Travel Guide Monte Gordo

If you love unspoilt nature, you've come to the right place! The Monte Gordo Nature Park is a real pleasure, easy to get to. Its ascent is a beautiful walk through pure nature, with impressive views and a lush green landscape. You start off on the road to the village of Cachaço, where you'll find the park's information point. It's open daily and free at weekends. During the week, you'll have to pay an entrance fee, and you'll be given a map showing the different routes and gradients. We suggest the easiest route: take the paved track up the hill, to the right if you're coming from Vila de Ribeira Brava, to the left if you're coming from Tarrafal. Allow 1h30 for the ascent and 1 hour for the descent. You pass through forests of coffee, sisal, pine and eucalyptus. Climb the track and pass the ranger's house. The fence halfway up is only there to block 4x4s, so you can walk around it without fear. Don't hesitate to take a few minutes to get out of the way: if you go straight on after the barrier instead of continuing to the right, for example, you'll be able to admire a magnificent view of the mountains. Continue uphill (a few sharp bends) until the path becomes flat. On the left, there's a depression in the terrain - this is Caldeirinha (the little crater), a corn-growing area with a small house. After passing these fields, you'll see trees on the left, eucalyptus and other varieties of endemic flora. Enter this forest, leaving the track you were walking on, then turn right. This is the start of the trail up to Monte Gordo, following the eastern edge of the summit. This trail (purple on the map) takes you up to 1,312 m, for a breathtaking 360° view.Don't try to climb back down the other side, as the trail is unmarked and many an unwary adventurer has lost his way. Once you've reached the bottom, if you're heading towards Tarrafal, continue walking for a few kilometers along the road to the cross overlooking the valley. The view is splendid, the ultimate reward.You can also walk to Vila de Ribeira Brava, taking the paved path down from Cabeçalinho. One last precaution before you set off: keep an eye on the weather, as clouds easily appear above 1,000 m and the coolness can be surprising.