The 13 Best Santo Antão Hikes & Day Trips

1.Santo Antão Highlights: Day Trip by Car with Ferry from SV

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 84 reviews · 11 hours · from $135Our pick

Leave Mindelo before sunrise, take the ferry to Porto Novo, and spend the day crossing Santo Antão by van with a local guide. You will see Cova de Paúl, Pico da Cruz, Delgadinho, Ribeira Grande, Ponta do Sol, Paúl Valley, and Janela. Guides such as Madu are known for adding useful cultural detail, while lunch costs about €10 to €20 extra.

“everything was perfect, beauriful green island, oefect guide manu!”

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2.Day Trip by Car or Trek

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · from $104Top rated

Travel from Mindelo to Santo Antão by ferry, then cross mountain roads with a local guide such as Madu or Danny. See Pico da Cruz, Cova Crater, Delgadinho, Ribeira Grande, Ponta do Sol, Paúl, and a grogue distillery. Choose a scenic car tour or ask about a walk or trek.

“Los que me escapé por mi cuenta. Parecía que iba a ser una excursión particular, para dos. Sólo cuando estaba pagada aparecía la posibilidad de que ese formara un grupo de 8 personas. La vendian como excursión en español. Resultó bilingüe, conmigo como único hRead more”

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3.Full Day Island Tour & Visit to Cova de Paúl

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 54 reviews · 7 hours · from $106

You’ll spend seven hours touring Santo Antão by vehicle, from the Cova de Paúl crater above 1,000 meters to Ponta de Sol, Fontainhas, and the green Vale de Paúl. A guide such as Riva, Mitch Adams, Itza, Ivan, or Maira may lead the day. Expect scenic stops, a local lunch at your own cost, and a grogue tasting.

“Super journée avec notre guide. On en a appris beaucoup sur île de Santo Antao et sur le Cap Vert. On nous a vu de magnifiques paysages et manger dans un bon petit restaurant.”

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4.Hiking Cova Volcano Crater to Ribeira Paúl

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 31 reviews · 5 hours · from $100

This five-hour hike takes you from Cova Natural Park, above 1,000 meters, down a zigzag trail into Paul Valley. Your guide explains local plants, farming, legends, and mountain life, then brings you to a traditional distillery for a taste of Grogue. Guides may include Lea, Maira, Ravi, Riva, or Edy. Hotel pickup is included.

“I'm Extremely disappointed with the way that Bu Country Tours handled my booking! I confirmed an updated pick up location the day before my scheduled tour, only to find out on the actual tour day that the people in the office had neglected to notify the tour guides. What resulted from that mess up was that both me and the poor tour guides (Lea and Maira) were trying in vain to locate each other via Whatsapp for 2 hours. The person from the Bu Country Tour office that I spoke to on the day kept telling me that my tour guides were gonna head back to pick me up at…”

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5.Full-Day Island Tour in Santo Antão with Lunch Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · from $118

Spend 7 to 9 hours seeing Santo Antão’s finest sights, from Cova Crater and Delgadinho ridge to Ponta do Sol and Paul Valley. Your guide plans the day around the group, with coffee, tea, local lunch, water, and a short walk included. Guide Natcha has earned special praise for patience and island knowledge when assigned.

“Natcha was the best guide for this amazing day trip and hike for me and my mum. He was patient and friendly and tolt us a lot about the island. Great overall experience! Would love to come again!”

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6.Ponta do Sol & Fontainhas Guided Trip with Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 9 reviews · 6 hours · from $91Best value

Set out from your hotel with a local guide such as Ruben, Gerson, or Rivaldino for a six-hour trip through Ponta do Sol, Fontainhas, Aranhas, and Cruzinha. Expect steep paths, volcanic cliffs, ocean views, and possibly a five-hour walk rather than the advertised 2.5-hour hike. Bring lunch, water, sun protection, and sturdy shoes.

“Het was een fantastische tour dankzij de vindingrijkheid van Gerson onze gids van deze trip. De omschrijving van deze trip klopte namelijk niet met wat eigenlijk de bedoeling zou zijn.. In de omschrijving werd gesproken over een wandeling van 2.5 uur en een roadtrip langs een aantal dorpjes. Echter, het bleek om een wandeling van 5 uur te gaan…dat wilde wij absoluut niet want dat stond immers ook niet in het programma van deze trip. Dankzij de vindingrijkheid van Gerson die is gaan bellen en een chauffeur met een wagen regelde werd het een prachtige road/wandel trip boordevol informatie en gezelligheid! Onze waardering naar eerdergenoemde en chauffeur Riva is groots!”

