Sao Tome & Principe holiday
Luxuriate among the tropical rainforests and sandy beaches of Sao Tome & Principe, hiking, birdwatching, turtle-spotting and beach-combing. You’ll stay in accommodation committed to keeping these islands pristine.
ecolodge on Sao Tome Ilheu Das Rolas Omali Lodge on Sao Tome guided tour of Sao Tome City hiking in the interior of Sao Tome boutique hotel, Principe with included activities
Price
£3936 including domestic flights only
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More info
Price per person sharing in double or twin room accommodation
Description of Sao Tome & Principe holiday
Tropical twins Sao Tome & Principe are isolated idyll off the coast of West Africa. On this holiday you can explore both islands, staying in three lovely hotels along the way – two on Sao Tome and one boutique hotel on Principe.
Nature abounds: see rare birds, small wildlife and even see whales and turtles in the right season. This trip includes a day excursion to Ilheu Das Rolas, a tiny island off the southern tip of Sao Tome, where you can touch the equator, and you can go hiking in the forested interior of Sao Tome between rainforest waterfalls and old plantations. Once you get to Principe it’s time to hit the beach: that’s what this wilder, smaller island is known for.
Your accommodation has been picked for its commitments to nature and communities – from the eco lodge on Sao Tome to the hotel on Principe that picks you up with an electric car and provides birdwatching experiences and local food. There’s no better way to explore these sublime islands.
Price information
£3936 including domestic flights only
Convert currency:
Price per person sharing in double or twin room accommodation
Departure information
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel guides
Discover this stunning dual island nation, off the west coast of Central Africa.
This unusual holidays guide steers clear of trends as it leads you on the path to eclectic adventures.
Holiday information
Diet:
We cater for both vegetarians and vegans.
Reviews
2 Reviews of Sao Tome & Principe holiday
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 01 Mar 2026 by Celia Bryan
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Watching hatching turtles on Principe fulfilled an ambition for me! Learning about the history and ecology of the islands including their current status was very interesting. The food was excellent throughout the trip. The peace and quiet especially at Bom Bom. Hearing only the waves breaking on the shore through the night.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
In retrospect I wouldn't have done the full day hiking in the interior of Sao Tome. It was extremely challenging even for an experienced hiker. The path was narrow and on difficult slippery terrain which meant I had to concentrate all the time on where I was placing my feet. In the heat and humidity 6 hours walking was a bit much. These islands are extremely safe for a solo traveler. Although antimalarial drugs are advised in the UK, the islanders told me they last had one case of malaria 25 years ago. But there are a lot of biting insects!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It was very interesting to learn about the HBD enterprise on Principe and I did feel that HBD is benefiting the island. I was very conscious of there being a white / black divide between the people visiting and people serving, but I felt the tourism on the islands to be of benefit to the local people and economy.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The team at the host company did an exceptional job in setting up the trip for me. I really appreciated the attention to detail especially in the incredibly thorough information I was provided with before departure. Embarking on a solo expedition I found it very reassuring to have all the telephone numbers I could possibly need!
The accommodation at Bom Bom on Principe is superb. Stunning location. Although I had been told Inhame on Sao Tome was "more rustic" I found it very comfortable and again the location is superb. Omali Hotel is also perfectly comfortable and very convenient for the airport and only a short ride into the city. These islands are well worth visiting and I felt well looked after throughout my holiday. All of the transfers worked well and the flights out were fine. Unfortunately on the flight back from Sao Tome to Lisbon TAP air put us on an aircraft that was clearly meant for daytime short haul flights. The seats didn't recline and there was no entertainment system which for a nine hour flight was frankly appalling. It was a shame because I arrived home very tired and the journey detracted from what was otherwise an excellent holiday.
Reviewed on 22 Jul 2022 by Sarah Mitchell
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
* We loved the boat trip out to Islas Dos Rocos - having lunch on the beach and being able to go straight from the eco lodge was excellent.
* The guided walk out of Sao Tome including to the Monte Cafe plantation was excellent - fantastic gentle guide who knew so much, and fun lunch, great day out.
