The 15 Best São Vicente Tours from Mindelo

1.São Vicente’s Enchanting Sea Turtle Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 153 reviews · 1h 30m · from $70Our pick

Meet your guide in Mindelo, ride to São Pedro, and take a short boat trip to a turtle site. You get snorkeling gear, safety guidance, and about an hour in the water. Guides such as Soraya and Eddie have helped first-time snorkelers feel at ease. Pickup and drop-off are included.

“Our guide, Eddie, was incredibly helpful, kind, and patient. He guided us close to the turtles and stayed with us. It was my first time and I would definitely do it again !”

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2.Snorkel with Sea Turtles Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 111 reviews · 1 hour · from $70

Travel from your São Vicente hotel or port to São Pedro, learn the basics from a multilingual guide, then take a short boat ride to a turtle-filled bay. You get about an hour in the water with sea turtles and colorful fish. Guide Elder has earned praise for calm, caring help.

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3.Full Day Island Tour, São Vicente, Mindelo, Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 109 reviews · 6 hours · from $82

Spend six hours touring São Vicente by van with a multilingual guide. Walk Mindelo, visit its markets, climb Monte Verde, meet village life in Salamansa and Calhau, and swim at Baía das Gatas. Guides have included Sonia, Danny, Rui, Paulo, and Carlos. Lunch and museum fees cost extra.

“I had a good day with lots of information, nice views and new contacts. Our guides (sorry I don't remember the names) were easy going but also professional.”

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4.Santo Antão Day Trip with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 101 reviews · from $147

Travel from Mindelo to Santo Antão by ferry, then cross the island with a local guide. See Cova de Paúl, the Corda Road, Delgadinho, Ponta de Sol, Ribeira Grande and Vale de Paúl. Guides may include Maira, Riva or Lea, with hotel pickup, port transfers and lunch time included.

“Très belle journée. Notre guide Riva parle très bien français et nous a donné toutes les explications sur le cap vert et son île Je recommande , très belle île luxuriante”

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5.São Vicente Island: Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 97 reviews · 6 hours · from $88

Start in Mindelo with colonial streets, markets, a church, and Fortin views, then visit Calhau Valley, Salamansa, Baía das Gatas, Sahara-shaped dunes, and Monte Verde. Guides speak English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish, with private and small-group options.

“I highly recommend this tour! Especially if you only have a short stay it’s the perfect way to discover Mindelo (on foot) and some beautiful spots on Sao Vicente. I most enjoyed the amazing view from the mountain top and the tasting of some local coffee, tea (delicious!) and liqueur. Our guide was incredibly nice, informative and relaxed. We never felt rushed at all, but had time for a swim, multiple photo stops and even to get some wild anis (for more tea). Also, don’t miss out on the lunch at Hamburg. This was definitively the best tour we had so far, we enjoyed it very much!”

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6.Beaches, Villages and Monte Verde (excludes city)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 87 reviews · 5 hours · from $82

Leave Mindelo with a local guide such as Sonia or Lino, then visit fishing villages, Calhau farms, Baía das Gatas, Praia Grande, and Monte Verde. Swim in a clear lagoon, taste local tea, and stop for a traditional lunch, not included in the $82 price.

“Very nice trip! Our guide Sonia ans the driver Albino were very kind ans excellent. The lunch at Calhau was vert good!”

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7.Santo Antão Highlights: Day Trip by Car with Ferry from SV

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 84 reviews · 11 hours · from $135

Leave Mindelo before sunrise for Santo Antão with a local guide such as Madu or Danni. Ride the Old Mountain Road to Cova de Paúl, visit Pico da Cruz, Delgadinho, Ribeira Grande, Ponta do Sol, and Paúl, then return by the New Coastal Road. Lunch costs extra.

“Foi um dia maravilhoso! As paisagens são de cortar a respiração. Mas o melhor de tudo são mesmo as pessoas. Já tinha lido boas referências sobre o Madu, o nosso guia, mas superou todas as nossas expectativas. Tão simpático e atento às necessidades de cada um e à gestão do grupo. Mais do que um guia turístico, Madu revelou-se um extraordinário guia cultural, dando-nos a conhecer não só os ambientes mas a forma de vida das suas gentes. O orgulho colocado no seu património natural e humano e no percurso de desenvolvimento desta nação contagia e fez-nos crescer o respeito e a empatia com um povo que vive feliz com…”

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8.Full Day Island Tour, Highlights of São Vicente

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 74 reviews · from $81Top rated

See São Vicente in about six hours with a small group, local guide, and private transport. Visit Mindelo’s markets, climb Monte Verde for tea and wide bay views, drive the coast to Calhau, and swim at Baía das Gatas. Guides may include Danny, Lino, Carlos, Rachel, Raquel, or Rui.

