Cape Verde
Island
Hopping
2017
1
Itinerary
significant descent of up to 3,600ft
(1,100m). There is the option to ascend
Pico Antonio, the highest peak on the
island of Santiago at 4,560ft (1,392m).
Terrain can occasionally be steep and
rough underfoot. The walks are at the
very top end of our level 3 holidays.
Day 1: Arrival day
After an early morning flight via Lisbon
we arrive in Praia on the island of
Santiago, and a short transfer will take
us to our hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel Praia Mar (4
nights)
Cape Verde is an archipelago of
islands rising in the stormy Atlantic.
Full of dramatic beauty and cultural
vibrancy, these islands are located
approx 1,000km south of the Canary
Islands, and around 600km west of
Senegal. This tiny West African nation
enjoys a warm all-year round climate,
making this an ideal location to enjoy
the fascinating mix of African and
European laid-back culture across the
three islands that we visit.
(Meals included: dinner)
Day 2: Praia, Salineiro to Cidade Velha
This morning we explore Praia, the
largest city in Cape Verde and
capital, on a guided walking tour.
We’ll see the old colonial-style
buildings such as the Presidential
Palace, City Hall and the Church of
Nossa Senhora da Graca in an area of
the city known as the Plato. The statue
of Diogo Gomes stares out to sea,
reminding us of the European explorer
who first made mention of these
islands in 1460.
The islands of Santiago, Sao Vicente
and Santo Antão are diverse in
character and landscape, and are
part of the volcanic mountainous
islands in the west of the archipelago.
Our walks will introduce you to this
varied landscape through fertile
terraces, plantations, villages and
along a dramatic coastal path. The
nature of the terrain lends itself to
some steep ascents and descents with
some exposure.
After lunch and a drive through
pleasant countryside, we start our
afternoon walk. We start above the
Salineiro valley where we descend a
rocky sandstone path to the valley
floor. Once in the valley we follow
paths which run along the river bed,
through small villages and fertile
terraces where we’ll see tropical fruits
growing and small sugar cane
plantations. The sugar cane is used to
make ‘grogue’, a local drink which
offers more punch than taste, which
Walks are full and part day with some
sightseeing, between 3 and 10 miles
(5-16km) with up to 2,150 ft (650m) of
ascent. Two of the walks have
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some distillers mix with honey or fruit
syrup.
Day 4: Serra Malagueta National Park
We start the day with a visit to
Assomada and its lively West African
style market with its smells, noise and
mesmerising colours. From Assomada
we continue to the entrance of the
Serra Malagueta National Park. We
walk through recently planted
reforestation projects and down into
the Gon Gon valley to the village of
Hortelão. The path is easy to follow,
though there are a few steeper sandy
sections. The trail takes us through
small villages, tropical fruit orchards
and the odd ‘grogue’ distillery. Look
out for grey headed kingfishers on this
walk (6.4 miles / 10.3km, 720ft / 220m
of ascent, 3,280ft / 1,000m of descent).
Once in Cidade Velha we visit the old
fortress over the town. Cidade Velha
stands on the site of the oldest
settlement in Cape Verde, Ribeira
Grande. It was classified as one of the
Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin
(2.7 miles / 4.4km, 640ft / 195m of
descent).
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 3: Pico Antonio
After a journey of approx an hour we
start our walk to ascend to the summit
of Pico Antonio, the highest mountain
on Santiago at 4,560ft (1,392m). There
are a number of routes which reach
the top, but we usually take the same
route up and down. This is an optional
walk; it can be challenging for some
and the ascent to the summit is quite
steep (6.2m / 10km, 1,950ft / 594m of
ascent). (Note, this walk is just outside
our level 3 parameter, it just goes into
level 4).
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
An extra local guide will offer an
alternative easier walk which
descends on forest trails to the village
of Sao Jorge. You’ll be walking
through native bush and reforestation
projects, and arrive at the botanic
research centre where it is possible to
walk around and see some of the
work they are undertaking. The village
of Sao Jorge has several cafés and
bars where you can purchase
refreshments (5 miles / 8km (return),
1,310 ft / 400m of descent).
