Hiking in São Vicente. Cabo Verde. Spring 2025

During our month-long exploration of three Cape Verdean islands, hiking became the centerpiece of our trip. While Sal's flat, sun-baked land offered an introduction to the archipelago's contrasts, and Santo Antão's dramatic ridges promised serious trekking challenges, São Vicente served as our perfect training ground. Based in Mindelo, we embarked on two introductory hikes that revealed the island's arid beauty: the ascent of Monte Verde, with panoramic vistas of neighboring islands, and the Viana volcano near Calhau, where the lunar setting surrounded us. These experiences sharpened our skills for the more demanding trails awaiting us on Santo Antão, while showcasing São Vicente's unique blend of sandy stretches and mountainous terrain.

Viana volcano hike

Distance 5.7 km (gpx). Elevation gain 141 m. Elevation loss 157 m

As had become our practice when we wanted to venture out of Mindelo, we went to Praça Estrela to catch a coletivo—a shared minibus that serves as public transportation in Cabo Verde. Our goal that day was to get an early start while the sun was still low, so we arrived at the square at eight in the morning. Street vendors were just beginning to set up their stalls and roll out their two-wheeled carts filled with fresh produce. We discovered that the coletivos to Calhau wouldn't leave until nine, giving us plenty of time to buy some ripe papayas before the market closed for Carnival. By the time we returned after carrying the fruit home, the van was already filling up. As they usually don't depart until completely full, we still had time to ask other passengers about the fare to Calhau. They all agreed that it was 120 escudos. However, upon arrival the driver angrily insisted on 150 and scolded the other passengers for telling us it was 120. No one spoke up. The driver got furious and threw our bills back at us, shouting that he didn't want any money if we were going to haggle. We ended up paying what he demanded just to avoid further confrontation.

After that rough start, the walk in the moonscape felt therapeutic. As we left the dusty road behind, a vast desert-like landscape unfolded before us, stretching out beneath our boots. The scene was reminiscent of Israel's rocky Negev desert, only the sand was black. In the distance, an imposing dome loomed over the ancient, pristine surroundings, its surface adorned with distinctive solidified lava flows. Stones and boulders lay scattered around us, as if they had been ejected from the volcano mere days before. We followed the footprints of other hikers, consulting an offline map at times, because the trail was not marked on the ground. As we drew closer to the volcano, the route became clearer, and the climb was surprisingly short, even aided by stairs in some places. Once we reached the rugged rim, we were rewarded with a fantastic view of the almost perfect caldera bowl, its depths seemingly poised to be filled by the deep blue of the ocean. We could have stayed longer, relishing the moment, but the relentless sun and wind urged us to descend.

Walking along the coast toward the village, we found a shady spot behind a house wall and had a picnic to the sound of the waves. Looking at the map, we realized that this was a semi-deserted residential area quite far from Calhau. The village itself lay at the foot of two smaller volcanoes, their silhouettes beckoning us to explore. Despite our initial enthusiasm, the prospect of climbing two more craters in this heat seemed daunting. We reluctantly decided to forgo a visit to Calhau and instead made our way to the main road. There we were lucky enough to quickly catch a colectivo back to Mindelo.

Monte Verde hike

Distance 9.7 km (gpx). Elevation gain 640 m. Elevation loss 640 m

That day, we decided to try our luck and catch a coletivo from a different location in Mindelo, the Rotunda d'Shell (Ribeira Bote), as some locals suggested it might be easier. We arrived at the intersection around eight in the morning, but there was no sign of any coletivos. After inquiring with a few passersby, we discovered that vans did depart from that spot, but the first one had left at seven, and the next was not due until 9:30-10:00. As the heat was rising and we were eager to hike up Monte Verde, we opted for a taxi instead. The first driver quoted 1500 escudos but was willing to take us for 1300. The next one also said 1500, citing the mountain's height as the reason. However, after explaining that we needed a ride only to the trailhead at the bottom of the mountain, we settled on 700 escudos. Note that you might be able to negotiate a lower fare or even hitchhike to Monte Verde, as the trail starts from the main road connecting Mindelo and Salamansa. We chose a taxi to make sure we arrived early and avoided the scorching sun.

As we stepped out of the car, the sun was still hidden behind the mountain and we immediately felt a biting cold and a fierce, freezing wind. Despite the chill, we welcomed the shade and relished the chance to escape the city after three days of wandering in the streets of Mindelo. Instead of following the cobblestone road that leads to the top of Monte Verde, we chose a quieter trail, sheltered from the wind. The surroundings were a feast for the senses: the timid goats, the smell of sand, and the humble shepherd's huts all combined to create a serene atmosphere. The trail zigzagged up the slope until it joined the road higher up. Below us, small craters and barren hills were blanketed with smooth shadows of clouds. On the more exposed parts of the path, the full force of the wind caught up with us, making it difficult to hear the sound of approaching cars. A few vans with tourists passed us as they crawled up the hill. We took a detour to a viewpoint on the edge of a cliff and paused for a while looking out over a sandy bay and distant islets. From that vantage point, we could clearly trace the coastal route from Baía das Gatas to the Calhau volcanoes, a path we had skipped the other day due to the heat.

We continued up Monte Verde, stopping for tea at Senhor Manuel's famous Cabana de Cha. He is so popular with travelers that he was even invited to appear on local TV shows. The tea was delicious, made with aromatic herbs that Manuel carefully collects on the mountain. After saying goodbye to this modest gentleman, we walked further up, away from the guided tour groups that were getting off their vans. Just before reaching a military base at the top, we stopped for a picnic and enjoyed a fantastic view of the arid expanse of São Vicente. Then we walked down the same way we had come up and took a coletivo on the main road to Mindelo for 100 escudos.