The black cone
A peak above the caldera.
Cayambe — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Yves PICQ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ji-Elle — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cayambe — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cayambe — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Franzfoto — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Franzfoto — CC BY-SA 3.0
Pico do Fogo is an active volcano on the island of Fogo and the highest peak in Cape Verde at 2,829 metres. Its name means peak of fire. Its black cone rises inside a caldera about 7 km across, ringed by a steep wall, making it the country's most powerful landscape and its best-known mountain trip. The island is essentially one volcano, the youngest and most active in the archipelago. The last summit eruption was in 1769, and the most recent eruptions came in 1951, 1995 and 2014. In November 2014 lava destroyed 75 percent of the buildings in the villages of Chã das Caldeiras. Many people returned, and grapes are grown here since the Count of Montrond brought vines in 1870. You walk on sharp black lava broken by small trees and gravel, with the huge cone above you. The climb is steep on sliding gravel, then the rim opens a vast view of the caldera. At the foot is a smaller cone. Along the black road are round stone houses, and 84 percent of the island's endemic plants live here. The summit is 17.5 km in a straight line east of São Filipe. One guide gives a round trip of 4 to 6 hours starting between 2 and 6 am, with a local guide at €35 to €40. The climb is hard and risky without experience, so take a guide, plenty of water and warm clothes. The volcano is active, so follow the monitoring signs and instructions.
A peak above the caldera.
Sharp rock from 2014.
Villages inside the crater.
Chã das Caldeiras, Fogo island
Yes, a local guide is best, booked in the village.
One guide says between 2 and 6 am, to avoid the heat.