From Alto Mira III to Châ de Morte on the island of Santo Antao

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A beautiful hike to discover the island of Santo Antao, with no difficulty in finding your way on a wide path.

Details

n°1639741
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.11 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 374 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 500 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,012 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 549 m
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Photos

The descent, seen from the pass
The climb from ALTA MIRA seen from the pass
At the start of the climb to the pass, in the middle of the terraced fields
The start of the hike is below Alta MIRA.

Description of the walk

Start before the bridge that leads to Alto Mira III.

(S) The paved path zigzags through the crops. Look up to see the impressive basalt blades. Don't forget to look back to enjoy the valley with its terraced crops and the village of Alto Mira III. Reach the Col de Forquinha by crossing a fault in the mountain.

(1) The trail descends steeply at first with numerous zigzags; here too, don't forget to turn around to see the characteristic basalt blades.
Continue down the trail, which joins the stream bed, the Ribeira das Patas. Pass near a large boulder. Reach the crossroads with a road.

(2) Take it on the right, then pass between two low walls on a ridge. The canyon on the right is the one you will take downhill. The climb back up will be on the path visible on the other side. You will arrive at the bottom of the valley.

(3) Climb up the canyon, turning right. Continue on this side, climbing straight ahead. Do not take the river bed.
Reach the heights with the houses on your left. Continue until you reach the main road and arrive at Cha de Morte (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 758 m - Bridge on the road to Alta Mira III
  2. 1 : km 0.97 - alt. 1,012 m - Forquinha Pass
  3. 2 : km 3.32 - alt. 661 m - Road junction
  4. 3 : km 4.33 - alt. 550 m - Bottom of the valley
  5. E : km 5.11 - alt. 632 m - Cha de Morte

Notes

Hike on a wide trail with no supplies available. Be sure to bring water and snacks.

Worth a visit

Enjoy the scenery.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 25479167
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Short hike with a beautiful view at the top of the first climb. The rest is fairly typical of the island with nothing special to report except for the irrigation channels around the path.

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Les Zams de Behoust
Les Zams de Behoust

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed in February 2025 (dry and windy season)
No comments on the description. The start (the climb to the pass) is in the middle of terraced fields, where we encountered farm workers on their plots and admired the ingenious irrigation systems (which we would admire again in all the valleys we visited on the island). Here, potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots are grown, but this can change from year to year. The descent takes place in a much drier and rockier landscape. The stone path is particularly well maintained. There are a few sugar cane crops on partially cultivated terraces. Water (in small irrigation channels) flows everywhere... we wonder where it all comes from!

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oponcin
oponcin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

If you would like to discover hiking in Cape Verde, including this hike: https://youtu.be/BRhcK9QKafU

Machine-translated

oponcin
oponcin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Fantastic hikes in Cape Verde
On the paved paths, you will encounter villagers but never tourists
All the hikes are highly recommended, with the highlight being the ascent of the Fogo volcano
https://youtu.be/BRhcK9QKafU

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