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 5: Sao Vicente
We have an early start today for our
internal flight to Sao Vicente*. After
checking in to the hotel, in the
afternoon we’ll discover Mindelo on a
guided walking tour.
Mindelo is the jewel of this island, with
a cosmopolitan atmosphere and a
hectic cultural scene. With its sheltered
deep port the British installed a coal
station in 1838 which supplied ships
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from all around the world, leading to
the aforementioned prosperity.
approach across the water, the
scenery will take your breath away, a
cross between Morocco and the
Himalaya with volcanic walls,
seemingly inaccessible ravines and
perfectly farmed terraced valleys.
We’ll be met at Porto Novo and taken
on a scenic drive up to the start of our
walk overlooking the Cova da Paul, a
volcano whose caldera is situated at
the centre of steep cliffs at over 4,600ft
(1,400m). Starting at this high point, our
walk descends on a cobbled
switchback track through fertile
plantations into the Paul Valley (6.2
miles / 10km, 380ft / 120m of ascent,
3,600ft / 1,100m of descent).
On our tour we’ll see influences from
the British and the Portuguese in the
Governor’s Palace, the City Hall and
the replica of the Belem Tower in
Lisbon.
From here we’ll continue to our hotel.
Accommodation: Pedracin Village,
Santo Antao (3 nights)
Remainder of the afternoon at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel Porto Grande,
Mindelo (2 nights)
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
(Meals included: breakfast, dinner)
*internal flights between the islands
are quite often delayed or subject to
last minute time changes.
Day 6: Tour of Sao Vicente
A full day tour of the island which will
include visits to Baia das Gatas,
Calhau and Salagassa Beach. There
will be opportunities to swim and do
short walks on the Viana volcano.
Day 8: Lomba Branco
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Today we fully appreciate our
surroundings as we walk from the
valley of Pinhao to Lomba Branco.
We’ll traverse through several valleys
and pass a deserted village before the
final short steep ascent to Lomba
Day 7: Santo Antao and Paul Valley
We take the ferry from Sao Vicente to
the neighbouring island of Santo
Antão (1 hour crossing). As you
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Branco (4.7miles / 7.6km, 1,050ft/ 340m
of ascent). This walk is quite
challenging, so an easier option with a
second local guide will be as follows:
walk from the valley of Cha de Pedras
to the village of Coculi. We traverse
between valleys on relatively easy
cobbled paths through sugar cane
plantations, farms and villages. We
pass a grogue distillery and have the
opportunity to sample and purchase
locally made preserves. We finish our
walk by descending on a small
cobbled road to the main valley.
(Approx 9km, 300m ascent and 500m
of descent.) The walk can be
extended by walking back up the
valley to the hotel.
Day 10: Mindelo
Today we take the ferry back to Sao
Vicente and to Mindelo where we
have an optional last walk and the
rest of the day at leisure to relax or
explore this vibrant cultural centre of
the islands.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 9: Ponto do Sol
A spectacular coastal walk today as
we start from the fishing village of
Cruzinha. We follow a dramatic
coastal path which contours around
to the village of Fontainhas and the
former capital of Santo Antão, Ponta
do Sol. This is an undulating walk, with
one sustained uphill stretch just before
reaching Fontainhas. There is an
option to finish here if you don’t want
to continue all the way to Ponta do Sol
(9.6 miles / 15.4km, 2,130ft / 650m of
ascent).
Accommodation: Hotel Porto Grande,
Mindelo (1 night)
(Meals included: breakfast, dinner)
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 11: Departure
Transfer to the airport for the return
flight from Sao Vicente via Lisbon back
to London.
(Meals included: breakfast)
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exchange. Porto Grande has 48 rooms
and 2 suites, each equipped with air
conditioning, satellite TV, hairdryer,
phone, mini-bar and room safe. Each
room has a balcony with views of
either the main square or the
swimming pool.
