Cape Verde: Sunny trek to Santo Antão
When Captain Diego Alfonso discovered the island of Santo Antao in January 1462, he had yet to learn that he had discovered a beautiful paradise for any trekking enthusiast. Almost seven hundred years later, we invite you to deep green valleys, high cliffs, extinct volcanoes, and hospitable Creoles, with a rich culture and cuisine.
During our 9 days of trekking on the island of Santo Antao, we will cross the island from west to east. We will start in the 'dry' part of the island, climbing the highest peak, Topo de Coroa, to enjoy the rest of our journey in the 'green' part. This one is full of deep valleys where locals use terrace cultivation The trail follows old cobbled roads built by grog traders, but also donkey and goat paths :-) We will walk up steps that are several hundred years old, along levadas that were bringing water from the mountains.
Our luggage will be transported to our accommodation, therefore we do not carry all the weight. The trek is not technically difficult, but the altitudes can be high at times. Therefore, we will alternate between full-day and shorter treks so there is time to recover and get to know the villages and their local communities.
Dates of tours
| Number | Difficulty | Date | Duration | Price | Remarks | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EN-501-24 | 2-3 | 30.10.2024 to 12.11.2024 | 14 |
2700 EUR |
CONFIRMED! |
Book now! |
ITINERARY:
DAY 1-2
Departure from Warsaw with a stopover in Lisbon. If there is sufficient time, we will go on a quick tour of the Portuguese capital. Then continue to Cape Verde Island. Arrival at Cesaria Evora Airport in the city of Mindelo on the island of Sao Vicente. There will be time for a short walk through the fish market and we will visit the home of the famous singer.
DAY 3 (short trekking)
Morning ferry transfer to the island of Santo Antão. We board our "aluger" - an open pick-up truck (or minibus depending on the number of people). We drive to the western end of the island to Tarrafal, a quiet fishing village above a black beach with volcanic sand. After swimming and lunch, we will start trekking along the ocean* to Monte Trigo. Accommodation at a local guest house.
* This is the only day when we take our belongings in our backpacks for 1 night. We will have access to our luggage the following day in the evening at Cha Dura.
DAY 4 (full-day trekking)
Trekking through the desert part of the island. The landscape will be truly lunar. We reach the village of Cha Dura, where we will spend 2 nights.
DAY 5 (full-day trekking)
It will take us a full day to climb the highest mountain of Santo Antao Island, Tope de Coroa (1979 m.). After the trek, we will get a taste of life in the "periphery of the periphery", where we will witness the production methods of the famous fresh local goat cheese.
DAY 6 (short trekking)
Today after breakfast we will visit the local primary school. Later we will continue trekking in the lunar land of craters. We will have a home-cooked lunch and head to rocky Alto Mira for our night.
DAY 7 (short trekking)
Transfer to the green part of the island along an old scenic cobbled road with many stops for photos. We will see the Cova crater and the village of Coculi, drive to the northern tip of the island to the fishing town of Ponta Del Sol. Lunch at one of the eco-farms, where there will also be an opportunity to swim. We will spend the evening at the host's house far from the tourist routes.
DAY 8 (full-day trekking)
Trekking along the 'Grog Valley' to Cha das Pedras known for its production of cane alcohol, which was transported on donkeys to ports and sold to ships for hundreds of years via mountain paths. To hide from the Portuguese authorities, the locals built steep cobbled paths high in the rocks, which we will also use.
DAY 9 (full-day trekking)
The next highlight of the trip! The panoramic route from Cha de Igreja to Ponta do Sol follows rocks along the ocean and passes Creole villages hidden from pirates in narrow valleys. On one side we will have hard-to-reach terraced fields and on the other a view of the ocean. In the village of Formiguinhas, we will have a home-cooked lunch straight from the sea. In the evening we will have a party with music in a local bar.
DAY 10 (short trekking)
The valley of Paul is a green highlight of the whole island. With its own microclimate, it allows local farmers to grow practically any crop. Here you will find mangoes, coffee, papayas, bananas, and tomatoes, but also exotic varieties of potatoes or cassava. We will walk through the green valley, tasting homemade coffee, grog, and juices.
DAY 11 (full-day trekking)
The final day of trekking takes us from the Paul Valley through mountain Pico da Cruz, from where we will see the neighboring islands of Sao Nicolao, Sao Vicente, and Santa Lucia. We will have a home-cooked dinner and finish the evening in the island's capital, the town of Porto Novo. with a music concert at Pedra d'Rala.
