Description
TREKKING TOUR
Highlights
- See São Vicente; Mindelo city, harbour, fish market and the music scene
- See Santo Antão; Porto Novo
- Trekking; Cha das Pedras, Caibros, Cha da Igreja, Ponta de Sol, Riberia da Cruz
- Trekking; Alto Mira, Cha de Morte, Tarrafal, Norte, Tope de Cor
- Visit an eco-farm, Grog distilleries and coffee factory
- See fruit tree plantations, agricultural and sugar cane fields
- Enter valleys; Riberia grand, Paul, Garca
- Panoramic views when hiking from sea level to 1,500 metres on Pico de Cruz trail
- Meet the locals; pass by colourful villages and visit a primary school
- Dramatic rock formations and scenery as you climb steep mountains
- Black Volcanic Sandy Beaches
Accommodation, beverages and food included.
What's Included:
- English-speaking guide
- 2 nights at BnB at Avenida / Residencial Mindelo / Don Paco
- 2 nights BnB at Santa Antão Art Resort
- 2 nights BnB at Residencial Ponta do Sol
- Overnight on HB at Caibros / Cha de Igreja / Alto Mira / Cha de Morte / Norte
- 3 nights at BnB at Vista Tarrafal (extension)
- Transfers between apartment/hotel/pier
- Return ferry tickets from Mindelo, São Vicente to Porto Novo, Santo Antão
- 2 dinners in Mindelo (1 with live music – except extension)
- 7 lunches and 3 lunch-bags (only water is included during meals)
- VISA
- VAT
Prices are valid until 1st of May 2018, include:
TOUR IMAGES
Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome to São Vicente
This tour starts on a Wednesday.
Flight to São Vicente, the small, volcanic island which is home to the second largest city of Cape Verde, Mindelo. “Soncent” as called by the locals is definitely the cultural centre of the archipelago influenced by Cuban, Brazilian, French, and English and Portuguese roots. Check-in to the centrally located hotel. Welcome dinner in town.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2
Discover Mindelo
During our classical half-day tour, you visit the highlights of Mindelo such as Praca Nova, harbour, fish market. Mindelo is the cultural capital of Cape Verde, it has an enormously thriving music scene that has produced international artists such as Cesaria Evora, Lura and Tito Paris. After lunch in a typical Cape Verdean restaurant, we take the ferry to Santo Antão, the greenest island of the archipelago. Check-in to our accommodation by the ocean.
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 3
Trek from, “Cha das Pedras” to “Caibros”
Transfer via the famous strada velha da Corda to Coculi, lunch at an eco-farm. The trek starts at „Cha das Pedras”, a wide valley famous for its grogue distilleries to end at Caibros. The paved track will lead among yellow stones to the village of Riberao and then more up to the path of the narrow valley of Caibros with yearlong running water. Dinner and overnight at Casa Zeca.
Meal includes: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 4
Trek from “Caibros” to Cha da Igreja”
At the end of the Ribeira Grande’s valley the path will climb up the steep slope till the pass to the valley of Mocho. From there one can discover the wonderful panorama on the valley of Garca. Lunch will be served in a private house. From there the way down towards the ocean will end up in the charming village of Cha de Igreja surrounded by agricultural fields. Accommodation and dinner in a small pension.
Meal includes: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 5
Trek “Cha da Igreja” to ” Ponta do Sol”
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 6
Discovery of “Paul Valley”
The Paul valley is known to be the greenest of the archipelago. It’s like a dive into the lush-green vegetal world. All day long the path will find its way between sugarcane fields, fruit tree plantations, coffee, banana, guava, and mango. Lunch is planned in an old coffee factory. At the end of the track visit to a grogue distillery and tasting. Overnight in Ponta do Sol.
Meal included: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 7
Trek “Janela” to “Pico da Cruz”
This trek is one of the most demanding as it starts at sea level and ends at 1.500 m into the forest beneath Pico de Cruz. Breathtaking views of the north-east coast and after reaching the top of the steep wall the south part of the island will offer its great sceneries. The lunch pause will be appreciated under the shade of mimosa trees. It will take about one hour to drive down to Porto Novo. Overnight at a resort by the ocean.
Meal: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 8
Trek “Ribeira da Cruz” to “Alto Mira”
Time for the wild west of the Ilha das montanhas. At the pass of Alto Mira the paved road will drop down to the ocean steeply in to the Ribeira da Cruz. The agriculture fields covering the lowest part of the mountains make an incredible contrast with the ocean front horizon. The trek up to Alto Mira will pass through a few abandoned villages. Overnight and dinner at Casa Amadeu.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch Bag and Dinner
Day 9
Trekking “Alto Mira” to “Cha de Morte”
Zigzagging between blade shape rocks up to reach the viewpoint over Ribeira das Patas, the largest and most impressive valley of Santo Antão. The path will lead us to the other side of the canyon until Cha de Morte. Time for lunch in a guesthouse with an amazing panorama looking east. The visit to the local primary school will delight us with the true smiles of the children. Free time and relax in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10
Trekking “Cha de morte” to “Norte”
The first part of the hike is up, up, and more up. It is a 600 meter vertical wall to conquer before entering a moon like world, wow. Crossing the altiplano beneath the Tope the Coroa our minds will wonder and try to understand how people can live in such a dramatic surrounding. That long walking day will be rewarded by the hospitality found at the house of Dona Isabella. Dinner and overnight
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11
Trekking to the “Tope de Coroa”
Let’s go meet the “High One” with its surrounding crown. The way almost invisible between rocks and beautiful bushes slowly gets us for lunch-bags at the top of the island. (1979 m), between the fantasy of colourful slopes and panoramic views over the entire island. From there São Vicente seems to be flying over the endless ocean. After taking the picture requested to get your diploma it’s time to go down to catch the ferry back to Mindelo. Accommodation in the city centre and farewell dinner with live music.
Meal includes: Breakfast, Lunch Bag, Dinner
Day 12 and 13
Relax in Tarrafal
50 years ago water-tank boats use to anchor daily at Tarrafal in order to get the drinking water for the people of São Vicente. Since then the huge spring has almost dried and its water barely feeds the need of the local agriculture. Enjoy your stay between the fishermen at work, the children playing, relax on the wide beach which volcanic sand is medical.
Meal includes: Breakfast
Day 14
Back to Mindelo
Private transfer to Porto Novo. Ferry to São Vicente and check-in to the accommodation in the city centre. Farewell dinner in Mindelo.
Meal includes: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 15
Goodbye Cabo Verde
Morning free time to enjoy the city beach of Laginha or do some shopping in Mindelo. Early afternoon transfer to the airport and fly back to Europe.
Meal includes: Breakfast
TREKKING DETAILS
|
TREKKING DETAILS
|
HOURS
|
LEVEL
|
UP
(m) |
DOWN
(m) |
|
Cha das Pedras / Caibros
|
3
|
3
|
400
|
300
|
|
Caibros/Cha de Igreja
|
5
|
3
|
800
|
900
|
|
Cha de Igreja/Ponta do Sol
|
6
|
4
|
600
|
700
|
|
Paul valley
|
6
|
3
|
600
|
200
|
|
Janela/Pico da Cruz
|
7
|
4
|
1700
|
200
|
|
Ribeira da Cruz/Alto Mira
|
6
|
3
|
900
|
100
|
|
Alto Mira/Cha de Morte
|
4
|
3
|
300
|
700
|
|
Cha de Morte/Norte
|
5
|
4
|
800
|
100
|
|
Tope de Coroa
|
7
|
5
|
1100
|
1100
|
