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Ride across Sal’s expansive Big Salt Flats with Cabo Verde Tours. This beginner-friendly horseback trip offers sweeping views, local history, and seamless hotel transfers.
Ride across Sal’s expansive Big Salt Flats with Cabo Verde Tours. This beginner-friendly horseback trip offers sweeping views, local history, and seamless hotel transfers.
Book with Cabo Verde Tours
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Cabo Verde Tours · Santa Maria, Sal
Sal Island, in Cape Verde, offers a rugged, sun-drenched landscape defined by its vast expanses of salt flats, shimmering turquoise coastlines, and volcanic hills. At the heart of this is Santa Maria, a vibrant coastal town known for its laid-back vibe and sweeping natural beauty. Here, Cabo Verde Tours presents the Private Horse Excursions Salt Flats Trail — a gentle one-hour horseback ride situated across the iconic Big Salt Flats of Santa Maria. More than just a ride, this trip integrates the geography and culture of Sal into an accessible outdoor experience.
The route carries riders along the bright white salt crust that reflects the glaring Cape Verde sun in almost surreal clarity. Against this stark backdrop, the subtle shapes of wind-sculpted dunes and distant volcanic peaks rise, crafting a scene both stark and captivating. The salt flats themselves are a unique geological feature, remnants of an ancient seabed, forming a flat, almost lunar terrain rarely seen elsewhere in the region.
Cabo Verde Tours stands out by offering personalized, small-group attention with professional guides who provide insightful commentary on Sal’s ecosystem and cultural heritage. The guides ensure novice riders feel safe and comfortable, with a thorough safety briefing and horses well-suited for beginners. A hotel pickup and drop-off service makes the excursion hassle-free, ideal for travelers wanting an active yet relaxed taste of Sal's natural landscapes.
While the salt flats have a raw, open beauty, the excursion also allows riders to connect subtly with local history — from former salt extraction techniques that shaped the island’s economy, to traditional fishing communities that still thrive nearby. This combination of geological wonder, cultural context, and accessible horseback riding makes Cabo Verde Tours’ offering a standout option for visitors aiming to experience Sal’s outdoor highlights in a meaningful way.
easy.
1 hour.
Suitable for all fitness levels; no prior riding experience needed.
No, this ride is beginner-friendly with well-trained horses and expert guides to assist you.
Yes, children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult and meet the minimum age and weight requirements.
Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothes, closed-toe shoes, and bring sun protection.
Cabo Verde Tours provides hotel pickup and drop-off from Santa Maria, making access very easy.
Absolutely. All horses are calm, well-trained, and suited for riders with no prior experience.
Yes, bringing a camera or smartphone for photos is encouraged, but secure storage while riding is recommended.
The salt flats were historically vital to Sal's economy, with salt harvested and exported for centuries shaping local communities.
Local tour operators emphasize minimal environmental impact to protect Sal’s fragile salt flat ecosystem and surrounding habitats.
Cabo Verde Tours is a Santa Maria, Sal–based tour operator offering an extensive portfolio of guided activities and rentals across Sal and other Cape Verde islands. The company runs horseback excursions including Salt Flats Trail, Kite Beach Trail, combined Salt Flats & Kite Beach routes, sand dunes variants, and private horseback options. These guided rides include certified helmets and hotel pickup for convenience and safety. Snorkeling departures meet at the Pier of Santa Maria and provide all equipment for two-hour marine excursions. Day trips include a full-day Santa Maria to Boa Vista Island tour and island highlight tours such as six-hour private Sal Island tours (available in English, Portuguese, and Dutch) and the Best Full Day Sal Island Tour. Inter-island and Santiago offerings cover Tarrafal tours, Praia city tours, boat and VIP private boat tours, and historical visits to notable sites. Water activities include catamaran sailing, half- and full-day boat rentals, kite surfing, JetSki and speedboat experiences, and bottom-fishing trips. Land adventures cover guided hikes (Serra Malagueta, Monte Leão), photography tours, Kizomba dance classes, and discover-Sal vehicle tours on ZForce, Polaris, and 550cc buggies. E-scooter rentals use modern 50cc models with helmets, racks, a cash deposit requirement, a standard car driver’s license requirement, full insurance, and road assistance. Cabo Verde Tours emphasizes professional guides, safety briefings, provided equipment, and clear meeting points to create reliable, bookable experiences for visitors staying in Santa Maria and across Sal Island. Reservations are available online with flexible cancellation options today.
Book with Cabo Verde Tours