Overview
Marine Conservation Expedition in the Seychelles

GVI has been invited by the Seychelles government and local NGOs to assist their priority biological study and conservation programmes, including coral reef research, invertebrate surveys, whale shark migration observations, plankton sampling, turtle nesting research and water turtle surveys, together with additional training and assistance to our partner organisations.

If you have an interest in scuba diving, then this is most definitely the volunteer programme for you, as much of your time is spent diving in the gorgeous waters of the Indian Ocean around the coral reef. Although the first couple of weeks are hard work, and there is a lot to learn and take on board quickly, the training and opportunities for personal development on this expedition are second to none.

View Film Footage, images, blogs, volunteer stories from the field, volunteer video diaries and more at the programs media centre

GVI are a huge part of the Seychelles community, almost all of the local people know of them and getting to work with them was something which gave me a great sense of pride.

Claire Baillie, 2006 expedition member

What Difference Does This Expedition Make?

GVI, working alongside our partners, is the leading marine data collection organisation in the country. We do the work that our partners do not have the manpower, time or resources to carry out. We collect data on the coral reefs as well as on turtles, whale sharks, dolphins, octopuses and many more species; and much of this data is used by other organisations in the Seychelles. Our volunteers are trained to such a high standard that the information they gather is used to show an accurate picture of the overall health of the Seychelles coral reefs used by the government for management policies.

Highlights

Learning how to identify fish and coral in the Indian Ocean; visiting and diving amongst deserted tropical islands; extra dive courses at heavily discounted rates with local dive shops, enjoying fun-dives and searching for the incredible ‘mega-fauna’ in the area, such as whale sharks, manta rays, and dolphins; developing the techniques you need to survey coral reefs,exploring different dive sites, visiting breeding areas for the hawksbill and green turtle, and endangered giant tortoises; having an amazing and unique adventure amongst some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

Location

This expedition takes you to the beautiful Indian Ocean paradise of the Seychelles islands. The GVI Marine Base is located within the Cap Ternay Marine National Park, on the west coast of the main island, Mahe. The base lies in a palm tree-fringed, idyllic bay and is a 40-minute bus ride away from the Seychelles capital city of Victoria, making it the ideal location to enjoy conducting marine research, and relaxing and exploration a well-preserved and tranquil tropical archipelago.

See Life on the expedition page for more information

Field Conditions

The expedition base is set within the Cap Ternay Marine National Park on the west coast of the main island. The base is within a two minute walk of a beach with scenic views, and a 30 minute walk to the nearest village. The location is a government-run research centre, with classrooms, offices, kitchen and dining areas, dining room, electrical supply and running water, along with fully-equipped bathroom facilities. There is also an outside social and BBQ area. Expedition members will live in dormitory-style accommodation, with up to 12 to a room in comfortable beds.

See Life on the expedition page for more information

Internships

A ten-week internship is available for qualifying expedition members.

See Internships page for more information