Plizio Visual Lab
Chã das Caldeiras
ℹ️Practical info — Chã das Caldeiras
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🌤 Weather — 5 days
📍 Nearby
Sights nearby
💡 Tips
- Start your hike up Pico do Fogo before sunrise to avoid the intense midday heat.
- Always hire a guide from the local village cooperative; it supports the community and ensures safety.
- Bring warm layers; despite the daytime heat, temperatures drop significantly inside the crater at night.
- Water is scarce inside the crater; bring enough drinking water with you from São Filipe.
🍽 Food
The famous local wine grown directly on the volcanic soils. Try it at the local guesthouses.
The hearty national stew, often served in the village guesthouses for dinner if you order in advance.
A fresh artisanal cheese. Great as a post-hike snack, often served with papaya jam.
🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots
Some of the best coffee in the world, grown locally. Purchase it directly from the cooperative.
Small sculptures and souvenirs carved from the solidified lava by the local villagers.
Walking through the harsh, black rock from the 2014 eruption feels like being on another planet.
With virtually zero light pollution, the night sky viewed from inside the crater is absolutely spectacular.
Water temperature…
Chã das Caldeiras is a unique settlement located within the vast caldera of the Pico do Fogo volcano on the island of Fogo. Situated at an altitude of approximately 1700 meters above sea level, the community is encircled by the towering crater walls of Bordeira, which rise up to 1000 meters high. Life here is inextricably linked to volcanic activity, with major eruptions in 1951, 1995, and most recently in 2014 significantly altering the landscape and destroying local homes. Despite the constant threat, residents return due to the exceptionally fertile volcanic soil. The region is famous for its unique viticulture, producing the renowned Manecom wine, and high-quality Fogo coffee. The stark, black lava fields create a dramatic contrast with the green plantations and traditional round stone houses known as funcos. Chã das Caldeiras serves as the primary base for hikers aiming to summit the 2829-meter high Pico do Fogo, the highest point in Cape Verde.
- Location: Cape Verde
- Top sights: Fogo Natural Park · Chã das Caldeiras
- Nearby: Cova Figueira (9 km)
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Mar–May.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 24 |
| Rain mm | 23 | 29 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 56 | 83 | 47 | 47 | 41 |
Geography
Facts
- Located at an altitude of about 1700 meters.
- Almost completely destroyed by the 2014 eruption.
- Home to the famous Manecom volcanic wine.
- Part of the Fogo Natural Park since 2003.
- The Bordeira crater wall spans 9 km in diameter.
- Traditional round houses called funcos are common here.
Explore nearby
Notable places around
Route planner — Car & Motorhome
Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService
Sights in the town Chã das Caldeiras (2)
Frequently asked questions
Can you stay overnight in the crater?
What does Fogo wine taste like?
Is the climb to Pico do Fogo difficult?
Is there electricity there?
Is the place inhabited after the eruption?
Chã das Caldeiras: where is it located?
Chã das Caldeiras: what is there to see?
Chã das Caldeiras: when is the best time to visit?
Chã das Caldeiras: why is it worth visiting?
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