The 15 Best Turtle Watching Tours in Cape Verde

1.Sea Turtle Watching Experience on Sal Island

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

Leave Santa Maria after dark for Sal’s nesting beaches, usually between 7:30 and 10:30 PM. Guides such as Nany and Chan explain turtle behavior, then lead small groups to watch egg-laying by infrared light. Wear dark clothes and comfortable shoes. Sightings are highly likely but never guaranteed.

“absolutly amazing experience! Guides was very kind And they know a lots of infomation about turtles. We can recomemnd to everybody!”

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2.Shark, Turtles, Cave, Sandboarding & Tasting Tour

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

Join Gil Taxi & Tours Boa Vista for a four-hour 4x4 trip across the island’s south. Guides such as Veronique, Joshua, and Cuckoo lead you to turtle and shark bays, Morro de Arreia for sandboarding, Varandinha caves, Santa Monica Beach, and a local grogue and ponche tasting in Povoação Velha. Hotel pickup and photos are included.

“We were a group of 6, our guide Veronica made our tour fun. She’s so interactive and made us all feel so comfortable. The tour itself self was amazing, from start to finish. We would definitely recommend to anyone. Thank you Veronica and Gil for an awesome experience.”

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3.Sal Island Sea Turtle Watching Experience

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

Join a small evening group from Santa Maria for a guided visit to Sal’s nesting beaches. You’ll learn from local guides, including guides such as Sousa and Johnny Cash, then wait quietly for turtles to lay eggs or hatch. Hotel pickup, an air-conditioned transfer, and multilingual guiding are included.

“It was an unforgettable experience. We saw how a turtle lays eggs, hides them and goes back to the ocean. Our guide told us some interesting facts about turtles. Thank you 😊”

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

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

Spend four hours crossing Boa Vista’s west coast in a 4x4 with guides such as Fredy, Evandro, Julie, and Cristiano. Sandboard at Morro de Areia, watch for green turtles and lemon sharks, stop at Santa Monica Beach, then taste grogue, ponche, and local snacks in Povoação Velha. The route is active, dusty, and packed with variety.

“What an outstanding day. Julia and Christiano were the perfect hosts. Pick up on time, knowledgeable and informed us of everywhere we were going and what to expect. It was a fabulous day and well worth the money I have to say. Would definitely recommend and if we visit the island again we will definitely book again. Thank you for a fabulous day”

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5.São Vicente’s Enchanting Sea Turtle Snorkeling

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

Meet a local guide in São Pedro, receive snorkeling gear and safety guidance, then take a short boat ride to swim with sea turtles for about an hour. Pickup and return are included from Mindelo port or your accommodation. Guides speak English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French.

“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.Snorkel with Sea Turtles Adventure

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

Meet your guide, collect snorkeling gear, and take a short boat ride from São Pedro to a turtle-filled bay. You get about an hour in the water, with life jackets, safety help, and sightings guaranteed. Guides speak English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. Ask for Elder if available, a notably attentive guide.

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7.Beautiful Beaches, Turtles & Djeu Island Snorkel

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

Spend seven hours exploring Boa Vista with guides such as Joshua, Veronique, or Axurance. Snorkel around uninhabited Djeu Island, visit the Duque de Bragança fort, eat lunch by the beach, then ride by 4x4 to Santa Monica Beach, Shark Bay, Turtle Bay, Praia Varandinha, and the Morro de Areia dunes.

“The snorkelling was really good, saw loads of fish, the Santa Monica beach is so beautiful, really lovely, we only saw a couple of baby sharks and quite difficult to spot but the tide was out, turtles were amazing and we enjoyed the sandboarding.”

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8.Turtle Watching Adventure

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

Join guides such as Marta, Jay, and Kenny for a three-hour evening turtle watch from Santa Maria. After pickup, you receive a conservation briefing in an open glamping tent, then walk the beach under red light to watch loggerhead turtles lay eggs. Groups are limited to 10.

