Sea Turtle Nesting Watching Tour at Kite Beach Sal Island

Kite Beach

Kite Beach stretches along the east coast of Sal Island, a few kilometres from Santa Maria. By day it is famous for kitesurfing, thanks to the steady north-east trade winds; by night, in the nesting season, it becomes one of the island's most important beaches for sea turtles, with wide, soft sand above the tide line and no lights from buildings.

The drive from Santa Maria takes less than an hour, including the guided introduction, and the walk on the beach lasts about two hours. The sand is soft and uneven and you move in darkness, which is why the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users or visually impaired travellers. Bring comfortable closed shoes and a light layer, as the wind can feel cool after sunset.

The loggerhead turtles of Cape Verde

Cape Verde hosts one of the largest nesting populations of loggerhead turtles in the world, and the sandy beaches of Sal, Boa Vista and Maio are vital to its survival. The loggerhead, known locally as the common or yellow turtle, has a large head, a reddish-brown shell and can weigh well over 100 kilograms. Females return to nest on the same coast where they hatched decades earlier.

Each female lays several clutches in a season, about two weeks apart, with dozens of eggs in each nest. The eggs incubate in the warm sand for around two months, and the hatchlings then race to the sea at night. Your guide explains these stages, the threats the turtles face and why their welfare is a priority on the island.

When to go turtle watching on Sal

The nesting season on Sal runs roughly from June to October, with the busiest weeks usually in July and August, so this is the best time to visit for turtle watching. Hatchlings begin to emerge from about August and can be seen into November, although hatching is harder to predict than nesting. Outside the season the tour does not operate.

Turtles are wild animals and no sighting can be guaranteed, but the guides know the beach well and the chances are good in peak weeks. Darker nights around the new moon are calmer for the turtles, while moonlit nights make the scene easier to see. Pickup is around 19:20 to 19:45, and you are usually back at your hotel by about 23:00.

Responsible turtle watching

Turtle protection is taken seriously in Cape Verde, and this experience follows strict guidelines. The groups are small, the guides use dim red light that does not disturb the turtles, and flash photography, white torches and touching the animals are not allowed. When a turtle is found, everyone sits down quietly behind her, at a distance set by the guide, while she digs and lays.

Bring biodegradable sunscreen and insect repellent and take any rubbish back with you, as the beach is a protected nesting site. By joining a guided tour rather than walking the beach alone, you support local conservation and make sure that your presence does no harm. Many travellers say these silent minutes beside a nesting turtle are the most moving moment of their holiday on Sal.