Feb 28, 2024
Look no further - this trip is perfect - Our guide Natcha and his driver John, are a dream team. Natcha’s knowledge and passion for Cape Verde is breathtaking. He’s a local who knows the island’s history , culture and horticulture intimately. It’s all delivered with warmth, charm and humour.
John is a safe and consider driver around some vertiginous routes.
There’s so many really special moments on the trip. Some of the highlights include the goats cheese accompaniment to the grog tasting and the hike down the valley surrounded by fruit and veg of every kind. Most of all, the feeling that you’ve truly had a money-can’t-buy experience that will live in our memories forever.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nov 16, 2023
Santo Antao- definitely get a guide! - Wonderful tour of a beautiful island! We had considered self guiding and we are so glad we went with a tour. The scenery was spectacular and we loved how varied the different parts of the island were. Our guide Antonio had so much interesting information to share and worked hard to show us all the sights and get us back in time for our ferry (he even ran to the gate with us to make sure we made it on). The local people were lovely. Our lunch was definitely a highlight. Our hosts prepared a feast of delicious local food which finished with fried banana and coconut ice cream. I would suggest booking the last ferry back if you are staying in Mindelo. The last Nos ferry was at 4pm but there is another ferry company with a 5pm sailing back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nov 6, 2023
Highlight of the holiday - island tour with Natcha - It was the highlight of the holiday, the day tour through Sao Antao. We started at the hotel and after a short briefing and agreement on the route we were off. Out of the stone desert and up into the cloud-covered mountains. From dusty dry to the lush green highlands. It was one impressive experience after another. The mountains with the huge waterfalls, the banana and sugar cane plantations down to the harbor, where the fishermen arrived. Explained in detail and reinforced with background information by our beaming, friendly, competent tour guide Natcha. From this point, we would like to say a big thank you again. Lunch was great in this little restaurant at the end of the street. A round of pebbles with Natcha afterwards. Thank you.
The price/performance ratio was completely fine for this unforgettable day that made us want more. Back in our cold homeland, we always think back to this day with pleasure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Feb 7, 2023
Great tour! - The tour was really great and interesting. We went to the most beautiful places on the island and Natcha told us a lot about the history and the local way of life. The driver, Cesar, took the time to take stops at several wonderful viewing points.
A few days later Natcha arranged for us a nice taxidrive by Cesar to Fontainhas so we could do the fantastic coastal hike to Cruzinha!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 18, 2022
Beautiful trip, food and great guide! - We had a great full day island tour with Nacha! He showed us the beauty of Santo Antao Island and was able to tell us all about its history. We started the trip with a pickup near our hotel in ponta do sol and drove towards ribeira grande. Along the way we could get off at places where we could take beautiful pictures. After we asked if we could hike, Nacha had selected a nice route for us from the cova crater to a local village (even though this was not on the program). It was great that Nacha listened carefully to our wishes and did everything he could to make us happy! During the hike we could taste some local fruits that grow there. In the village we drank coffee from beans that are specially roasted there.
Then we continued by car to a distillery and we tasted different types of grogue flavors and Nacha explained us how this grogue is made.
Then we drove on to another place and had a delicious lunch with local fish and vegetables and fresh mango juice.
Finally, we made a stop at waterfalls where we had the choice to take a dip in a natural water reservoir.
All in all, we really enjoyed Nacha's enthusiasm and friendliness and we felt free to ask him anything. Definitely recommend having him as a guide!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apr 11, 2022
Amazing daytrip with the best guide Natcha! - 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!
Review provided by Viator
Apr 7, 2022
Amazing daytrip and hike - We had the most amazing day in Santo Antao with Nacha! The scenery was amazing, Nacha was superfriendly with a lot of knowledge. He told is all about the island and we had an amazing lunch. Highly recommend it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mar 11, 2022
So good I’m going back! - I spent two days in Santo Antão. My friend and I booked a full day tour of the island. Nacha, our guide was informative, fun, and easy going! Not to mention, he communicated easily in English for us non-Portuguese speaking tourists. We had such a great time that I’m already planning my return trip! I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 4, 2024
Extremely unpleasant - We came to visit several Cape Verde islands and, so far, what we liked most were the people. Always friendly and welcoming. On this trip we didn't feel this. We bought the private travel package, lasting 7-9 hours around the island, where the route should start with a coffee and planning what we would like to see. We arrived in Porto Novo at 10am and didn't have the promised coffee and didn't visit the city. We stopped at the crater and paid for our coffee there, as well as the driver and guide out of respect. The entire visit was done very quickly, where the conversation flowed if we asked questions about the places and culture. Always quick and unwelcoming responses. We are curious people and had researched some of the island's characteristics, so we were surprised by the guide's different answers. We were even more surprised by the clear displeasure with the Portuguese and constant manipulated historical facts. This position became increasingly clear to us, confirmed when the guide commented that he liked French people. Lunch was the best of the visit: local food, very well prepared and delicious. During that hour there was little conversation, even though we tried, even showing our origins. After lunch the entire journey was very quick, with almost no explanation. For example, we spent more time trying to choose a grog than understanding how it actually worked. To our surprise, after lunch the driver turned the radio up loud, making it impossible to talk to us. We didn't experience all the points and we felt truly unwelcome. We arrived at our hotel at 3:17 pm, 5 hours after the start of the trip and really wanting to leave the island. We didn't and I'm glad we gave it a chance. We were more than well received by the locals.
From the contract, for which we paid a high amount, we did not do (and we were not even asked if we would be interested, unless it was the next day with a new rate): point 2, coffee/tea in Porto Novo; point 3: entrance to the Cova; point 7: there was no walk, no tea, no coffee. Just a quick visit to the grog production site.
Review provided by Tripadvisor