Chennai Turtle Walk
Chennai Turtle Walk
4.5
About
Join independent conservation and wildlife enthusiast groups such as the Students’ Sea Turtle Conservation Network for midnight walks from Neelangarai to Besant Nagar beach to aid the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle by relocating eggs for safe release to the sea.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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- Chennai Central • 7 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
23 reviews
Excellent
17
Very good
4
Average
1
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Terrible
1
anupama
Chennai (Madras), India2 contributions
Mar 2023
an experience that lasts for over a week month or years. usually a movie is good experience for the day ...a picnic may last for a week but the turtle walk is forever.
the night begins in the morning... yas past 12 . there is a talk with Q and A session. then the walk begins. discovering turtle nests and how the feel and how they are recovered is an amazing experience. our first nest had 138 eggs! a short nap right under the stars and the sound of the waves.
the little baby turtles being released in the sea. getting thrown back by the waves and going again ... a lesson to never give up! the hatchery where they recreate the nest in the exact dimensions as they were recovered from. will never forget that entire night.
the night begins in the morning... yas past 12 . there is a talk with Q and A session. then the walk begins. discovering turtle nests and how the feel and how they are recovered is an amazing experience. our first nest had 138 eggs! a short nap right under the stars and the sound of the waves.
the little baby turtles being released in the sea. getting thrown back by the waves and going again ... a lesson to never give up! the hatchery where they recreate the nest in the exact dimensions as they were recovered from. will never forget that entire night.
Written March 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikon_3100
Jaipur, India5 contributions
Mar 2012
We should support and save turtle . I had a wonderful experience with this small turtle . You have a chance to walk with these small turtle so don't miss it . Being a photographer and nature lover i never forget this event . If you want some peace in upcoming weekend , then you should go therer .
Written June 27, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aaqarsh Aiyyar
Chennai (Madras), India2,431 contributions
Mar 2014 • Friends
Turtle walk is a terrific experience where in you can live a night with turtles, sea crabs, some like-minded conservationists, volunteers, fisher folks, beach sand, moon and water etc. The walk starts around 11 Pm at the Neelangarai beach on Friday and Saturday nights with an orientation about olive ridley turtles and the need for their conservation (during the breeding season between December and March) and ends around 5 AM in the morning at Elliot beach (Besent Nagar). I was fortunate enough to witness many hatchlings (and hold one of them in my hands) being let out in to the sea. The mid-walk break was refreshing. We were also lucky to spot a nest (glad to touch one of them) with about 126 eggs (usually between 80 and 120). The demonstration of replicating the wild nest and packing of the sourced eggs inside them in one of their hatcheries is icing on the cake.
Written March 9, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kevinjohn1991
Kochi (Cochin), India224 contributions
Mar 2015 • Friends
Turtle Walk in Chennai, generally happens during the Olive Ridley turtles nesting season from Dec-Mar. If you are lucky enough you will get to see a nesting Olive Ridley otherwise the walk is mostly about finding the nests and releasing the hatchlings into the sea. The scouts take the unhatched eggs to the local hatchery and release the hatchlings into the sea when they hatch. The walk starts at Neelankarai Beach at 11:00 PM and ends at the Besant Nagar Beach by 5:00 AM. A great opportunity to mix with a knowledgeable and quality crowd. Please carry food and water as the walk is along the beach and there is nothing available there as of now. A great experience and add to that the starry sky and the moonlight.
Written March 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aviott J
Vienna, Austria59 contributions
Apr 2017
Between the months of December and April each year, several thousand Olive Ridley turtles come to the sandy beaches along the outskirts of Chennai to lay their eggs. For nearly four decades now, several dozen volunteers of the Chennai Students Sea Conservation Network SSTCN meet at various spots along the coast to patrol the beaches at night. When they come across a turtle laying eggs, they mark the nest and collect the eggs for hatching in an incubator. 45 to 60 days later, the hatchlings are brought to the same spot and released close to the water's edge. Volunteers stand in the water with torches to guide the hatchlings towards the sea. This interference with nature is necessary because the beaches are not protected and human habitation has encroached almost up to the waterline. Google the SSTCN website for details of meeting points, contact numbers and times to visit. I participated in a walk that began at 11 pm and ended at around 6 am and covered around 7 km of beach. It was a mixed group of about 30 people of all ages. The walk began with a short introduction to nature conservation work, turtle habitats and species. The introduction was done in two language groups, for English and for Tamil speakers
Written June 20, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Satish Y
1 contribution
Hey guys, don't follow the maps given in the app, it is showing wrong direction. Please go with address.
