Cape Verde’s Northern Islands – With Private Guide

You’ll be met at Sao Vicente airport and transferred to your first accommodation in Mindelo (approx. 15mins); here you’ll receive your briefing from your private guide.

Spend your evening exploring the colourful cobbled streets and colonial architecture of this charming fishing village before watching a beautiful sunset over the beach.

Travel by boat from Mindelo (Sao Vicente) to Porto Novo on Santo Antao Island (1hr – included) and transfer to the start of your walk (30mins). Your guide will lead you through the lunar landscapes of the southern foothills to the roof of the island. Starting from the Cova Crater, you walk along ridges planted with pine and mimosa trees. The trail winds through this area of desert hills, between corn, sweet potato and bean fields and small forests, offering panoramic views over each of the island’s slopes when the weather is clear.

In the afternoon, you will be transferred from the end of your walk to Vila das Pombas where you’ll spend the next two nights.

A short transfer will bring you to the lush valley of Paul. Follow the small paths from hamlet to hamlet, passing through cultivated terraces in the area of Cabo de Ribeira. Here, the locals harvest coffee, oranges, guavas, and vegetables, depending on the season; this is also where the delicious rum is distilled!

Enjoy a special lunch in the small valley of Figuerial where you’ll be welcomed by a local family to sample their homegrown produce. After lunch, your walk returns you to the spectacular coastline of the Atlantic Ocean.

A morning transfer takes you through the mountainous valleys of Ribeira Grande and Garca to the coastal village of Cruzinha. Here your walk begins along an impressive path overlooking the shimmering ocean. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the peaceful green valley of Corvo before continuing to Fontainhas, a hilltop village famous for its colourful houses. Your day ends in Ponta do Sol, the northernmost city on the island of Santo Antao.

Your day begins with a short transfer to Ribeira da Torre, one of the greenest and most spectacular areas of the island, home to an imposing volcanic peak. Take some time to discover this incredible landscape before beginning your walk. Lunch is hosted by a local family before continuing your walk through cane fields, following irrigation canals towards the bottom of the valley. You will be transferred to Tarrafal on the western shore of Santo Antao, where you’ll discover the summit of the North Plateau before descending to the coast and onto your seaside accommodation.

Today you’ll walk along the coast in the shadow of the islands summit, a volcano almost 2,000m high that plunges into the ocean, before arriving in Monte Trigo, the westernmost settlement of Santo Antao. This small fishing village is completely isolated from the world, only accessible on foot or by boat. Its sweeping black sand beach and spectacular views over the Cape Verde Islands are well worth the effort of reaching this hidden gem. Return to Tarrafal by cabotage with the fishermen (40mins) – a unique experience in itself!

Enjoy a short morning walk through the fields of Tarrafal Valley, marvelling at the local farmers as they compete in ingenuity to build their terraces and irrigation channels. In the afternoon, you’ll be transferred back to Porto Novo for your return boat to Mindelo (1hr – included) where you’ll spend your final night on Sao Vicente – hopefully with fond memories of the unforgettable Cape Verdean islands!

You’ll be collected from your accommodation and transferred to Sao Vicente airport (approx.15mins) for your flight home.