Accommodation
Stay in comfortable 3 and 4-star
hotels, selected for their stunning
locations, centrally located in town, or
in the mountains with wonderful views.
There’s a mix of traditional and
modern hotels and all have outdoor
swimming pools.
http://oasisatlantico.com/en/portogrande
We start with the Hotel Praia Mar Oasis
Atlantico (4 nights). This low-rise hotel
occupies a headland in Prainha, the
capital city's embassy district. It enjoys
good standards and a decent range
of facilities. The Praia Mar has 123
rooms in total, including four suites. All
rooms have air conditioning, satellite
TV, telephone, room safe, mini-bar
and hairdryer. Wifi is available in the
main areas.
On Santo Antao, we stay at
the Pedracin Village (3 nights). For a
taste of splendid isolation without
foregoing all 'mod-cons', Pedracin
Village holds a lot of appeal. The
location is unique, around 10km up
the valley and in an elevated position
which allows views up and down the
ribeira and of the mountainous crags
beyond.
http://oasisatlantico.com/en/praiamar
Next, on Sao Vicente, we stay at
the Hotel Porto Grande (2 nights) on
Mindelo's main square, a few hundred
metres from the seafront and five
minutes' walk to most of the principal
restaurants, bars and nightspots. As
well a swimming pool and children's
pool, there is 24 hour reception, a
gym, evening entertainment, laundry,
room service, WiFi and currency
Pedracin has 32 rooms, which are
thatched stone chalets spread on
different levels across the attractive
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landscaped hotel grounds. Rooms are
simply furnished, but each has a
private bathroom, though hot water
can be intermittent. Rooms have air
conditioning and heating. Service
here can also be a bit erratic, but the
location and views more than make
up for any lack of first class service.
Pedracin has a small swimming pool, a
huge bonus after a day of strenuous
hiking. WiFi is available in the
reception area only.
Our final night is spent back on the
island of Sao Vicente at the Porto
Grande (details as above)
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Kit List
Before your
holiday
Please try to keep luggage to a
minimum as you will need to carry it
yourself at airports and between your
transport and your hotel.
We hope you find this information
comprehensive – if not please visit our
website for more details or contact us.
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All details correct at time of writing
(Jan 2017). Passport and visa
requirements are subject to change;
please check with your consulate
before you travel.
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We would advise that you check your
government’s travel advisory before
travelling. For UK travellers, please
check www.fco.gov.uk
In all instances during your holiday,
your first point of contact should be
your HF Holidays’ leader or local
leader. If for any reason this is not
possible, HF Holidays’ emergency
contact details are as follows:
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Mon - Fri 9am - 7pm
Tel +44 (0)345 470 7558
or +44(0)20 8732 1250 ( from overseas)
Fri - Mon 7pm - 9am
Tel +44 (0)7918 737777
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Airport parking and accommodation
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If you require airport
parking or
accommodation
before your flight, we
recommend our partner Holiday
Extras. Call 0871 360 2750 and quote
HX031 or book online at
www.holidayextras.co.uk/hfholidays
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Walking boots – (worn in) with
good ankle support and spare
bootlaces
Walking socks
Lightweight fleece
Lightweight waterproof trousers
and jacket
Shorts
Long trousers and long-sleeved
light coloured shirts with collars
to protect from the sun − your
clothing should ideally be pretreated with insect repellent and
in-built sun protection (available
from specialist clothing stores
such as Rohan, Cotswold
Outdoor)
Sun hat
Comfortable clothes and shoes
for evenings and sightseeing
Sun protection – sunglasses, high
factor sunscreen and lip
protection
Water bottle – at least 2 litre
capacity
Lightweight survival bag
Small/medium rucksack (30 litre)
– a bin liner will keep contents
dry if it rains
Soap and hand sanitizer gel
Insect repellent
Universal adaptor plug
Universal sink plug
Personal first aid kit including:
personal medication, tissues,
plasters, blister kit, painkillers,
antiseptic wipes, Imodium,
rehydration sachets
Passport (and copies); booking
confirmation; insurance cover
note; HF Holidays’ registration
form
For further information on country
specific advice, visit
Optional: walking sandals, trekking
poles, camera, umbrella, binoculars,
swimming costume, towel.
