Snorkel, discover and explore Seychelles while working alongside a team of fellow interns from all over the world, in an effort to develop professionally, as well as to preserve two of the most renowned marine species vulnerable to extinction.
The tropical paradise of Curieuse Island and its surrounding waters is a national park, managed by our local partner, the Seychelles Parks and Garden Authority (SPGA). Our beachfront camp is located on the white sand beach of Anse St Jose and overlooks Praslin (the Seychelles’ second-largest island), a short boat ride away. With turquoise waters, lush jungle, and granite boulders all over, this remote private island has no roads, no infrastructure, and no shops.
Curieuse is home to around 150 Aldabra giant tortoises and many endemic and rare species, including the Coco de Mer palm, which is only grown in two locations in the world. While all of the tortoises roam freely, Obama the wild giant tortoise is a regular visitor to our base.
At this eco-friendly base, accommodation is in shared dorm rooms, and bathroom facilities are shared. There is cold running water available for s...
You’ll have access to long-distance communications whilst on the program. Make sure friends and family know how often they can expect to hear fro...
Volunteers take it in turns to prepare meals for the group. Food is basic but nutritious. Primarily vegetarian, optional fish or meat available ...
Most of the year, the climate in the Seychelles is relatively agreeable for the tropics, although it can be very hot in the sun when out on field...
We want you to make the most of the chance to live in – and contribute towards – the most diverse and unique wildernesses and communities on earth. Introducing GVI Experiences – immersive adventure, cultural and wellness activities exclusive to GVI that have been specially designed in collaboration with our local partners to support and stimulate sustainable economic development.
Enhance your impact. Expand your adventure. Explore your world.
Joining a GVI program not only allows you to collaborate with communities or work toward preserving unique ecosystems – but it also offers plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding area or travel further to see what other parts of the region have to offer over weekends.
Field staff are a great source of advice and have helped us put together the following information on local travel options. You can choose to travel before or after your experience with GVI (subject to immigration restrictions), solidifying the lifetime friendships you’ve established on the program. Please note that the below options are not included in the program fee, and would be up to you to arrange at your own expense.
Over a long weekend, you may want to get your Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Open Water diving certification. You can do t...
As well as the beaches on Curieuse, there are also some fantastic spots on nearby Praslin island where you can swim and snorkel, in particular th...
Visit the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, which is also a UNESCO world heritage site. There are two clearly marked hiking trails within the reserve...
On the weekends, why not take a quick boat ride from Curieuse to the neighbouring island of Praslin, and visit the town of Cote d’Or? You’ll find...
Take a 20-minute boat ride to La Digue island. Here, you can take a 45-minute hike along a well-marked trail up to Belle Vue (“beautiful view” in...
The Doctor’s House is home to a small museum which recounts the story of the island. Now a national monument, the building once housed leprosy pa...
There are five hiking trails on the island. Being the highest point on the island, the hike to the peak of Mount Curieuse offers the most scenic ...
Enjoy a stroll around Curieuse and take in one of the six different beach spots on the island. Boasting golden sands, massive granite boulders an...
Spend a laid-back evening watching movies and documentaries on the big screen projector at our base. On Monday evenings, there are a selection of...
We have three hammocks set up around base, all of which have views out across the ocean. Relax in a hammock, listen to the waves, enjoy a book, a...
Kenya and Tanzania are only about a 3-hour flight away. Both feature amazing wildlife, exciting adventure activities, and unique cultural divers...
The outer coral islands (like Desroche, Bird, Dennis, Farquhar, and the Amirantes group) are further away but well worth the trip. These location...
Engaging intimately with a new context teaches global awareness, adaptability and critical thinking – skills highly valued in the modern marketplace. Local and cultural immersion is encouraged on all our programs around the world, and will also be one of the most enjoyable aspects of your experience. Luckily, there are many different activities that you can get involved in during your free time, or before and after your program.
On our community programs, the focus is on cultural topics, while on marine or wildlife programs the emphasis is more on the environmental element. Use your evenings and weekends to explore topics like local cuisine and religion, or how sustainable development challenges are affecting local contexts.
