Tours and activities across Cape Verde
Browse the day trips, boat outings and guided experiences listed for Cape Verde.
Browse Cape Verde tours on GetYourGuide (opens GetYourGuide in a new tab)Few wildlife moments rival watching a loggerhead turtle haul herself up a moonlit beach to nest. Cape Verde — especially Boa Vista and Sal — hosts one of the largest loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nesting populations in the world, which makes the islands a genuinely special, and genuinely fragile, place to see turtles.
Because it matters so much, how you watch is as important as whether you watch. This guide covers the season, the ethics, and how to experience it the EcoCape Verde way: small groups, licensed conservation guides, lights down, distance kept.
When is turtle season in Cape Verde
Loggerhead females typically come ashore to nest through the warm months, broadly from June to October, with the peak of nesting usually in August and September. Hatchlings emerge roughly two months after eggs are laid, so the late season often brings the chance to see tiny turtles making their first dash to the sea. Exact timing shifts year to year, so we confirm current conditions with our conservation partners before you travel.
Why it matters: turtles navigate by natural light. Phone screens, flash photography and bright torches can disorient nesting females and hatchlings. Ethical tours use red filtered light only and never touch or crowd the animals.
Where to see turtles
Boa Vista is the headline destination — its long, undeveloped beaches are critical nesting habitat and home to well-run conservation programmes. Sal also has nesting beaches and licensed tours, convenient if you are already based there. To choose between the two islands for the rest of your trip, see Sal vs Boa Vista and our Boa Vista travel guide.
How to watch responsibly
- Go only with licensed conservation guides — unregulated beach access disturbs nests and is often illegal.
- Keep lights off; never use flash. Wear dark clothing and move slowly and quietly.
- Stay behind the turtle and at a distance; never block the path between a turtle and the sea.
- Don’t touch turtles, eggs or hatchlings, and don’t drive on nesting beaches.
- Choose tours that contribute to local conservation and community projects.
This is exactly the kind of low-impact, locally-led experience our eco-lodge partners and guides are built around.
Combine it with the rest of your trip
Turtle watching is an evening activity, which leaves your days free for beaches, dunes and water. Pair it with our things to do in Cape Verde guide, a snorkelling trip, or fold it into a longer island-hopping itinerary. For couples, a turtle night is a quietly unforgettable add-on to a honeymoon.