Seychelles Wildlife Encounters: Swim with Turtles & Marvel at Giant Tortoises
The shallow water off Curieuse Island barely reaches your waist when a shape the size of a small car glides past your knee. It’s an Aldabra giant tortoise, completely unfazed by your presence, munching on overhanging leaves as if you’re just another piece of the scenery. That moment — standing chest-deep in turquoise water beside an animal that may well outlive your grandchildren — is the kind of wildlife encounter that rewires how you think about conservation. Over 100,000 Aldabra giant tortoises now roam Aldabra Atoll alone, up from just a few hundred during the species’ near-extinction low point.