Hike from Porto Novo to Morrinho de Passagem volcano. Santo Antão, Cabo Verde. Spring 2025

On our second day in Porto Novo, we set out to explore the vicinity, eager to get the first glimpse of the island's wild beauty. We followed a marked trail that started on the outskirts of town and eventually led to Pico da Cruz, the third highest peak on Santo Antão. Just past the last houses, an information panel and a well-placed sign showed the way. According to it, the entire route was 13 kilometers long with an elevation gain of more than 1700 meters. That seemed too challenging for our first trek on the island and we opted for a short hike of just 8 kilometers through the arid landscape. The sun beat down relentlessly, the wind blew hard. It was hot, and the trail offered little shade for respite. The surrounding land was riddled with deep green canyons, carved by rivers during the rainy season.

We passed small quarries and an old rusty windmill. Our destination was the collapsed cone of the Morrinho da Passagem volcano. Its dark reddish-brown slopes stood out against the hologram of mountain layers. A ridge, shrouded in resting clouds, dominated the horizon. Its pine-clad peaks contrasted sharply with the harsh terrain below. As we reached the crater, we were struck by the sheer scale of the fallen slope, which revealed a wide black opening. It seemed to swallow the light around it and looked like a portal to the glowing heart of the volcano.

On our way back, we met a local woman balancing a bundle of wood on her head and holding a machete in her hand. With a broad, warm smile, she remarked, "Yesterday the wind was so fierce that no one could stay outside. But today it's calm." Meanwhile, we were complaining about the wind all the time! She reminded me of the women in Myanmar—tough and resilient. Like them, Cape Verdean women carry incredibly heavy burdens and do grueling work alongside men. During our month-long stay, we saw women carrying huge water canisters, towering stacks of sugar cane, massive logs, and bulky gas bottles. And they make fun of their men if they try to balance loads on their heads. It's a woman's privilege!