GAIA TOURISM » Island hopping Sao Vicente - Santo Antao

ISLAND HOPPING:
São Vicente – Santo Antão – Santiago

During this 10 nights / 11 days adventure you will have the possibility to visit the Cultural centre of Cape Verde (São Vicente and its capital Mindelo) – where bare-feet diva Cesária Évora came from; where you can admire unique mixture of Portuguese and British colonial architecture….. THAN: green pearl of Atlantic (Santo Antão) and its magnificent nature with possibility of various trekking expeditions in forest, jungle, plantation of banana, mango, papaya, and mainly sugar cane (the locals are producing white rum of it called “grogue”; AND - at least the biggest and most Africa like island – Santiago and the capital of the country: City of Praia, where you will visit among all the World Heritage of UNESCO – Cidade Velha (the oldest town on archipelago).

The average temperature on these islands is 27 C all year long, only end of August there might be a bit of rain. That’s why we recommend as flip-flops, so sport shoes, sun cream, sun-hat, shorts and T-shirt. In the mountains on Santo Antão and Santiago could be a bit colder, so it would be good, if you take also 1 pullover or light jacket with you.
Please note, that on these islands you cannot pay with EUR or USD, but only with local currency Cape Verdean ESCUDOS (ECV).
You can use your VISA or MASTER-CARD » there are plenty of ATM’s and almost all shops are having VISA terminals.

