Yes, it is safe to travel to Socotra. The island has always remained untouched by the conflict in western Yemen and has never been part of the civil war. Socotra offers a peaceful and secure environment, allowing visitors to explore its stunning landscapes and unique biodiversity without concern.

Socotra Hiking offers several big advantages over the other agencies:

• We aim to travel sustainably; with no environmental impact (no litter left behind + we set up a local plastic collection initiative + we use solar energy to power our camp) and a positive social impact (we pay our team a fair salary + we support the local communities + we use local guides, who show you around in their backyard).
• We use 4 exclusive camp sites throughout the island, carefully selected to offer the best views and the most privacy, where you will feel completely alone on the island and away from the other groups. This is truly what will make your trip extraordinary! Other agencies will camp on the common camp grounds, which often results in an overflow of tents and other tourists.
• We only put 2-3 people per car, so everyone gets a window seat. Other agencies often put 4 people per car, which is not comfortable.
• We use bigger Al-Kadi tents, which offer better ventilation and more comfort. Most agencies will use the standard Quechua tents, which are the cheapest and not adapted to Socotran weather.
• We also offer the option to upgrade to our amazing luxury tents, for added comfort.
• We always take a portable toilet & shower for your comfort, even for small groups.
• The food on our tours is very fresh. Our private chef bakes fresh bread every morning, he uses fresh vegetables and freshly caught fish or free-roaming chicken. Other agencies will rely more on cheap, canned and processed foods.
• Our website allows you to book with the safety and insurance of your credit card. We don’t ask you to transfer a deposit through PayPal to an unknown country or pay in cash on the island.
• We use experienced local guides who understand the unique natural environment and culture of Socotra.
• Our guides and drivers speak English. If you need a toilet break, you don’t need to hold it up until the next stop …
• Our itinerary has been designed with international tourists in mind. We have carefully selected each stop for you.
• Our logistics team sets up the tented camp for you every night. All you have to do is enjoy!

Find out more on this blog article.

You cannot book the flights online. We will assist you with the booking. You can add the return flight from Jeddah during the booking process. The price is fixed at $950.

This is a commercial flight operated by Yemenia Airways. The flight currently goes once a week, every Tuesday and returning on Mondays. There are around 135 seats available for tourists on each flight. These flights sell out quite quickly, so don’t wait too long with your booking.

When you book, we will confirm the flight availability within 3 working days. In the case that the flight is fully booked, you will have the option to choose new dates or be refunded. After the flight confirmation, it can still take 10-14 working days to get the actual tickets issued. This is a manual process and they are always very busy, so please be patient.

Yes. Most people* need to get a visa. We will take care of this for you. You can add the visa during your booking process. The government fixed the price at $200 for this season. We will request your tourist visa 3 weeks before your departure.

*GCC nationals do not need a visa

Pack light, breathable clothing, sun protection, sturdy hiking shoes, a rain jacket, and any personal necessities, as amenities are limited. We will send you a full packing list before your departure.

We use the iconic Al-Qadi tents, which are more adapted to the Socotra weather than the standard Quechua tents (which are cheaper and widely used on the island by the other agencies). The Al-Qadi tents have 4 windows and allow for more ventilation. Remember, Socotra can get very hot and stuffy during the touristy season.

Technically they are designed for 2 pax, however each person will get their own tent for more comfort and privacy. Each tent comes with a mattress, blanket and pillow. You don’t need to bring anything. For couples who prefer to sleep together, we can also provide a larger couples tent.

Your tent will be set up for you by our team. Full service!

Our private chef uses fresh ingredients to cook a tasty meal 3 times a day. Remember, we are on a remote island, so not everything is available. However, we can get fresh locally-caught fish (sustainably caught through line fishing) and free-range chicken every day. This will be complimented with rice or pasta and some vegetables. Add some seasoning and freshly baked bread with eggs & beans in the morning and voila, happy stomachs.

If you have any allergies, or need vegetarian or vegan options, please let us know. We will try our best to accommodate.

