Cape Verde – Santiago, Fogo, Sao Vicente & Santo Antao Islands

Day 1: Arrival – Airport Transfer (Praia Airport to Hotel in Praia) – Hotel Check-in

After disembarking, be welcomed by Your travel representative, who will be waiting for you at Nelson Mandela International Airport with a sign displaying your name, as informed by you. Then, enjoy a private and custom transfer from the airport to your accommodation. Our team will take you from door to door with complete security and professionalism, providing all relevant information about your stay. Overnight in Praia.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Casa Sodade*** in Praia (Santiago Island) or similar.

Day 2: Santiago Island: Calabaceira Valley Trek & Visit to Cidade Velha

After being collected from your accommodation in Praia, depart toward the small village of Calabaceira. Start your 3-hour hike from the top of the valley, with an oasis of vast vegetation emerging in its interior. Follow a simple and accessible trail for any hiker and explore the green valley famous for both its baobab trees mentioned by Charles Darwin and its use as an escape route for slaves during slavery. Next, discover the local fauna and flora and experience the production of a local rum-making distillery (The Rum production season runs from January 1 st to May 31st). There, get in touch with local farmers and their agricultural fields of sugar cane, mango trees, cassava, banana, and more. Arrive in Cidade Velha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and visit the São Francisco Convent, the famous Banana Street and Nossa Senhora do Rosário church. Have a break for lunch and savor local delights in a typical restaurant right on the seafront. After lunch, visit the former slave market, the ruins of the Sé Catedral, and the Royal Fortress of São Filipe. From the top, enjoy a beautiful view over the whole old town and find out about the system of defense used against pirates. Overnight in Praia.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Casa Sodade*** in Praia (Santiago Island) or similar.

Day 3: Full Trekking in Serra Malagueta Natural Park + Assomada Market + Tarrafal Beach

The day begins with pickup from your accommodation in Praia and heads inland to the traditional Assomada Market. Wander around the vibrant stalls and soak up the hustle and bustle of this island hub whilst watching the locals haggle for produce (on Wednesdays and Saturdays only). Drive to Serra Malagueta Natural Park next, where your trekking adventure awaits. Follow your guide as you head into the luscious landscapes of the Serra Malagueta Natural Park, which covers 774-hectares. The park is home to the Serra Malagueta mountain range as well as over 124 species of plant, and 19 species of bird. Throughout the trek, listen to your guide share information about the local flora and fauna, many of which can only be found here in the park. There’s also the opportunity to see wildlife, including playful monkeys, a variety of reptiles, and colorful butterflies. Once you’ve worked up a bit of an appetite, find a scenic spot for a well-deserved rest and enjoy a picnic lunch in the middle of the forest. After lunch, continue the walk to the end of the trail, then drive to Tarrafal Beach where you can spend some free time chilling on the shore. At the end of an unforgettable day, sit back and relax on the return journey to Praia. Overnight in Praia.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Casa Sodade*** in Praia (Santiago Island) or similar.

Day 4: From Praia: Full-day Fogo Island Tour

Start your day with a delicious breakfast at your accommodation and then be picked up and transferred to Nelson Mandela International Airport for your 35-minute flight to Fogo Island. Upon arrival, depart toward São Filipe, the capital of the island. There, explore “Sobrados” and wander around this charming little town lined with colorful colonial houses. Next, head to the small Municipal Museum and appreciate the simplicity of the objects that portray the local history. Head inland to the small villages of Achada Furna and Cabeça Fundão. There, learn about the history of the residents who had their houses submerged by the lava from the recent volcanic eruption of 2014. Arrive at Chã das Caldeiras National Park and admire uninterrupted views of the volcano and rugged surrounding landscape. Marvel with an amazing view from the foot of Cape Verde’s highest mountain, the active volcano, one of the best attractions in the country. After that, take a break for a well-deserved lunch in a local atmosphere and buy or taste at your expense one of the best wines in the world. Overnight in Chã das Caldeiras, Fogo.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Casa Mariza In Chã das Caldeiras (Fogo Island) or similar.

✈️ Domestic flight from Praia to Fogo is included.

Day 5: Fogo Island: Full Volcano Hiking from Chã das Caldeiras

Get picked up at your accommodation in Chã das Caldeiras and walk with your guide until reaching the foot of the Volcano. Start the climb and let your local guide adjust the rate of climbing according to your skills. After 3 hours, reach the highest peak in Cape Verde. From Pico do Fogo, the third highest mountain in the Atlantic Ocean, with 2829 meters of altitude, enjoy one of the steepest and spectacular volcanic cones in the world, the last eruption occurred in 2014. After that, take a break for the well-deserved picnic, contemplating an unforgettable 360-degree panoramic view over the entire island of Fogo, and start the fun part of the day. Take a walk through the crater and feel the sensation of touching the sky above the clouds. Then, start descending the steep descent of ash for half an hour, sinking your knee-high in Lapilli, a lifetime experience. After doing one of the best things to do in Cape Verde, the tour ends by returning to your accommodation in Chã das Caldeiras. Overnight in Fogo.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Casa Mariza In Chã das Caldeiras (Fogo Island) or similar.