•Day 1: After arrival to the international airport of Cesária Évora in Mindelo, our car will be waiting for you and driving you to hotel AVENIDA *** (or MINDELO RESIDENTIAL ***) – depending on availability – where you do check-in together with our representative, which will make with you afterwards a short Welcome Meeting, in order to clarify and go through all your program. You can ask him all possible questions – he will be there to help you.
•Day 2: OPTIONAL EXCURSION: at 09:00 pick up from the hotel for the Excursion MINDELO FROM THE OUTSIDE….TO THE INSIDE. From its historical quarter to the outside suburbs, using the local bus network will also bring us to the best view points over the bay – into the hidden places, visiting community projects and primary schools - donating them food, which we will buy together at local shops; Moving around using all 8 public bus-lines, and by foot (3 hours walking in total. Lunch included (without drinks). Back to the hotel at 16:30 » overnight at hotel.
•Day 3: We pick you up from the hotel at 09:00 with our minibus / bust, together we will be heading to the house where Cesaria Évora (the bare-feet diva) was born. Her award winning voice made Cape Verde known worldwide, and enjoy her music as the tour travels around the city. Continue to discover this amazing island by following along the road to Madeiral. Continuing down the Ribeira de Calhau, where you will have the opportunity to watch the traditional way of life of the small farmers, where we will have a lunch and possibly to swim in the ocean. Take in the white sandy beaches of the fishing village of Calhau and the dunes of Praia Grande, these lovely locations will quickly fill-up the memory cards of your camera with their spectacular views. Next stop is planned at Baia das Gatas, famous for its mid-summer international music festival, accepting as many as 40,000 people a year to enjoy the music and for the calm waters of its lagoon. The last stop is on top of the highest mountain of São Vicente – Monte Verde (774m), from there you will be able to overlook the entire island and, if the weather permits, the islands of Santo Antão, Sao Nicolau and Santa Luzia.
•Day 4: At 07:20 transfer from your hotel to the harbour » ferry boat (duration of navigation ca 50 minutes) to Porto Novo – the harbour on neighbouring island Santo Antão, called by the locals “Ilha das Montanhas” = Island of the Mountains - and considered by majority of the tourist as a most beautiful island of the archipelago. Our guide will welcome you at the harbour of Porto Novo and let the adventure begin! One of the highlights is the mountain road called “Estarda de Corda”. It took more than 13 years in the 60’s of the last century to build 34 km long road connecting the south and the north coast. Stopping at Pico da Cruz (1.550 m) to make a short walk into the pine forest, enjoying incredible scenery over Cova volcano crater with its colourful agricultural fields, we will be amazed by incredible views over the canyons at Cha de Mato. Then we 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 Vila das Pombas – the entrance gate of the greenest valley of the archipelago. Driving up among sugar cane fields and fruit-tree plantations / mango / papaya / banana / etc … we will stop for 3- course lunch at an ECO-farm (all drinks paid on the spot). Before heading back to the hotel via newly build coastal road, we will visit a distillery and taste the famous local rum called “grogue”. » check in at the hotel …….. » overnight.
•   Day 5: OPTIONAL EXCURSION: Trekking ………………. / overnight (price)
•   Day 6: Program ……………/ overnight (price)
•   Day 7: Program ……………/ overnight (price)
•   Day 8: at ….. transfer from your hotel to the harbour » navigation back to Mindelo (depending on flight schedule lunch) » transfer to the airport and flight to Santiago Island. Once landing in Praia (the capital city of CV) our representative will bring you to the hotel Santa Maria *** being the very centre of the City » and we will do check-in. Depending on flight time as OPTIONAL EXCURSION we will do a CITY TOUR around Praia, a true sightseeing (Presidential Palace, “PLATÓ” » the main road and “heart” of the City, “SUCUPIRA” – local African market, where you can spend the entire day bay shopping; and many others). No lunch included.
•   Day 9: At 09:00 check-out from the hotel » transfer to BAIA DO CORAL *** (a unique ECO hotel in Cidade Velha), ca 30 minutes by bus. Our guide will lead you afterwards through the streets few year older before Christopher Columbus discovered America! You will visit – among all – the Fortress of São Filipe, build in order to protect the city before pirate’s attacks lead by sir Francis Drake. Cidade Velha was for over 200 years one of the main world trade point with slaves coming from Africa to America. Lunch included, after back to the hotel.
•   Day 10: We leave the hotel in the morning in our bus for a pleasant trip to the interior of the island, we arrived at São Domingos, the gateway to the interior of Santiago and one of the richest green valleys of the island. The landscape and the live style are totally different from the capital. We go through Órgãos and Picos where is located the Pico Antónia (the highest point of the island), stop for a degustation of Grogue (white rum made out of Sugar Cane). A little more 60 Km from Praia we arrive at Assomada, an important trading point, to visit his famous market filled with fruits and vegetables from the cultivated fields in the interior of the island and also fish too. Then we continue our journey in Serra Malagueta Natural Park where you can find beautiful forest with eucalyptus, different kinds of acacias and endemic plants of Cap Verde, with a breath taking view for the valley of Ribeira de Principal on the right, and on the left side Curral Afonso. Then we go down to Tarrafal, a fishing village, hosting a former concentration camp, now a museum, and a bay surrounded by palm trees which is the most picturesque beach of the Cape Verde Islands. Lunch at Tarrafal in a typical restaurant with a panoramic view for the ocean and in the same time that we are eating we can see the fisherman arriving. Lunch is grilled fish, tuna fillet, grouper or fish of the day with rice, vegetables, salad, water and cafe. Then you have 1 hour free for a swim at the beach of Tarrafal. Then we leave around 15h by the long road where the landscape is luxury. We can see small bays and groves, deserted beaches with black sands. Ribeira de Principal after Mangue de Sete Ribeiras and before arriving at Cha de Monte, is a rich land with an intense agricultural life. We arrive to Cidade Velha approximately 17:30 min. In the evening back to the hotel » followed by farewell dinner (2 drinks included).
•   Day 11: time to say bye, bye » transfer to the airport and your flight back home from international airport of Nelson Mandela in Praia.

Additional info
All inter-island transport are done with local airlines.
The schedule above might be changed or adapted depending on client’s arrival / departure to the country.
The price is calculated on base of minimum of 2 participants sharing double room at *** or **** hotels with Bed&Breakfast.
The price of the flight tickets might be different at the time of your booking (lower or higher).
All excursions are subjected to actual weather conditions and might be changed or moved to another date or canceller (with full refund to the client(s)).

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