Private Tour
Santiago Island Experience - Culture, Nature & Tarrafal Beach
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Enjoy a full-day tour exploring the interior and coast of Santiago Island, the best way to discover Cape Verde’s culture, history, and landscapes. After morning pickup, travel to São Domingos, Órgãos, and Picos to admire impressive mountains. Continue to Assomada City to visit the local market and experience daily island life. Stop at Good Entry to see the largest and oldest tree in Cape Verde, the 700 - year-old Kapok tree. Visit Serra Malagueta Natural Park for breathtaking views from 1,000 meters above sea level. Head to Tarrafal City to explore the historic concentration camp, relax on Tarrafal Beach, and enjoy time for swimming and lunch. In the afternoon, drive along the east coast to the Rabelados village, then continue through Calheta to Pedra Badejo to see the country’s largest banana plantation. This tour combines nature, culture, history, and beach time for an authentic Santiago Island experience.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Eco Center
Assomada Market
Assomada Market
What‘s Included
Lunch
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Santiago Island Experience
Pickup included
Reviews
13 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Discover the island of Santiago
COTTIER M,,Aug 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Very good day with our guides. Beautiful immersion in Cape Verdean culture! We discovered very different places (markets, banana grove, landscapes...)
Beautiful day!!
clemenced130,,May 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a great day with our guide Apollo, we recommend you 100%!! A day full of discoveries, both rewarding and filled with good humor and laughter. we trusted him with our eyes closed 🙂🙂
A good experience with a good guide Kevin
W130DSchristians,,Apr 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful time. Kevin was a perfect guide- very polite, thoughtful and courteous. An interesting trip through the entire island. Highly recommended.
A great look of how the Cape Verdean people live
Ted B,,Dec 5, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00Stopping by this house and eating fresh papaya. Going to Tarrafel beach and a nice dinner with Kefy. Then walking the beach. On the way home stopping for fresh coconut milk. After we ate the coconut.
Incredible tour
Andreas H,,Jun 12, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00The Santiago Island tour was just simply the best! And this was not only because of how much the island has to offer (a lot!), but equally as much because of the amazing guide. Ed is very attentive, genuinely friendly, easy going, knowledeable, and goes out of his way to make the experience an amazing one. A thousand thanks for this perfect day!!! Highly recommended, and will book again any time.
My day trip around Santiago
sunburn27101981,,Jan 11, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Edmilson has been very kind and careful in driving me around the Island stopping any time I asked for. Also some places are not to miss on this day tour: Assomada, Tarrafal, Serra de Malagueta, Rabaledos village and all the glimpes of rural areas and people along the route. Do not forget to take a look at Pico de Antonia silhouette on the way back to Praia when the sun is about to set.
A very pleasant full day tour
Marly Z,,Oct 24, 2023
- Review from Viator
5.00I had an exceptional tour, with an excellent guide, Edimilson, that made me discover the whole island in one day. Very cultivated, well educated and very experient.
First visit to the island
Roving34537665237,,Oct 14, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Good walk which allows you to quickly discover the different landscapes of the island and especially the beach of Tarrafal with a very good guide!!
Professional, Comprehensive and Fun
chriswH9280NF,,Jun 25, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fabulous day-tour around the island with a dedicated, knowledgeable guide, Eddie. We completed a comprehensive circuit from Praia up to the north, then back south via the western side of the island. Eddie's English is superb and he does all he can to make the tour as interesting and exciting as possible. If you're planning to visit other islands, get in touch with Eddie or his colleagues to get the latest on inter-island travel options as they're hard to figure out from abroad.
A Great Tour Experience
Chris W,,Jun 13, 2023
- Review from Viator
5.00Eddie is a terrific tour guide - punctual, friendly and super-knowledgeable. I had a wonderful day exploring Santiago. Nothing was too much bother and he repeatedly went out of his way to adjust the itinerary to suit my interests. Be sure to get in touch with Rural Tours if you're after up-to-date information on getting to and from the other islands.
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Operated by RURAL TOURS