Sao Tome and Principe Travel: 12-Day Guided Trip to Both Islands
Small-group trip with a local guide: rainforest, cocoa plantations, paradise beaches, Rolas islet and Principe island
The trip
Sao Tome and Principe travel with a local guide
This 12-day trip covers both islands of Sao Tome and Principe, one of the least visited countries in the world, with a guide from Jaca Voyage, a local operator based in Sao Tome. You book direct, with no middleman, and our own team looks after you from the day you land to the day you fly home.
Tropical rainforest, cocoa and coffee plantations (roças), paradise beaches with crystal-clear water and the Rolas islet, where the Equator line lets you stand with one foot in each hemisphere. Then 3 nights on Principe island, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, at the Bom Bom hotel, with Roça Sundy, where Einstein's theory of relativity was confirmed in 1919.
Small groups, 4x4 vehicle with driver, charming hotels and 9 meals included. International flights are not included: from the UK and the US you fly via Lisbon, and we help you find the best connection.
Sao Tome and Principe tourism highlights on this trip
- Coffee Route and Cocoa Route through the old roças
- Paradise beaches of the south, Boca do Inferno and Pico Cão Grande
- Rolas islet and the Equator landmark
- Lunch with chef João Carlos Silva
- 3 nights on Principe island: Banana Beach, Roça Sundy and Sundy Praia
- Lagoa Azul, the baobab route and Sao Tome city
- Sea turtles (November to February) and humpback whales (July to October)
Why travel with a local operator
Our guides were born on the islands. They know the roças, the fishing villages and where to eat the best grilled fish by the sea. You pay the local price and have support on the ground throughout your trip.
Plan your trip
Before you go, read our guide to the best time to visit Sao Tome and Principe, with the weather month by month and the turtle and whale seasons. And find out more about the Rolas islet, where you stand on the Equator on day four of the trip.
Itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Arrival in Sao Tome and Principe
Arrival at Sao Tome international airport (flight not included). Welcome by our local guide and transfer to Roça Santa Luzia. Your guide helps you exchange euros for dobras, the local currency. Dinner at leisure. Overnight at Roça Santa Luzia.
Day 2
Coffee Route and chocolate tasting
We head to the green heart of the island, where coffee was first grown at 800 metres above the village of Trindade. Visit to Roça Monte Café and its museum (optional, €3 per person). Lunch included at the Almada Negreiros restaurant-museum. Chocolate tasting at the Roça Diogo Vaz shop. Overnight at Roça Santa Luzia.
Day 3
Paradise beaches of the south and Pico Cão Grande
We cross the island southwards along the Tropical Route: the world's largest laundry at the mouth of the Abade river, Roça Água Izé and Boca do Inferno, where we drink fresh coconut water. Lunch at leisure. In the afternoon, rainforest and volcanic landscapes to the Pico Cão Grande viewpoint and the Malanza river. Dinner and overnight at Ecolodge Praia Inhame, simple bungalows 20 metres from the sea.
Day 4
Rolas islet: a journey to the navel of the world
Boat crossing to the Rolas islet over the warm waters of the Gulf of Guinea. Here the Equator line crosses the islet and you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere at the Equator landmark. Simple grilled fish lunch on the beach, included. Dinner and overnight at Ecolodge Praia Inhame.
Day 5
Food route with chef João Carlos Silva
Back to the capital via the Cauê river viewpoint, a hidden beach reflecting Pico Cão Grande and the Ribeira Peixe waterfall. Gourmet lunch included at the roça of chef João Carlos Silva, star of the TV show «Na Roça com os Tachos», in São João dos Angolares. Overnight at Hotel Omali.
Day 6
Flight to Principe island
Scheduled STP Airways flight at 09:00: only 35 minutes separate the two islands. Transfer to the Bom Bom hotel, set on the sea and linked to its islet by a long wooden bridge. One experience per day is included during your stay on Principe, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Dinner and overnight at the Bom Bom hotel.
