Duration: | 7 Day(s) - 6 Night(s) |
Tour Category: | History & Culture Tours |
SHORT PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
Discover the city of Praia and relish a traditional breakfast of tasty Cuscuz and fidjós with a local family. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cidade Velha and relax on the white sand of the most picturesque beach on Santiago Island, Tarrafal Beach.
Day 1: Arrival - Airport Transfer (Praia Airport to Hotel in Praia) – Hotel Check-In
Be welcomed by our professional driver and a licensed guide at Nelson Mandela Airport. Enjoy a high-quality private transfer to your accommodation in Praia, including free waiting time. Our team will also take you from door to door with complete security and professionalism, providing all relevant information about your stay.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Check-in starts at 2 pm, Printed vouchers are requested.
Day 2: From Praia: Praia City Tour + Highlights of Cidade Velha
Start with a pickup from your accommodation in Praia, and first visit the Dona Maria Pia Lighthouse. Take stunning pictures from the top of the Lighthouse surrounded by the large cannons installed to protect the island from the attack of pirates such as Francis Drake and Jacques Cassard.
Make your way to the historical center of Plateau. Take a walking tour through the Jaime Mota Military Barracks, passing by the Presidential Palace and Alexandre Albuquerque Square. In the Municipal Market, meet locals and find a diverse range of fresh local fruits and vegetables. Next, explore the largest souvenir market to be found in Cape Verde, the Sucupira Market.
Explore Cidade Velha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site to see all its highlights such as the Royal Fortress of São Filipe, the ruins of the first sub-Saharan African Cathedral, the fishermen bay, the former slave market in Pelourinho, the famous Banana Street with its traditional houses, the Nossa Senhora do Rosário church, and finally the Convent of São Francisco.
At lunch, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the city, and taste local delights in a typical restaurant right on the seafront. The tour concludes with a drop-off at your hotel in Praia.
DURATION Every day, from 9 am to 3 pm (6 hours)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Please bring comfortable clothes, a hat, and sunscreen. A small amount of walking is involved.
Day 3: Santiago Island: Scenic Tour to Banana Plantation, Natural Park, and Run Distillery
Start with pickup at your hotel in Praia and begin a journey to discover the natural beauty of the northern and eastern areas of Santiago Island. Travel for approximately 45 minutes and arrive at the largest banana and coconut plantation in the country.
Take a walk inside the agricultural fields while the local guide explains the varieties of fruits and dozens of plants that exist along the route.
Continue inland until you reach São Jorge dos Orgãos. Then, head to the foot of the highest mountain on the island, and visit the local rum distillery (The Rum production season runs from January 1 st to May 31st) and Lemba Lemba Eco Bar in Longueira village. Next, head between rocks and valleys to the village of Rui Vaz at an altitude of 800 meters and have lunch at a mountaintop restaurant.
After lunch, visit the Monte Txota Natural Park and start an easy 15-minute walk to a must-see viewpoint. Get fantastic panoramic views of the volcano on the nearby Fogo Island and get to know the highest peak of the island. Afterward, be returned to your hotel in Praia.
DURATION Every day, from 9 am to 3 pm (6 hours)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Please bring comfortable clothes, a hat, water, and sunscreen.
Day 4: From Praia: Full-Day Santiago Island Tour & Tarrafal Beach
DETAILED TOUR DESCRIPTION
Get picked up at your hotel in Praia, then depart toward the interior of the island. Make your first stop at Mrs. Luisa's house. There, sample Cuscuz (a traditional cake made from corn flour) and fidjós (fried banana mixed with wheat), the typical breakfast for Cape Verdean families. After breakfast, continue to the city of Assomada. Visit its famous market and admire the vibrant colors of the local fruits and vegetables.
Move on to the Serra Malagueta natural park and marvel at the incredible views from 1000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level. Next, discover Santiago's most beautiful beach at Tarrafal, known for its white sand and crystal-clear waters.
Take a break for lunch, and then visit the Concentration Camp of Chão Bom, a current resistance museum used to imprison political prisoners who fought against the dictatorship. The tour concludes with a drop-off at your accommodation in Tarrafal.
DURATION Every day from 9 am to 5 pm (8 hours)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Please bring sandals/flip-flops, a towel, a hat, swimwear, and sunscreen
Please note that the visit to Assomada Market is only on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Day 5: Free day in Tarrafal
Day off to explore by yourself. You may like to relax on the white sand of the most picturesque and beautiful beach on Santiago Island, Tarrafal Beach, known for its white sand and crystal-clear waters.
Day 6: From Tarrafal: Visit Rabelados Community + Praia by Night
Get picked up at your accommodation and then return to the island's east coast. Make your first stop in Espinho Branco and visit the religious community of Rabelados, the only community that still lives in thatched houses and preserves Cape Verde's oldest customs and beliefs. There, see the local handicraft production and have the opportunity to buy handmade paintings from local artisans.
Take a break for lunch and then head between rocks and valleys to your hotel in Praia. Get picked up at your accommodation at night, and depart toward one of the most popular restaurants on Santiago Island. There, enjoy a live local music band and relish the most famous dish ever made in Cape Verde, Katxupa, a slow-cooked stew of corn, beans, cassava, sweet potato, fish or meat, and more. The tour concludes with the evening transfer back to your accommodation in Praia.
DURATION Every day, from 10 am to 3 pm and 7:30 pm to 11 pm
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Please bring comfortable shoes and sunscreen. Printed vouchers are requested.
Day 7: Goodbye Santiago Island
Enjoy your free time according to the flight schedules and then be picked up in Praia and depart toward Nelson Mandela international airport. Take your international flight back and say goodbye to "La Morabeza Crioula" !!!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Check-out time: 12h00
INCLUSIONS:
Accommodation (6 Nights);
Meals included are 6 Breakfast; 6 lunches and 1 dinner (Vegetarian food option on request);
Guiding Service (English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish);
Private Transportation;
Custom and private roundtrip airport Transfers;
Tours as mentioned in the program;
All entrance fees;
Service charges and VAT;
EXCLUSIONS:
Travel insurance;
Single supplement fee;
Visa (We recommend checking with your local embassy whether you need a visa or not);
International Flights;
Airport Security Tax fees (TSA);
Pre and post-tour accommodation;
Tourist tax (Paid locally: Per Person/Night);
Services not mentioned in the program;
Personal expenses.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATION DETAILS:
Standard room category on a double/twin sharing basis.
03 nights at Hotel Santa Maria in Praia (Santiago Island) or similar
03 nights at Hotel Vista Mar in Tarrafal (Santiago Island) or similar