Where to Walk: the 15 Best Cape Verde Hiking Tours

1.Fogo Island: Pico do Fogo Volcano Summit Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 92 reviews · 6 - 7 hours · from $51Our pick

You’ll hike Pico do Fogo with a local guide, reaching Cape Verde’s 2,829-meter summit after roughly three to four hours. Expect volcanic views, active crater areas, and a playful descent through loose ash toward Chã das Caldeiras. Hotel transfers are included, but bring your own water and picnic.

“Our guide, Junior, was excellent, he took the pace nice and steady, having regular short breaks and checking we we ok. He spoke excellent English and had a passion for the volcano and surrounding area, would highly recommend him.”

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2.Santo Antão: Day Trip by Car or Trek

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · from $104Best guided

Cross from Mindelo to Santo Antão by ferry, then tour the island by private vehicle with a local guide such as Madu or Danny. Visit Cova Crater, Pico da Cruz, Ponta do Sol, Paúl, and a grogue distillery. Choose a car sightseeing day or ask about a custom walk or trek.

“Santo Antao is a very beautiful island and the tour is perfect to visit it from Sao Vicente, if you don't have time for a longer stay. The tour is very well organized. Our guide was great. He told us so much about the island and Cabo Verde and stopped with us the best spots. SaRead more”

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3.Serra Malagueta: Principal Valley Hike & Lunch with Locals

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 64 reviews · 7 hours · from $111

Travel from Praia into Serra da Malagueta National Park for a 2 to 3 hour, 4.5 km downhill hike through streams, plantations, and rural villages. Meet local families, eat lunch in Mato Dento, and return along Santiago’s east coast. Guides speak English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish. Peter and Elton have earned special praise for their guiding.

“I really enjoyed this tour if you want to see the locals life closer and enjoy the very tasty meal of a local family and the beautiful nature and animals and plantations you get to book this hike plus Peter the Guide was the cherry on top making everything so smooth, helping in every detail and gave so much information about the whole country and history and fauna and Flora, it was overall perfect!! Thank you :)”

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4.Santiago Island: Serra Malagueta & Tarrafal Beach Trek Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 61 reviews · 8 hours · from $106

Spend three hours walking a moderate loop through Serra Malagueta Natural Park with a guide such as Carlos, Elton, or Americano, then swim or rest at Tarrafal Beach. Hotel pickup, transport, picnic, and insurance are included. The 8.5-kilometer trail gains about 280 meters and reaches 1,075 meters.

“I ended up being the only one attending the hike. So it was me, the guide and 2 trainees. The guide was very knowledgeable and all of the guys were very nice to spend time with. I booked the hike during the rainy season, so no views for me, but it was still a nicely spent day.”

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5.Praia: Baobab Mysterious Tree, Green Valley & Old City Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 53 reviews · 4 hours · from $53

This four-hour, small-group hike links Praia with Santiago’s green interior and historic Cidade Velha. You’ll walk about 4 km downhill through banana, sugar cane, mango, coconut, and papaya trees, look for the island’s symbolic kingfisher, learn about grogue, and visit a remarkable 400-year-old baobab. Guides may include Antonio, Alex, or Americio.

“We loved this walk, its about 2 hours of actual walking but gets you out the city and into nature from Praia. Not a long drive to the starting point and they pick you up at the end of the walk (point to point, not a loop) The area was beautiful and peaceful. Lots of fruit trees and the Kingfisher bird and a money we spotted! Very stoney ground but not too strenuous. Good to wear shoes with proper support for the stones.”

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6.Santiago: Calabaceira Valley Trek & Visit to Cidade Velha

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 49 reviews · 4 hours · from $82

Travel from Praia to Calabaceira for an easy but sometimes narrow downhill trek through sugar cane, banana trees, baobabs, and local farms. Meet a rum maker, then explore Cidade Velha with guides such as Katia, Mario, Ivana, Soraya, or Riccardo. Lunch is separate, and São Filipe Fortress costs €5.

“Mario notre guide était vraiment sympa et un puits de sciences quant à la connaissance des lieux visités et de son pays en règle générale. La randonnée et les visites étaient très intéressantes et instructives. Valérie et Christophe.”

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7.Santiago: Monte Tchota Natural Park to Pico d’Antónia Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 43 reviews · 6 hours · from $100

Leave Praia or São Jorge dos Órgãos for a demanding 9-kilometer trek through cool, biodiverse Monte Tchota Natural Park. With a guide such as Elder, you climb to Pico d’Antónia, Santiago’s 1,394-meter summit, then descend on a narrow, tilted trail. Clear weather may reveal Maio and Fogo’s volcano.

