Many have taken a break from the winter and flown to the Canary Islands to enjoy beach life and hiking opportunities. If you continue south for a couple more hours, you will end up on the Cape Verde Islands.
If you prefere the beach and lazy days, the island of Sal is the first choice. Several tour operators have direct flights there. If, on the other hand, you are looking for nature and hiking opportunities, you should bet on another island. Cape Verde consists of 10 larger islands, of which 3 in particular can offer dramatic nature and exciting hiking. They are Santiago, Fogo and Santo Antão.
You can fly directly to Santiago, the largest island. The other two can only be reached by ferry from the neighboring islands. Santo Antão is known for having the most beautiful nature and trails. You get there by plane to the neighboring island of São Vicente and then an hour by ferry.
Lisbon
São Vicente is not of the bigger destinations in Cape Verde and you have to stop by in Lisbon to change flights. When I left in February, it was not possible to find correspondence on the same day, so I chose a combination that gave me a whole day in Lisbon. It takes a short time to get from the airport into the city by metro, so it makes for a stress-free stop-over.
Lisbon was gray and rainy when I arrived, but the next day the sun was shining and it was reported to be 17 degrees. I regretted not staying over another day.
If you haven’t been to Lisbon, I would recommend it. I lived in a small hospice in the Alfama district, a little up in the hills opposite the city centre, with the famous old tram squealing past in the street. Dotted with old churches, small cafes and even a fado restaurant. Everything you need for the right Lisbon atmosphere
Cabo Verde Airlines from Lisbon to São Vicente
Check-in started at the normal time, at 1 pm. Departure at 2 pm. For unknown reasons, I had been upgraded to first class. Hardly because of my clothes, maybe because they needed more weight in front. It really didn’t matter to me; I was looking forward to a comfortable ride in a big seat, a sumptuous meal and plenty of drinks.
Boarding was finished just before departure time, but little happened. Half an hour passed, an hour passed. Perhaps Gabo Verde Airlines had not paid for the fuel? The plane was a little old and worn in the inventory, so it did not testify to the best economy in the small airline.
People dressed in yellow came and went. Finally with the important paper giving us permission to take off. The stairs were rolled away and soon we were in the air.
Life in first class turned out very differently from what I assumed. No food, no drinks. After 3 hours I got a plastic mug with lukewarm water. The sideman with an enormous gold watch had obviously flown the route before as he had brought half a bottle of brandy to shorten the trip.
But the legroom was good.
São Vicente
Since the arrival was in the evening and the boat to Santo Antao leaves in the morning, I also needed an overnight stay in Mindelo on São Vicente. This is Cape Verde’s second largest city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants. The city is known for its traditional music and carnival.
At 8 o’clock the next morning the ferry crossed the fjord that separates the two islands. It’s an hour’s boat trip that can be a bit bumpy because the wind and waves that come from the side. There were plenty of vomit bags on board, but the weather was good and I couldn’t see any being used. The passengers consisted of locals and quite a few tourists. Most of them were dressed in hiking gear and, interestingly enough, the majority were over 60. The steep mountains require you to be in good shape, but those are today’s pensioners. Many have good finances and the opportunity to go in February.
I had booked myself into a hospice in the Paul valley. According to the hospice, I would find a so-called aluguer with the name, Casa das Ilhas, in the windshield when I came ashore. It was not to be seen. Aluguer is the usual mean of transportation. It is either a van or a pickup where you sit on the truck bed. They are cheap, run when full and can be stopped everywhere. Then they drive as a collectivo. But be aware that if you are the only passenger, it suddenly becomes privado, i.e. a taxi. Then the price is 10 times higher.
In a small kiosk by the harbor I was able to buy a SIM card. With a European 1Mb costs 1 Ruro so it quickly becomes expensive. At the shop I was contacted by a man who would like to drive me privado. He followed me between the maybe 30 aluguers lined up while insisting on driving me. I agreed after haggling the price down from 50 to 40 Euros.
As soon as we were out of town, he stopped the car and wanted 60 Euros. Well, it is quite a long way on a narrow and winding road, but still! The man spoke only Portuguese, and I argued as best I could in the little Spanish I know. Finally he gave in and the trip could continue.
Cape Verde has Africa’s lowest crime rate, but scams are of course part of it, so always agree on a price in advance. You will only find serious crime is in places dense with tourists and in the two largest cities, Praia on Santiago and Mindelo
Santo Antão
The island is the second largest of the Cape Verde islands, but has only 30,000 inhabitants. Most people live in 3 towns, Porto Novo where the ferry docks, Ribeira Grande which is the largest, and Ponta do Sol. The last two are located on the east coast of the island, which receives a bit rainfall. From the coast, several green valleys run into the island where agriculture is practiced. Where the valleys end, the mountain takes over, rising to 1,500 metres. It is these mountains that provide precipitation as they catch the clouds that release rain and mist.
The western part of the island is very dry and almost uninhabited.
Paul valley
The Paul valley is one of the most scenic on Sant Antao. A green valley surrounded by almost vertical mountain walls. The valley culminates with a volcanic crater of 1,300 meters at the end. A cobbled road winds upwards with some clusters of houses close by, and scattered buildings up the green mountain sides.
Casa das Ilhas was 15 very steep minutes up the road with a fantastic view down the valley. The casa consists of small cabins spread out among banana plants and flowering bushes. I had intended to stay on the island for just over a week and preferred a place out in nature, instead of a hotel room in a densely populated area with no outdoor options other than dusty streets. Of course, that means fewer amenities, too. But if you climb down to the main road there are a couple of small bars/restaurants and a tiny little shop.
