Aldabra Islands
Seychelles

"The islands of the Aldabra atoll Seychelles
   are but the tops of a raised coral reef"

Aldabra islands group, the Seychelles largest atoll, is located some 700 miles from Victoria Mahe. It is a nature reserve with no permanent human settlement except for lodgings for a dozen rangers and a research station. Aldabra is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site with a population of giant land tortoises exceeding 100,000 - the largest such colony in the world.

The Seychelles Islands Foundation administers Aldabra, and it is best to contact them well in advance if you want to arrange a visit to the atoll. They have an office in Victoria. The West Island of Aldabra is where The SIF has its research station and that's where the dozen rangers are based.

Educational tours can be arranged but it is for the very active. If you want this kind of experience it will be quite unique indeed. Aldabra is a haven for wild life - giant land tortoises, fish, birds, sea turtles, sea cows and more...

Even the last flightless birds of the Indian Ocean, the Aldabra Rail, roam about on the Islands. But Aldabra atoll's fame comes from its huge population of Giant land tortoises that can reach well over 250kg, some as much as 350kg. But the female Aldabra Giant land tortoises are smaller averaging 150Kg only. There are over 100,000 Giants on Aldabra!

Esmeralda - the oldest living Giant Aldabra Land tortoise - photo courtesy of Tribalninja

The Giant's lifespan is well over 100 years. And some have been known to live over 200 years.

As of this writing the oldest known living Aldabra Giant land tortoise is Esmeralda - a male 171 years old. No it's not on Aldabra Islands.

It is living on Bird Island, another of Seychelles islands 800 miles away, and it is a star attraction there. See that smile? :).

You can see the location of Aldabra relative to the other islands of Seychelles on the map - all Islands groups of Seychelles. And here you'll see a large map of Aldabra atoll that clearly shows the 4 main islands that make up the ring around the central lagoon.

Aldabra islands number 46 in total but most are very small within the lagoon. The 4 main islands are West Island (Picard), South Island (Grande Terre), Middle Island (Malabar) and Polymnie Island. The names of the other islands of Aldabra can be found listed and grouped in List of Islands of Seychelles.

Did you know that Aldabra is the biggest landmass in Seychelles? Absolutely - It is bigger than Mahe Island, where 85% of the population of Seychelles live. And it's also the second largest atoll in the world.

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Aldabra is not like the other coral islands of the Seychelles. Unlike Bird Island, a sand cay, Aldabra Islands are actually raised coral islands. In its relatively short history it has been submerged and raised several times.

Also unlike the other coral islands and sand cays it has an elevation of up to 8 metres compared to the usual 2 to 3 metres average height above sea level for Islands like Bird Island and Denis Island.

It has been suggested that only 5000 years ago Aldabra Island had an elevation of 100 metres, and as the cycle continues the Islands of Aldabra will disappear beneath the surface one more time.

The reason for this is that Aldabra Islands are really just the top of a coral reef sitting upon an ocean plate that contracts and expands in cycles. It is generally accepted that Aldabra Island was first formed some 125,000 years ago (very young in geological terms)

And since then it has been submerged and raised, in cycles, again and again. The last contracting cycle began some 5000 years ago. Eventually the Aldabra islands will submerge and go back whence it came.

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Interestingly, two-thirds of the huge lagoon dries up at low tide so causing a massive tidal flow of water in and out through the narrow channels 4 times a day. This continual flow has caused the wearing out of the base of the smaller islands resulting in mushroom-looking islands in the channels.

Aldabra is one of the most fascinating places on earth to study nature. If you are a naturalist don't ever pass up the chance to visit Aldabra Islands. You may even want to volunteer for a tour of duty for a few months, but you'll be away from civilization for a spell, and lodgings are very basic there.

Among the Seychelles islands, Aldabra is the most inaccessible, being so remote. And when you visit you'll have to live aboard your own vessel. Basic lodgings on Aldabra are only for the rangers and the research station staff, which number perhaps 10. Only small groups are allowed on day visits to the atoll at any one time.

In the past most visitors to Aldabra, perhaps 1000 heads a year, arrived by cruise vessels, and often they only managed a sighting without actually landing on Aldabra Islands to their disappointment. This is due to tricky landing conditions there.

Now you can charter a light aircraft and fly to neighbouring Assumption Island, 35 miles to the south. The final leg of your journey is still by sea with prior arrangement with the SIF Office.

Aldabra Islands - Seychelles Largest Atoll - 34 km east to west

If you do not arrive there from Mahe you'll need to go through immigration formalities at Assumption Island. This can be quite costly since it means chartering a plane for the immigration officials from Mahe to Assumption Island to look over your travel documents.

The only way to get to Aldabra is by boat, and the nearest islands are Assumption, Cosmoledo and Farquhar. You could of course charter a yacht in Victoria and combine it with visits to other islands of Seychelles, but be warned - it is a minimum of two days sailing one way.

 

An Aldabra Island visit is not like a Sunday picnic. The climate is harsh and the terrain inhospitable on Aldabra. The limestone coral rocks are brittle and as sharp as a knife. So, you'll need the strongest thick-soled ankle boots to explore the Islands.

And lastly Aldabra is like a treasure chest for the diver. Scuba diving off the Aldabra atoll is quite an experience especially the channel dives at the turn of the tide. You'll be travelling underwater on currents at up to 30 to 40 Kph. It's like being on a roller coaster...

But you'll be seeing some incredible life forms beneath the surface - huge manta rays, hammerhead sharks, sea turtles... And if you're lucky, even a dugong (sea cow). A dive in the Aldabra lagoon is like diving in an aquarium - only much better and unforgettable.

After your visit when you get back home please let us know of your pleasant experience on Aldabra Seychelles. Also tell us if the wild life paradise wasn't for you! If you do get an appointment as a volunteer on Aldabra Atoll please send us your own story with pictures, so we can update this page on Aldabra Islands for others :-).

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