Adventure

Santa Maria, Sal Island: Sea Turtle Watching Experience

Adventure

Santa Maria, Sal Island: Sea Turtle Watching Experience

From US$ 32.53 per person

Embark on a unique tour for eco-life lovers and watch the common turtle nesting at one of the beautiful beaches of the island. Enjoy the silence under the moonlight while learning everything about Cape Verde's sea turtles from your expert guide.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 2 - 2.5 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Pickup included
Meet your guide in your hotel lobby. If you are not staying at a hotel on the pickup list, please contact the local partner to help you determine the nearest pickup location. If you will be more than 5 minutes late to the pickup location, please contact the check-in person via call or WhatsApp using the contact number provided on your confirmation voucher.
Private or small groups available

Experience

Highlights
  • Get the opportunity to talk to biologists and expert guides
  • Watch the fascinating creatures in their natural habitat
  • Learn about the spawning process of the sea turtles from the beginning to the end
Full description

Discover the magic of nesting turtles on this adventure tour Santa Maria. Join an evening excursion that takes you to beaches of Sal island where the turtles come up to shore and nest. Travel in a comfortable and air-conditioned vehicle for this unique tour. Get picked up at 8 PM from your accommodation and reach a beautiful deserted beach in less than an hour. Be welcomed by your professional and trained tour guides who will ensure a unique and environmentally conscious experience for all guests. Your guide will tell you everything about the evolution, characteristics, and curiosities of the turtles. Learn why their welfare is the top priority on the island. Cape Verde is home to 3 species of turtles. The yellow turtle, also known as the common turtle, is the most common species in Cape Verde. The sandy beaches of Cape Verde are one of the most important locations for common turtle nesting. In small groups, you’ll walk along the beach at night and watch out for turtles making their way up onto the sand. If you're lucky spotting the turtles, take a seat and remain as silent as possible in order not to disturb them while nesting. Following a unique experience, return to your accommodation where you'll arrive around 10/11 PM.

Includes
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Local expert guide
  • Transportation

    Select participants and date

    Participants

    Date

    Important information

    What to bring

    • Comfortable shoes

    Not allowed

    • Flash photography
    • Video recording
    • Flashlight

    Know before you go

    • Please wear dark-colored clothes and comfortable shoes to walk on sand
    • Please note that the nesting observation depends on environmental factors and is not guaranteed. However, there has been a success rate of 100% over the last 3 years
    • Please note that flash photography, flash videos, and white lights are not permitted
    Customer reviews

    Overall rating

    4.9 /5

    based on 51 reviews

    Review summary

    • Guide
      4.9/5
    • Transportation
      4.9/5
    • Value for money
      4.8/5

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    Had a great experience being able to witness the sea turtles. The guides we had were super knowledgeable about the turtles and their habits. They found a female instantly and we got to witness the entire egg laying process of her crawling onto the beach, digger her hole, depositing and burying the eggs, and returning back to the ocean. Super happy I did this and with this group. Our tour group was a few people in pairs and a few people who came solo. There were other tours on the beach too when we went, but our guide knew how to get us with an isolated turtle so we could get up close and personal.

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    March 29, 2023

    It was an amazing experience! Chan was a very charming and knowledgeable guide who taught us a lot about the turtles. You can see that he really loves the creatures and cares about them. It was a kind of an adventure too - coming to the beach at night, searching for turtles... Loved it and would definitely go again!

    March 29, 2023

    Watching turtles was truly amazing experience. I had my doubts because I didn't want to disturb in any way this natural process and make it difficult for the turtles but our guide Chan explained us how to watch the turtles in very safe way and not harm this fantastic creatures. He was also very patient with searching for good spot where we could watching all process egg-laying from very close. I can recommend this for everyone because this experience will stay with you for a long time.

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    March 29, 2023

    Product ID: 283387