One Day Camping in Socotra

There were two options on a one week itinerary, camping or hotels. I chose the camping option and was so happy with it. The campsites were at beautiful beaches and forests. I want to share what one day camping was like in Socotra.

Breakfast

Days start early camping in Socotra, so hopefully you are a morning person! Usually at 7a.m., the breakfasts included coffee, tea, naan style bread and some spreads (jams, honey – local speciality, cheese, Nutella). We also had eggs, either scrambled or hard boiled. If scrambled, it was seasoned with delicious local spices. We were generally expected to have gear packed and ready to go outside the tents by the start of breakfast.

Morning activity

Our morning activity was usually something physical, a hike. There were four people in our group, plus our guide. We had two Toyota landcruiser vehicles, plenty of room, every sat next to a window. Most activities were pretty close to the campsite from the night before, so it wasn’t a long drive, probably less than 20 minutes. Hikes in Socotra were amazing, scenic vistas, caves, lagoons, it is a really a special place.

Upon arrival at the trailhead, we were given bottles of cold drinking water. In addition to our guide, there was usually a local community member that accompanied us during the trail and led the way for our group. There was loose rock and some steep uphills. I recommend good hiking shoes over sneakers. While some of the hikes were challenging, we moved at a slower pace and there were lots of breaks. It is manageable if you’re in general good physical condition.

One hike was up to Hoq Cave. It took about 1.5 hours each way. The view was amazing, we also spent time exploring inside the cave (bring a headlamp, or flashlight). We walked pretty far into the cave exploring fascinating stalactites, stalagmites. At the end, there was a pool. We opted to shut off our lights and experience total darkness for a few moments. The cave went further, to a cave painting. However this area is not accessible to general tour groups, you need a special permit for research to access this area. We probably spend an hour or so in the cave itself.

Lunch

After the morning activity, we would drive to a nearby spot for a picnic lunch. Lunch usually was fresh fish or chicken, caught or killed that same day. There were veggie sides, once it was a potato curry, another time, beans. A lot of the flavors used reminded me of Indian dishes. Lunch also included a rest period.

Afternoon activity

This usually involved something more laid back like swimming, relaxing, free time at a nearby beach – but a different beach area each day. Coming from Southern California, I am very used to crowded beaches. You will never be the only person at a beach in my area, pretty much 24/7. It is not like that Socotra beaches. At one of the beaches there was an option to snorkel, or walk over to some nearby rocks and tidepools (a favorite pastime of mine being from southern California). We spotted lots of brittle stars, some sea cucumbers, and a Tessalata eel.

Journey to the next campsite

Afterwards we would head over to the campsite for the night. Every night, camp was in a different location, so we really explored the island. Campsites were at beaches, in a Dragon Blood tree forest, mountain plateau, sand dunes. We usually had some free time to explore as the local team set up tents and the rest of camp.

Dinner

Before dinner, there was evening tea/social time around a fire. Our guide usually joined, so we usually discussed the activities that day and went through our photos. Later, they would prepare dinner and people in the group either setup inside their tents or walked around, took sunset photos, etc. Everyone brought their sleeping bags from home (it’s on the packing list), but a lightly padded mattress, warm blankets, and pillow were all provided. Dinner included fresh meat (goat, fish, or chicken), pasta, some veggies, and sometimes we also had dates. Afterwards, we would get a briefing from our guide about the itinerary for the next day.

Tip

There is no light pollution in Socotra. Take advantage of this, you will seem some amazing sunsets, sunrises, starry night skies.