The secret's out, we are headed to West Africa & Cape Verde!

An expedition cruise to Cape Verde and the Bissagos Islands combines unique cultures and rare wildlife in one constantly fascinating journey.

These two remote and unspoilt archipelagos are far from the beaten the track. From rocky volcanic promontories teeming with endemic bird life in Cape Verde, to saltwater lagoons and mangrove swamps in Bissagos’ Orango National Park, our small expedition ship and fleet of expedition boats make these islands accessible

With your knowledgeable Expedition Team onboard you’ll get the most out of your voyage. Whether it’s enjoying the unique sounds of Cape Verde’s traditional musical styles[AA1] [jm2]  or if it’s November or early December and we’re looking for a herd of rare Bissagos saltwater hippos[AA3] [jm4] , you’ll be in for an experience like no other.

Culture and wildlife in two remote archipelagos

Cape Verde, with its 15 different islands, nine of them inhabited, and the Bissagos, with over 88 islands and islets, are both fascinating archipelagos best visited by sea. Our small expedition ship allows you to really get close to their inaccessible coastlines and hard-to-reach isles. We’re able to drop anchor off isolated, unspoilt [AA5] [jm6] beaches in the pristine Bissagos, or pull up alongside atmospheric Cape Verdean ports on ancient Atlantic trading routes.

Nature lovers can look forward to the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Bissagos, plus the globally significant levels of biodiversity in the waters around Cape Verde. On a cultural note, there’s the unique musical heritage of Cape Verde and the fascinating social structures of the Bissagos Islanders.

A blend of influences and beliefs

Cape Verde is home to some of the world’s most sensual and evocative musical forms. The archipelago sits at a maritime crossroads in the Atlantic and has absorbed influences from a variety of traditions. From this, a musical culture has arisen that’s a heady mix of West African and Portuguese styles, and migration to and from Brazil and the Caribbean has added to this. With its songs of longing and separation morna [AA9] [jm10] – perhaps the most famous musical tradition – reflects the pain of migration, while dance-based coladeira is far more rhythmic and joyful.

Fundamental to life in the Bissagos is the islanders’ animistic belief system, which sees spirit in everything and holds the natural world to be sacred. This approach has helped preserve much of the islands’ remarkable biodiversity. The islands are also a matriarchal society, with women managing the religious, political and economic lives of their communities.

Nature and wildlife

The Cape Verde islands were formed by volcanic activity, and coral covered outcrops rise up from the seabed to surround many of them. These provide rare oceanic habitats for the hundreds of different species of fish that have been catalogued in these waters, along with at least 17 species of cetacean in the deeper water.

The archipelago is also a bird-watchers’ paradise, with many fascinating species arriving as temporary visitors on their way to distant climes, such the Sandpiper and Spoonbill, or those, such as the Madeiran Storm Petrel, known locally as the jaba-jaba, which use the islands as their sole breeding site.

As you cruise through the Bissagos Islands aboard our expedition ship MS Spitsbergen, you’ll see why they were declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1996. A relative lack of human impact, combined with diverse ecosystems including mangrove swamp and coastal savanna, has created a rich habitat.

A plethora of birdlife, as well as many species of sea turtle, crocodiles, sharks including grey reefs and hammerheads, plus dolphins and the West African manatee make the islands their home. The most iconic inhabitants are the rare saltwater hippos, who bathe in the Islands’ lagoons.