“To była fantastyczna wyprawa. Elder był znakomitym, pomocnym i pełnym empatii przewodnikiem. Jego wiedza na temat otaczającej nas podczas wyprawy przyrody była imponująca, ale przekazywał ją w bardzo przystępny sposób. Podczas całej wędrówki Elder zarówno czuwał nad bezpieczeństwem naszej grupy jak i wspierał w trudniejszych momentach. Choć droga na szczyt Pico d'Antonio momentami łatwa nie była, to krajobraz widziany z góry wynagradzał wszystko. Dziękuję Elder za tą wyprawę.”

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8.From Tarrafal: Serra to Principal Hike & Lunch with locals

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 41 reviews · 5 hours · from $70

From Tarrafal, drive to Serra Malagueta Natural Park for a guided mountain hike down to Principal Valley. Guides such as Alex, Ivana, and Luis explain the plants, animals, history, and local life. Finish with a home-cooked meal, often fresh fish, before a scenic drive back to Tarrafal.

“Mooie hike en hele goede begeleiding! Tijdens het wandelen werd er veel verteld over de natuur en het leven. De lokale lunch was heerlijk met vers bereidde vis. Trek wel echt goede wandelschoenen aan, het terrein is soms erg glad. Als je minder goed ter been bent, is de wandeling niet aan te raden.”

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9.Santa Maria: Guided Coastal Hike & Monte Leão Sunset

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 37 reviews · 4 hours · from $58

Join Spot Travel Tours at 3:00 pm for a guided west-coast hike from Ponta Preta toward Monte Leão. You’ll pass Calheta Funda and Murdeira, climb for sunset views, and have a support pickup truck nearby. Guides speak English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish. Bring water, sunscreen, and sturdy shoes.

“Antonio Dias made sure we had a wonderful hike. He picked us up on time and was very kind to answer all of our questions. The scenery is just mesmerising all the way to the end. Many different surfaces, which makes it more interesting, exciting as well as challenging. Make sure you bring comfy shoes for the hike! Thank you for the unforgettable afternoon! :)”

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10.Santo Antão: Hiking Cova Volcano Crater to Ribeira Paúl

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 31 reviews · 5 hours · from $100

You’ll hike from Cova Natural Park, about 1,100 meters above sea level, down the famous trail to Paul Valley. Guides such as Maira, Lea, Riva, Ravi, and Edy explain local plants, mountain life, and island legends. The five-hour outing includes transport, hotel pickup, and a traditional Grogue distillery visit, weather permitting.

“Belle découverte de l’île en compagnie de Ravi.”

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11.Serra Malagueta Natural Park: Hike to Gongon Valley & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 22 reviews · from $106

Leave Praia by hotel transfer for a demanding 12.5 km hike from Serra Malagueta at 1,000 meters. Walk through Gongon and Hortelã valleys, spot native plants and possible vervet monkeys, meet mountain families, and stop for lunch. Guides speak English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish. Expect steep descents, heat, and 4 to 5 hours on foot.

“We had a wonderful and wonderful time with Cati, thank you for everything, it was unforgettable.”

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12.From Tarrafal: Verdant Valley Hike & Lunch With Locals

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 17 reviews · 5 hours · from $82

From Tarrafal, drive 20 minutes to Serra Malagueta Natural Park for a guided mountain hike through endemic plants, bird habitat, villages, and highland farms. The route descends toward Principal Valley, where a local family serves lunch with rice, vegetables, fish or meat, water, and a soft drink. Guide Ely may lead the walk.

“We really enjoyed the trek. The guide was very helpful at the spots where the track got a bit more difficult. The view is amazing. The true highlight for us was the way back to Tarrafal from the end of the track using the pickuptrucks together with all the locals! All in all we would absolutely recommend doing this excursion.”

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13.Santiago: Trek from Serra Malagueta to Rabelados Community

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $111

Travel from Praia into Santiago’s highlands for an approximately 11.5-kilometer trek through Serra Malagueta Natural Park. You’ll walk among endemic plants, pause for a picnic, and visit the Rabelados community, known for its thatched homes and old customs. Guides may include Elisandro, Katia, Maria, or Afi, Carlos, and Jeff.

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14.Hike to the highest point of Monte verde

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 14 reviews · from $69

Travel from your hotel or cruise port to Monte Verde Natural Park, then walk a cobbled road and final trail to São Vicente’s highest point. Guides such as Yuran and Elody lead the route in English, French, or Portuguese. Allow about three hours, and bring water, sunscreen, a hat, and proper hiking shoes.

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15.Santiago: Longueira, Pico de Antónia & Monte Tchota Trek

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 10 reviews · from $106

Travel from Praia to Longueira for village life and a grogue distillery visit, then climb Santiago’s Pico de Antónia with guides such as Admilson, Ricardo, or Djibril. Expect a demanding one-way hike, picnic, endemic plants, birdlife, and broad views toward Maio and Fogo. Hiking shoes and walking sticks are essential.

“Very nice hike, not easy especially the last meters which climb steeply. The very friendly guide as well as her trainee present today.”

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