How much does a trip to Sao Tome cost? Real 2027 prices from the UK

How much does a trip to Sao Tome cost? For 8 days from the UK, expect roughly €2,200–2,600 per person (about £1,870–2,210) for a guided trip with flights, accommodation, transport, guide, excursions and most meals. The return flight via Lisbon swallows almost half of that, because there is next to no competition on the route.

That is the short answer. Below is the full breakdown, with the prices people actually pay on the ground in São Tomé and Príncipe, a sterling conversion (at roughly £0.85 to the euro) and three sample budgets depending on how you like to travel.

In this article

• Sao Tome trip cost at a glance
• Is São Tomé expensive? Why it is not a budget destination
• Flights from the UK: the biggest single cost
• Accommodation: real prices per night
• Food and drink
• Getting around the islands
• Excursions and entrance fees
• Costs almost nobody budgets for
• Three sample budgets for an 8-day trip
• Is it cheaper to travel independently?
• How to save money without spoiling the trip
• Frequently asked questions
• How much does a trip to Sao Tome cost with us?

Sao Tome trip cost at a glance

• Return flight from London via Lisbon: €650–1,300 (about £550–1,100).
• Accommodation: €25–45 a night in guesthouses, €60–120 in simple hotels, €190–350 in the best hotels of the capital and from €250 on Príncipe.
• Food: €15–35 a day.
• 4x4 hire: €50–60 a day, fuel not included.
• 8-day guided circuit, flights not included: from €1,250 per person (about £1,060).
• Total per person for 8 days: €1,400–1,800 independent and on a tight budget, €2,200–2,600 on a guided circuit, €4,500 or more at the luxury end.

Prices on the islands are quoted in dobras (STN) or in euros, and the dobra is pegged to the euro (€1 = 24.5 STN), so euros in cash are the currency to bring from the UK, not pounds.

Is São Tomé expensive? Why it is not a budget destination

Many people assume that a small, little-visited African country must be cheap. It does not work like that, and it is worth understanding why before you do your sums:

• The flight has almost no competition. Practically all traffic from Europe goes through Lisbon with TAP Air Portugal. With no airlines competing, fares stay high.
• Almost everything is imported. The islands produce cocoa, coffee, fruit and fish; the rest arrives by ship. That pushes up supermarket and mid-range restaurant prices.
• There are very few beds. The hotel supply is tiny, so there is none of the price war you find in mass-market destinations.
• No economies of scale. With only a few tens of thousands of visitors a year, every excursion is run almost to measure.

What you get in return is the reason to go: empty beaches, colonial plantations (roças) without queues and a country that has not yet been turned into a product.

Flights from the UK: the biggest single cost

There is no direct flight from the UK to São Tomé. The usual route is London (Heathrow or Gatwick) or another UK airport to Lisbon, then TAP Air Portugal from Lisbon to São Tomé International Airport (TMS).

• Low season, booked well ahead: €650–800 return (about £550–680)
• Shoulder season: €800–950 (about £680–810)
• July, August, Christmas and Easter: €950–1,300 (about £810–1,100)

Tips that genuinely move the price: book three to four months ahead, avoid Friday and Sunday departures, and check whether it pays to fly to Lisbon on your own with a low-cost carrier and buy the São Tomé leg separately. Be careful with tight connections on separate tickets: if the first flight is late, nobody will rebook you, and the Lisbon–São Tomé flight does not run every day. All the routes are explained in our guide on how to get to São Tomé from the UK.

Alternative routes via Accra, Libreville or Luanda are sometimes cheaper, but they add long layovers and unreliable connections. For a one-week holiday they rarely make sense.

Accommodation: real prices per night

Guide prices per double room per night:

• Guesthouses and local accommodation in the capital: €25–45
• Simple mid-range hotels in the capital: €60–120; the top hotels (Omali, Pestana, Miramar): €190–350
• Plantation houses turned boutique hotels (Roça Santa Luzia, São João dos Angolares): €70–130
• Eco-lodges in the south (Inhame, Jalé): €80–140, often with half board included because there is nowhere else to eat nearby
• Resorts on Príncipe island (Bom Bom, Sundy Praia): from €250 to well over €1,000 for the luxury options

Two practical warnings. First, in the south of the island the supply is so small that in high season there may simply be no room. Second, many places only accept cash or a bank transfer in advance. We compare the options area by area in our guide on where to stay in São Tomé.

Food and drink

• Meal in a simple local restaurant (grilled fish, rice, fried plantain): €5–10
• Mid-range restaurant in the capital: €12–20
• Gourmet lunch at a roça: €25–40
• Local beer (Rosema): €1–2
• 1.5-litre bottle of water: €1
• Coffee at a working coffee plantation: €1–2

Allow €25–35 a day if you eat out in ordinary places, and around €15 if you stick to simple local spots.

