During my holidays in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, I met Juju who proposed to me and my friend the Terra Terra Tour. After a first evaluation of the tour we were immediately interested in his proposal because on the island of Santiago there are some areas that are not recommended to visit alone (especially if you are in two girls who do not know the local language as I and my friend).
The Terra Terra Terra Tour was really very interesting and enriched me a lot. The tour lasted all day including the meals and this is an aspect that I really liked because we had the opportunity to eat with the locals people and then see the houses here live and what really consists of their food. The tour has enriched me a lot because I would never have had the chance to see some aspects of the island and thanks to the guide of Juju, Gelson and Jair I could really see the way of life of the people. Cape Verde is Africa and there are also poor people but it is really very kind and selfless. During the whole day I felt safe also thanks to the two guys (Gelson and Jair) who accompanied us for the duration of our tour.
My expectations on the tour were to discover new aspects of the island and I was very pleased that Juju asked us again what we had already seen to show us things that we had not seen before. My friend and I opted for the one-day tour because we had other plans for the other days of our holidays but after this experience I would like to do the tour that includes two days with the overnight in a place “less touristy”.

At first I was just a little interested in the tour because it was kind of expensive. But when I tought it through , the price made sense for a whole day of food and adventures with the locals and with the guides.
The tour itself was well-organised and well-structured, although our guides always kept a little secret of what we will be doing next, which made it even more interesting. It was a beautiful experience of that spontanity that I felt during the tour. We have eaten with locals and didn´t even speak the same language, but it didn´t matter. We saw the kindness and warmth in them and it was this what served as ,language´. Plus Judith explained us everything they were saying.
The activities that we have done were very interesting: Seeing street-art, walking, seeing how ceramics and shoes were done, seeing beautiful landscapes an especially nature. I was also very happy about receiving a self-made bracelet and self-made necklace from the artist Gelson.
The only thing that could be done better is including us more into the practical work. For example doing workshop, because it´s always a great feeling too help or to do something on their own.
I was great to have 3 guides! Gelson, Judith and Jair are different (but also not that different) and everybody of them can give a very special touch to the tour. We really loved our guides! I would just have been better if could speak Portuguese (Creol) or the local guides English, but I think that this is still in process.
For me, the Tour was a little life changing. I saw once again what is important in life by learning from the cap-verdian way of loving and way of living.
After that trip I gave up thinking about the big amount of goals I want to reach in life. Of course there are appointements that I have to do, but I will not stive anymore for my own and only/egocentric goals in life, the whole possible future… I will develop with time and not being sad or too happy by looking at my achievments. I want to experience every day intensivily , whatever it will be positiv or negativ, and not looking too much at what will be (the far future). I want to bea real human being and experience what God is offering me and other people. For me, also in that perspective that I am a christian, it change a whole perspectiv that I have been learning though the bible and church , but I had missed the practical side of that religion, which I now found.
I´m also looking foward in staying in contact with the guides and surely coming back to the Cabo Verde in whichever context it will be.

Greetings!

We began our adventure with Judith on the second day of our stay in Cabo Verde, when we met by chance at the bus stop. Even then, she helped us a lot by pointing the way and giving many valuable advices to the two lost Poles who had just landed in a different world. From Praia we went our way, but we stayed in touch and used the tips and advices of Judith and her friends for the entire stay. We have also agreed to spend the last days of our stay in Cabo Verde together as part of a two-day tour of Terra Terra Tours. The right word that would describe these two days is not a “trip”, but rather an “adventure” that has given us much more than just going outside the capital and seeing some nice views. We saw a lifestyle so different from ours, we experienced real hospitality and, above all, a joy that is contagious and which we feel even now when we return. Our expectations were rather focused around the places we’ll see, while the most important were people we met: Judith, Jair, Gelson, Ginhu and all their friends who were becoming our friends from the moment. During these two days there was really a lot to do and see: we were at a delicious breakfast (sweet cous cous), we watched how to make jewelry and shell decorations, we watched the murals in Praia, we had a delicious family lunch together, visited the Praia market, we left for Chao Bom, where Ginhu hosted us and fed us (the best katchupa we ate!), saw the grog factory, spent the evening in local bars, visited the Chao Bom area and beautiful paradise beaches. On the way back we stopped at the fish from the roadside grill and it was the best fish we had in our life. Even the return was amazing – the bus we were returning to Praia was full of singing and dancing people! 

 Another great experience for us was a visit to the house of Bitori, the legend of funana, music of the island of Santiago. We listened funana in Cabo Verde more than once, but the meeting with Bitori was the brightest spot among all the meetings with this music. We met a man devoted to his passion, talented, and at the same time very cordial and modest. We will remember this meeting for a long time. All this would be impossible without the guidance of people who live on Cabo Verde, understand the culture and live it, speak in Creole, have their own places and their friends there. Judith, Jair and Gelson are great guides – they ask for the needs and adapt the subsequent points of the trip to the expectations of the participants. They can perfectly feel what you may like and present the culture of Cabo Verde with real pride. They let us enter immediately into the very center of this new, fascinating world. I think that without them our whole trip would not be so rich, we would not be so close to local people, we would not eat so many delicious home-made dishes (because we would not know where to look for it…), we would not get to such cool local bars with music and dance . I recommend Judith and her friends as a guides! I also recommend talking with Judith before the trip and telling about your interests and what attracts you most to Cabo Verde, what you would like to experience – I am sure Judith will provide you impressions you will never forget.
I wish you, Gelson and Jair all the best!

