Where is Fogo Island, again?
A scattered group of tiny islands off the East Atlantic, Cape Verde is one of those countries that draws you like a magnet. The allure of a diverse set of landscapes, the music and the culture, and just the difficulty of traveling there can’t be resisted for too long. I was already in Senegal, and there weren’t a whole lot of countries that were open during the pandemic- which led to me to Cape Verde. I hopped on a direct flight from Dakar to Santiago island, the largest island in the country – with hopes of discovering other islands.
Even during my flight from Dakar to Santiago it was evident from all whitecaps that these are some rough seas. The rough weather and a varying set of pandemic health regulations for each island meant that traveling between the islands was going to be non-trivial. Even when ferries do leave on schedule, the dynamic weather conditions can force a change in direction, sometimes skipping arrival on a certain island altogether or even returning to the origin!
Arriving on the Fogo island
After spending a couple of days in Santiago, sampling the local beaches and night life (after a year of no live music anywhere!), I bought a one-way ferry ticket to Fogo island – home to the highest peak in the islands, and historically a very active volcano. No wonder it’s called Fogo! Accompanying me was Kevin from Chicago, who seemed to be the only other traveler on the island. We settled in a beautiful guest house in Portela up by the base of the volcano in Cha das Caldeiras. The guesthouse is run by a lovely couple – Rose and Ciza. Rose is also one of the certified guides in the region, and during busy seasons often ends up leading two hikes up the Fogo peak (2829 m.)
Getting ready to summit Fogo peak
We started early at 6 in the morning, with Rose explaining the history of the land. His old house had been consumed by the last eruption of the island – remains of the house still visible. He built another house with his beloved wife in the adjacent village. Ever since, they have been hosting travelers, and slowly building a travel business; only to be hit hard by another disaster – the pandemic. For an entire 9 months, they had no tourists and practically no income. Life always finds new ways to humble you. With about 20 odd families, the village is so small that everyone is seemingly related to Rose. So he had to no option but to leave his village for a bit so he could court a girl!
Back to the climb…. We passed by a few vineyards, and apple orchards – the only sign of color in this never-ending sea of black volcanic soil. We were gradually gaining altitude, and with every step, the sheer power of the volcanic presence became increasingly evident. Active vents, lava channels, burried houses, damaged roads – all visible from the vantage point of the volcano itself.
Active vents, lava channels, burried houses, damaged roads – all visible from the vantage point of the volcano itself.
Million dollar views
Roughly 4 hrs later, we were at the top of the peak – with dramatic 360 degree views of the landscape – the Atlantic Ocean crashing against the island and even the distant Brava island was visible. I have done a few volcano hikes, but the views from Pico Fogo on a clear day are hard to beat. The caldera at the top is still active and smells of sulphur – a daring few do descend into it, but we gave it a pass, and hiked around the rim of the caldera. Before the top of the peak erupted, the volcano was roughly 4,000 m. high.
A long way down
To descend, we scoped for a a path without a lot of rocks. The soft volcanic ash makes descending easy on the knees and a lot of fun. Just make sure you don’t lose your phone – with knee-deep ash, chances of recovering the phone are quite slim (happens quite frequently!).
It took us roughly 3 hours to head back down to Portela. We had an appetizing lunch waiting for us when we got back. There is not much to do in the village in the evening, but you can always head down to the winery 15-20 mins cab ride away, and learn more about the unique winemaking process here. Chã Tinto is a fine tasting red wine.
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