Trail of the Giants: the Flower Route and the Lost Eden of the Waterfalls
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Full day (about 7 hours)
A 3 km guided hike through the forest of inland São Tomé, with Trindade market, a palm wine tasting, Roça Milagrosa, a waterfall and lunch at Roça Santa Luzia among torch ginger flowers.
The trip
Discover the wild side of São Tomé and Príncipe, far from the beaches. The Trail of the Giants is a one-day ecotourism excursion through the rainforest of inland São Tomé, among century-old trees, giant ferns, wild flowers and the sound of waterfalls hidden in the jungle.
It starts at the lively Trindade market, continues with a tasting of palm wine freshly collected by the tapper, passes Roça Milagrosa and goes on with a 3 km forest hike to the Milagrosa waterfall. The day ends at the table at Roça Santa Luzia, surrounded by porcelain roses (torch ginger), the tropical flower that is one of the island's symbols.
It is the right mix of forest adventure, São Tomé culture and the calm of leve leve.
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
- 1TrindadeDay 1 · Town
- 2Roça Santa LuziaDay 1 · Plantation (roça)
- 3Cascata MilagrosaDay 1 · Nature
Day 1
Trindade, palm wine, forest hike and Roça Santa Luzia
Day 1
Trindade, palm wine, forest hike and Roça Santa Luzia
08:30 · Pick-up at your accommodation in São Tomé city and drive up into the island's interior.
09:00 · Trindade market. Tropical fruit, spices, dried fish and daily life in one of the liveliest inland towns.
10:00 · The tapper and palm wine. Watch the tapper climb the palm to collect the sap and taste fresh palm wine, the way it is drunk in São Tomé.
10:45 · Roça Milagrosa. Visit to an old inland plantation and the houses where the plantation workers lived. Here stands one of the giants that give this trail its name: a tree so tall it looks like it came out of the film Avatar.
11:15 · Forest hike. Guided trail of about 3 km among cocoa trees, giant ferns and trees covered in epiphytes, to the Milagrosa waterfall. Time to rest and take photos.
13:30 · Lunch at Roça Santa Luzia, among beds of porcelain roses, «sponges» and other tropical flowers.
15:30 · Return to your accommodation.
Times are approximate: the guide adapts the pace to the group and the state of the trail.
What's included
- Local guide (Portuguese-speaking)
- Transport with pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation in São Tomé city
- Palm wine tasting with the tapper
- Lunch at Roça Santa Luzia
- Water during the excursion
- Third-party liability insurance
What's not included
- Extra drinks and personal expenses
- Purchases at Trindade market
- Tips (optional)
- Anything not listed as included
Hiking in São Tomé: the forest of the island's interior
Inland São Tomé is mountainous, green and humid, with villages, old plantations and rainforest. This excursion shows that side of the island on foot and at a gentle pace, on a hike of about 3 km, easy to moderate, without climbing towards Pico de São Tomé.
Trindade market
Trindade is one of the main inland towns. Its market is the best place to see the island's fruit, such as breadfruit, jackfruit and safu, and to chat with the sellers.
Palm wine in São Tomé: from tapper to glass
Palm wine is the traditional drink of São Tomé and Príncipe. The tapper climbs the palm tree and collects the sap, which ferments within a few hours into a light, slightly sour drink. Watching it being collected and tasting it the same day is one of the most authentic experiences on the island.
Roça Milagrosa and the forest waterfall
The roças were São Tomé's great cocoa and coffee plantations. At Roça Milagrosa you see how they were organised, and from there you continue on foot through the forest to the Milagrosa waterfall, hidden in the vegetation.
Roça Santa Luzia and the porcelain roses
Lunch is at Roça Santa Luzia, where porcelain roses grow in abundance. This tropical flower (torch ginger), with red and pink petals that shine like porcelain, is one of the most beautiful sights of São Tomé's plantations and a great backdrop for photos. Among them grow the «sponges», as islanders call them: shampoo ginger, whose orange cones hold a liquid that lathers. It is the same secret Hawaiians have used for centuries for their hair, under the name awapuhi. Ask your guide to show you.
Why book with us
- A local guide who knows the interior, the plantations and the trails.
- Private group, at a pace adapted to you.
- Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation in São Tomé city.
- A travel agency specialised in São Tomé and Príncipe since 2015.
What to bring
- Hiking shoes with good grip.
- Insect repellent, a hat and sunscreen.
- A light rain jacket and a change of clothes.
See our other excursions in São Tomé and Príncipe.
Frequently asked questions
All your questions answered
No. It is about 3 km on forest trails, easy to moderate. The ground can be wet and slippery, so we recommend hiking shoes.
The island's traditional drink, made from palm sap collected by the tapper, which ferments naturally. It is light and slightly sour. If you do not drink alcohol, you can watch the collection without tasting.
A tropical flower (Etlingera elatior, torch ginger) with red and pink petals and a shine that recalls porcelain. There are many at Roça Santa Luzia, around the place where we have lunch.
Send your request with the date and number of people. You pay nothing now: we confirm and only then send you the payment details.