Climbing Pico do Fogo

Fogo is a single volcanic island, and its 2,829 m peak is the highest point in Cape Verde. Inside the huge collapsed crater (the Chã das Caldeiras) is a village rebuilt after the 2014–15 eruption buried much of it, where people grow grapes and make wine in the volcanic soil.

The climb to the summit rim from the village takes about 3 to 4 hours up a steep path, and the descent is a thrilling run down a slope of loose ash. Go with a local guide, start early to avoid the heat, and take plenty of water. You can also walk up the smaller Pico Pequeno, the cone that erupted in 2014.

Stay in one of the guesthouses in the crater to see the stars, and try the local wine and goat's cheese. The island's capital, São Filipe, has colonial houses and black-sand beaches. Fogo is reached by plane or ferry from Praia on Santiago.