Walking Options
For your safety trips can be cancelled or modified at the last minute depending on weather conditions
1. CHA DE PEDRAS TO RIBEIRAO AND CAIBROS
4 Hours
The trek starts in 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. The views from the top are great for such a short walk . Ribeira means river or rivers-edge in Portuguese.The area is known for growing tropical fruits and vegetables and we may see people at work in their fields.
2. BOCA DE AMBAS RIBEIRAS TO CHA DE IGREJA
3-4 Hours / +500 -600 8km
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 can be served in a private house(if you want). From there the way down towards the ocean will end up in the charming village of Cha de Igreja surrounded by agricultural fields. We pass some spectacular mountain scenery today as we walk. The mountains are not high but they are steep and rugged. We zigzag around the contours on well-made old mule paths passing some hamlets as we walk.We should arrive here in the mid-afternoon
3. PONTA SOL TO CRUZINHA
5-6 Hours / +550 -550 15 km
Enjoy one of the most incredible walk on the island of Santo Antao. This path caved on the cliff above the ocean is a master peace of ancient engineering. After passing the abandoned village of Aranhas and then a small vilage called Formiguinhas. Passing the village of Corvo the trail will climb the last wall allowing to reach Fontainhas, the most colorful village hanged on a steep mountain.. The views can be described as breath-taking today with the vast expanse of the ocean on our left and the steep mountains on the island inland. Today is our longest walk, but you won’t want it to end because of the beauty. We undulate along the coast to Ponta do Sol, an attractive fishing village with a mountain backdrop.
4. HIKE INSIDE PAUL VALLEY
5 Hours / -450 +650 9 km
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 breadfruit,eaucalyptus, papaya. At the end of the trek visit to a grogue distillery and tasting. The chain of mountains that run through the island have towering peaks, and stunning views of the Atlantic coast. We walk today through this area with the crisp mountain air and past tiny communities. We start with a transfer to the starting point. We follow the cobbled paths lined with dry-stone walls and the precarious villages nestled on steep sided mountains.
5. ALTO MIRA TO CHA DE MORTE
2-3 Hours / +300 -400 5km
Zigzagging between blade shape rocks up to reach the viewpoint over Ribeira das Patas, the largest and most impressive valley of Santo Antao. The path will lead us to the other side of the canyon until Cha de Morte.
6. COVA TO PAUL VALLEY
5 Hours / +100 -1200 12 KM
This is a must see! An astonishing descent of 3 hours on the path and two hours on the road. Drop off at the starting point. From the wooden stall by the road,you will walk round the crater by either side. Enjoy the landscapes with pine trees and abandoned vineyards. The pass towards paul Valley is at the foot of the mountain in front. Gorgeous views If it isnt foggy over the valley, down to the sea. Then, and incredibly winding path you will eventually reach them among tropical cultures, like sugarcane or coffee. Almost at the end of the hike you can also visit a destillery and you can try grogue, a type of rum produced locally and very popular throughout the archipelago.
7. AGUA DAS CALDEIRAS TO RIBEIRA DA TORRE AND RIBEIRA GRANDE CITY
5-6 Hours / -1300 14 km
When we reach the highest point of Ribeira Grande / Porto Novo Road, we start the walk on the cobbled road. A few minutes later, it starts in the path through the slopes to a village, enjoying unique landscapes. The last part of the circuit can be traveled by car for a distance of 6km through the valley. The flora of the region varies according to altitude and humidity, with predominant multicolored shrubs of pine, eucalyptus, acacia, cypress, gravilea, medicinal plants and some species of endemic plants.
8. CHA DE MATO TO RIBEIRA DA TORRE AND RIBEIRA GRANDE CITY
5 Hours / -1100 12km
The hike starts about 1100 meters of altitude. It extends through an altitude subhumid climate, with energetic morphology of challenging mountains. The circuit travels wet ridges exposed to the northeast monsoon, carrying fogs causing lateral precipitation mainly at night. There are endemic plants everywhere. Note the Losna, Cow tongue, Alevatão, Marcelina, Bálsamo and many others. This route, which develops between dryland and irrigated properties, offers no difficulty.
