Aldabra & The Coralline Seychelles Cruise – Aqua Expeditions
Tour Introduction
Discover some of the Indian Ocean’s most remote and pristine corners aboard Aqua Lares as you journey to the far-flung Outer Islands of the Seychelles. This extraordinary expedition combines luxurious comfort with unrivalled access to seldom‑visited atolls, lagoons and coral reefs. From the giant tortoises of Aldabra to the seabird colonies of Cosmoledo and the dazzling coral walls of Astove, each day reveals new natural wonders. Along the way, enjoy guided walks, shore excursions, and world‑class diving and snorkelling opportunities, all led by expert naturalists who will bring the region’s unique ecology to life.
Balancing adventure with indulgence, the cruise offers fine dining, spa treatments and stargazing from the sundeck as you sail between islands. Whether kayaking through tranquil lagoons, spotting rare bird species or swimming among manta rays and reef sharks, this voyage delivers an unforgettable immersion in the Indian Ocean’s most spectacular and prolific marine environments. With its seamless blend of exploration and comfort, the Aqua Lares Seychelles cruise is perhaps the ultimate way to experience the untouched beauty of Aldabra and beyond.
PLEASE NOTE: Booking with us will cost the same as booking direct with the cruise operator, Aqua Expeditions. We can also handle all your other holiday arrangements, including flights, transfers and any hotel nights in the Seychelles, before and/or after the cruise. For peace of mind, your payments are protected by English law and our ATOL licence.
Full Itinerary
NB: The detail for each day's activities is subject to change to take into account weather and other operational factors.
Arrive at L’Escale Marina on Mahé for embarkation. After settling into your cabin aboard Aqua Lares, attend a safety briefing and introductory meeting with your expedition team. Set sail in the afternoon and enjoy panoramic views of the Sainte Anne National Marine Park as your journey through the Seychelles begins.
Staying at Aqua Lares. Includes Dinner.
Wake to views of the remote African Banks, a seldom-visited group of low-lying sand cays and atolls. Spend the morning exploring the pristine shores and swimming in clear waters before continuing to Remire Island. Observe seabirds and giant tortoises, with optional scuba diving for marine life encounters. Conclude the day with a sundowner on the island’s white-sand beach.
Staying at Aqua Lares. Includes All Meals.
Spend the day sailing southwest towards Aldabra with time to relax at the spa or jacuzzi. Watch for red-footed boobies overhead and attend presentations by the expedition team on Seychelles’ geology, flora and fauna. Enjoy fine dining throughout the day and finish with stargazing from the sundeck.
Staying at Aqua Lares. Includes All Meals.
Wake to views of Aldabra, the world's largest raised coral atoll containing one of the planet's most isolated ecosystems. Explore its four islands, home to over 100,000 giant tortoises alongside thriving marine life including tropical fish, sharks, sea turtles and manta rays.
Staying at Aqua Lares. Includes All Meals.
Continue exploring Aldabra with guided coastal walks among coconut crabs and frigatebirds. Take tenders into the lagoon and mangrove forests rich in endemic flora. Snorkel or dive in the surrounding waters, home to abundant marine life year-round.
Staying at Aqua Lares. Includes All Meals.
Begin with a guided tender excursion through Cosmoledo’s lagoon in search of masked gannets and brown boobies. After lunch, continue to nearby Astove, renowned for the Astove Wall - a dramatic reef drop-off covered in soft corals and frequented by rays, turtles, sharks and reef fish. Exceptional visibility and prolific marine life make this one of the Indian Ocean’s premier snorkelling and diving sites.
Staying at Aqua Lares. Includes All Meals.
Explore Farquhar Island, noted for its azure waters, rich marine life and abundant seabirds. Snorkel or dive among isolated coral reefs, with opportunities for flyfishing and kayaking.
Staying at Aqua Lares. Includes All Meals.
Take a tender to Alphonse Island and explore its coconut forest before snorkelling among hard coral formations rich in marine life, perhaps on nearby Bijoutier and St Francois. Relax on a white-sand beach and, if conditions allow, enjoy kayaking in the lagoon.
Staying at Aqua Lares. Includes All Meals.
Explore Poivre Atoll, with its northern island's coconut forest and old distillery ruins, and southern island left entirely to nature, where lagoons shelter sea turtles, juvenile sharks and stingrays. After lunch, continue to Desroches Island for encounters with excellent opportunities to snorkel its reef system.
Staying at Aqua Lares. Includes All Meals.
Enjoy breakfast on board before disembarking at L’Escale Marina and bidding farewell to the crew of the Aqua Lares.