Getting around the islands

• 4x4 hire: €50–60 a day, fuel not included. It is the only thing that really works for the south. Remember that driving is on the right.
• Fuel: a full tank costs around €60–70
• Taxi within the capital: €2–5 per journey, always agreeing the price first
• Taxi to Lagoa Azul or the south: €40–80 depending on distance and negotiation
• Domestic flight to Príncipe: €180–260 return, with a very small baggage allowance
• Airport transfer to the centre: €10–15

Excursions and entrance fees

• Boat to Ilhéu das Rolas: €20–35 per person return
• Visit to a cocoa cooperative: €4 per person
• Almada Negreiros Museum / Roça Monte Café: €2–5
• Whale-watching trip (July–October): €45–70
• Scuba dive: €60–90
• Local guide per day: €50–80

For ideas on what to fit in, see our list of things to do in São Tomé and Príncipe.

Costs almost nobody budgets for

• Tourist tax: €2.10 per person per night, paid in cash on arrival at the airport.
• Travel insurance with medical evacuation: €40–90 (about £35–75) for eight days. It is not optional for this destination, and none of our trips include it.
• Malaria prophylaxis: €30–60 depending on the drug; check with your GP or a travel clinic.
• Local SIM card with data: around €6 for 4 GB.
• Tips: not compulsory but much appreciated. €3–5 a day for your guide is reasonable.

Three sample budgets for an 8-day trip

Backpacker: €1,400–1,800 per person (about £1,190–1,530)

Low-season flight, simple guesthouses, local food, public transport and shared taxis, few excursions. It requires some Portuguese, patience and accepting that the south of the island stays largely out of reach.

Guided circuit: €2,200–2,600 per person (about £1,870–2,210)

Flight (€700–1,100) plus our 8-day private guided circuit from €1,250, with accommodation, English-speaking local guide, 4x4 with driver, five guided excursions and half board with 17 meals. Add €150–250 for personal spending. This is the balance most travellers choose.

Luxury with Príncipe: €4,500–7,000 per person (about £3,800–5,950)

Premium-cabin or high-season flight, domestic flight to Príncipe, luxury resorts such as Sundy Praia and private activities. Best over 10 or 11 days.

Is it cheaper to travel independently?

On paper, a little. In practice, much less than it looks. If you hire a 4x4 for eight days (around €450 plus fuel), book accommodation one by one without negotiated rates and buy excursions locally, the gap with a guided circuit narrows a lot, and you absorb the surprises yourself: a breakdown in the south, a lodge that never confirmed your booking, or a guide who speaks no English. The real difference is rarely the price; it is how much of your holiday you want to spend solving logistics. We weigh it up honestly in organised tour or independent travel in São Tomé.

How to save money without spoiling the trip

• Avoid July, August and Christmas. That is when fares soar.
• Book the flight 3–4 months ahead.
• Travel between December and February. It is the short dry season (gravanito): good weather and shoulder-season prices.
• Share the 4x4 and guide. The cost per person drops sharply from four travellers, which is why a private circuit gets cheaper per head the more of you there are.
• Eat where locals eat. You can eat very well for €5–10.
• Skip Príncipe on a first trip. The domestic flight and resorts blow the budget.
• Bring euros in cash. You avoid card fees and the lottery of the cash machines.

Frequently asked questions

Is São Tomé expensive to visit?

It is mid-priced. Local food and city transport are cheap; flights, accommodation and excursions cost about the same as in Western Europe.

What is the price of a trip to São Tomé and Príncipe for two weeks?

Two weeks makes sense if you add Príncipe. Our 11-day São Tomé and Príncipe trip with TAP flights from Lisbon starts at €3,100 per person (about £2,630); add your flight from the UK to Lisbon.

How much cash should I take?

For eight days with accommodation and excursions already paid, €250–400 per person in cash comfortably covers meals, tips, taxis and shopping.

Can I pay by card?

Only in a few large hotels in the capital, and not always. It is a cash economy: bring euros and change some into dobras on arrival.

How much is the flight from London?

Between €650 and €1,300 return (about £550–1,100) via Lisbon, depending on season and how far ahead you book.

Do British citizens need a visa?

No, not for tourist stays of up to 15 days, according to the UK Foreign Office (FCDO). You do pay the tourist tax of €2.10 per person per night, in cash, on arrival at the airport. Check the latest FCDO travel advice before you book, and read our São Tomé visa guide.

When is it cheapest to go?

Outside July, August, Christmas and Easter. Between December and February, in the short dry season, the weather is usually good and flights are more affordable. More detail in our guide to the best time to visit São Tomé.

How much does a trip to Sao Tome cost with us?

A fixed budget with no surprises. Our 8-day São Tomé guided circuit is a private trip (not a group tour) from €1,250 per person, flights not included. It covers accommodation at Roça Santa Luzia, Praia Inhame Ecolodge and Hotel Omali, an English-speaking local guide for all 8 days, a 4x4 with driver, five guided excursions, the boat to Ilhéu das Rolas and half board with 17 meals, including two gourmet lunches, one with chef João Carlos Silva.

On top of that you only add your flight, insurance and personal spending. Prefer to drive yourself? Our 8-day fly and drive starts at €800. Read the complete São Tomé travel guide or ask us for a tailor-made quote.