Information
Landmark: Serra Malagueta National ParkCity: Assomada
Country: Cabo Verde
Continent: Africa
Serra Malagueta National Park, Assomada, Cabo Verde, Africa
Overview
High along Santiago Island’s northern ridge, Serra Malagueta National Park climbs through sharp peaks and drifting mist, its deep green valleys curling into each other like pages turning in a quiet breeze, and as you climb, the air shifts-cooler now, edged with bite, laced with eucalyptus and wild mint, and touched by the faint honey scent of sun‑warmed mountain shrubs.Most travelers notice the drop in temperature first, then that quick, breathtaking sweep of sea and hills across the island, besides landscape and Trails The park sprawls over steep ridges and shadowy basalt cliffs, its slopes traced by narrow footpaths worn smooth long before the land was ever called protected.From the upper trails near Pico da Antónia’s side ridges, you can discover the Atlantic stretching out on both sides, sunlight glinting off the water like scattered glass, not only that high above the hamlet of Hortelã, a slender trail winds past terrace fields carved into the hills, their stone walls glowing warm in the late-afternoon sun.Mist slips over the ridge without a sound, blurring the dusky outlines of pines and acacias until they fade like smoke, what’s more flora and Microclimates: every few hundred meters, the vegetation changes-one moment tall pines, the next low sagebrush.One minute you’re crunching over dry, stony ground dotted with tough little shrubs; the next, damp air wraps around you as ferns, tall grasses, and clusters of native plants crowd the shaded hillsides, on top of that at a few turns, eucalyptus leaves crunch gently beneath your boots, sending up a cool, sharp scent that clings to the air, slightly After the rain, tiny orchids pop up in the most unlikely spots, their petals gleaming in soft shades of purple and white, simultaneously birdsong from the mountain soundscape drifts far across the valleys, echoing softly through the morning air.The Cape Verde Buzzard glides high over the cliffs, its wings catching the wind, while below, the yellow Cape Verde Warbler chatters from a tangle of low branches, at the same time pause a moment beside a shady dell, and you might catch the faint rustle of lizards slipping through dry leaves or hear goats bleating far down on the sunlit terraces.Oddly enough, Most days, the wind takes over-steady and clear as it sweeps through the treetops, whispering against the leaves, as well as along the park’s edge, petite villages such as Mato Correia and Lagoa ease the shift from worked fields to the rugged rise of the mountains, a little Just so you know, Terraced rows of beans, maize, and cassava form a shining patchwork that stands out sharply against the obscure rock rising behind them, consequently as you move along these edges, you might meet a farmer with a woven basket or spot children piling firewood, their soft chatter weaving a gentle rhythm through the land.Several natural overlooks reward patient walkers with broad, wind-swept views that catch the light just before dusk, on top of that from a ridge by the historic military trail, you can behold Tarrafal Bay spread wide below-blue water glinting far beyond the curve of the coast.From a different lookout, you can witness the deep Ribeira do Jorge valley, where the first sunlight cuts across the steep slopes and the dry grass flashes gold, simultaneously when the air’s crystal clear, the island’s northern edge seems so near you could reach out and trace it, like a line sketched on glass.The Highlands linger in your memory at Serra Malagueta National Park, not for any single landmark but for a string of quiet moments-a chill gust sweeping a sunny slope, mist parting to show a far-off village, the rich scent of wet soil after a short mountain rain, moreover it’s the sort of site where even a short hike turns into a lasting memory-the rough stone underfoot, the hush of the sea, the glow of late light-one of Santiago Island’s quiet high points.
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-12-10