“São Vicente a été mon île coup de cœur, ma préférée. Alors la visiter avec Raquel, une guide très sympathique et bien professionnelle a été un privilège. Mindelo et São Vicente ont été bien au dessus de mes attentes.”

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9.Day Trip by Car or Trek

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · from $104

Cross from Mindelo to Santo Antão by ferry, then tour the island’s mountain roads with a local guide such as Madu or Danny. See Cova Crater, Pico da Cruz, Ribeira Grande, Ponta do Sol, Paúl, and a grogue distillery. Choose a scenic car tour or ask about a walking option.

“I had an absolutely wonderful time on this tour of Santo Antão. The tour was very well organised and was led by Madu, a native of Santo Antão who is super knowledgeable and passionate about his island. I would encourage everyone traveling through Cabo Verde to visit SaRead more”

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10.creol cooking with Catia

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 70 reviews · 3h 30m · from $64

Meet Catia Sofia Andrade and Markus at Mindelo’s People’s Palace, shop for fresh ingredients at the main and fish markets, then take a 10-minute public bus ride to their home. Catia leads a two-hour cooking class followed by lunch in a warm Cape Verdean household.

“We really enjoyed the trip to the market and the cooking class. The meal was delicious and we have been using the tips and techniques that we learned while cooking at home. We highly recommend!”

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11.Half Day Island Tour, Sao Vicente, 4h

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 66 reviews · from $63

Spend four hours with a local guide such as Danny, Carlos, Sonia, or Jaime, touring Mindelo, Monte Verde, Salamansa, and Baía das Gatas. Expect strong island views, market visits, local tea, hotel pickup, and a swim stop, with transport in a compact group van.

“It was a great day with a good group. Because we were able to design our own group of friends. Our driver and guide were very friendly and knowledgeable. Even though most of the sites were repeat visits for me. I enjoyed the day.”

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12.Snorkel and Swim with Sea Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 58 reviews · 1 hour · from $68

From Mindelo, you’ll ride 15 minutes to São Pedro, board a wooden boat, and snorkel beside sea turtles for up to 20 minutes. Guide Diego and a team of marine professionals provide safety instructions, equipment, and transfers. Groups are limited to nine people.

“We highly recommend this tour! 💯👍 A very smart driver picked us up at our hotel in Mindelo. We drove approx. 15 minutes to the beach in Sao Petro. Diego, our tour guide was already there and started immediately to prepare the boot. He gave us security instructions also life jackets. My wife stayed in the boot while I went snorkeling. It was amazing to see the sea turtles and fishes too. Four big ones surrounded me while swimming and snorkeling. After a while even a bigger one showed up. On board again Diego told us about the wildlife and fishing activities in this area. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ka and Andi”

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13.Half Day Island Tour, Best of São Vicente, Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 54 reviews · 4 hours · from $64

Join a multilingual guide such as Jaimie or Danny for a fast, varied São Vicente tour: Mindelo markets, Fortim del Rei, Monte Verde tea, Salamansa, and a swim at Baía das Gatas. Hotel pickup, transport, and tea or coffee are included.

“This tour exceeded our expectations. We saw the majority of top sites in Sao Vicente in the time allotted. Had we not taken a tour, we would never have realized how beautiful the city and island are. The tour company is extremely well organized. They communicated with us several times before we docked at the cruise terminal. They met us just outside the terminal door, checked us in, and then assigned us in groups to 9-passenger vans. Our guide and driver were both excellent. Our guide, Jaimie, was knowledgeable, affable, and passionate about his island. He shared his vast knowledge of his country's history and current conditions. He answered every…”

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14.Markets, Mountains, Fishing Villages & Beaches

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 49 reviews · 4 hours · from $64

Meet your English, Portuguese, or French-speaking guide in Mindelo, then visit the city center, markets, Monte Verde, Salamansa, and Baía das Gatas. You get island views, fishing-village scenery, a white-sand beach walk, and time for a short swim.

“We were robbed canceled trip snd money was kept by provider avoid this trip”

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15.Swimming and Snorkeling Tour with Sea Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 44 reviews · 1h 30m · from $67

From Mindelo, you’ll ride to São Pedro, board a local fishermen’s boat, and snorkel with sea turtles in clear coastal water. The small group is limited to 12, with English, Portuguese, or French guidance. Turtle sightings are guaranteed year-round, though contact time follows a 25-minute legal limit.

“Unforgettable experience. Richard was lovely tour guide and spoke English very well. Tour was as described. Pick up was perfectly on time. Transfer to beach was smooth. We saw 6+ turtles. Sting ray, puffer fish and lots of other fish. Transfer back to town was smooth. Thanks for a great experience.”

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