GVI’s island conservation program in the Seychelles is based on the island of Curieuse. Both the island and its surrounding waters are a national...
The Seychelles is a tropical archipelago off the east coast of Africa, consisting of 100 islands. The main, or so-called inner islands, are made ...
There are festivals throughout the year, the most notable being the Seychelles International Carnival of Victoria in February, which celebrates t...
Seychellois Creole is spoken by the majority of the native Seychellois ( 95% of the population). Because the island country was once a British co...
If you’d like to find out what the experience of joining a GVI project is really like, simply contact us and we’ll put you in touch with one of our many Alumni.
We’ll try to match you to an Alum based on your location, nationality, age, stage of academic career, gender, and program interests. This allows you to gain insights into the experience that is most relevant to you.
Depending on your location you might be able to speak to an Alum over the phone or online, or meet up with them face-to-face at a coffee shop nearby. We also run a series of small events around the world where you can speak to GVI Alumni, Ambassadors and staff members.
Program Manager
This is Jasmine, also known as Jazzy, our wonderful Program Manager at the GVI base on Curieuse Island, Seychelles. Jazzy grew up with a keen interest in conservation which lead ...
When it comes to support, we ensure that each participant is provided with unparalleled, 360 degree support, from your initial contact with the GVI Family, all the way through your program, and even after, as you become part of the GVI Alumni Team.
As part of this promise, we will ensure, whenever possible, that one of our dedicated staff will be available to meet you at the airport. In most locations, we also set up a Whatsapp group to help with managing airport arrivals. We will arrange with you prior to your departure that, should you arrive in the agreed upon pick up window, a member of our staff will be there to welcome you, easily identifiable in a GVI t-shirt or holding a GVI sign and wearing a friendly smile. This means there will be someone there to greet you as you land, and from there you will be transported to your GVI base to start your adventure and meet the rest of your team.
All of our programs have short-, mid- and long-term objectives that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualise their contribution to the UN SDGs.
Prior to your arrival on base, you will be educated about the UN SDGs. Then once you arrive on base, you’ll learn about the specific goals we have in this particular location, our various objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these.
Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to be an active global citizen after your program, helping to fulfil our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.
GVI’s primary partner on this programme is the Seychelles Parks and Garden Authority (SPGA). Data collected from your efforts is passed to the Seychelles Ministry of Environment as well as participating NGOs, to be used in creating local conservation policies. It’s also shared worldwide with other conservation teams and efforts. We work on various environmental conservation initiatives, such as safeguarding sea turtles, mangrove mapping, giant tortoise population censuses, and sicklefin lemon shark monitoring.
In collaboration with SPGA and University of Seychelles, we track neonate sharks around Curieuse island. Through this research we can see if the boundaries of the Marine National Park are adequate, and get a better understanding of their activity, space and habits.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals
All of our programs have short-, mid- and long-term objectives that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or UN SDGs. We want to be able to measure our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner. Staff and volunteers know which UN SDGs they’re making a substantial contribution to. This also helps our local partners and communities measure and visualise their contribution to the UN SDGs.
Prior to your arrival on base, you’ll be educated about the history of the UN SDGs. Then, once on base you’ll learn about the specific goals of your location, the long-, mid- and short-term objectives, and also insight into how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these goals on a global level.
Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to act as active global citizens after your program, helping to fulfil our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.
The support we offer our local partners assists in the conservation of the island’s flora and fauna, and addresses many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as Goal 14: Life Below Water, Goal 15: Life On Land, Goal 4: Quality Education, and Goal 17: Partnerships For Goals.
GVI Curieuse Long-term Objectives:
1. Increase scientific knowledge and baseline data on the health of ecosystems on Curieuse Island.
2. Increase awareness of GVI Seychelles projects and the ecological value of the Curieuse Island National Parks within the country.
3. Build local capacity to support long-term conservation of biodiversity and sustainable community development in the Seychelles.
4. Continue to minimise our environmental impact on Curieuse Island and raise awareness of environmental issues amongst participants and visitors.
