São Miguel stretches from the north-east coast of Santiago up into the mountains of Serra Malagueta, whose highest point, at 1,064 metres, lies inside the municipality. Calheta de São Miguel, the main town, sits on the coast about 30 kilometres north of Praia. Inland, the deep Ribeira Principal valley runs down from the ridge, and water from the mountains keeps it green, with fields along the stream. Small villages such as Xaxa and Gongon cling to its slopes.
Walking down Ribeira Principal
The classic hike here starts at the Serra Malagueta visitor centre and follows the ridge past a radio mast, then drops steeply into the Ribeira Principal valley through Gongon and Xaxa to the village of Hortelão. It's mostly downhill, but the paths are narrow and can be slippery, so good shoes matter. At the bottom, arrange a pickup, or walk down the riverbed to the road between Tarrafal and Calheta and flag down an aluguer.
Booking on adventuro
Guided walks usually include the drive up to the park entrance and the pickup from the valley floor. The park also reaches into Santa Catarina and Tarrafal, and both make good bases. Use the Book here tab to see live dates for guided walks down the valley.