Day 7
Principe island: Roça Sundy and Sundy Praia
Morning at Roça Sundy, where on 29 May 1919 Arthur Eddington's expedition observed the total solar eclipse that confirmed Einstein's theory of relativity. Afternoon at Sundy Praia and its facilities. Dinner and overnight at the Bom Bom hotel.
Day 8
Principe island: north and south, Banana Beach
Morning: Nova Estrela viewpoint, Terreiro Velho, the community and Roça Abade. Afternoon at leisure at Sundy Praia, with an idyllic beach and infinity pool. The hotel's experiences include the famous Banana Beach (subject to availability). Dinner and overnight at the Bom Bom hotel.
Day 9
Flight back to Sao Tome
Morning at leisure. Transfer to the airport and scheduled flight to Sao Tome. Transfer to Hotel Omali. Overnight.
Day 10
Cocoa Route, northern Sao Tome and Lagoa Azul
Sao Tome was once known as the Chocolate Island. We visit a cocoa cooperative (€4 per person) to see fermentation, drying and the bean-by-bean sorting done by the women. We follow the Baobab Route to Anambó, where Portuguese navigators landed in 1470, and drive through the Santa Catarina tunnel. Swim at Lagoa Azul, lunch at leisure, then Morro Peixe and Roça Agostinho Neto. Overnight at Hotel Omali.
Day 11
Sao Tome city tour and departure
Morning tour of Sao Tome city, the capital: São Sebastião fort and its museum, the cathedral, the market and the colonial centre. Afternoon at leisure. Transfer around 17:00 to the airport for your return flight (not included).
Day 12
Arrival home
Arrival in your home country after the overnight return flight (not included). Our services end with the transfer to Sao Tome airport the day before.
What's included
- 10 nights' accommodation with breakfast: Roça Santa Luzia, Ecolodge Praia Inhame, Hotel Omali and Bom Bom hotel (Principe island)
- Jaca Voyage local guide and 4x4 vehicle with driver
- Domestic flight Sao Tome – Principe – Sao Tome
- Boat to the Rolas islet
- 5 guided excursions: Coffee Route, Cocoa Route, southern beaches, Rolas islet and Sao Tome city
- One experience per day on Principe island
- 9 meals: lunches at the Almada Negreiros restaurant-museum, on the Rolas islet and with chef João Carlos Silva; half board at Ecolodge Inhame and the Bom Bom hotel
What's not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Tourist tax of €2.10 per person per night, paid on arrival at the airport
- Entrance fees to monuments and museums
Frequently asked questions
All your questions answered
It is a small island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of Gabon, crossed by the Equator. The capital is Sao Tome city.
Sao Tome and Principe is considered one of the most peaceful countries in Africa, with very welcoming people and a relaxed pace of life. As anywhere, take normal precautions and check your government's travel advice before you go.
The dry season (gravana) runs from June to September and is the most comfortable time to visit. From November to February sea turtles nest on the beaches, and from July to October humpback whales pass Principe island.
Twelve days let you see both islands without rushing: Sao Tome, the Rolas islet and Principe island.
This 12-day trip costs from €2,250 per person (€2,560 on the January, April, July and August departures), excluding international flights. On top of that you pay the tourist tax of €2.10 per person per night, drinks and the meals that are not included. A typical local dish such as grilled octopus or tuna usually costs under €15.
EU citizens do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 15 days. Other nationalities should check the current rules. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
There are no direct flights: you fly via Lisbon with TAP or STP Airways. We help you choose the best connection and meet you at Sao Tome airport.
No. Drinks are not included with meals. A local Rosema beer costs around 25 dobras in local restaurants and 75 dobras or more (over €3) in hotels.
Não. As bebidas não estão incluídas nas refeições. Uma cerveja Rosema custa cerca de 25 dobras nos restaurantes locais e 75 dobras ou mais (acima de 3 €) nos hotéis.