YEMEN

Socotra Island

This island, about 120 km long, is considered the windiest in the world and is beaten by very strong currents, factors that make the sea impassable for about 7 months a year in the most productive spots.

The island is also known for its many endemic dragon blood trees and numerous other species of plants, birds, reptiles, and insects that live only here, so much to be called “The Galapagos of the Indian Ocean”, and is recognized as a natural
heritage of ‘ Humanity by UNESCO.

The island is not very populated by people, there isnt any accommodation with the exception of a few spartan camps, and fishing villages are few and far from everything, sometimes reachable only by boat. Thanks to these characteristics, often in beautiful places for fishing, with high cliffs overlooking the sea, sand dunes, or uninhabited islands, which transmit sensations enough to make us think about fishing in prehistoric times. In addition to the obvious fortunate position, in the middle of the ocean current that comes from the South favours the upwelling, which brings nutrients to the surface layers.

 

For several months the winds are very violent, causing sea conditions often prohibitive, and thus preventing continuous fishing by local fishermen, who still do not have huge resources. In practice, you can fish well and be safe only for a little less than four months a year, from October to November and from March to April.

BASE CAMP

In Socotra, the only way to arrange a trip will be by touring a camp run by us. The camp consists of 2 large tents for six people, one as a dining room and one as a camp kitchen, and for sleep, every fisherman has a big double tend equipped with mattresses, sheets and pillows, 1 tank of 2000 liters of fresh water, shower box, rods holder, a cook with a camp kitchen, an interpreter and a jeep always available. Satellite phones are also available. Food options are limited to pasta, rice, bread, beans, eggs, fish, and more. Lobster is available during fishing season. Soft drinks are provided, and clients can bring their own alcohol.

Concerning the boats, the only solution at present is the use of local fishing boats,
fiberglass boats about 8 meters long and equipped with 40 hp engines. Every boat and
group has its international guide.
The standard trips are based on 4 clients, fishing from 2 boats.

TRIP SCHEDULE OPTIONS

STANDARD TRIP
The standard trip includes 6 full days of fishing, and it’s the best way to have the first approach with Socotra. In this journey, you will have your first contact with the reality of this world, and of course with the brutality of this fishing.

EXTREME ITINERARY
This will be probably the wildest, extreme and most amazing trip you will enjoy in your life, visiting some of the most remote frontiers for huge Gts. For this trip we don’t have a definitive schedule, because it has to be built time by time in accordance with the client request. It can be from 6 to 13 days, and also logistics, organization and costs can be different time by time.

HOW TO GET THERE

The clients have to provide their own international flight to Cairo or Dubai, Wild Sea Expedition will provide the flight from Cairo to Socotra or Dubai to Socotra.
SAFETY & HEALTH
Currently coming to Socotra is completely safe for tourists, and the direct flights from other countries make the travel easy and smooth.

About Socotra, the island is completely safe and pirate-free.

Regarding health, there aren’t tropical diseases like yellow fever or typhus in Socotra, and malaria has been extinct. On top of that, there are two new hospitals managed by Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, where is possible to have high-quality health assistance in case of emergency.
Clients must be covered by travel/medical insurance and medical evacuation.