A single timed transfer is provided for the drive from Praia Airport to our hotel in Praia, where your holiday starts.
On this island of Santiago we have sandy beaches, mighty mountains and very dry grassland areas. About half the population of Cape Verde live on the island and there are small terraces for local produce. The islands highest peak is Pico Antonia (not to be confused with the one on Sao Antao!). It has a large influence from Africa as it was a slavery hub for many years. There is also a strong colonial influence which can be seen in the architecture. Depending on arrival time you can explore Praia, with its centre known as the Plateau and the Sukupira market area. We will have our first experience of the warm welcome from the beautiful people of Cape Verde. Our guide will suggest a good place for dinner tonight. Overnight Praia.

Please note: The schedules for the internal flights can change with very short notice, which can result in changes to the itinerary or to the order in which activities are undertaken.

This morning we take the short flight from Praia to the nearby island of Fogo. Fogo is in fact the Portuguese word for fire - and the active volcano 'Pico de Fogo' is the reason. The most recent eruptions were in 2014 and early 2015 with lava destroying almost all the houses in the villages of Portela and Bangeira. However the resilient locals moved back as soon as the lava was cool to the touch and started to re-build. We drive up to these villages not far from the crater rim, also named Cha das Caldeiras. We enjoy an afternoon walk here and our local guide tells us about the volcano and living in the area. Here we are in the original crater which is vast. Pico Fogo is a volcanic peak with its own crater within this vast caldeira. Our overnight accommodation is simple. Overnight Cha das Caldeiras, Fogo.

An exciting day today as we ascend this volcano with its characteristic conical shape. Starting at dawn the walking is tough as we ascent steeply on a rocky spur. The views are more than awe inspiring of the island surrounded by the glistening Atlantic Ocean. From the top you can clearly see that this peak is just a small volcano in a massive crater. There are small fumeroles giving off hot sulphur gases and deep ash fields. It is a 4-5 hour steep ascent and then the descent is very quick with most people choosing to run or slide down the ash/scree back to the village. We enjoy our late lunch accompanied by a glass of Fogo wine made from the few vines that they have dotted on the ashy ground. We have the rest of the afternoon to relax in this special place and soak in the atmosphere. Overnight Cha das Caldeiras, Fogo.

We leave this area on foot as we head in a northerly direction to the coast. We walk around Monte Velha through the forest, past banana, papaya and coffee plantations - a large contrast to our dusty walk yesterday. The area here is very fertile and green because of the trade winds. Along the path we also see agave plants and eucalyptus trees. On arrival at Mosterios we meet our vehicle to transfer to Sao Filipe. Time and weather allowing we can have a swim in a sheltered bay on the way back to Sao Filipe. This colourful town is great for a stroll around before dinner. Overnight Sao Filipe.

This day varies slightly depending on the flight times. If the flight is in the evening then we have time this morning for a relaxed start. We can walk along the stunning black beach for 1-2hrs. It can be a peaceful or wild place between the crashing waves and the rugged cliffs depending on the weather and seas. We fly from Fogo to Santiago. If we have time in Santiago then we visit the interesting old city Cidade Velha (payable locally) and lunch in a local restaurant. We then fly to the island of Sao Vicente which is located south-east of its more well-known neighbour Santo Antao. On arrival we transfer the 20 minutes to the town of Mindelo to our hotel. Overnight in Mindelo.

This morning we have a ferry crossing (1 hour) to Santo Antao, the greenest of the Cape Verde islands and a perfect venue for walking. We transfer for approximately an hour inland to Ribeira das Patas (Ribeira means river or rivers-edge in Portuguese) and a little further up the road we find the trailhead of our walk. This impressive trail contours around the mountain and ascends gradually (with the occasional steep section) and cannot been seen from the road. It is an incredible path and walk. The views are superb over the valley, down to Porto Novo and over the sea to Sao Vicente. At the highest point of our walk we emerge onto a plateau with views of Topo da Coroa (1983m), the highest peak on Santo Antao and the whole of Cape Verde. Passing an old hermits cave we then start our steep descent on a beautifully made cobbled path. Many of these paths were made by slaves in years gone by. They are well maintained these days for locals and their donkeys for villages and fields which do not have road access. Our trail today ends back at the village of Cha de Morte and our accommodation were we overnight in a simple guesthouse with a local family.

