What?! Socotra is Open Again
FLIGHT LINK RE-ESTABLISHED TO SOCOTRA FROM CAIRO AND SEIYUN
NOTE: THIS INFORMATION IS NOW OUTDATED. FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US.
Yes, you read that right, Socotra is once again accessible for visitors, and we’ll show you how to get there. Want more travel information on how to make it happen, places to visit, off-the-beaten-path itineraries, and pricing estimates? Feel free to check out our complete Inertia Guide to Socotra.
Welcome to Socotra, one of the world’s most remote and difficult to access inhabited islands. Located between the Arabian Peninsula and Somalia in a region plagued with conflict, little Socotra stands on its own. Peaceful, traditional Socotri fishing villages dot the coast line, dragons’ blood trees populate the rugged mountain sides, and bright beaches and coral reefs hug the shorelines.
Socotra is also one of the most ecologically distinct islands on the planet, with thirty percent of its flora and fauna endemic to the island; there’s little wonder why it’s sometimes referred to as the Galapagos of Arabia.
After Yemen fell into war in 2015, Socotra was essentially cut off from tourism, as the Saudi and UAE governments took control over Yemen’s airspace. While Socotra has not been involved in any of the war or conflict plaguing the mainland, access to the Island, along with the rest of Yemen has been near impossible. However, Socotra is once again open to visitors, and we’ll explain how to get there.
Starting in late 2018, Yemenia launched weekly flight from Cairo, Egypt to Socotra, with a stop in the Hadhramaut Valley city of Seiyun in Mainland Yemen.
Getting a ticket is not exactly straightforward and takes a bit of grunt work and planning, but it’s entirely doable.
Note that tourism is still in its recovery phase in Socotra— as such, independent travel is not permitted. This means you will need to organize a private guide/car package or join a tour in order to get your visa. This can be done through a local licensed and registered host company.
UPCOMING TRIPS TO SOCOTRA
FLIGHT SCHEDULE
The scheduled flight details are below. Looking at the recent actual arrival and departure times, you can expect usual delays of around 2~4 hours. It has on several occasions arrived a full day late, so I highly suggest leaving a bit of buffer time in Cairo before and after your trip to Socotra.
WEDNESDAYS Cairo to Socotra YEMENIA IY 607
02:00 Depart Cairo (CAI) for Seiyun (GFX)
06:30 Arrive Seiyun (GXF)
07:45 Depart Seiyun (GXF) for Socotra (SCT)
08:45 Arrive Socotra (SCT)
WEDNESDAYS Socotra to Cairo YEMENIA IY 606
09:45 Depart Socotra (SCT) for Seiyun (GFX)
10:45 Arrive Seiyun (GXF)
11:45 Depart Seiyun (GXF) for Cairo (CAI)
14:45 Arrive Cairo (CAI)
It is also possible for foreigners to travel overland to Seiyun, Yemen from Oman and catch the domestic leg of the flight from there to Socotra. However, it is not possible for foreigners to fly from Cairo to Seiyun and disembark / clear immigration in Seiyun. If you are interested in visiting Mainland Yemen, see our Inertia Guide to South Yemen for more detailed information.
TICKET PRICES
The earlier you book your tickets the cheaper they tend to be. Prices for the round trip Cairo-Socotra-Cairo start at $950, but can go as high as $1300 for economy class tickets (about $350 more for business class).
If for some reason you want to cancel or don’t receive a Yemeni visa, there is a cancellation fee of $200 per ticket and a no-show fee of $300 (72-hours before flight departure time).
Cairo-Socotra-Cairo: $950~$1250 plus bank fees
Cairo-Socotra-Seiyun: $600~$800 plus bank fees
Seiyun-Socotra-Cairo: $600~$800 plus bank fees
Seiyun-Socotra-Seiyun: $300~$400 plus bank fees
HOW TO BOOK A TICKET
In order to book a ticket, the Yemenia office will need the following:
Ticket payment in full.
A digital scan of your passport— you must use this passport during your trip and be sure there is no evidence of travel to Israel in your passport, this includes border stamps from Egypt or Jordan.
Your Yemeni visa (can reserve a seat without your visa, but in order to get on the manifest you will need to submit a copy of your visa to the airline).
Take note: Yemeni visas are only valid for 30 days, meaning you must enter Yemen within 30 days of the issuance of the visa. As soon as you get your visa sent to you from Socotra, you should send a scan over to Yemenia and wait for their confirmation. Do this at least one week before your schedule departure date.
This is because your ticket may only be issued once you have successfully applied for a Yemeni visa, which your host in Socotra can arrange in about 3-5 business days for $150, and submitted that visa document back to Yemenia. Visas can be sent by WhatsApp or email— as they are issued externally from the passport— it’s just a letter.