Socotra – februar 2025

FLIGHT TO SOCOTRA AND BACK

We fly from Ljubljana to Abu Dhabi with Turkish Airlines and take a private flight from there to the capital Hadibo in Socotra.

TRAVEL DATE

The dates in January and February have been chosen deliberately, as this is when the temperatures are most favourable (between 22 and 30 degrees during the day, around 20 degrees at night and around 15 degrees on the plateaus) and the probability of rainfall is lowest, as the winter monsoon generally ends in December. These months also see the most flowering plants, which bloom after the winter rainfall, and the animals are also more active. From March to the end of September, daytime temperatures are already at 40 degrees or more, very strong winds blow in summer, and from October to December there is often heavy rainfall, especially in November.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

To travel to Socotra, you need a passport that is valid for 6 months after your return home and does not have an Israeli stamp. A visa is not required for travelling to the United Arab Emirates, but is required for Socotra. You must therefore present a colour scan or colour copy of your passport when registering. The visa is arranged by a partner organisation in Socotra and the price is already included in the package price.

Travelling around Socotra

We drive across the island in jeeps (4×4), as the roads are difficult or even impassable for normal vehicles. We are driven by experienced locals.

ELECTRICITY, INTERNET

Electricity is usually only available in the towns of Hadibo and Qalansia; in the areas where we camp, there is generally no electricity or only generators for lighting, and even then only in a few places. Charging mobile phones and camera batteries is limited to charging in the car while driving across the island. It is recommended that you take a portable battery (power bank) with you.

The telephone signal on the island is only available in the two towns and along the south coast, otherwise there is no signal. Our phone providers do not offer a connection on the island, the only option is to buy a SIM card at the airport in Abu Dhabi, but the connection is still unreliable and the internet is also poor and slow.

Internet access is available everywhere in the United Arab Emirates, but English-style three-pin sockets are used. It is recommended that you bring an adapter.

FOOD

The food on Socotra is very simple and rather monotonous, but extremely tasty. For breakfast there is bread, butter, processed cheese, jam, eggs, boiled beans, fresh vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers) and fruit. For lunch and dinner there is usually fresh grilled fish, rice, macaroni, sometimes potatoes and always boiled or fresh vegetables as a side dish. On colder evenings (on the plateaus) a delicious vegetable soup is also cooked, and once a week there is usually grilled goat. The food is very tasty and there is always plenty of it. Fresh fruit or dates are also served after meals. All meals are also prepared for vegetarians, vegans and people with gluten allergies if ordered in advance, so there are really never any problems with the food.

OVERNIGHT STAY

There are only a few hotels on Socotra, only in the capital Hadibo, which are either very expensive or of dubious quality. We therefore only use tents in designated areas, as the island is protected by UNESCO and camping is not permitted everywhere. Each participant has their own tent, for which there is no additional charge. Some camps have toilets and showers, but most do not yet have this infrastructure, so we look for toilets in the countryside and we take care of bathing every day by swimming in the sea or in freshwater pools. For basic hygiene we use biodegradable wet wipes, and for washing we use natural soaps to avoid polluting the rivers, streams and sea with chemicals. In many places, rivers with a constant water level are still the only source of drinking water for the local population, so we ensure that water is used responsibly.

ESTIMATED COST OF THE JOURNEY

There are practically no shops on Socotra, only small shops in the villages along the north and south coasts and in the two towns where you can buy basic household items. On the way we are stopped by children who offer us frankincense resin from the frankincense tree or powdered resin from the dragon's blood tree (price for packets approx. 2 dollars). In Hadibo and Qalansia there are also some shops selling headscarves and "skirts" worn by men. You can also buy ceramic vessels for incense and woven baskets, and Socotra honey and sit belts are also famous. At the moment you can't buy anything else on the island. Payment in euros is not usually possible, so we carry American dollars that are not older than 2008.

