New cruise itinerary: Zanzibar to the Seychelles

(Photo: Dave G. Houser)

TAGS

• Tanzania
• Seychelles

Looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure for 2015? 

Expedition cruise line Lindblad is out with a new "Treasures 

of the Indian Ocean" itinerary that pairs stops in Tanzania with 

an Indian Ocean crossing to little-visited outer islands of the 

Seychelles.

The adventure-travel pioneer will offer a single sailing of the 15-day itinerary on April 8, 2015 aboard the 102-passenger National Geographic Orion, which just joined the Lindblad fleet this year.

The trip kicks off in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and includes a stop in Zanzibar for a exploration of Swahili culture. Then it's on to pristine Assumption Island and Aldabra Atoll — the latter is a UNESCO World Heritage site that teems with tropical fish, rare birds, and the world's largest population of giant tortoises.

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PHOTO TOUR: Inside a Lindblad ship

Other stops include Astove Island, where passengers will make a Zodiac landing on a sandy beach to to look for nests of hawksbill and green turtles, and Abbott's sunbirds. The sandy inlets of Poivre and St. Joseph's Atoll also are on the schedule as is tiny Aride, one of the most important seabird breeding grounds in the Indian Ocean.

Fares for the sailing begin at $13,290. More information is online at Lindblad'swebsite.

For a look inside a Lindblad ship, click through the carousel below.

The 630-ton, 152-by-31-foot National Geographic Sea Lion is operated by Lindblad Expeditions on expedition-style cruises throughout the northeastern Pacific Ocean, from Panama to the Sea of Cortez, the Columbia River and Alaska.  (Photo: Peter Knego)