DAY 12
In the morning we will sail back to Sao Vicente. We will stay in the Che Guevara guesthouse and spend the afternoon exploring the town with its colorful houses and the surrounding area and/or relaxing on the golden sand beach. In the evening we will have octopus from the local fish market for dinner.
DAY 13
Departure to Poland with a stopover in Lisbon. Depending on the current route network, sightseeing the Portuguese capital*. Possible walks through the streets of the artistic district of Bairro Alto and the oldest one, Alfama. Excursion to the promenade along the Tagus estuary to the Belem Tower, visit to the extraordinary museum of azulejos (decorated ceramic tiles).
*The programme of sightseeing Lisbon depends on the current flight network and varies depending on the date of the tour. There are different possibilities: from a few to several hours of connecting flights.
DAY 14
Return to Poland in the morning.
PRICE INCLUDES:
• return flight ticket from Warsaw with all airport charges
• checked and hand luggage according to the airline's weight limit
• accommodation: guest rooms in the local guesthouses on Santo Antão
• accommodation in a 3* hotel on the island of São Vicente
• local transport: ferry between islands and by bus or 'aluger' to Santo Antao according to the program.
• half board (breakfast and dinner during the trek)
• grog tasting in the Paul Valley
• transport from/to Sao Vicente airport
• care of an English-speaking guide and a local mountain guide
• information packages and maps
• insurance guarantee for the travel agency
• NNW and KL + insurance of luggage up to 200 Euro
• a mandatory fee for the State Tourist Guarantee Fund (TFG) for each person
• a mandatory fee to the state Tourist Fund for Assistance (TFP) for each person
• insurance against contracting the virus (COVID-19) while abroad
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
• Food and drink on the island of Sao Vicente
• Airfare on arrival in Mindelo - approximately EUR 23
• Covid-19 test (if applicable)
ACCOMMODATION:
Accommodation in family-run guesthouses/agrotourism adapted for tourists. Rooms sometimes with own bathroom/shower. Some accommodation has hot water. Where possible, rooms are double, but there are also three or four-bed rooms.
FOOD:
Local Creole cuisine (also vegetarian-friendly) includes vegetables from the garden, fresh fish, or pork. Local hosts will cook for us in the guest houses during the trek. Food in local pubs on Sao Vicente Island upon arrival and before departure is payable on your own.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Trekking 'lightly' means that the main luggage is transported by car to the accommodation and we walk with little personal luggage. Please keep in mind that the term "lightly" does not mean that trekking is easy. A good fitness level is required. The average daily time for a full-day trek is 8 hours and days with light trekking are about 5 hours plus additional rounds for those who still have strength once we reach our destination.
Most of the trails follow paths built by local grog smugglers or farmers. These are trails built hundreds of years ago but are kept in very good condition. They are usually paved, wide enough for two donkeys, and with a protective barrier. Although there are no technically difficult places during the trek, you have to reckon with uphill and downhill climbs of around 1,000 meters during the day. The full-day treks are combined with half-day treks to give you time to recover. However, for active hikers, there are alternative extra walks instead of rest.
Weather conditions - warmth and exposure to the sun - make trekking more difficult.
TRANSPORTATION:
Assurance car transports luggage between accommodations. We only take small hand luggage on the trek. The car can transport participants who wish to take it on a given day. It is not possible to use a car during the trek (e.g. in the middle of the route).
GROUP:
We travel in small groups. The minimum number of people on a tour is 8, the maximum is 15/16.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER CONDITIONS:
Cape Verde is known for its sunny weather practically all year round. A very high number of sunny days or light cloud cover is expected. The likelihood of rainfall is minimal. Daytime temperatures are around 25°C; at night and in higher elevations it can be just a few degrees cooler.
TOUR LEADER:
The guides of the trip to the Cape Verde Islands are, among others, Roman Stanek, founder of active travel agency Barents.pl, Paweł Gardziej, Iwo Gumuła or other active tour guides.
FLIGHT:
The place of departure is WARSAW. For clients living abroad, we can arrange a flight from elsewhere in Europe. In case you wish to travel from another destination or book flights on your own, please contact us for a price quotation for this trip.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
• The itinerary may change depending on the date of departure, weather and other factors.
• Learn more about general conditions of participation and find out how to sign up for a trip.
• The organizer of the trip is Active Travel Agency Barents.pl.