Day 6: Check out – Transfer out – Flight (Fogo – São Vicente) – Check-in Mindelo

Start your day with a delicious breakfast at your accommodation and get prepared to discover your next destination, São Vicente Island. Enjoy a private transfer from Chã das Caldeiras to Fogo Airport and then, catch your flight, São Vicente. Land at Cesária Évora International Airport and be transferred to your hotel in Mindelo. Enjoy the quiet afternoon time vibe and relish a local dish at a local restaurant. In the evening, be picked up at your accommodation and depart toward one of the most popular restaurants in Mindelo. There, enjoy live music and relish local delights. The tour concludes with the evening transfer back to your accommodation. Overnight in Mindelo.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Solar Windelo in Mindelo (São Vicente Island) or similar.

✈️ Domestic flight from Fogo to Sao Vincente is included.

Day 7: Santo Antão: Hiking Cova de Paúl Volcano Crater – Ribeira de Paúl

Be picked up in São Vicente and then transferred to Mindelo harbor. Start a 1-hour ferry trip to Porto Novo in Santo Antão and upon arrival meet Your professional guide who will be waiting for you with a sign displaying your name. Then, be transferred to the Cova Natural Park, an extinct volcano, and start one of the hikers’ favorite hikes in Santo Antão. Marvel with an oasis of vast vegetation emerging within the crater, from 1,100 meters above sea level, where the locals have their agricultural fields. Head to its edge and enjoy the most breathtaking view ever, the impressively green valley of Paul that lies in the depths in front of you, in addition to the beautiful view of the ocean that lies 10 kilometers away. After that, start the zigzagging part of the hike; learn about the native flora and fauna, while crossing beautiful plantations of sugarcane, banana, mango, avocado, coconut, and others. Finally, experience the production of a local rum in a traditional distillery and taste the famous “Grogue”. Overnight in Ponta do Sol.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Hotel Tiduca in Ponta do Sol (Santo Antão Island) or similar.

🚢 Round-trip Ferry ticket (São Vicente – Santo Antão – São Vicente) is included.

Day 8: Santo Antão: Hike Ponta do Sol – Fontainhas – Cruzinha

Start your day with a delicious breakfast at your accommodation and then start your walk from Ponta do Sol, a waterfront-fishing village with colorful houses. Follow a breathtaking road up along rocky cliffs that hover over the ocean and enjoy a background decoration overlooking the sea. Then, head through a small and sinuous road sculpted on the top of a mountain and surrounded with deep valleys that will lead you to the picturesque village of Fontainhas, one of the 10 villages with the best view in the world according to National Geographic. Follow a steep descent and a pedestrian path, crossing Corvo, Formiguinhas, and some dazzling heights to the Aranhas valley. Next, arrive at a beautiful black sand beach, Praia das Aranhas, a place for turtle’s nesting where you can swim depending on the sea conditions. There, find a scenic spot for a well-deserved rest and enjoy a picnic on the shore. After that, start your 2.5-hour hike between volcanic rocks and the ocean, offering stunning views until you reach Cruzinha, a small fishing village with breathtaking views of the coast and the ocean. At the end of an unforgettable day, sit back and relax on the return transfer to your accommodation. Overnight in Ponta do Sol.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Hotel Tiduca in Ponta do Sol (Santo Antão Island) or similar.

Day 9: From Santo Antão: Full-day São Vicente Experience

The day begins with pickup from your accommodation in Ponta do Sol and heads towards São Vicente. Upon arrival, explore the island´s capital, Mindelo, a historic and culturally rich city bursting with character. Continue the tour along Avenida Marginal to Praia da Bote and to the island´s first popular African market where the first community was established. Stroll through the colorful stalls, soak up the array of sights and scents, and mingle with the locals going about their day. From here, drive to the eastern part of the island where native animals, endemic plants, and rolling farmland can be seen along the luscious Calhau Valley. Finally, enjoy a well-deserved lunch in Salamansa with “No Stress Vibe”. After that, head to the village of Baía das Gatas and take a stroll along the white sand dunes that line the sea. Later, drive to Monte Verde Natural Park to admire a stunning view of the entire island as well as the other Cape Verde Islands. The tour concludes with a drop-off at your accommodation in Mindelo. Overnight in São Pedro.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Aquiles Eco-Hotel in São Pedro (São Vicente Island) or similar.

Day 10: Free day in São Vicente

Start your day with a delicious breakfast at your accommodation and then explore São Vicente on your own. You may like to relax on the white sand of the most picturesque and beautiful beach on the Island, Laginha Beach, known for its white sand and turquoise waters. Overnight in São Pedro.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Aquiles Eco-Hotel in São Pedro (São Vicente Island) or similar.

Day 11: Hotel Checkout, Transfer out and Goodbye Cabo Verde

Start your last day with a delicious breakfast at your accommodation and then enjoy your free time according to the flight schedules. Check out from the accommodation in Mindelo and at agreed time be picked up and transferred to Cesária Évora international airport. Catch your international flight back home and say goodbye to “La Morabeza Crioula”.