www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or
www.traveldoctor.co.uk
Cape Verde is a third world
destination, but has surprisingly good
levels of hygiene and reasonable
healthcare. Hepatitis A, Tetanus,
Typhoid vaccinations are
recommended. Polio vaccinations
should be up to date. Tummy upsets
do happen but if you ensure you wash
your hands before food, drink bottled
or filtered water and use plenty of
sunscreen, and wear a sunhat, this
should make a difference. There are
mosquitoes, but not malarial and there
are no snakes. Take insect repellent.
You will see large spiders but they are
not dangerous.
Please ensure you have access to
emergency funds should you need
them; carrying a credit card is
probably the most convenient
method.
Please note that your HF Holidays’
leader reserves the right to refuse to
take any guest on a walk should they
consider that a lack of suitable
clothing/footwear may affect safety.
Baggage allowance
1 piece checked-in luggage (max
20kg).
Please check details of your airline’s
baggage allowance, as shown on
your e-ticket. Remember to also check
any connecting flights you may have
booked.
Please note: the use or possession of
some common prescription or overthe-counter medicines is banned in
some countries. If you will be carrying
medication, please check with the
country’s embassy/ consulate prior to
travel. As an extra precaution:
Passports & visas
All foreign nationals require a visa,
which is included in the tour cost. We
will need your passport details approx
10 weeks before departure. Passports
must be valid for 6 months.
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Travel insurance
If arranging your own travel insurance,
please ensure it is adequate for your
specific itinerary.
Keep your medication in its
original packet
Take a copy of your prescription
too
If possible, ask your chemist to
write the name of your
medication in the language of
the country that you’re visiting
Dietary requirements
Please contact us as far in advance as
possible if you have any specific
dietary requirements. We will do our
best to accommodate you. If you
require a specific meal on the flight,
please let us know as soon as possible,
Health advice
This is subject to change and we
would highly recommend that you
consult your doctor before travelling.
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and no later than 96 hours before
travel.
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Travel tips for a comfortable flight
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We’ve put together a few simple tips
to help make your flight as
comfortable as possible, ensuring you
begin your holiday in tip-top shape.
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you, as your eyes may feel dryer
than usual
Stay loose. Wear loose fitting,
comfortable shoes and clothes
Flight socks are recommended
to help prevent DVT on longhaul flights
Lost/damaged luggage
Move about. Change position
and avoid crossing your legs.
Immobility poses the greatest risk
in the development of clotting
disorders. Get out of your seat
and walk around as regularly as
possible to improve circulation
No pills. Unless advised by your
doctor, do not take sleeping
tablets on the flight; this will
reduce your mobility and make
you feel sluggish
Protect your ears. If you
experience discomfort due to
the cabin pressure changes,
suck a sweet, chew, or hold
your nostrils and gently blow
through your nose; this should
equalise the pressure. If you still
experience problems, speak to
a member of the cabin crew
Drink plenty. Ask a member of
the cabin crew if you are thirsty.
Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee or
carbonated drinks as these will
dehydrate you. Instead, try to
drink plenty of fruit juices or
water
Eat light. Avoid heavy meals
and foods – air expands at
altitude and heavy meals will
result in that bloated feeling
Moisturise. Your skin, especially
your lips and nostrils, may feel
dry so moisturising creams may
help. If you wear contact lenses,
always carry your glasses with
If your bag or its contents are
damaged or lost while in the airline’s
care, this should be reported to the
baggage service agents at the
airport. They will assess the damage
and in some cases the airline may
decide to settle your claim
immediately. You will be given a
reference to quote to your insurance
company if settlement cannot be
reached. In many cases baggage
claims can only be accepted in
writing. A baggage claim form must
be obtained from the airport.
