Fogo island Cape Verde

Fogo’s profile is unmistakably volcanic. This island of 25km in diameter and 2,829m in height is just the visible top of this huge and active stratovolcano.

Today the residents are more forewarned than the early settlers as detection systems give a few days warning if the mountain is about to vent. ‘Fogo’ of course translates as ‘Fire’ and the early Portuguese sailors witnessed the mountain’s power. Since the settlement of the island in the 15th century, there have been more than thirty eruptions the most recent of which was in 2014.  The 2014 eruption devastated the Caldeira’s villages of Portella and Bangaeira which are still today re-growing from the destruction. The residents happily had plenty of time to escape and half decided to return to rebuild their lives. Stay in the Caldeira at the rebuilt Casa Marisa II and take guided walks around the spectacular and alien volcanic terrain.

If the visibility is clear and you’re lucky enough to be seated on the right-hand side of the plane when you’re flying in, you’ll be treated to a spectacular aerial view of the Cha das Caldeiras and the perfect cone of Pico do Fogo, the archipelago’s highest point. The peak is quite a draw and if an ascent is definitely your thing then you can read about Max’s recent guided ascent in our blog.

The Caldeira is undoubtedly the most astounding place but there’s more to Fogo than this. Relaxed and pretty Sao Filipe offers comfortable accommodation and good local dining and music. Stay in the laid-back and friendly Melissa’s Guesthouse or next door at the Portuguese colonial house Residencial Savana. Walk down through town to the gorgeous dark sanded beach – but don’t be tempted to swim as the considerable undertow is dangerous; for swimming instead take taxis or a guided day to Salinas, where ocean swimming is safe and popular. There are guided walks on Fogo’s lower flanks; our guides can take you for a driving day tour showing you around the island’s circumference. The relaxed pace of life is infectious and it’s easy to imagine a longer stay on this friendly island. If you’d like an island escape then the La Fora Ecolodge offers seclusion on the lower mountain slopes.

Fogo’s an essential part of a trip to neighbouring Brava as the ferry departs from Sao Filipe. Ferries aren’t regular – or even timetabled well in advance – making holidays including Brava notoriously hard to plan. We’re here to help – if you’d like to visit both Fogo and Brava then we can create a flexible itinerary that our local partners will manage for you whilst you’re on the islands, adjusting your itinerary as needed so you get to do the things you want in the order that the ferry times of the week allow.