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Cape Verde's Local Flavors: Santiago, Maio & Fogo Islands - 10 Day Tours

Cape Verde's Local Flavors: Santiago, Maio & Fogo Islands - 10 Day Tours Packages
SHORT PACKAGE DESCRIPTION Discover the lesser-known paradise of Cape Verde, Maio Island. Marvel at the island's active volcano, Fogo, which last erupted in 2014. Explore Cidade Velha, a World Heritage Site on Santiago Island, and immerse . .
Country: Cape Verde
City: Cape Verde Islands
Duration: 10 Day(s) - 9 Night(s)
Tour Category: History & Culture Tours
Departure Date: Thu 01 Jan '99

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Package Itinerary

SHORT PACKAGE DESCRIPTION

Discover the lesser-known paradise of Cape Verde, Maio Island. Marvel at the island's active volcano, Fogo, which last erupted in 2014. Explore Cidade Velha, a World Heritage Site on Santiago Island, and immerse yourself in the history and culture of the locals.

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 p.m. 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: From Praia: Full-day Maio Island Experience

Starting from your hotel in the city of Praia, head straight to the harbor. The ferry will depart at 7:00 a.m. for a two-hour trip to Maio. The island of Maio is 103 square miles and is the flattest island on Cape Verde. There, start your discovery from the Eco-Museum, and learn about the history of the colonization of the island, rooted in the exploitation of salt, which was exported to several countries.

After, visit the Salinas wetland of Porto Inglês and have a chance to see the locals producing Salt. Next, head to Morro Village and have a typical breakfast with a local family. Your tour progresses to the locality of Calheta, where a visit to its handicraft center gives you the opportunity to buy some souvenirs. Then, continue towards the agricultural and fishing areas until the Morrinho dunes. There, have an easy walk through the white sand dunes that were brought by the wind from the Sahara desert.

Take a break for lunch at Pedro Vaz, the first Village to be inhabited. Then, drive back to the capital of the island and visit São José Fortress, built in the 18th century to protect the island from pirate attacks. The tour concludes with a drop-off at your accommodation in Maio.

DURATION: from 5:30 am to 3 pm (8 - 9 hours)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please bring a passport, sandals/flip-flops, a towel, a hat, swimwear, and sunscreen

Due to the early pickup, the hotel in Praia will provide a lunch box instead of a breakfast.

Day 4: Beach Day: Enjoy the most beautiful beach on Maio Island

After a delicious breakfast, have a short walk and reach the shore. Enjoy the most beautiful beach on the island, Bitchirotcha Beach.

Day 5: Check out – Transfer out – Flight (Maio - Fogo) – Check in São Filipe

Start your day with a delicious breakfast at your accommodation and get prepared to discover your next destination, Fogo Island.

- Private Transfer from Vila do Maio to Maio Airport

- Departure (Maio – Praia – Fogo)

- Arrival at São Filipe

- Private Transfer from Fogo Airport to Hotel in São Filipe

Day 6: Fogo Island: Full-Day Guided Tour from São Filipe

Fogo Island was named after the imposing volcano that resides on it, which is still active today although the last eruption was in 2014. Get picked up at your accommodation and depart toward São Filipe. There wander around this charming little town lined with colorful houses.

Continue the tour to Salinas, a small pebble beach where you can learn about the island’s geology and watch fishermen returning to shore with the day’s catch. Drive northwards to the village of Mosteiros and then across the eastern coast to reach the village of Cova Figueira. Enjoy a photo stop at the scenic Achada Furna and Cabeça Fundão along the way.

Arrive at Chã das Caldeiras National Park and admire uninterrupted views of the volcano and rugged surrounding landscape. From there, visit a local coffee plantation to taste some of the best coffee and wine in the world. Enjoy a break for lunch, and then head off into Monte Velha Forest, an area of fertile mountains and microclimates.

DURATION Every day, from 9 am to 4 pm (6 – 7 Hours)

EXCLUSIONS: Wine or coffee tasting

IMPORTANT INFORMATION Please bring sunscreen and a hat

Day 7: From Fogo: Full-Day Santiago Island Tour & Tarrafal

Say goodbye to Fogo Island and head to the airport for your flight back to Santiago Island. Upon arrival, be picked up at Nelson Mandela Airport and then head towards 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), 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. After that head to Boa Entrada, a small agricultural village, where locals earn their daily bread through agriculture. There, see sugar cane plantation, coconut, and mango trees, and get to know the oldest and largest tree of Cape Verde, a giant Kapok with 500 years of history.

Move on to the Serra Malagueta Natural Park and marvel at the incredible views from 1000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level. Next, visit the Concentration Camp of Chão Bom, a prison used to imprison European and African politicians who fought against the Salazar regime. Take a break for a delicious lunch, and then the tour concludes with a drop-off at your accommodation in Tarrafal.

DURATION: Every day from 9 am to 3 pm (6 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 8: 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 crystal-clear waters.

Day 9: Visit Rabelados Community, Banana Plantation, and Local Rum Distillery + 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.

Travel for approximately 45 minutes and arrive at the largest banana and coconut plantation in the country. Take a small walk inside the agricultural fields while the local guide explains the varieties of fruits and dozens of plants that exist along the route.

Then, head to the foot of the highest mountain on the island, where you will visit the traditional local distillery and taste the famous local rum called “Grogue”. Take a break the lunch and then head between rocks and valleys to your hotel in Praia.

Praia By Night: Traditional Dinner + Live Music

19h30 - Private Transfer from Hotel in Praia to Quintal da Música

Get picked up at your accommodation and depart toward one of the most popular restaurants on Santiago Island. There, enjoy live music 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.

23h00 - Private Transfer from Quintal da Música to Hotel.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Please bring comfortable shoes, a hat, swimwear, and sunscreen. The rum production season runs from January 1st to May 31st.

Day 10: Check-out, Transfer Out, and Goodbye Cabo Verde

Get picked up at your accommodation in Praia and depart toward Nelson Mandela International Airport. Take your international flight back and say goodbye longing for "La Morabeza Crioula"!!!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Check-out time: 12h00

INCLUSIONS:

Accommodation (9 Nights);

Meals included are 9 Breakfast; 5 lunches and 1 dinner (Vegetarian food option on request);

Tours as mentioned in the program;

Guiding Service (English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish);

Private Transportation

Hotel pick up and drop off

All entrance fees

Ferry ticket (Praia – Maio);

Domestic Flights (Maio/Fogo/Praia);

Custom and private roundtrip airport Transfers;

Service charges and VAT;

Others are mentioned in the tour description.

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.

02 nights at Hotel VipPraia in Praia (Santiago Island) or similar

02 nights at Casa Evora in Vila do Maio (Maio Island) or similar

02 nights at Pipi's Guest House In São Filipe (Fogo Island) or similar

02 nights at Hotel Vista Mar in Tarrafal (Santiago Island) or similar

01 night at Hotel VipPraia in Praia (Santiago Island) or similar

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