All our 4×4 cars are equipped with a 12V sine wave inverter and a multi-plug, so you can charge your devices in the car – while driving. The multi-plug typically has 2x USB-A and 4x US type B plugs. So take a universal converter, to make sure you can connect. And then you should be good to charge your phone, camera batteries, drone batteries etc…

Additionally, a power bank is never a bad idea!

We usually sleep in a nice spot in nature, in the middle of nowhere. Therefor, on all tours we take a portable shower and portable toilet and set it up for you in the camp, for your comfort. We’ll provide the toilet paper. You need to bring your own toiletries, shampoo and towel though.

During the day we sometimes stop at a spot with basic infrastructure (very basic shower and very basic toilet) that you can use. The rest of the time we’ll be somewhere in nature and nature will be your toilet and rivers/pools will be your refreshing shower. Some guests like to bring wet wipes for these occassions. Any toilet paper / wet wipes that are used, must be collected again as well. We do not allow any garbage in nature, even if it’s biodegradable.

Socotra is probably one of the coolest locations to fly your drone. So definitely bring it. Be sure to add the ‘drone permit’ to your checkout, so we can register you and have you flying legally. You are still responsible for your own flights, of course. Do not disturb any other guests, we are all here to enjoy nature.

Watch out, UAE does not allow drones inside the country. So when you travel with a drone, be sure to fly on Abu Dhabi. You will need to explain the purpose of the drone at immigration. If you stay in Abu Dhabi for a few nights prior to your flight to Socotra, the drone will be kept in the Abu Dhabi airport (for free). You can collect it again, when you have checked in for your Socotra flight.

You can buy an Etisalat tourist SIM in the Abu Dhabi airport. It only works in a few areas of the island. And even then, mobile internet is very very slow. This is part of what makes traveling to Socotra so unique and helps you be in the moment instead of scrolling through your phone.

If you absolutely do need internet, we can provide a StarLink for your trip, which will allow 4G speeds all across the island.

Socotra has limited banking facilities and the few ATMs usually don’t work. Our trips are all inclusive, so you don’t need any money on the island. However, if you want to buy some souvenirs or you’d like to have funds for emergencies (recommended), it’s best to bring cash in US dollars. Attention: the dollar banknotes must be issued in years of 2009, 2013, 2017, or 2023 and newer & need to be at least $50 bills in order to be accepted.

We always have a first aid kit with us. It is recommended to bring any necessary medications you might need. Like for every trip abroad, a good travel health insurance is recommended.

In case of emergencies, there is a hospital in the capital Hadiboh.

Most likely not. Your standard travel insurance will not cover Yemen, as it’s a sanctioned country. The only travel insurances we have found to cover Socotra are Safetywing and IATI and InsureMyTrip (US residents). We are not affiliated with them. Please do your own due diligence as policies change all the time.

We do strongly recommend you to get a travel insurance though! Flights can change, get cancelled and mess up your plans. So make sure you are covered. Better safe than sorry!

Sometimes things come up and you are forced to change your trip dates. Reach out to us and we will help you to reschedule your trip and flights, according to availability.

• Up to 3 months in advance: We can change your tour dates for free. For the flight changes you will need to pay a $300 change fee (as per airline policy).
• Within 3 months of your departure: There will be a $300 change fee for your tour + a $300 change fee for the flight (as per airline policy).
• Within 10 days of your departure, no changes are allowed, you’ll need to book a new trip and flight.

Read our full cancellation policy here.

In the unfortunate event that you need to cancel your trip, reach out to us immediately!

• Up to 3 months in advance: We can still refund the tour price minus a $300 cancellation fee. Additionally, you will need to pay a $300 cancellation fee for the flights (as per airline policy).
• Within 3 months of your departure: Our tour prices are non-refundable, we recommend trying to change your travel dates instead. For the flights you will need to pay a $300 cancellation fee (as per airline policy).
• Within 10 days of your departure, no changes are allowed, you’ll need to book a new trip and flight.

Read our full cancellation policy here.