NB: We can organise flights, transfers, and hotel nights on Mahe and other Inner Islands, either side of the cruise.
Includes Breakfast.
Tour Accommodation
Aqua Lares
Overview
Aqua Lares is a 77-metre former icebreaker reimagined as a superyacht, offering a rare blend of rugged capability and refined comfort. Purpose-built for exploration and now sailing some of the world’s most remote destinations, this vessel embraces the spirit of relaxed luxury. With just 15 individually designed cabins – including three expansive Owner’s Suites – Aqua Lares accommodates up to 30 guests in understated elegance. Each cabin features bespoke furnishings, warm wood finishes, and curated textiles, creating a serene retreat after days spent at sea.
As the world’s only superyacht offering both private charters and individual cabin bookings for small-ship expeditions across East Africa and the Arctic Circle, Aqua Lares sets a new standard in expedition accommodation. Guests enjoy a one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio, ensuring highly personalised service throughout six beautifully appointed decks. Onboard amenities include a fine dining restaurant, spa and wellness spaces, a cinema, outdoor jacuzzi, and a sun deck lounge – each designed to offer comfort, connection, and a front-row seat to the ever-changing seascape.
Aqua Lares sails two distinct seasonal itineraries. In East Africa, guests can explore the Seychelles archipelago, including UNESCO-listed Aldabra Atoll, the granite cliffs of La Digue, and the remote African Banks – destinations rarely accessible to larger vessels. During the Arctic summer, the ship ventures north to Svalbard, navigating icy fjords and glacier-lined coasts in search of polar bears, walruses, and seabird colonies. Whether snorkelling in coral-rich waters or cruising past towering icebergs, each voyage is designed to immerse guests in the natural wonders of these extraordinary regions.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Capacity
Length
Class
Cabins
15
Facilities
Outdoor and indoor jacuzzis, spa, massage treatment room, outside dining area, cinema room, lounges and bars, outdoor exercise area, helicopter landing area, swim platform.
There are 15 cabins including three Owner's Suites (five room categories in total). Rooms have either king-sized, double, or twin beds, and all have ensuite bathrooms, with a walk-in shower, overhead rain-shower, and organic hair/bath amenities.
Six decks: Sun Deck, Bridge Deck, Owner's Deck, Upper Deck, Main Deck, Lower Deck.
Local Wildlife
Svalbard mammals: polar bear, walrus, Arctic fox, Svalbard reindeer, ringed seal, bearded seal, bowhead whale, beluga, narwhal, minke whale, fin whale, orca, humpback whale.
Svalbard birds: Brunnich's guillemot, rock ptarmigan, Atlantic puffin, razorbill, little auk, common guillemot, northern fulmar, Sabine's gull, ivory gull, northern gannet, snow bunting, common eider, black-legged kittiwake, Arctic skua, Arctic tern, pomarine skua, tundra bean goose, greylag goose, greater white-fronted goose, barnacle goose, brent goose, long-tailed duck, ruddy shelduck, dunlin, pectoral sandpiper, common redshank, red knot, green-winged teal, common ringed plover, red-throated diver, gyr falcon.
Seychelles cetaceans: spinner dolphin, common bottlenose dolphin, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, pantropical spotted dolphin, Risso's dolphin, dwarf sperm whale, short-finned pilot whale, sperm whale, humpback whale, blue whale.
Seychelles birds: Seychelles fody, Aldabra fody, Aldabra drongo, Aldabra white-eye, white-throated rail, Seychelles warbler, Seychelles bulbul, Seychelles kestrel, Seychelles magpie-robin, Seychelles blue-pigeon, comoro blue-pigeon, Seychelles sunbird, Seychelles swiftlet, Seychelles scops owl, Seychelles parrot, black-naped tern, white-tailed tropicbird, red-tailed tropicbird, great frigatebird, crab-plover, Malagasy pond-heron, red-footed booby, ruddy turnstone.
Route Map
Departure Dates
Tour Dates
Adult Price
Single Supp
Travel Information
Are International Flights Included?
No. Please contact us for a quote if required.
Best Visited:
November to April
Are you ATOL Registered?
Yes. This means we are legally able to book your international flights in conjunction with your ground arrangements so you can book with us with complete confidence. Read more about our ATOL license here.
Alan Godwin
Area Specialist
If you have any questions regarding this Tour, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
Having now returned from our Seychelles holiday, I thought that I would write to tell you how much we enjoyed it – it really was first class – thank you for the arrangements…all in all, it was a great holiday, with just the right balance of activity and relaxation.
