Quick Summary:
- Word of Warning: most tourists come to hike Pico do Fogo and you may be pressured into hiring a guide
- Hiking Pico do Fogo
- Where to Stay:
- Point of Interest: Vineyards and Coffee Plantations
- Point of Interest: Ponta da Salina
- Point of Interest: Padaria Maria Augusta
Overview and a Word of Warning:
The island of Fogo is home to the highest volcano in the archipelago, named Pico do Fogo, and is only accessible by ferry or domestic flight through Cabo Verde Airlines. Fogo is one of the most active volcanic islands on Earth, with the last eruption in 2014 (as of 2023). At 2,829 meters, the Fogo volcano is the fourth-highest elevation in the entire Atlantic and is truly impressive to see. When I visited it in December 2022, a guide even mentioned that it had snowed on Pico do Fogo last week. This brings us to a tricky point. The local population and many tour guides make a big deal out of the technically very straightforward ascent to Pico do Fogo. If you’re used to hiking, the hike presents no difficulties; only having good physical condition is a requirement. In my estimation, the actual ascent is just under 800 meters in elevation. Those brought up with a guide, or an “Aluguera,” are even driven to the base of the volcano. With constant waiting, the ascent ultimately took just under 3 hours, not the advertised 5 hours! I think the locals or many tourists are not used to mountain hikes, which is why they insist that the ascent without a guide is too dangerous. This went so far that I was under the impression that the ascent without a guide was prohibited. Unfortunately, I fell for it and paid $40 for a guided mountain hike (including a ride to and from my guest house). Without instruction from the guide or organizing the group according to their abilities, we set off. I had to wait for the guide and the rest of the group several times, and spoke broken English, even though the tour was offered in English and French. It quickly became clear that much of what he said about the island didn’t make sense, as the same numbers kept coming up in his explanations. So, I have to admit, that this guide was not worth the money for me. However, I encountered several people on the ascent who were hiking without a guide, which, in hindsight, is definitely the better option if you have any hiking experience. It is also not forbidden to go without a guide, as I later found out. But what I observed myself is that in this case, the guides may react annoyed, if not somewhat aggressively, when you decline their services.
Hiking Pico do Fogo
If you go alone, it is advisable to start just before sunrise, as you can walk most of the ascent in the shade. The actual path is very well marked and is traversed by several people daily. The entrance is easy to find. Behind Cha des Caldeiras, a road leads up through the vineyards towards the east. Follow this for about 1 kilometer until a well-signposted path on the right leads up to the volcano. The steep ascent is rewarded with a spectacular view. From the volcanic cone, you have a perfect view of the original massive volcanic crater, as Pico do Fogo is a massive elevation in the middle of the old crater. For the descent, you can either return the same way or take the ash field. To do this, you climb over the crater and pass it for about 300 meters on the inside. The descent in the ash field is a real pleasure! You practically hop down the crater, which takes only a few minutes. But be sure to wear long socks and close-toed shoes; otherwise, the descent can become torture if your shoes fill with sharp volcanic rocks. The descent in the ash field then goes towards the newest volcanic crater, which ceased its activity in 2015. The path then leads gently downhill back to Cha des Caldeiras. If you don’t dare to climb Pico do Fogo, you can easily visit the youngest volcanic crater or take flat hikes in the former lava fields.
In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, with little light pollution, the stars are incredibly visible. On the old volcanic crater, which has a diameter of more than 9 km, a guided 3-day tour is possible. During this tour, you sleep outside under the stars and cook your dinner over the fire. I did not take this tour, unfortunately, but the guide mentioned it to me.
Where to Stay:
Up there in the lava fields, I met fellow travelers who stayed in the mountain village of Cha des Caldeiras at Casa Marisa 2.0 and warmly recommended it to me. I myself stayed in Sao Filipe at Hotel Savana for my entire stay, which I do not regret at all, as the owner and his entire staff are very warm people, and the reception is guarded 24 hours. Several times, I felt somewhat unsafe in Sao Filipe and was glad to know the hotel was safe. The hotelier even connected me with a driver friend of his, Miguel, who drove me to the north side of the island on one of the days.
Point of Interest: Vineyards & Coffee Plantations
The island of Fogo is probably also known among wine connoisseurs. To be honest, I know nothing about wine. But several times, I noticed that the local wine, “Cha,” is promoted there. Wine is grown in the ash-covered slopes of Pico do Fogo, and sulfur deposits from the volcano have been used for natural pest control since the 19th century. On the north side of the island, there is also a tropical climate with lush agroforestry where bananas, mangoes, papayas, coffee, and a type of bush bean grow. As Miguel told me, Fogo even has its own coffee line in Starbucks and is known worldwide for its excellent coffee quality.
The rest of the island resembles a steppe landscape, and on the approach to the island, it felt like landing in the middle of a savanna. By the way, all the inter-island planes are propeller planes, and the pilots deserve true respect! Despite sometimes strong crosswinds, they always land the planes very smoothly on the runways.
Point of Interest: Ponta da Salina
For swimming, Fogo is only moderately suitable as the Atlantic Ocean crashes hard on the volcanic coast. Notably, however, the beach in Sao Filipe has lovely, black volcanic sand! Moreover, it mainly forms a cliff, making it difficult to enter the water. A hidden gem is a kind of lagoon on the north side of the island called Ponta da Salina near Mosteiros. But even here, caution is advised; despite ladders that allow entry into the sea, the waves can be so violent that swimming is best avoided unless the water is quite calm.
Point of Interest: Padaria Maria Augusta
A small culinary specialty is the village bakery in Sao Filipe, Padaria Maria Augusta. Truly magical rolls and cookies are baked there. A small tip: if you speak French, you can order the local specialties very well; otherwise, it helps to inform yourself in advance about what you want to order. There is no menu or display; it’s just a charming window through which everything is passed. You’ll notice the long line of locals in the evenings there, and they’ll happily advise what you should order if you aren’t sure.
All in all, Fogo can be seen very quickly so a stay longer than a few days is likely not worthwhile.