Sal Island Sea Turtle Watching Eco-Tour with Native Guide
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
Join a responsible Sea Turtle Watching Eco-Tour led by a native certified guide and experience one of Cape Verde's most remarkable wildlife encounters.
Travel in a small group and observe wild loggerhead sea turtles in their natural nesting habitat while following strict conservation guidelines designed to protect these endangered animals. Throughout the experience, your guide will share fascinating insights into their life cycle, nesting behaviour, conservation and the important role Cape Verde plays as one of the world's largest nesting sites for loggerhead turtles.
By choosing Sal Experiences, you support a sustainable local company committed to sea turtle conservation, beach clean-up initiatives and responsible tourism, helping preserve this extraordinary natural heritage for future generations.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Wear dark-coloured clothing and comfortable closed-toe shoes. Dark colours help minimise disturbance to nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings during this nighttime experience.
The nesting activity of wild sea turtles depends on natural environmental conditions and cannot be guaranteed. However, our success rate has been 100% over the past five nesting seasons.
To protect the turtles, flash photography, white lights and mobile phone torches are strictly prohibited. Your guide will use infrared lighting, allowing you to observe the turtles safely and take photos or videos without disturbing them.
Travelers under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be permitted to participate.
To comply with the latest conservation guidelines from Cape Verde's Ministry of Environment, this tour has two possible departure times: 7:30 PM or 9:00 PM. Your exact pickup time will be confirmed on the morning of the activity.
The Sea Turtle Watching Experience is not recommended for travelers with reduced mobility or children under 3 years old.
This is a nighttime activity and is not recommended for travelers with nyctophobia (fear of the dark).
Participants must be physically able to walk on sand and uneven terrain.
What To Expect
Witness one of nature's most extraordinary moments on this responsible Sea Turtle Watching Eco-Tour with a native certified guide. After pickup from your hotel or accommodation, travel to a protected nesting beach on Sal Island. Accompanied by your native certified guide and following strict conservation guidelines, you'll quietly search for wild loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) as they come ashore to nest. As you observe these magnificent animals from a respectful distance, your guide will explain their fascinating life cycle, nesting behaviour and the conservation efforts protecting this endangered species. Cape Verde is home to one of the world's largest nesting populations of loggerhead sea turtles, making this a truly unique wildlife experience. To protect the turtles and their habitat, the tour is conducted in small groups using responsible wildlife observation practices, ensuring minimal disturbance while providing an authentic encounter with nature. By choosing Sal Experiences, you support a sustainable local company committed to sea turtle conservation, beach clean-up initiatives and responsible tourism.
Options
French speaking guide
Pickup included
English speaking guide
Pickup included
Spanish speaking guide
Pickup included
Portuguese speaking guide
Pickup included
What‘s Included
Hotel pickup and drop-off available from Santa Maria, Murdeira and Espargos
Native certified nature guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Small-group eco-tour
Passenger liability insurance
Responsible wildlife observation using infrared lighting
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
143 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Anniversary in the Sal with cake and choir of hotel staff
Cruiser16019531770,May 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Stayed at Hotel Melia Lhana Beach Resort and Spa. Arrival to the airport the transfer punctual and correct. The very good hotel with excellent location, very professional staff and excellent treatment. Varied food with only limited fruit that for conservation reasons was limited only to less demanding fruits of duration. In relation to very good quality accommodation and always arranged at hours. A.Small bump in the first busy night due to the presence of mosquitoes in the room solved on the second day. The animation was also satisfactory, as were the pools. But I repeat that what marked me most was the excellence of the performance and treatment of the staff.
October is no longer the perfect month to see the Turtles!
JorgeS654,Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00I expected more from this nightly visit to the turtles. You travel a lot on foot, with little light or red light. And it was very hard to find a turtle. Long Waiting time and I finally managed to see one in the distance. The guides only let the turtles approach groups of 9 to 10 people at a time. So the first group was still nearby, but then the Turtle left. I was only able to see a few pups . According to me October is no longer the ideal time to see the desova (it seems the best months are until September) and maybe that is why some of my disillusionment.
Fantastic turtles
Shaun S,Oct 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Need the wear dark clothing and enclosed sed shoes if you have them and no white light and no strong scents should he worn
Inspirational Turtle Tour
Rita1996RE,Oct 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was special and beautiful to watch, but also sad that the baby turtles may not survive. The crew were fantastic and knowledgeable b
Turtle that
Kim v,Oct 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00It was a top experience to see! Only they arrived 20 min late with pick up which was a shame but otherwise it was good
Incredible Experience
dstrafling,Oct 5, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Absolutely incredible experience, completely eco-respectful, the Loggerhead Turtle laying her eggs, covering them then heading back out to sea for 4 years genuinely moved us to tears 🥰
Bad experience not as it shows. This trip had no warnings at all of how it would be. Do NOT book if mobility problems.
Lexi G,Sep 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00We were so excited to be seeing the turtles in thier own habitat. On arrival we were es ported out the mini bus and it was all a bit jumbled as there was three different languages spoken amongst the group. We were told to follow the guide and then had to walk in the pitch dark with no light as he said it startled turtles. We walked like this for a very long time. It’s was rough terrain and the group of mostly 20 somethings walked at a fast pace. We eventually go to where a turtle was and the guide told us a little bit of information for about 2 mins. He did this in three languages which was confusing and he spoke quietly so not to disturb turtle but we just couldn’t hear any of it. We watched the turtle lay her eggs, cover them up and then return to the sea. But the whole time we stood. We were close to the sea and the tide was fast approaching. This trip is NOT suitable if you cannot walk fast and a long way or have any mobility problems. Walking in pitch dark was terrifying as I feared falling. Also standing watching turtle lay eggs was for a very long time. And the guide just sat behind us not saying anything about turtles. It felt almost intrusive watching the turtle and nothing about it was eco friendly or in keeping with natural environment.
Amazing turke watching
Simon T,Sep 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Anazing experience with Chan, our guide who took us to a mother turtle laying eggs and we saw how she covered over the nest carefully and made her way back to the sea. It was an incredible experience
Super Chouette
antoine s,Sep 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We saw a turtle laying eggs. It was the best part of our holiday. Realistic. We had been hesitant to do that and we would have been really dumb to miss out on that. The guide seemed like a nice person also very funny.
Great experience but advice below
Dani C,Sep 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00We booked this Turtle experience as we liked the idea of seeing turtles in the wild. It was a pleasant experience however, if you have poor vision and not confident walking on sand, this isn’t for you. Although we were in 2 small groups, it was very busy with other groups there. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgable but we were told to ‘hurry’ as he’d found one laying eggs Unfortunately, it’s hard to walk on sand, let alone run! Plus the darkness made it near enough impossible to see where we were walking. Would recommend but only if you’re confident. Make sure to wear sensible footwear and an all black outfit
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