The Ultimate Cape Verde Walking Holiday

Our Ultimate Cape Verde Walking Holiday includes high summits, valley walks, and coastal paths.

This Cape Verde Walking Holiday is aimed at those who enjoy the challenge of a high summit. Your walks are spread across four of Cape Verde’s Islands, which means a greater variety of volcanic scenery. The highest summit is Fogo Volcano, at 2829m. As well as enjoying lots of exceptional walks, we will make sure you get to enjoy some of the site seeing highlights of the four island you visit. This itinerary has been carefully put together to allow for some half day walks, prior to your challenging summits. We also include time for enjoyable cultural excursions, and a rest day. An English-speaking local guide will accompany you on all of your walks.

All guiding and transfers are private just for you.

Your walking holiday starts on Santiago, one of the more densely populated and culturally authentic. You’ll enjoy a relaxing walk to Cidade Velha, the first Portuguese settlement on Cape Verde. Continuing your warm up into walking, you’ll head to the Malagueta mountains. Your first challenge is an ascent of Pico d’Antonia. It’s not the highest (1392m) but may feel the hardest, due to its steepness. You could call it a baptism of fire!

From Santiago, you take an inter-island flight to Fogo. Make sure you’re seated on the right-hand side of the plane, as you’ll fly right past Pico do Fogo. It’s a giant, even from the air, and looms over the massive crater of Cha das Caldeiras. You’ll first do a walk in the crater itself, before attempting an ascent of the impressive active volcano, which last erupted in 2014. An early start is the order of the day, and your reward will be the view into the crater of the volcano, and across the Cape Verde archipelago. The descent is a fantastic scree run down the ashy flanks.

Similarly to Santiago, Sao Vicente is considered culturally rich. Mindelo has a cosmopolitan-feel with it’s marina that’s busy with trans-Atlantic yachts and other craft. Live bands play in the bars and restaurants at night, many within walking distance from your hotel. Whilst here, you’ll walk from the city around the coast to Salamansa and then you’ll visit the top of Monte Verde (744m). Monte Verde looms above the harbour town of Mindelo, as if keeping guard. On a clear day, there are amazing views of Mindelo and across the strait to Santo Antao.

Last, but certainly not least, is Santo Antão, a true walker’s paradise. We’ve included three of the best walks in your trip. Your first walk starts at Cova crater,  and its a fun jeep drive up a cobbled road to get there. From the rim, you descend to the floor of the crater and ascent the other side. Finally, you follow the zig zagging path into the spectacularly beautiful Paul Valley. Your second walk takes you into another valley, Cha das Pedras. For your third day, you follow the rugged Pacific coastal route from Cruzinha to Ponta do Sol.

Your final walk on this amazing walking holiday is the lesser-visited highest point of Santo Antao, the Tope de Coroa (1979m). Surrounded by glowing hills often covered in little flowers, you might feel like you’re hiking in the Alps. Tope de Coroa is in Santo Antao’s remote western end and your last day on the island is spent here relaxing at remote Tarrafal.

Your journey home is by ferry to Sao Vicente where you have a night to enjoy Mindelo before flying back to the UK via Lisbon