Socotra

Catch your flight to Socotra Island from Jeddah. Upon arrival, meet the team at the airport and drive to Hadibo town for lunch and last-minute supplies. Head into the mountainous northeast to the Homhil Plateau, where you'll camp among fabled dragon's blood, bottle, and cucumber trees. Enjoy a short hike down to a natural infinity pool overlooking the sea.

Hike back down to a stunning natural infinity pool at the edge of the plateau, surrounded by Dragon's Blood Trees and Bottle Trees. Pick up dragon blood resin and frankincense from local children along the way. After lunch, drive to Arher, a spectacular beach camp in the far northeast where a fresh creek emerges from cracked granite mountains. Climb the massive 100+ metre sand dune for a jaw-dropping sunset. If you're lucky, witness bright blue bioluminescence in the ocean at night.

An early start for the 2.5-hour hike up to Hoq Cave in Terbak village. Over three kilometres long with stalactites, stalagmites, crystalline formations, and a water pool at the end, like an ancient cathedral. In the evening, drive to Ras Irisseyl, the easternmost point of Socotra where the Indian Ocean meets the Arabian Sea. Visit a small fishing village and explore "Crab City," a beach home to thousands of sand crabs building castle-like structures at low tide.

Drive through rolling hills of Dragon's Blood Trees to reach Kalisan Canyon, a deep swimming wadi with crystal-clear freshwater pools and waterfalls. The 45-minute hike down passes Bottle Trees along the way. Spend the morning swimming before driving to Hadibo for a night at the Summerlands Hotel with hot showers and WiFi.

Trek into Firhmin Forest, the last woodland of Dragon's Blood trees at this density anywhere on Earth. A local goat herder demonstrates how precious red resin has been collected for centuries. Hike into Derhur Canyon for swimming and a picnic lunch among unusual rock formations. Watch the sunset from the Diksam plateau, then explore the "sea of sand" at Hayf and Zahek, where ancient pottery shards still surface among dunes rolling to the shoreline.

Visit the Dragon's Blood Tree nursery where young trees have been growing since 2006. Stop at Diksam's middle and high school to meet students and teachers (volunteer to teach English if you'd like). Drive northwest to Detwah Lagoon, a marine-protected paradise with a white sandy peninsula jutting into turquoise waters. Meet Abdullah the Caveman, your guide to exploring marine wildlife from his cave above the lagoon.

Drive to Qalansiah, Socotra's second-largest settlement, and hire local fishing boats to see spinner dolphins and snorkel in the warm turquoise waters off Shu'ab Beach on the west coast. Relax on arguably the nicest beach in all of Socotra before heading back to Detwah for a late lunch. Pack up and drive to Hadibo for your last night on the island at the Summerlands Hotel.

A leisurely final morning in Hadibo. Browse the market for frankincense, dragon blood resin, and local crafts to bring home. After a last breakfast together, transfer to the airport for your direct charter flight back to Jeddah.