9. LAGOA TO CAIBROS
4 Hours / +300 -1200 8km
There are several craters of extinct volcanoes. Predominant desert here and there, dotted with natural viewpoints with fascinating beauty. The route does not present great difficulties and begins on a dirt road felled until the locality of Matinho. Then, the path starts going down that runs along the hillside to the next village. The visitor has a clear perception of the contrast between the North / Northeast and the South of the island, on one side, the immense Ribeira Grande, the largest hydrographic basin in the country. There is little human fixation at the starting pont of the hike. The population is dedicated to cattle raising, dry farming and cheese production. Already, at the ending point, we will find a dense fixation of the population, whose main activity is the agriculture of Regadi
10. PINHAO TO LOMBO BRANCO AND SINAGOGA
4-5 Hours /+600 -800 6km
Transfer to the starting point located at 600 meters of altitude. The route develops along a plateau of rare beauty, not only by the great amount of small streams and hills but, mainly, by the great population dispersion.We will find 3 villages.
A wonderful and undulating walk through fertile valleys and across low mountain ridges but never far from the coast. The landscape is enhanced by friendly locals met on the away.The walk ends at the interesting place used by exiled jews.
11. CIRIO TO BORDEIRA DE NORTE AND RIBEIRA DAS PATAS
5-6 Hours /+600 -600 9km
This hike begins and ends on the same place. At the beginning, it goes up a fairly steep donkey path up to a plateau with spectacular views .The further path leads, sometimes in vertiginous heights, along the mountain slope to a point where the landscape abruptly changes to bizarre rock formations of water-storing pumice stone. This striking spot suggests that you will soon reach the great plateau, from where you can catch for the first time a view of the Tope de Coroa. On the plateau, the landscape changes again completely to a wide and fragrant grassland. The plateau is perfect for a longer rest break before going down to the famous serpentines of Bordeira de Norte about one kilometer to the ending point. This hike is certainly one of the most beautiful and varied walks of Santo Antão and you should have a head for heights.
12. CORDA TO COCULI
2-3 Hours / -1000 m
This path again starts quite high, though not as high as the crater walk. It’s a straigh forward downhill walking, again not partuculary tricky.As usual, we pass through agriculturally used land, a spectacular mountain scenery, and cute villages.You will be enchanted by breathtaking green views over the valleys. You pass authentic small villages and really go back in time.
13. CHA DE PEDRAS TO COCULI
2 Hours / +400 -600 5km
This is a simple but absolutely stunning hike through three valleys of santo antao,which are all famous for their grogue destilleries and vegetation ;hence you will some trapiches (from january to july) on the way.Starting in cha pedras passing by joao afonso and finishing in coculi you will trespass many sugar cane and banana plantations.
14. LIN DE CORVO JOAO AFONSO
4 Hours / +250 -750 8km
The starting point of the hike is in Lin d Corvo, a semi-desert plateau. From here, a scenic trail (we cross the sugarcane crops and small rural hamlets) descends towards João Afonso.
Along the hike you can find endemic plants and if the weather is ok, you can take great pictures of ribeira grande valley.
15. DAY TRIP ON SANTO ANTAO
6-7 Hours
Once visiting São Vicente and the cultural capital of Cape Verde Mindelo – it’s a MUST see also neighbour island of Santo Antão. This green paradise will amaze you by its beauty and landscapes diversity. Santo Antão is a mountainous island with a forest, various plantations, magnificent valleys and breath-taking views. You will visit also a distillery where you can try the most famous drink on cape verde – “grogue”, made by sugar cane .Be ready with your camera, because you will be not able to stop shooting one of the best pictures from your holiday on Cape Verde. Santo Antão is a real jewel in this part of the Atlantic! Don’t miss it! In the morning you will go to the harbor, where you will get the ferry .The trip takes one hour to reach the island of Santo Antão, called by the locals “Ilha das Montanhas” = Island of the Mountains and considered by majority of the tourists as the most beautiful island of the archipelago. I will welcome you at the harbour of Porto Novo and let the adventure begin! One of the highlights is the mountain road. During the excursion you can have Great views if the weather is good (views that you havent seen anywhere). Enjoying incredible scenery over the crater with its colourful agricultural fields, you will be amazed by incredible views over the canyons at Cha de Mato. Then you will visit the town of Ribeira Grande with its colonial architecture that used to be economical and cultural capital of the island. From there the road will lead us to ponta sol city with its old buildings.Here we can have lunch. After that the next visit will be paul valley – the entrance gate of the greenest valley of the archipelago. Driving up among sugar cane fields and fruit-tree plantations / mango / papaya / banana / etc. Before heading back to the harbour via the newly build coastal road, you will visit a distillery and taste the famous local rum called “grogue”.
**Keep in mind that the landscapes change according to the period of the year you are visiting the Island**
