Seychelles Island Conservation Expedition

Seychelles

From £2,445

Program Capacity: 12 who will be involved in activities such as: focusing on several key conservation efforts within and around the Curieuse Marine National Park which may include Lemon Shark Project, Hawksbill Turtle Surveys, Mangrove Distribution Surveys, Giant Tortoise Census and Beach Profiling.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

Itinerary
Itinerary

Need to know

All participants need to arrive in country at least one day before the expedition start date. This is a physically demanding project so participants are required to have a good level of fitness.

Basic overview of location, province and places of intrest

Curieuse Island and its surrounding waters are a national park, managed by our principal in-country partner, Seychelles National Parks Authority. Our beach-front camp is located on the white sand beach of Anse St Jose and overlooks Praslin (Seychelles' second largest island), just a short boat ride away.

Orientation and training

Volunteers receive a health & safety and base orientation on the first two days.

The first two weeks the volunteers will be taken out into the field and taught survey methodologies.

Free time

There is free time to hike trails and view scenic viewpoins or take a stroll on one of the 6 nearby beaches.

Main attractions, activities and nature

Living within a National Park on a tropical island, where giant tortoises outnumber people.

Collecting data on endangered and endemic species; ensuring their continued or enhanced protection in Seychelles.

Experiencing hands-on research with sea turtles, lemon sharks, juvenile and adult (when in season) giant tortoises, and mangroves (when in season), and contributing to the management and improvement of the National Park.

Returning from fieldwork and taking a dip in the warm, clear Indian Ocean. - Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Vallee de Mai (when staying longer than 2 weeks).
Trip Overview

Trip Overview

Visa Information:

The Visa that you need for this Program is a Tourist Visa. You should state you are in Seychelles for Tourism and Conservation. For most nationalities, this can be obtained upon arrival. Check with the immigration authorities of the countries you intend to visit or see www.cibt.com for visa application advice and information. Please ensure you have an onward / return plane ticket booked as you will not be allowed to enter Seychelles without one. On arrival, you will be issued a VISA. If your VISA is not the same length as your stay (shorter) do not worry, GVI staff will help you extend your VISA for the correct length of time. You must inform GVI staff on base at least 2 weeks prior to your visa end date to apply for an extension. If you are on a 12-week expedition please ensure you do not exceed the three-month limit by arriving too early or remaining in the country following the program. Should you exceed the three-month limit, Seychelles Immigration will require you to pay $400 for a visa extension.

Communications:

You will have access to long-distance communications whilst on the program, but make sure friends and family know how often they can expect to hear from you. Local SIM cards and pay-as-you-go credit can be bought affordably in Seychelles and the signal is good in most areas. Contact your mobile/cell phone provider for more information before travelling if you wish to use your overseas provider.

Physical address:

(Delivery of larger items by courier, e.g. lost luggage) Attn: NAME GVI Seychelles Cap Ternay Research Centre Cap Ternay, Mahé SEYCHELLES. This delivers packages to the research centre on Mahe which can then forward packages onwards to Curieuse.
What's Included?

What's Included?

Program Logistics Arrival Information:

Most volunteers arrange international flights to Seychelles' main international airport on Mahé Island, arriving on or before the expedition start date. It is highly recommended that you arrive at least a day or two earlier if possible, to recover from jetlag and acclimatize. Most people stay in the village of Beau Vallon or the capital, Victoria, which are right on the beach and the main centre for tourism in Mahé, with restaurants and shops close by. Please note if you plan to stay in other parts of the island you will be required to make your own way to one of the pick-up points.

Accommodation:

Accommodation is in shared (mixed sex) dorm rooms. There is cold running water available for showers and filtered water available for drinking. Bathroom facilities are shared, and participants also share base duties.

Food:

Participants take it in turns to prepare meals for the group. Food is basic but nutritious, and primarily vegetarian with optional fish or meat available no more than once or twice a week. Breakfast could be porridge with fresh fruit. Lunch and evening meals may include pasta, beans, rice, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, etc

Side Trips:

You will be based in and around national parks in the main group of islands, and working on a diverse range of wildlife and habitats on and around Curieuse Island. Access to and from the island is only by boat so travel to other islands is limited to weekends. Praslin has a limited, cheap bus service and taxis are easily available. For further exploration, you may choose to hire a car on Praslin or make use of the inter-island ferry services between the other islands. In your downtime, you will be free to travel in the local area and can expect one or two free days per week, usually at weekends. During this time you could explore the islands of Praslin or La Digue, visit the capital of Mahé, Victoria (although the ferry to Mahe is relatively expensive), visit local beaches, snorkel or just relax on base. Before and after your program you could spend a little more time in Seychelles on the close-by islands of Praslin and La Digue, or join a charter to sail even further afield. Please allow several days if you hope to travel between islands, there are over 100 in the archipelago but getting around takes time. The possibilities are endless!
Pricing & Availability

Cost for additional weeks:

2 week total: £2845.00

3 week total: £3195.00

4 week total: £3545.00

5 week total: £3945.00

6 week total: £4345.00

7 week total: £4645.00

8 week total: £5045.00

9 week total: £5445.00

10 week total: £5795.00

11 week total: £6145.00

12 week total: £6545.00

For extra info please contact:

Email: info@whereaboutsholidays.com Phone: 0161 703 8161

Date From Date To Price
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