Met deze uitgebreide versie van een Terra Terra Tour bezochten we Polon. Het was heel bijzonder, de oude boom is erg indrukwekkend en Boa Entrada was heerlijk groen. Het was een gezellige, maar ook een heerlijke wandeling met prachtige uitzichten en met verassende lekkernijen van locals. De speciale zorg en gastvrijheid van het gezin waar wij aan het einde aten was geweldig, het huisgemaakte ijs als toetje was heerlijk!

E:
We visited Polon with this extended version of a Terra Terra Tour. It was very special, the old tree is very impressive and Boa Entrada was wonderfully green. It was a pleasant but also a wonderful walk with beautiful views and surprising treats from locals. The special care and hospitality of the family where we ate at the end was great, the home-made ice cream for dessert was delicious!

Wij hebben een Terra Terra Tour, gespecialiseerd op Arts&Craft gedaan (Extended version). Rabelados was een out of the world experience. Het dorpje heeft een fijne sfeer en de kunst die ze maken is uniek. We hebben mogen zien hoe de kunst tot stand kwam en een kijkje mogen nemen in hun dagelijks leven, iets waar Terra Terra Tours veel aandacht aan besteed. Erna hebben we heerlijk gegeten bij een lokale artieste die ons gastvrij ontving en waar wij een kijkje namen in haar atelier met prachtige spullen.

E:
We have done an extended version of aTerra Terra Tour, specialized in Arts&Crafts. Rabelados was an out of the world experience. The village has a nice atmosphere and the art they make is unique. We were able to see how art came about and to take a look at their daily lives, something that Terra Terra Tours pays a lot of attention to. Afterwards we had a wonderful dinner with a local artist who welcomed us warmly and where we took a look in her studio with beautiful things.

Vrijdag 14-02-2020 hebben Judith en Jair ons de puurheid van (een stukje) Santiago laten zien. Van het het maken van je eigen keramiek schaal, naar een openlucht museum tot aan het lunchen bij de 97 jarige Fula thuis die boven op een hoge berg woont. Luisterend naar zijn verhalen genoten we van een prachtig uitzicht.

Wat een adembenemende eiland is het, wat een mooie mensen… zo puur zo echt!

Dankjewel Terra Terra Tours voor de Life Changing Experience. Dankjewel voor jullie positieve energie en alle goede dingen die jullie doen voor het land en de mensheid!

Judith & Jair hebben ons op zeer korte termijn op een extended Terra Terra Tours genomen en ons laten kennismaken met het eiland Santiago met de lokale bevolking en hun dagelijkse leven. Het heeft ons zeer verrast en geëmotioneerd om dit alles te beleven vanuit onze westerse cultuur. Dankbaar kijken wij terug op een prachtige bijzondere ervaring en bevelen deze tour zeker aan onder leiding van deze mensen die je met liefde en passie meenemen in een andere wereld.

After a long stay on Sao Nicolau because of Covid, I could finally go home again, but first another 4 days in Santiago, my first real visit to this island.
Through friends I got the tip to use TERRA TERRA TOURS in Praia, with Dutch-speaking guides.
When I saw the website, I was immediately enthusiastic about the fun and varied program. Ideal for me as a solo traveller.
After contacting Judith (founder of TTT) and relaying my wishes (accommodation, airport transfers, sightseeing and assistance) I was completely reassured.
Everything was arranged within 24 hours. A B&B, a day inland, help with Coronatest and the last day a ceramics workshop., with clear information how, what and where.

After 4 unforgettable days, with beautiful encounters, full of inspiration and many new impressions, we had a warm goodbye with a delicious lunch at Judith’s home.
Thank you TERRA TERRA TOURS. I’ll definitely return.

Epilogue:
Especially my introduction to you Judith. did me good. To me you are a special person, so positive, pure, radiating calm and at the same time very energetic.
I am quite a stress person, but to my own surprise was so relaxed on the return journey, I had never experienced. Really your good influence. Even now after being at home for more than 3 weeks and there are problems or difficult situations, I think of you and how you stand in life and what you do and it gives me peace. And as weird as it sounds it helps me to be who I am.
Unnoticed I learned a lot from you and I’m glad I got to know you.

We customized the tour to a 1,5 day tour in and around the city of Somada.
We met at the end of the first day, where we walked around a bit with some friends in Somada and finished at the place where we spent the night. A really cool place that is like a huge garden with all sorts of animals and plants, situated on a hill with a beautiful look over the city.
The next day we went to the market in Somada to have breakfast and after that met an artist in his shop whom they did not know yet. We stayed a very long time chatting with that artist, but later continued our tour to Boa Entrada, an outskirt of Somada. Here we visited a Grogue distillery where we were explained the process and tasted the freshly brewed Grogue! Next to the distillery were some young guys working the land. We started talking with them and it was amazing to hear their stories! They are so creative and resourceful! One even climbed all the way up a coconut tree to get us some delicious fresh coconuts! We walked a bit with the guys, who showed us their lands and the fruits and veggies they built on it.
Later we parted again and we went to the oldest and largest tree of the country, which stands in a beautiful area.
On our way back to the city we walked past a primary school where we could have a look inside.
The day ended in Somada, where we visited an artist who makes leather sandals and after that it was time to go back to Praia, tired but satisfied.