Description
Here is an extraordinary cruise for those who enjoy the natural world and all its wonders and are looking for the opportunity to escape the British winter. Join us aboard the all-suite MS Caledonian Sky and enjoy the warmth and beauty of the Indian Ocean as she undertakes exactly the type of itinerary that suits her many talents best. With the vessel’s purpose built Zodiacs we will land on otherwise inaccessible beaches, explore vast lagoons and coral reefs and encounter some of the most extraordinarily beautiful tropical scenery to be found anywhere in the world.
Sailing from Mauritius we will land on its nearest neighbour, Reunion, a little bit of France in the Indian Ocean and a truly stunning place. We will spend the day exploring its truly awesome and dramatic scenery including the Central Highlands with their spectacularly rugged peaks of dormant volcanoes which cradle huge natural amphitheatres known as cirques. We then continue to Madagascar where we will have three days exploring this incredible verdant and beautiful island. Madagascar is unique; the animals, plants, landscapes and people that make up this thousand mile long island are unlike anywhere else. It is a country that has long remained obscure as a destination and is relatively little known even amongst the most serious of travellers. The long separation from the African mainland has given rise to its amazing number of unique species of flora and fauna.
From Madagascar we will make our way to the Aldabra Island group. Being one of the most difficult places in the world to access and having a lack of freshwater has saved Aldabra from any tourism development and there is no landing strip so the only viable means of reaching this untouched region is by ship. Aldabra is the last breeding ground of the giant tortoise and in addition to seeing some of these endearing creatures you should also encounter dolphins, turtles and whales as well as countless birds including the flightless rail, the last flightless bird in the Indian Ocean.
This expedition really is a veritable feast of beauty, the natural world and island culture. You will witness the bounty of the islands, the wildlife from the giant tortoises of Aldabra to the lemurs of Madagascar and an amazingly prolific birdlife.