Turtle Watching in Cape Verde: The 15 Best Trips

1.Sea Turtle Watching Experience on Sal Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 446 reviews · from $41Our pick

Watch nesting sea turtles on a quiet Sal beach, learn from expert guides, and witness egg-laying under the Cape Verdean night sky.

“A genuine natural marvel - spectacular to witness. I didn’t expect to get so close - I could have reached out and touched the turtle’s shell. The guides were very knowledgable, answering all questions in detail, and importantly they are very keen to minimise disturbance to the turtles. Would definitely recommend this experience.”

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2.Boa Vista: Shark, Turtles, Cave, Sandboarding & Tasting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 328 reviews · 4 hours - 270 minutes · from $70

Explore Boa Vista by 4x4, spotting turtles and sharks, sandboarding Morro de Arreia, visiting Santa Monica Beach, caves, and tasting grogue.

“Seeing nature in its true glory. Josh was the perfect guide and let us explore at our own pace.”

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3.Sal Island Sea Turtle Watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 256 reviews · 3 hours · from $37Best value

Watch nesting sea turtles on Sal Island from Santa Maria, with expert guides, hotel pickup, small groups, and a strong conservation focus.

“Amazing! A must do if you’re around when the turtles are laying their eggs”

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4.Turtle, Shark, Santa Monica, Sandboard & Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 228 reviews · 4 hours · from $76

Explore Boa Vista by 4x4, sandboard the dunes, spot turtles and lemon sharks, visit Santa Monica Beach, and taste Cape Verdean treats.

“We had the most amazing morning. The guide’s were really nice and friendly. We saw turtles and sharks even went to a local town to try the food and drink. Would definitely recommend, if you’re thinking about doing an excursion I would definitely do this one!! 5 star☺️”

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5.São Vicente’s Enchanting Sea Turtle Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 153 reviews · 1h 30m · from $70

Swim with sea turtles off São Pedro on a guided 90-minute trip from Mindelo, with transfers, gear, safety help, and flexible booking.

“Our guide, Eddie, was incredibly helpful, kind, and patient. He guided us close to the turtles and stayed with us. It was my first time and I would definitely do it again !”

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6.São Vicente: Snorkel with Sea Turtles Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 111 reviews · 1 hour · from $70

Snorkel with sea turtles off São Pedro, São Vicente, with boat transport, gear, guides, and hotel or port pickup included.

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7.Boa Vista: Beautiful Beaches, Turtles & Djeu Island Snorkel

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 100 reviews · 7 hours · from $100

Snorkel Djeu Island, meet turtles and baby sharks, visit Boa Vista beaches, caves and dunes, and try sandboarding on this full-day tour.

“Amazing tour that fills all day. You see a lot with an amazing Guide. 10/10 for sure recommended, you will get a lot of value for the price of the tour.”

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8.Turtle Watching Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 98 reviews · from $45Top rated

Watch loggerhead turtles nest on Sal Island under the stars, with hotel pickup, a beach briefing, snacks, and patient wildlife viewing.

“Super expérience, nous avons eu la chance de voir une tortue faire son nid et poser ses œufs dedans . Puis nous l’avons vue repartir à la mer. Merci à Marta pour ses explications et à notre guide sur la plage pour trouvé une tortue.”

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9.Guided turtle tour in a group in Boa Vista

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 67 reviews · from $104

Watch loggerhead turtles lay eggs on Boa Vista’s Ervatão beach with a small group, hotel pickup, and expert guidance from July to November.

“We attended this trip as a group of 4 and from start to finish found it equally enthralling and informative. The drive to the nature reserve, through stunning countryside and talking in small villages, was spectacular and saw dusk descend. We thRead more”

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10.From Mindelo: Snorkel and Swim with Sea Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 58 reviews · 1 hour · from $68

Swim with sea turtles near São Pedro on a small-group boat trip from Mindelo, with expert guidance, gear, transport, and 20 minutes in the water.

“We highly recommend this tour! 💯👍 A very smart driver picked us up at our hotel in Mindelo. We drove approx. 15 minutes to the beach in Sao Petro. Diego, our tour guide was already there and started immediately to prepare the boot. He gave us security instructions also life jackets. My wife stayed in the boot while I went snorkeling. It was amazing to see the sea turtles and fishes too. Four big ones surrounded me while swimming and snorkeling. After a while even a bigger one showed up. On board again Diego told us about the wildlife and fishing activities in this area. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ka and Andi”

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11.From Boa Vista: Turtle Watching and Nesting Evening Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 49 reviews · from $94

Watch loggerhead turtles nest on Boa Vista’s protected beaches, with hotel transfers, trained guides, and a conservation fee included.

“Our guide was very knowledgeable & friendly. It was a once in a lifetime experience, not to be missed.”

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12.São Vicente: Swimming and Snorkeling Tour with Sea Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 44 reviews · 1h 30m · from $67

Swim with sea turtles off São Vicente on a small-group snorkeling trip from Mindelo, with gear, transfers, and a local fishing boat included.

“Unforgettable experience. Richard was lovely tour guide and spoke English very well. Tour was as described. Pick up was perfectly on time. Transfer to beach was smooth. We saw 6+ turtles. Sting ray, puffer fish and lots of other fish. Transfer back to town was smooth. Thanks for a great experience.”

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13.4×4 Tour – Sandboard, Shark & Green Turtle’s Bay, Snacks & Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · from $79

Explore Boa Vista by 4x4, sandboard the Morro de Areia dunes, spot turtles and lemon sharks, and taste Cape Verdean drinks in Povoação Velha.

“We had a great time on this excursion! We went as a group of 4 and were joined by another couple. We got picked up from our hotel in a pick up truck, which was a great experience sitting in the back! Our first stop was the Sanderson whicRead more”

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14.Boa Vista: 3h Turtle Watching Expedition

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 39 reviews · from $76

Watch Caretta Caretta turtles on Boa Vista’s Pesqueiro Grande beach, with hotel pickup, expert guidance, and a strong focus on wildlife care.

“It was unforgettable, the staff was all very friendly, explained everything, and it was the most amazing experience ever ♥️”

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