The crater Cha das Caldeiras and the Pico do Fogo are probably the most exciting adventures in Cabo Verde. To get to the top of the Pico demands some fitness and climbing experience and should be done only with a local guide.

Less stressful is climbing the Pico pequeno, the little Pico, which was formed during the last eruption in 1995. While walking around in the Cha das Caldeiras you will pass through areas of wine culture. In the little village Portela you can taste the vinho do Fogo at the grocer’s.

An impressive adventure of quite a different kind is the descent from Cha das Caldeiras to Mosteiros. It leads through the humid zone of the trade-wind clouds, where you will find plantations for coffee, bananas and vegetables. Here you can see the tropical part of Fogo.

This descent should not be underestimated - a 1700 m down hill hike demands good physical condition.

A destination for relaxing and swimming is Ponta da Salina near the village of Sao Jorge. Here you will find basins, which are sheltered against the surge of the Atlantic and are very inviting for a relaxing swim at any time. At the weekend, this is a popular meeting point for people also from São Filipe.

Impressing is even the agriculture-project near Monte Genebra. Enabled by a special system of irrigation, the cultivation of fruit and vegetables is practiced on about 15 acres.

If you want to stay in the Cha das Caldeiras at native families over night, you can spend the night at Fernando (please contact the Le Bistro in São Filipe) or at the Casa Monte Amarelu.

There is also a pension, the Pousada Pedra Brabo, which provides a pleasant atmosphere and has a good restaurant.

More detailed descriptions of the island of Fogo you will find for example in the Bradt’s Travel-Guide. A travel-map (1 : 60 000) with detailed descriptions of walking-routes in English can be purchased from AB-Kartenverlag.