Monte Café Plantation and São Nicolau Waterfall Tour in São Tomé
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Half day with lunch (about 6 hours)
Half a day in the mountainous heart of São Tomé: Monte Café plantation, the coffee museum, São Nicolau Waterfall and the Bom Sucesso Botanical Garden, with a local guide.
The trip
The Coffee Route climbs from the beaches of the capital to the forest-covered mountains where, more than a century ago, one of Africa's finest coffees was grown. In half a day you visit Monte Café plantation and its museum, stop at the Trindade and Monte Café viewpoints, cool off at São Nicolau Waterfall and reach the gateway to Obô Natural Park at the Bom Sucesso Botanical Garden.
It is the ideal excursion for your first or last day in São Tomé: short, easy, full of green and with the island's best coffee at the end.
Book now, pay later: send your request with the date and number of people, we confirm availability and only then send you the payment details.
Itinerary
Day by day
- 1Roça Monte CaféDay 1 · Plantation (roça)
- 2Cascata São NicolauDay 1 · Nature
- 3Jardim Botânico do Bom SucessoDay 1 · Nature
- 4TrindadeDay 1 · Town
- 5Cidade de São ToméDay 1 · Town
- 6Roça Saudade · Casa Museu Almada NegreirosDay 1 · Plantation (roça)
Day 1
Coffee Route: Monte Café, São Nicolau Waterfall and Bom Sucesso
Day 1
Coffee Route: Monte Café, São Nicolau Waterfall and Bom Sucesso
08:30 · Pick-up at your accommodation. We leave São Tomé city on the road to Trindade, the old inland capital, with a short stop at the viewpoint over the city.
09:15 · Monte Café plantation. Guided visit to the roça, founded in the 19th century and still producing arabica and robusta coffee. At the coffee museum you follow the whole process, from plant to cup, and finish with a tasting of São Tomé coffee.
10:45 · São Nicolau Waterfall. Up the mountain road to the waterfall, in the middle of the humid forest. Time for photos and, for the brave, a dip in the cold water.
11:45 · Bom Sucesso Botanical Garden. At 1,150 metres, it is the gateway to Obô Natural Park: orchids, giant begonias and endemic birds. A short walk along the garden trails.
12:45 · Lunch at Roça Saudade and return. Lunch at the restaurant of the Almada Negreiros Museum at Roça Saudade (included, without drinks). Back at your accommodation around 14:30.
What's included
- Accredited local guide (Portuguese-speaking)
- Transport in a 4x4 vehicle with driver
- Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation in the São Tomé city area
- Water during the excursion
- Third-party liability insurance
- Entrance to Monte Café plantation with coffee museum visit and tasting
- Entrance to the Bom Sucesso Botanical Garden
- Lunch at the Almada Negreiros Museum restaurant at Roça Saudade (without drinks)
What's not included
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Tips (optional)
- Anything not listed as included
The Coffee Route in São Tomé: what you will see
In the 19th century São Tomé exported coffee to Europe before it became the Chocolate Island. The great coffee plantations (roças) lay in the centre of the island, between 600 and 1,000 metres above sea level, where the climate is cooler. The Coffee Route follows exactly that path and is one of the most popular excursions in São Tomé, also with cruise passengers calling at the port.
Monte Café plantation
This is the best-known coffee roça in the country. Its colonial buildings, hospital, workers' quarters and drying yards show how a plantation worked. The coffee museum tells the story of the crop and ends with a tasting of coffee grown right there.
São Nicolau Waterfall
It lies on the road up to Bom Sucesso and is one of the most beautiful and accessible waterfalls on the island: no hiking needed, the falls are a few metres from the road.
Bom Sucesso Botanical Garden and Obô Natural Park
The garden is the starting point for the trails to Lagoa Amélia and Pico de São Tomé. Even without trekking, it is the best place to see the island's endemic plants.
Why the Coffee Route is worth it
It is the easiest way to leave the coast and discover the green interior of São Tomé in a few hours, with a cooler climate and mountain scenery.
Why book this excursion with us
- Local guide who knows the families of the plantations.
- Private group: just you and your travel companions, at your own pace.
- Pick-up at your accommodation and flexible timing.
- A travel agency specialised in São Tomé and Príncipe since 2015.
What to bring
- Comfortable shoes and a light jacket: it is cooler at Bom Sucesso.
- Swimwear and a towel if you want to swim at the waterfall.
- Insect repellent and some euros for small purchases.
To plan the rest of your trip, see our São Tomé and Príncipe guide.
Frequently asked questions
All your questions answered
About 5 hours, including pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation. It can be done in the morning or the afternoon.
No. São Nicolau Waterfall is next to the road and at the Botanical Garden we only take a short walk. It is suitable for children and for those who do not trek.
Yes. It goes well with a visit to São Tomé city in the afternoon. Ask us and we will organise the full day.
Choose the date and the number of people and send your request. You pay nothing now: we confirm availability and only then send you the payment details.