Topo da Coroa, Stratovolcano in Santo Antão, Cape Verde.
Topo da Coroa is a stratovolcano on Santo Antão island that rises to 1,979 meters above sea level. The landscape displays steep volcanic slopes and rocky terrain shaped by countless layers of ancient lava flows and ash deposits.
Volcanic activity built these formations roughly 200,000 years ago, with geological evidence pointing to a final eruption during that period. This ancient activity has shaped all the terrain we see today.
Local communities grow crops on the fertile volcanic soil surrounding the mountain, with agricultural methods that are rooted in the island's history. People have adapted to this terrain to support themselves and their families for many generations.
You will need a four-wheel drive vehicle to reach the starting point where the hike begins. The round trip takes about six hours and you should prepare for changing weather conditions along the way.
The natural park surrounding this mountain holds more than half of Cape Verde's flowering plant species found nowhere else on Earth. Among these is Periploca laevigata, a rare plant adapted to the volcanic soil and high altitude.
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