HF Holidays’ with-flight guests
For those travelling on our HF Holidays’
group flight, please proceed to the
arrivals hall once you have passed
through passport control, customs and
baggage reclaim, when you arrive at
your destination. Your leader or local
leader will assemble the group in the
arrivals hall. Look out for the
HF Holidays’ sign.
Independent travellers
If you are arriving ahead of the group,
and are meeting them at the first
hotel, please leave a message at the
hotel reception for the HF Holidays’
leader or local leader, detailing your
room number, and a mobile
telephone number if possible. The
leader will contact you once the
group arrives. If you are arriving after
the group, a message will be left for
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you at the hotel reception, welcoming
you and giving details of the time and
place to meet the group. If your flight
arrives before the group flight and you
would like to join the transfer to the first
hotel, please contact our Abroad
Administration team on (0)20 8732
1271. They will have a list of the
relevant transfer costs.
Tipping
Tips have been included in your
holiday price for key services such as
local guides/ driver/restaurants. Any
additional tips are at your own
discretion.
Food
In the hotels, breakfasts are generally
buffet style, with plenty of choice.
Lunches when included are made by
the local guide and are
usually sandwiches, or pasta salad plus
fruit. Alternatively you may stop in a
local cafe for more traditional food.
You may want to carry some
additional snacks with you from the
UK, such as energy bars, but nothing
that will melt in the hot sun! Evening
meals in Praia and Mindelo will usually
be in local restaurants, traditional
dishes consist mostly of fish (in some
rural areas there may be chicken) with
rice, beans and locally grown
vegetables such as cabbage, carrots,
potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes,
pumpkin etc. Food is tasty but simple
and the local fresh fish is excellent.
Safety on your holiday
Once you have made your booking,
you will receive a pre-holiday
questionnaire where we ask for details
of next of kin, and insurance details.
We need to have this from you at least
4 weeks before travel.
Please also inform us of any medical
situation which may affect your
enjoyment of the holiday
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Please listen to any safety
instructions from the leader
Keep group members in view,
especially if weather or visibility
is poor
If you become separated from
the group, please stay where
you are, the leader will retrace
their steps to find you
Each leader carries a first aid kit
but is not allowed to supply any
medication including aspirin,
paracetamol, antihistamines,
and antiseptic cream. You may
wish to bring these items with
you
Climate
Cape Verde's climate is pleasantly
tropical with year round average
temperatures between 26° and 30°C
and the islands generally enjoy
uninterrupted sunshine from
November to May. Due to its location
in the Atlantic Ocean, some of the
islands can be more windy than
others, and all experience some level
of humidity.
In the unlikely event that your leader is
incapacitated, please use any
emergency kit in their rucksack and
call emergency services on
Ambulance 130 (ambulance), 131
(fire) or 132 (police). Please then call
our emergency number (see page 8)
and let us know there is a problem.
Local currency & money matters
Cape Verde Escudo (CVE). Currency
cannot be obtained in advance; take
Euros or sterling cash. Euros can be
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changed in all hotels and banks. Only
large bank branches will accept
Sterling. Most goods have to be
imported so whilst lower than the UK
this is not a budget destination. Visa is
accepted at major hotels and
restaurants, but not in rural areas.
ATMS are available in most towns. If
you are staying additional nights
outside of the group tour, the hotels
will charge hotel tax, which is the
equivalent of €2 per person per night.
Suggested reading and Maps
Berlitz Cape Verde Pocket Guide 2015
Bradt Guide Cape Verde Islands 2014
Sampson Jerry – History & Culture,
Republic of Cape Verde 2015
Maps can be obtained in advance
from the Mapshop.
www.themapshop.co.uk
Electricity
220V, round European two-pin sockets.
Adapters are needed for UK plugs
Group size
Maximum group size is 16 plus HF
leader and local guides
Time difference
GMT/UTC -1 hour
HF Holidays Ltd, Catalyst House, Centennial
Court, Elstree, Borehamwood, WD6 3SY, UK
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