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7.Trekking Cova de Paúl Volcano Crater – Ribeira de Paúl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $99

Start near 1,100 meters in Cova de Paúl, then follow a steep stone path toward Ribeira de Paúl. A local guide leads you past farms, sugar cane, bananas, fruit trees, and possible rum production. Pickup and return transport are included. Guide Edson has earned special praise for matching the group’s pace.

“The scenery was amazing! Edson was a great guide: he seemed to sense our pace; he was very informative. We had a wonderful lunch at a cafe he recommended. My legs were sore for days….we did it downhill, but it is frequently steep, with loose gravel over paving stones. Still, very do-able and totally worth it! Highly recommended.”

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8.Cova–Paúl Valley Trek: Santo Antão Day Trip by Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 11 hours · from $141

Spend 11 hours crossing from Mindelo to Santo Antão, hiking down the ancient Cova de Paúl crater with guides such as Madu, Sonia, or Danny. Expect steep, rocky sections, farm valleys, a local restaurant lunch, and a grogue distillery visit. Ferry tickets, transfers, guiding, and transport are included; lunch and drinks cost extra.

“Unser Guide Madù war wirklich überaus freundlich und zuvorkommend. Er konnte mit seinem Wissen überzeugen und wirklich alle Fragen zu Kultur, Flora & Fauna beantworten. Er ist voll und ganz auf unsere Bedürfnisse eingegangen und hat die Tour somit zu einem herausragenden Erlebnis gemacht.”

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9.Full-day Island Tour & Visit to Cova de Paúl Volcano Crater

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $106

See Santo Antão’s volcanic heart and mountain villages on a 6 to 7 hour tour from Porto Novo. You’ll visit Cova de Paúl, Delgadinho, Ponta do Sol, Fontainhas, Paul Valley, and a local rum distillery. Private transport and hotel pickup are included, with guides such as Americo, Riva, and Gerson leading the way.

“Uma ilha espectacular e indispensável para visitar. Gostamos muito do profissionalismo e amabilidade do nosso guia Gerson.”

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10.Hike Ponta do Sol – Fontainhas – Cruzinha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $91

Walk 15 kilometers across Santo Antão from Ponta do Sol to Fontainhas and Cruzinha. Your private guide leads you along cliff roads, steep mountain paths, and volcanic coast, with time at black-sand Praia das Aranhas for a swim or picnic. Américo is one named guide associated with this route, and Spanish-speaking help may be available.

“Hands down one of the most memorable outdoor experiences I've had. From the very start, our guide was welcoming, friendly and incredibly knowledgeable about the area, not just the trails, but also the local wildlife, history, and ecology. ThRead more”

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11.Paúl hike, the green garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · 5 hours · from $116

Walk 5 km through Santo Antão’s lush Paul Valley, climbing 350 meters and descending 600. Your guide leads you past basalt-and-straw homes, farms, waterfalls and fruit trees, then takes you to a distillery for local rum tasting. Hotel pickup, transport and insurance are included. Lunch costs extra.

“Super randonnée, quelle paysage !!! 3h-3h30 de marche que nous n'avons pas vu passé. Merci Sue, notre guide pour sa bonne humeur !”

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12.Ribeira Grande: Hiking Day Trip to Ribeira de Torre

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 4 reviews · 6 hours · from $100

You’ll hike from high Faja da Cima through terraces, villages, sugar cane, fruit trees, and coffee plantations to the Ribeira de Torre valley. A guide such as João explains local life, plants, and wildlife, with time for a waterfall swim and a grogue distillery visit. Pickup and drop-off in Ribeira Grande are included.

“João was an excellent guide, the chat with local people, the scenary”

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13.Hike from the Cova Volcano Crater to Ribeira Paúl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 6 hours · from $279

Walk from Santo Antão’s Cova Natural Park at about 1,100 metres down into Paúl Valley with a live guide in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, or German. Expect a steep zig-zag trail, ocean views, tropical crops, and a traditional rum distillery. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, with guides such as John and Norberto leading the way.

“O passeio como um todo foi incrível. O guia John nos buscou na nossa hospedagem e nos levou até a Cova de carro, de onde partimos numa trilha a pé durante algumas horas. O percurso todo tinhas vistas espetaculares e o guia conhecia muito bem o caminho e a natureza. Recomendamos a todos!”

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