The poor selection in the shop limits lunch to sardines, tuna and a bun-like bread, but it’s fine for a week. I get breakfast and dinner at the casa.
Dinner is eaten together, 17 guests at a long table. The uneven number is due to me, who travels solo. I had expected to meet mostly Germans here, but I end up in the middle of the table where those on the right speak French, those on the left Dutch. Fortunately, the Dutch are good at English.
Dinner is one dish and dessert. Yesterday I had dinner in Mindelo and then had the choice between fish or a typical Cape Verdean dish. I chose the latter and was served a pot of beans and pieces of pork.
Today at Casa das Ilhas I have beans with a chicken thigh. They are obviously fond of beans here. Fortunately, there was a fish the next day, and a really good one. After all, we are 500 kilometers out into the Atlantic, so you can get fresh fish everywhere.
The casa is run by an quick Belgian lady who has lived in Cape Verde for 26 years and has been running the casa since 2006. What I like about this place, in addition to the location, is that it is easy to get known with the other guests as during shared meals. When you travel alone and also are a bit introvert there can be many lonely restaurant visits if you don’t get to know other solo travelers.
To save guests having to drag their suitcases up the 100 meter elevation to the casa, two strong ladies stand clear upon arrival. They take the suitcase on their heads and balances it up the steep hill. In addition, they carry all necessary goods up. But the most amazing thing was when one of them came with a 30 kilo washing machine on her head. According to Katelijne, the owner, she get a good salary for the effort, as the rest of the 8 locals who work on site. A sought-after workplace in an area without too many opportunities.
Hiking
In Paul there are several possibilities without the need for a car. But it is also easy to take an aluguer or taxi to nearby areas. Common to most trips is that it is steep and you have to expect from 600 – 800 meters of elevation gain. The alternative is to drive up to the mountains. There are flatter trails up there, or you can go down to the valley again. More about hiking here: cape-verde
Many buy tour packages with guided tours, or hire a guide for a day. For all the official hiking trails, a guide is completely unnecessary. The main paths are the old road network from before the cars came to the island, and they are very well marked and maintained. On the other hand, the guides know language and have a lot of information to provide, so they can make the tours more interesting.
Although the island is a paradise for hikers, it is well worth a visit for others who like to take it easy. The magnificent nature invites sightseeing by car. Especially the old road from Porto Novo to Reibeira Grande via the Cova de Paul volcano is spectacular.
Cape Verde facts
Cape Verde is not a rich country, but it does have one of the better economies in Africa. Agriculture and tourism are the most important sources of income. The impression is that the standard of living is reasonably good. The houses are freshly painted, the car park is modern and there is no begging. Even when you get a good distance from the road, I have seen that they have water closets.
But when you get well up in the height, far from the road, it looks more poorish with small unpainted concrete houses and tiny patches of earth where possible, terraced up the steep mountain sides.
Here, all goods have to be carried up and agricultural goods to be sold are carried down steep, stony paths.
Cape Verde was formerly Portuguese and gained its independence in 1975. The islands were uninhabited when they were discovered in the 15th century and were populated by Portuguese and African slaves. Today population it is a mixture of these.
The official language is Portuguese, but Cape Verdean Creole is the spoken language. Creole language is a language where the words are taken from the base language, here Portuguese, but where the grammar is greatly simplified. It arises when people groups with different languages try to find a common way to communicate.
Few speak English, but I managed in a practical situations with my limited Spanish skills. Presumably Spanish Creole.
The currency is Cape Verde Escudos, but the Euro works just as well. 100 escudos equals one Euro Escudos are not convertible so be sure to use them all before you leave.
A visa is normally not required for Europeans, but be sure to fill in the EASE-Traveller Pre-registration form no later than 5 days before arrival.
As mentioned, there are direct flights to Sal and it is possible to fly on to São Vicente. But this is quite expensive and the flights can be irregular. So the easiest is via Lisbon. Cabo Verde Airlines and TAP Air Portugal fly Lisbon – São Vicente. TUI also flies direct from Amsterdam.
Where to stay
The Paul valley is scenic, has many hiking opportunities, but is somewhat isolated. Ribeira Grande is quite centrally located in terms of communication, but not very charming.
Ponta do Sol, on the other hand, is a pleasant little fishing village located at the very eastern tip of the island. A little more off the beaten track, but it’s only a short 1 Euro aluguer ride to Ribeira Grande.
Cruzinha and Chã de Igreja are located in the wild and beautiful Ribeira da Garça valley, have many hiking opportunities, but few accommodations.
Depending on how long you will be here, it is quite possible to move around a bit. There are tour operators who set up round trips where your luggage is driven to the next hotel, while you use your legs.
The weather
Cape Verde is 500 kilometers out in the Atlantic off the coast of Senegal, and the climate is characterized by this. The annual average temperature varies between 23 and 30 degrees. The warmest period is April – November, and the most rain falls in August – October.
But the weather can change all the time, and especially the islands with high mountains get a bit of precipitation. On Santo Antao, the wind is usually easterly. Then the clouds gather on the eastern side of the mountains above the most inhabited areas. The further west you go, the more sun. Ponta do Sol is perhaps the safest choice in terms of weather here. But if you want to be sure, consider the Ribeira Garça valley with Cruzinha and Chã de Igreja. There are also many hiking opportunities.
Carousel. Drag or let it spin.
More about Santo Antao: Hiking in Paul Valley, Santo Antao, Kapp Verde
For other hiking regions: Hiking in the Canary Islands and warmer regions
