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Oh come all to Aride Special Reserve |23 December 2020

Oh come all to Aride Special Reserve

During this festive season, families and friends would have preferred to travel abroad. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and current travel advisory updates do not permit them to do so. Hence if this is the case, then by all means come visit Aride Special Reserve!

A visit to the Special Reserve is an opportunity to enjoy an island of high conservation value, uncrowded and unique within a short trip from either Mahé, Praslin or La Digue. It is home to the largest number of breeding seabird species at any location in Seychelles with the world’s largest population of Tropical Shearwater and Lesser Noddy, including the Seychelles’ largest population of Roseate Tern.

Aride has an abundant and stunning wildlife that can be found in either of its five habitats, from the wonder of swimming over a coral reef to a steady climb onto the hilltop filled with a variety of seabirds, especially the Red-tailed Tropicbird, which breeds on Aride Island only.

Aride is also home to a variety of endemic land birds, plants and reptiles in Seychelles.

“I am perplexed by what I saw, I do not usually see fairy terns nor White-tailed Tropicbirds so close. I have never seen the chick of a White-tailed Tropicbird and I am blessed to see one in its nest. I would love to bring my family here and I am sure my son who is an environmental enthusiast will appreciate the wonders of nature found in this reserve. It is simply breathtaking!” said Dean Soundy from Bodco Ltd, one of our sponsors for the current projects undertaken in the reserve.

Aride has an elevated and heavily wooded topography and granite cliffs that are visually astonishing from different angles, but more spectacular when in a boat touring around the Island.

On his first encounter, one of our volunteers described the island as “… a place that I have never seen before, with lots of birds flying all around the island and are not shy to exhibit their flight capabilities”.

If you are keen to experience same and more, come visit one of Seychelles’ precious jewels for a day only.

To make a booking, please contact the Island Manager on 2 719 778. The Special Reserve is open from Monday to Friday only, but from 9.30am to 1.30 pm. Please make sure that you make a booking at least 48 hours in advance. Non-residents and residents are kindly asked to liaise with local boat operators based on Mahé, Praslin or La Digue to make travel arrangements to and from Aride.

Our standard entrance fees for non-residents are R650 per adult and R300 per child (4-13 years of age) or its equivalent in other currencies. Children under the age of 4 will enter for free. Preferential rates will be given to all residents on presentation of an ID card or resident permit. The fee charged to all visitors goes towards the maintenance of the Special Reserve as well as financially supporting our conservation programmes.

The staff on the island maintain a strict biodiversity protocol so as to ensure that alien plant or animal species are not introduced on the island, hence why all bags are inspected upon arrival on the island. The Special Reserve is also certified Covid safe issued by the department of Tourism and endorsed by the Public Health Authority, hence rest assured that we have all the necessary measures in place to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19 on the premises.

Scan the accompanying QR code for a detailed description of our Covid-19 Protocol for all visitors.

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