Santiago Island Tour: Learn to Cook Cuscus with Locals in Praia

Cook traditional cuscus with a Cape Verdean family, then cross the island to Tarrafal beach

A private full-day tour of Santiago Island from Praia that centers on a hands-on cooking workshop where you learn to make cuscus and fidjós with a local family, then visits Assomada Market, Serra Malagueta Natural Park and Tarrafal beach. Pickup and drop-off at your Praia accommodation are included. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese or French. Lunch is at your own expense at a local restaurant.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Santiago Island highlights

• Pick up at accommodation
• Visit Mrs. Luisa's house for cooking workshop
• Visit Assomada Market
• Explore Serra Malagueta Natural Park
• Swim at Tarrafal beach and lunch break
• Visit Rabelados community
• Drive through agricultural fields
• Return to Praia
• Drop off at accommodation

The experience

The morning starts at your accommodation with pickup, then heads inland to Mrs. Luisa's house for the core of the tour: a workshop where you cook and eat cuscus (a traditional cornmeal cake) and fidjós (fried banana with wheat), the typical Cape Verdean breakfast. You make the food alongside the family, so you leave knowing how to prepare it yourself.

After the workshop, the tour moves to Assomada Market (open Wednesdays and Saturdays only), where you walk among the vibrant produce and meet locals selling fruits and vegetables. From there you cross Serra Malagueta Natural Park, stopping at 1,000 meters above sea level for views across the island. The afternoon takes you to Tarrafal beach on the north coast, where you swim in white sand surrounded by hills and palm trees. Lunch follows at a local restaurant at your own expense, then the drive back follows the east coast through the community of Rabelados, where residents still live in thatched houses and preserve Cape Verde's oldest customs. The route passes through agricultural fields before returning you to Praia.

The tour runs eight hours total and is private, so the pace and stops are yours alone with your guide. Transport, liability insurance and the cooking workshop are included. Bring swimwear, a towel, sandals, a hat, sunscreen and money for lunch.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off at your accommodation in Praia.
• private transportation throughout the day.
• a local guide.
• the cooking workshop where you make cuscus and fidjós with a Cape Verdean family.
• liability insurance.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 18 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Bu Country Tours

Is this one for you?The tour runs eight hours with swimming and walking at the market and natural park, so it suits travelers comfortable with a full day of activity and water entry. Book on a Wednesday or Saturday if visiting Assomada Market is important to your itinerary.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What exactly do you learn to cook in the workshop?

You make cuscus, a traditional cornmeal cake, and fidjós, fried banana mixed with wheat. Both are typical Cape Verdean breakfast foods, and you prepare them alongside the local family so you can recreate them at home.

When is Assomada Market open?

Assomada Market operates only on Wednesdays and Saturdays, so the tour visits the market only on those days of the week.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Lunch is not included. You eat at a local restaurant at Tarrafal beach and pay for your meal separately.

What should I bring for the beach?

Bring swimwear, a towel, sandals or flip-flops, a hat and sunscreen. You'll also want to carry money for lunch at the restaurant in Tarrafal.