Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
São Tomé - Neves - Pico De São Tomé - Porto Alegre
100% customisable for you
Rise and shine, it’s time for your holiday to begin. Head to the airport and whizz through security before settling into the airport lounge to enjoy some nibbles and refreshments before departure. Most flights to São Tomé take around 17 hours and have two stops along the way, but it’ll feel well worth it when you catch your first glimpse of a mysterious basalt island situated in sweeping Atlantic waters. Upon arrival in São Tomé, you will be personally welcomed and assisted through arrival formalities, ahead of a private transfer to your first hotel: a traditional property nestled on the edge of Praia Lagarto bay in São Tomé city.
As the capital of the island, São Tomé city is by far the largest cosmopolitan hub in the archipelago. After a delicious breakfast this morning, head out with a private guide to see the city through the lens of its colonial beginnings. Uninhabited before discovery in 1470, the island’s population grew quickly. Over the decades, the city developed around its cathedral, before the fort was built to protect the island and assert Portuguese dominance in a key area for trade. Beyond the fabled history of the city lie colourful market stalls bustling with cultural souvenirs and seaside promenades lined with windswept palm trees.
Swap the city for the tropical countryside as you head inland in a 4x4 rental vehicle. The journey is seriously scenic, passing though beautiful old roças (farms) dedicated to sugar cultivation. Your next destination of Neves can be reached in under an hour, however there are plenty of opportunities for scenic stops along the way, such as Lagoa Azul, a stunning turquoise bay perfect for a refreshing dip. From here, continue winding your way through verdant forest and coastal panoramas to Neves, a charming little town perched on the northwest coast. Hang up your hat for two nights here in a traditional, colourful bungalow close to the beach and spend the rest of today enjoying your new rural environment. We recommend heading out for a walk along the local beach, where palm trees align perfectly with the calm, blue waters.
As the capital of the Lembá district, Neves is home to just 10,000 people yet remains one of the most important towns on the west coast. Situated on the shore, it flourishes between the gaping Gulf of Guinea and a dense forest of palm trees. A collection of pirogues (canoes) abandoned on the sand betray the town's enduring fishing industry. In the town’s restaurants, you can savour the local specialities of maja squinado (spider crab), washed down with a Rosema or Crioula – the national beers. On the agenda for today is a private tour along the ‘cocoa route’, a strip of the west coast plantations, estates and cultural workshops. Learn all about São Tomé’s historic cocoa trade (until 1910 it produced most of the world’s cocoa), as you tour local villages and cocoa bean plantations.
Your adventure today involves the magnificent Pico de São Tomé, one of the most iconic sites on the island. The epic mountain shadows everything beneath it and remains one of the most prominent peaks in all of Africa. At an altitude of 6,640ft, it's located to the north of the vast Obô de São Tomé park, which covers almost a third of the island's surface. Settle in for the night in a rustic and welcoming guesthouse in the depths of the rainforest. The property is surrounded by an abundance of banana and coffee trees, as well as more than 50 species of visiting bird, 20 of which are unique to the island. Once you’ve settled in and freshened up, head out for a hike to the crater lake of Lagoa Amelia with an experienced guide. Trek through the luscious vegetation that covers the slopes of a dormant volcano before reaching the summit with its beautiful lake.
Your journey today takes you from the jungle to the south coast as you head to Porto Alegre, a tranquil seaside village. The journey takes around three hours, passing back through São Tomé city, before hugging the eastern coast all the way down. On arrival, set down your suitcases for two nights in a delightful eco-lodge, and spend the rest of this afternoon and evening relaxing on the beach and in your hotel.
Like many towns on the island, Porto Alegre was founded around a roça (plantation) and is now a region of tropical beaches, palm groves and luscious nature. Today you'll hit the seas to reach Ilheu das Rolas (the ‘Island of Turtledoves’). Located exactly halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole, this land straddles the equator and the Greenwich meridian. A marker on a headland shows the remarkable point which you’ll reach via a short walk with your guide. After feasting on the catch of the day for lunch with the fishermen by the shore, take a stroll along the beach, enjoying the tranquillity and serenity of this tiny slice of paradise.
Your final full day in São Tomé is filled with mangroves and micro-distillation. In a roça specialising in the cultivation of fruits and herbs, try your hand at some micro distilling to produce your very own bottle of gin to be enjoyed by the beach later. This is followed by a trip on a pirogue (canoe) with fishermen into the mysterious mangrove of Malanza to spot some local fauna. After a morning of fun, it’s time to return to the capital, back along the eastern coastline. It’s up to you how many stops to make along the way. Your options include some more beautiful roças, perfect for a food stop or a walk among the plantations. The eastern coast can show its wild side at times, so a stop to look down upon the crashing waves might also appeal. Upon arrival back in São Tomé City, settle back into the hotel that you spent your first two nights in.
Take the opportunity to soak in the atmosphere of the ‘middle of the world’ one last time before embarking on your journey home. Haggle in the market for your souvenirs, indulge in your favourite culinary delights, take a stroll down the promenade and dip your feet in the ocean. Later this afternoon, a private driver will collect you from your hotel and transport you back to the airport. After speeding through departure formalities with airport assistance, settle into a 14-hour connecting flight back to the UK, arriving the next day.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