A spectacular walk today as we descend from the village of Cha d'Orgueiro down to the northwest coast. We have a transfer of around 30 mins to the village from where we walk down to the northwest coast with wonderful vistas. This delightful walk sees us descend past farmed terraces and along the deep valley carved out by the river Alta Mira. This is the first sheltered valley in the area and therefore utilised by the local population. In between the steep sided cliffs, far away from the end of the road we come across small plots of land properly terraced and irrigated, and planted with an array of fruit and vegetables such as yam, breadfruit, mango and papaya. We descend right down to the pebble beach at the coast. Our transfer meets us a little further up the road and we drive to Cha de Morte for our second night.

After breakfast we board our vehicle for a transfer of approximately 1.30hrs to the wooded ridges of the island in the northeast. We arrive at the Cova crater, which is an ancient volcanic crater surrounded by jagged mountains and a lovely flat inside - perfect for agriculture! It's an interesting place. Our walk starts a short distance from here as we descend into the Ribeira de Grande valley, in the direction of the coast. The scenery is marvellous, and very different from what we have seen. We pass by sugar cane and vegetable crops through more undulating terrain. Coming out of the valley we have panoramic views into the next valley and down to the sea - it is beautiful. We meet our driver at the road and we drive to Ponta do Sol, approximately 40mins. This is the old port of the island and a thriving little town. We can stroll along the pier and see the staggering cliffs of the northern coast dive vertically into the sea. We have 2 nights in this little town. Overnight Ponta do Sol.

This morning we transfer around to the coastal village of Cruzinha (approximately 1.30 hrs), and then we walk back to Ponta do Sol along the spectacular coastal path. The views are breathtaking with the vast expanse of the ocean on our left and the steep mountains on the island inland. We enjoy lunch at a homestay in the village of Corvo, which is only accessible by foot along this coastal path. After lunch the path takes us through to Fontainhas, a hilltop village famous for its colourful houses. We then descend into Ponta do Sol for our second night. We can relax with a beer and maybe get into the swing by listening to some live music. Overnight Ponta do Sol.

We leave Ponta do Sol this morning with a 20mins transfer into the Ribeira da Torre valley. This is one of the greenest and most spectacular in the island. The first few villages we come across are a hive of planting with sugar cane, banana, cassava, papaya and sweet potato. This area really is a dream for walkers! Rising sharply from the middle of the valley is a volcanic tower known as 'Tope de Mirande'. We have lunch with a lovely local family (one of the many holiday highlights!) before descending through the cane fields following the irrigation channels back to the bottom of the valley. We meet our driver and transfer the 30mins to Vila das Pombas (Paul), were we have the next two nights at a small family run guesthouse.

The Val de Paul is beautiful and green, peppered with plantations of sugar cane, mango, papaya, breadfruit and eucalyptus trees. There are also cedar and pine trees in proliferation. 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 and it's small communities. We start with a transfer up the valley of around 40 mins At the road end we start walking and follow the cobbled paths lined with dry-stone walls and the precarious villages nestled on steep sided mountains. We have a lunch full of the local product at the home of Fatima. On our descent we visit the rum distillery and maybe try some of this local product. The rum is made from the sugarcane which is harvested in late spring. We walk right back to our accommodation in the coastal town of Paul. Overnight Paul.

Our last walk on this fantastic island is from the Janela point, and up into the valley. This is a lovely short circular walk through coffee plantations with great views of the ocean. A perfect last leg stretch before transferring to Porto Novo and taking the ferry back to Mindelo. Here our guide will arrange dinner in a local restaurant for a final celebratory meal as we toast our delightful holiday in the beautiful Cape Verde Islands.

A single timed transfer is provided to the airport. We wave goodbye to these beautiful islands in the middle of the turquoise-blue ocean. Flight time dependent we have some time to walk around Mindelo with its Portuguese colonial buildings and vibrant markets.