Description
Join us aboard the MS Caledonian Sky for this island hopping expedition through the Indian Ocean which will appeal to those who enjoy the natural world and all its wonders, travelling aboard a small ship and staying clear of the well-beaten tourist tracks. The all-suite MS Caledonian Sky with her fleet of Zodiac landing craft is the perfect vessel for such an enterprise. Carrying just over 100 guests, she is a far cry from the latest breed of cruise ships and can visit small islands and backwaters that are denied to larger vessels. Your experience will be made all the more memorable by the expert crew and officers, who along with our expedition team of marine biologists, ornithologists and botanists have many years of experience in the Indian Ocean and will provide commentary on all we see.
Setting sail from Mauritius we will land on its nearest neighbour, Reunion, a little bit of France in the Indian Ocean and a truly stunning place. We will spend the day exploring its awesome and dramatic landscape before continuing to Madagascar where over a period of three days wewill explore the incredible verdant and beautiful island and its unique flora and fauna.
Continuing to the Seychelles, for many the highlight of the voyage will be our time spent exploring the Aldabra Island Group, the breeding ground of the giant tortoise and in addition to seeing some of these endearing creatures we should also encounter dolphins and turtles as well as countless birds including the flightless rail, the last flightless bird 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. Our final days are spent in Tanzania exploring Kilwa Kisiwani, a site of exceptional historical interest and we have a full day to explore atmospheric Zanzibar.
This itinerary is a veritable feast of beauty and combines the natural world with cultural discovery. You will witness the bounty of the islands, the wildlife from the lemurs of Madagascar to the giant tortoises of Aldabra, an amazingly prolific birdlife and mesmerising underwater life.