OBLAČILA IN OBUTEV

Socotra is a Muslim island, so it is recommended to adhere to basic dress codes and respect the local culture. Shirts should cover the shoulders and not have a low neckline, shorts or skirts should cover the knees. Swimwear should be as classic as possible, i.e. one-piece and with as little cleavage as possible (no Brazilians or thongs).

You should bring clothing for higher and lower temperatures, a hat, hiking sandals and flat hiking shoes, and possibly foldable hiking poles.

OTHER EQUIPMENT

As basic luggage, I recommend a soft travelling bag and a small rucksack. For camping, we get all the equipment we need, i.e. a tent (one tent per person, with enough space for sleeping and luggage), a mat, a pillow and, if necessary, a blanket. As a rule, we only take a thin sleeping bag (up to 10 degrees). If you don't have one, you can borrow one from the locals.

There is also the option of snorkelling or diving at Dihamri Beach, where there is a special marine reserve. You can rent a mask for about 5 dollars, but you can of course bring your own. I also recommend an underwater camera, as the underwater world here is really diverse and colourful.

SAFETY

Socotra is a safe island and the events in Yemen, Israel, Palestine, Syria and Iran have no influence on the island. The island formally belongs to Yemen, but we are travelling via the United Arab Emirates, which has taken advantage of the political crisis in Yemen and "economically occupied" the island, and the political events in Yemen have no direct impact on the island. As everywhere, you just need to be careful with your personal belongings.

CONTACT WITH THE NATIVES

As far as possible, we will also have contact with the locals as part of the programme and get to know their way of life, which is usually still very primitive and simple. In consultation with the local guides, we do not give the children sweets or any gifts, as they do not want their children to become accustomed to begging and want to teach them dignity. If requested, we bring coloured pencils, markers, promotional T-shirts, stationery, basic medical supplies (NO plasters, bandages, medicines as they do not understand the instructions in them and could harm them), etc. We give all items to the adults or leave them at the local school as they know best which of them needs what the most. The local community is based on strong family and tribal ties and they help each other a lot. Due to the limited availability of dental care, I would advise against bringing sweets to the children.

In the evening we will be able to talk to a local English-speaking guide about many topics. I have also translated some local stories and legends from English, which will enrich our evenings around the fire and drinking tea.

SPECIAL WARNING

Otok Socotra je zaradi svoje narave in tradicionalne kulture uvrščen na UNESCO-v seznam svetovne dediščine, zato je z otoka PREPOVEDANO odnašati kakršne koli rastline, živali, kamnine, fosile, lupinice školjk in polžev ipd. Morebitnim skušnjavam se marsikdo težko upre, vendar se moramo zavedati, da smo na otoku le kratkotrajni gosti in zato se moramo vesti spoštljivo in odgovorno. Na žalost se tega premalo zavedajo vse številčnejši turisti, ki včasih z glasno glasbo in droni motijo tihožitje naravnega okolja. S svojim odgovornim obiskom in spoštljivim ravnanjem do narave in domačinov bodimo zgled, saj otok že ogrožajo nekateri turisti, ki se ne zavedajo vrednosti in pomena ohranjanja naravnega okolja, žal se temu, v želji po večjem zaslužku, podredijo tudi številni domačini.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROGRAMS OF GROUP A AND B

With the coming tourist season, the island will be connected to Abu Dhabi by more flights. Therefore, I have decided to extend the current one-week programme by three days, because for most travellers one week on the island is not enough, and a two-week package is already quite expensive. As many travellers also want to conquer the highest peak of Socotra, Scand, I have decided to offer them a two-day hike (group B), while those who don't want to or can't do that will get to know the life of the local population in the interior of the island (group A).

ATTENTION! The hike to the highest peak, Skand, is quite demanding and can only be undertaken by people in good physical condition. The group is accompanied by camels with a guide and carries all the necessary equipment, while we ourselves only carry a small rucksack with the most necessary equipment for the day.