive beach hotel
- Snorkelling and diving on beautiful coral reefs
- Activities including walking, cycling, big game fishing and sailing
Practical information for tours to the Seychelles
Equipment:
As a customer of Askari Tours you will receive a 5% discount at Backpackerlife (not including their package offers). At Backpackerlife you can find a wide range of useful products that you might need on your holiday, eg., rucksacks, mosquito nets/ insect repellent, head torches and much more. You can see everything they offer on their website here.
Attractions
The Wildlife of the Seychelles
Highlights:
- Outstandingly beautiful nature on isolated islands with many unique plants and animals
- The huge Aldabra Giant Tortoise and Coco de Mer coconut
- Exciting birdlife, especially on the smaller islands where you can find many seabirds
- Good snorkelling and diving on fine coral reefs with many colourful fish
Most visitor to the Seychelles, which consist of 40 central granite islands and more than 50 surrounding coral island, come here to relax and enjoy life on a heavenly tropical beach. However the islands can also offer an exciting and very unusual flora and fauna that is well worth spending time on.
The central, inner islands are the world’s oldest oceanic islands and the only ones on earth that consist of granite. The islands are also very isolated and are home to outstanding plant- and animal species that can be seen nowhere else. Amongst the most spectacular of these are the huge Coco de Mer coconut and the Aldabra giant tortoise. The latter live on the Seychelles largest, and the world’s second biggest coral atoll, Aldabra, which is around 1,000km south of Mahé. It shares the record as being the world’s biggest tortoise with the famous Galapagos tortoise. Its shell can reach a length of over 120cm, and a weight of over 250kg, and it can live to at least 200 years of age. To help ensure the survival of this species, monitored populations of this animal have been introduced onto the islands of Curieuse, La Digue, Praslin and Mahé, which makes also much easier to see them. The double-lobed Coco de Mer coconut comes from a palm tree some 25-30m in height, which produces this impressive nut which can be up to half a meter in diameter and weigh up to 42kg. The nut contains the world biggest plant seed which can reach a weight of 17kg. Today this palm only grows naturally on the two islands of Praslin and Curieuse, having been eradicated from three smaller islands where it grew in the past. However it is also possible to see them on the islands of Mahé and Silhouette, and colonies of these plants have been established here to help ensure their survival.
The outer islands are classical small coral islands, surrounded by white palm-fringed beaches and coral reefs. The wildlife of these islands is generally less varied and species rich, but they do have very good bird life, especially when it come to seabirds, There are also beaches where turtles lay their eggs.
All around the coastline of the Seychelles you can find fantastic beaches and marine national parks with good coral reefs and many colourful fish, giving plenty of opportunities for snorkelling and diving. The islands can also offer good fishing for a wide range of exciting big game species, as well as the chance of seeing dolphins, and at certain times of the year, whales and the world’s biggest fish, the whale shark.
