Socotra March 2026

Below is just a suggested itinerary, but you can customize your own trip with other suggested locations upon request on dates that suit you.

Dragon Blood Forest - Day 1 & 2

As soon as you touch down and set foot on the majestic island of Socotra, our local team will greet you and start your journey through this wonderland. The first stop is the Firhmin Forest home to the biggest gathering of Dragon Blood trees on the island. The view from up here is breathtaking and will leave you speechless. Here we will camp for two nights under the stars and capture the Milky Way.

(No showers or toilets available at this location)

Detwah Lagoon - Day 3

Embark on a journey westward to unwind in the paradisiacal setting of Detwah Lagoon, nestled between the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, boasting one of the planet's most exquisite beaches. Upon arrival you will have the choice to explore a cave accompanied by a local resident or to embark on a hiking trail offering panoramic views of the lagoon. The subsequent morning is optional to join an early boat ride to Shoab Beach, with the hopes of encountering dolphins up close!

Homhil - Day 4

For the next night, we'll explore a natural infinity pool and encounter some of Socotra's most stunning tree combinations. Here, you'll witness the majestic Dragon Blood trees standing alongside Bottle trees and Frankincense trees. This marks the pinnacle of the trip in terms of photography opportunities.

Bottle Tree Paradise - Day 5 & 6

After spending the day at Kalisan River and cooling down, we will head to the Oasis campsite which is home to many beautiful Bottle trees. Here will have dinner and then spend the next two nights capturing the Bottle trees under the night sky. March is the perfect time for the Bottle Tree bloom.

(No showers or toilets available at this location)

Farewell - Day 7

Today we will make our way back to the airport to fly back to Abu Dhabi airport.

Benjamin Barakat

I am your host and guide on this tour.

After receiving a full introduction on the first day to Astrophotography, I will then prepare you with the knowledge and tools to go out and capture stunning nightscape and landscape photos just like mine.

In the following days, you will shadow me and try to take the exact same compositions as me in order to learn the workflow and the correct way to capture your images.

Alternatively, you are free to roam the beautiful landscapes around us and capture your own images where I would then come follow up, give tips, and also my feedback.

We will also be doing landscape, sunset/sunrise photography and so on.

Accommodation

In Socotra, hotels are not available & we will be camping at well maintained campsites. All camping gear (tents, mattresses, sheets & pillows) will be provided. Everybody is supplied with their own tent.

Additional Information

We advise you to be reasonably fit if you wish to join any of the hikes.

This itinerary is an indication of what we will do. It is very flexible and we may change things.

Electricity is a rare commodity in Socotra. We will not have it available daily, so bring enough memory cards and camera batteries for at least a couple of days. We are assured that there will be a generator at our disposal. You will also be able to charge devices in the vehicles. I recommend bringing a power converter for in the car to charge your electrical items. On request a power generator can be supplied for an additional price.

There is virtually no internet on the island so you’ll have to wait till you get back to Abu Dhabi before you can share your stunning images with the world. You might be able to check email and use messaging services on the Socotra 3G network when you have a signal (available around most of the major towns). Alternatively, you can purchase a sim card from Etisalat with a data package in Abu Dhabi, it's enough to get signal here and there to send what’s app messages. Starlink works on the island so if you have a device you can bring it with you.

This month is known as a warm month.

The average maximum daytime temperature in Socotra in March lies at 30.7 °C (87.26 °F).

The average minimum temperature goes down to around 20.1 °C (68.18 °F) (often the minimum temperature is noted at night).

March is a dry month with an average of 15mm (0.6 inches) of rain. There are generally around 2 rainy days.

I recommend bringing USD currency for anything you want to additionally spend on the island such as souvenirs or for tips.

Visa Requirements & Flights

A Yemeni Visa is required for most nationalities wishing to visit Socotra. In order to obtain a permit for Socotra as a tourist, you will need to send me a scanned copy of your passport in pdf format which I will then forward to my agency in Socotra where the Visa will be issued.
Yemen is one of several Arab League countries that takes part in the boycott of travel to Israel. If you have any Israeli Visas, passport stamps, arrival/departure cards, or Egyptian or Jordanian stamps issued on a border with Israel, you may be deported from Yemen. However, I was informed that stamps from Israel shouldn't be an issue when travelling to Socotra but it's not a guarantee so it's at your own risk.

All passport holders of Israel, Turkey, & Iran are not allowed to visit Socotra.

Once your Visa is issued, I will send you a copy which you need to print and bring with you to show at the counter in Abu Dhabi for the check in for the flight to Socotra. Upon arrival in Socotra you will be given your original Visa.

I recommend to book your flights to Abu Dhabi one day prior to departure to Socotra and one day after the return from Socotra. Flights should not be booked until you have a confirmed ticket issued from my agency. Socotra is limited to 2000 visitiors per year so flights are very fast sold out and we have no guarentee.

Important!!!

For non U.S citizens once you have visited Yemen and have a stamp on your passport, you wont be able to apply for an ESTA application to the USA, instead you will have to apply for a regular tourist Visa which can cost more.

Included

• Accommodation (Tents) (All camping gear)

• All logistics on Socotra island

• 3 meals per day

• Water

• Boat ride to Shoab Beach (dolphins sighting)

• Photographic guide (Me) & Socotra guide

• Yemen/Socotra Visa & Conservation fees

• Flights (Abu Dhabi - Socotra round trip)

• One year access to my online Master Class

Not Included

• Travel & Health Insurance

• Tips 100$ (USD) is a recommended amount to tip

• Snacks and Alcohol

Equipment Requirements

• DSLR or Mirrorless Camera

• Sturdy Tripod (Rental is availble)

• Remote shutter release cable

• Wide angle lens aperture (f1.4-f2.8) preferably

• Hiking boots, sandals (preferably hiking sandals for hiking through wet and rocky surfaces) , swimsuit

• Warm clothing

• Additional batteries & memory cards

• Lens cloth & blower for dust

• Power converter for the car for charging your cameras and phones & any additional electronics

• Dew heater

• Solar charger

Participation

• Maximum participants: 12

• Minimum participants: 5

• Languages: English or German

• No level of fitness is required how ever if you wish to join some of the hikes then a basic level of fitness is required

(Basic English required for communication)

Prices

To book the trip, a deposit of 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs) is required to secure your spot and the outstanding balance must be paid 90 days before the start date of the trip.

• 4950 CHF (Swiss Francs) per person (Single Tent)

Deposits need to be made via Bank Transfer.

All details will be sent to you once you have filled out the contact formula below.

Refund & cancellation policy

If a participant decides to cancel their reservation, they can do so at any time by communicating it as soon as possible to the official email address of the organiser barakatphotography@outlook.com.

However, you should keep in mind that the cancellation by a participant would create management difficulties in bookings as well as the risk of not reaching the minimum number of participants for the trip (and consequently the need to search for a new person).

For this reason:

The initial deposit of 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs) per person is non-refundable and non-negotiable.

If the cancellation request is submitted 90 days prior to the tour no additional cost will be charged.

If the cancellation request is presented LESS than 90 days before departure, it will NOT be possible to receive a refund of the full booking amount.

Unless the customer that desires to cancel his booking brings in another person who is willing to take their place by paying the total amount of the trip itself.