* The team on Belo Monte hotel on principe - miles and veronica and team were amazing. Such nice people, made it very special. Wifi excellent, Museum excellent, Beautiful place - especially the daily cocktail in the bar watching the sun go down.
* Meeting Claudio Corelli in ST to learn about the chocolate was such a special moment.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Can strongly recommend the tour operator. From sorting the visas the day before we left (when the embassy said we didn't need it, I had paid, turned out we did) to rearranging our transport on the last day out there. Nothing was too much trouble. Excellent advice.
1) The dinner at the Pestana is quite expensive if you are staying several days (25 euros pp x 4 plus expensive wine) which adds up and is medium quality. Not many of the restaurants in town are open in the evening despite what the guide books say. However, hotel very friendly and efficient apart from that.
2) At the eco lodge (praia inhamane, try and not have a room next to where everyone parks their car - third row back from the sea, felt we were a bit short changed.
3) At the eco lodge you need to arrive for supper on time - there is a set time they put the buffet out and if you are late, most of it is gone and there is only a limited supply. Quite an issue when a group stays and don't realise this. Also try and have lunch out - the octopus gets a bit repetitive. And very hard if you were veggie.
4) On Principe you do need to do trips out, otherwise the lack of sunshine (was cloudy all days except one) means you get a bit stuck. The hotel only has three cars which they also use for airport collections so good to get organised and make plans as soon as you arrive. We did the all day boat trip and the day walk to the Waterfall which was excellent. But the lunch at Roco Sunday was really over priced.
5) Really worth travelling to the south of Sao Tome and seeing the plantations and villages. Get quite a different perspective than if you just did capital and Principle lux.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Absolutely. Everywhere we stayed was trying - employing local people, eating local food, recovering from Covid, promoting sustainable conservation. Very impressive.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Was a fantastic holiday. Really different and interesting place to go. Lovely people everywhere. Not a place to get a tan - and do need to plan to have enough to do but absolutely lived up to our expectations.
Read the operator's response here:
Due to the late booking of this trip we really had to take what we could get at Praia Inhame and were lucky we did. We always request as close to the beach as possible but with late bookings we don’t always get a choice. The lodge itself has less than 20 bungalows so you are not too far from the sea. In this case we were lucky to get the space but we do understand the clients’ remarks.
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.
Planet
The suppliers we use on this extraordinary holiday are dedicated to employing the local population and acting in a sustainable manner to maintain the beauty and ecological diversity of the islands they are guardian of.Bom Bom resort for example, uses fantastic electrical vehicles to transfer between the resort and local airport, a wonderful low carbon option that reduces the impact on the local environment.
The islands have a huge focus on the conservation of their natural environment both on land, to protect endemic species and rain-forest, and around the coast to encourage the growth of the turtle population that comes to the islands to lay their eggs and we ensure that our guests are briefed on these and will not impact the environment in any detrimental ways.
We also align ourselves with partners who actively work with the local communities, whether this means that they are employing the local population, involved in conservation efforts within the community, or educating the local population with an aim to encourage them to look after their environment.
People
Our suppliers are an important source of income for the local population. Many of the food goods as possible are sourced from the local markets, excursions visit local culture groups and highlight conservation efforts on the islands, and guests are encouraged to explore the island and interact with the community. An example of excursions include Traditional Dance Workshops, Bulawem - The most traditional cultural manifestation of Sao Tome & Principe, and Tchiloli where you can learn about the cultures of Sao Tome & Principe.Where possible our partners use local guides, as they know the land, wildlife, and environment the best. This results in a higher customer experience, gives them a greater understanding of the fragile balance of the area they’re visiting, and means that a local person is being employed!
Wherever we can, and especially when our customers request it, we include visits to community projects, and local villages so that our customers can interact with the local population, and if the local village/tribe so wish, they have the opportunity to sell locally made crafts.
Pre-travel all of our customers are presented with what we call a ‘travel pack’. Within this travel pack our customers receive all the detail about their trip. The detail includes useful information on the destinations they are travelling to, including, but not limited to, the social and political situations within the destination. We also give guidelines on what to pack to try and minimise the amount of luggage our customers take resulting in lower fuel usage on planes and other vehicles.
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