“Buena excursión, las tortugas preciosas y el guía lo hizo muy bien. Solo destacar que en el grupo en el que nos tocó vino una mujer borracha a la cual se debería haber echado de dicho tour. Molestó muchísimo, encendiendo el móvil, el flash, hablando alto y hasta acercándose demasiado a la tortuga. Se deberían tomar medidas más estrictas frente a este tipo de personas expulsándolas de la actividad, por respeto q las tortugas y por que estas pueden sufrir un estrés innecesario.”

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9.Guided turtle tour in a group in Boa Vista

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

Join Cabokaitours for an evening turtle watch from Boa Vista to Ervatão. After hotel pickup at 6:30 pm, you’ll receive a beach briefing before watching loggerhead turtles lay eggs, or hatchlings reach the water later in the season. Groups are limited to 12, with time for careful photos.

“Fantastic tour! We were picked up at around 8pm from our hotel and taken on a short drive to the beach. Our guide was fantastic and gave us all of the necessary knowledge about the loggerheads turtles before we saw them. We saw well ovRead more”

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10.Snorkel and Swim with Sea Turtles

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

Meet your guide, ride from Mindelo to São Pedro, and board a wooden boat in search of sea turtles. Guide Diego provides the safety briefing and leads your snorkeling time, limited to 20 minutes to protect the animals. The tour serves no more than nine people and includes transport, equipment, and pickup from your hotel or cruise terminal.

“Hat alles super funktioniert und ich hatte riesigen Spaß mit den Schildkröten.”

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11.Swimming and Snorkeling Tour with Sea Turtles

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

From Mindelo, ride to São Pedro, board a local fishermen’s boat, and snorkel with sea turtles in their natural setting. You get gear, a safety briefing, hotel or port transfers, and up to 25 minutes near the turtles. Richard is one English-speaking guide you may meet. Groups are limited to 12.

“Absolutely lovely experience! We saw many beatiful fishes and there were 3 turtles swimming around, the turtels are very friendly and arent bothered by the people at all.”

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12.4×4 Tour – Sandboard, Shark & Green Turtle’s Bay, Snacks & Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · from $79

Spend about 4.5 hours crossing Boa Vista by 4x4, sandboarding the Morro de Areia dunes, looking for green turtles and lemon sharks, then tasting local food and grogue in Povoação Velha. Small groups of up to eight, hotel pickup, and guides such as Fredy and Christian make this an active introduction to the island.

“Exceptional guide who made the trip totally amazing, with an excellent knowledge. Sand boarding was amazing just not walking back up the dune🤣. Seeing both turtles and sharks in natural habitat was perfect.”

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13.3h Turtle Watching Expedition

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 39 reviews · from $76

Join No-Limits Adventure for an evening turtle-watching trip from your Boa Vista hotel to Pesqueiro Grande beach. Your guide explains Caretta Caretta behavior and low-impact viewing rules before you walk across the sand in the dark. Josiel has received special praise for his clear directions and careful attention. Sightings are likely, but never guaranteed.

“After an initial pick up error the trip was amazing. Drivers and guide were brilliant and the walk over the sand in the dark was managed very well. Managed to see a turtle camouflage her nest then waited… one came out but changed her mind. The another back along the beach, and it was magical. Clear night, lots of stars…. And to top it all off a solo hatchling appeared so we helped it on its way.”

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14.Live Snorkeling & Swimming with Sea Turtles in the Atlantic

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 29 reviews · 1 hour · from $57

Meet Carreta sea turtles in São Pedro Bay, 15 minutes from Mindelo. Kapverden Tours provides hotel or harbor pickup, a boat ride, snorkeling gear, and guides in English, French, or Portuguese. Guides such as André, Diego, and captain Lulu help you enter the water safely, take photos, and return to shore.

“We had a great time, There were a lot of Turtles”

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15.4h Turtle Watching with SSV Buggy Night 4WD

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · from $185

You’ll drive a guided SSV buggy caravan from Santa Maria across salt flats, dunes, valleys, Kite Beach, and Serra Negra. The summer focus is Loggerhead Turtle watching, with guides such as Valdir explaining the nesting process. Hotel transfers, fuel, water, helmets, suits, belts, and glasses are included. A valid license and closed shoes are required.

“La possibilità di poter visitare il deserto di notte con delle guide esperte e competenti e di guidare dei nuovi mezzi mai provati”

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