We are new to this chennai, so we followed google maps, it is completely showing wrong way.
Please go with the address, which given by asking any one or directly search in Google maps for chennai turtle walk.
There is a season for this Jan to March, please call given number before planning
We are new to this chennai, so we followed google maps, it is completely showing wrong way.
Please go with the address, which given by asking any one or directly search in Google maps for chennai turtle walk.
There is a season for this Jan to March, please call given number before planning
Written May 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DrLakshmiKrishnan
Chennai (Madras), India20 contributions
Apr 2015 • Solo
Held between January and April for the public on weekends, this is probably the best thing I have done in Chennai...in life infact!
I have walked in nights when there were nothing but dead turtles and the there were very few nights where we saw live nesting turtles (one amazing experience - there is no turning back from these walks once you witness them), few nests and hundreds of hatchlings. Mind you, I walked every sat night for those 4 months to witness all this. So, keep your expectation low, cause a turtle will nest only even it wants to.
Also, the volunteers are amazing - with real knowledge in them they have great life changing conversations and they do a thankless job on all our behalf.
I have walked in nights when there were nothing but dead turtles and the there were very few nights where we saw live nesting turtles (one amazing experience - there is no turning back from these walks once you witness them), few nests and hundreds of hatchlings. Mind you, I walked every sat night for those 4 months to witness all this. So, keep your expectation low, cause a turtle will nest only even it wants to.
Also, the volunteers are amazing - with real knowledge in them they have great life changing conversations and they do a thankless job on all our behalf.
Written February 3, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
retronai
JSR13 contributions
Mar 2015 • Family
This is essentially a midnight walk from Neelankarai Beach to Besant Nagar beach, led by a bunch of volunteers who have taken up the seemingly thankless task of protecting the Olive Ridley turtles that nest along this route. You'll end up seeing at least one dead turtle for every turtle you catch nesting. The situation seems quite hopeless - commercial fishing trawlers that ply along the coast with their menacing nets doing most of the damage.
Written April 17, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rakeDelhi
New Delhi, India1,017 contributions
Mar 2014 • Family
in chennai , you can deinitely visit the turtle walk and see many in tanks and some lil ones walking a delight to children as many see fishes etc.this will be differant.
Written December 10, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manoj k
Chennai (Madras), India289 contributions
Apr 2016 • Business
Every year from Each night during the nesting season, a group of college students would trudge along the coast looking for Olive Ridley turtle nests and relocate them to a hatchery. The female turtle digs a pit in the sand with her back flippers and drops about 50 to 100 eggs. After 40-50 days, the eggs hatch and the hatchlings instinctively turn towards the sea and find their way to the depths of the ocean. The walk is conducted for 7 km from Neelankarai to Besant Nagar from 11 pm and goes on till 5 am. They also conduct awareness programmes to educate the general public about the plight of these turtles. One can Go go participate in the above activity
Written May 31, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I love to join this group. Please guide me
Written February 15, 2020
Hello, I am in Chennai from 15-17 Nov 2018. Is there a hatching season at that time. I am not sure and even the website doesn't give much information?
Written October 31, 2018
Hello, I am in Chennai from 15-17 Nov 2018. Is there a hatching season at that time. I am not sure and even the website doesn't give much information?
Written October 31, 2018
Hi we arrive in chennai on the 15th of May....will the turtle walks still be going on? And if yes how do we book/arrange to do one?
Thanks
Alicia
Written May 27, 2018
I am from Mumbai and i will be visiting Chennai from 17th to 19th March 2018 and would like to join this Turtle walk on the night of 17th and 18th Mar. Can you provide me the details and prerequisites?
Written January 31, 2018
We are joining the turtle walk tonight but are unsure of the exact meeting point. Please could someone help us? Are there any specific landmarks we can look for?
Thanks,
Hannah
Written January 26, 2018
Sowbagya S
Chennai District, India
What are the visiting hours during weekdays?
Chennai turtle walk?
Written October 18, 2017
Can anyone tell me when turtle walk is happening this year ? Where do I register for it ?
Written February 3, 2017
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