Undiscovered Paradise

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“Undiscovered Paradise”
Island Tour São Tomé & Príncipe
8-day itinerary
Please see our website for more details: www.africas-eden.com
“Undiscovered Paradise”
Island Tour, 8-day itinerary
(From São Tomé or Libreville, Gabon)
Trip Highlights
Combine the best of both islands by visiting both São Tomé and Príncipe. The island
of São Tomé is the bigger of the two, and combines relatively well-developed
infrastructure with rich natural and cultural wonders, while on the tiny island of
Príncipe, it is very easy to feel like the first ever explorer to set foot on the island.
Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel on São Tomé is the perfect spot from which to explore the
island. Visit the old city centre, the lively market and discover its dramatic landscapes
of torrents and waterfalls and black and white sand beaches.
On Príncipe, you can relax at Bom Bom Island Resort, swim at Banana Beach, tick
endemic birds off your list, explore the magnificent cacao plantations, hike through
the rainforests or to the top of the Pico Papagaio, and have a beer with the locals.
Highlights São Tomé
Visit the beautiful plantations (locally known as roças) to get a real feel of
what São Tomé must have been like during the colonial era. You will surely
experience the warm, colourful mixture of African and European culture that
reflects in their music, dance, art and food;
Explore the volcanic coastline of São Tomé by boat and discover deserted and
secluded beaches, waterfalls falling into the sea and amazing rock formations;
Discover the biodiversity of this island! Take a guided tour through the virgin
rainforest, or visit the local botanical gardens with more than 100 different
orchids from São Tomé.
Highlights Príncipe
Explore the island, which is 70% covered by primary forest, on foot, all-terrain
vehicle or boat;
Discover the underworld world of Príncipe on one of our dives, accompanied by
a qualified dive master*;
Target the elusive large blue marlin and world-record size sailfish that have
rightfully made the area so famous*;
Go kayaking, snorkelling, quad biking, and ask about our other adventure tips;
Or simply relax on one of Bom Bom’s secluded beaches and enjoy our cocktails
and beach barbeques.
*) Deep-sea fishing is not included in the standard cost of the programme; a surplus will be charged.
Departure Dates 2010
Every Friday from São Tomé or Libreville, Gabon.
International Flight Schedule
São Tomé serves as our main arrival and departure base for the tours of Africa’s Eden
to São Tomé & Príncipe. TAP Airlines flies directly to São Tomé from Lisbon. An
alternative way to get to São Tomé & Príncipe is via Libreville, Gabon.
Please see our website www.africas-eden.com for an overview of the international
flights that connect to this tour.
Please note that we are not able to book or print your international airline ticket to
Gabon, São Tomé & Príncipe and/or to the Central African Republic, but we do advise
you to contact us before booking your international flight to be sure we have
availability on your preferred tour.
Travel Map
Trip Summary
This is an example itinerary. Upon arrival, our specialised staff will sit down with you
to compose the actual programme based on your personal interests.
Day
1
Friday
2
Saturday
3
Sunday
4
Monday
5
Tuesday
6
Wednesday
7
Thursday
8
Friday
Trip Summary
Arrival on São Tomé with TAP from
Europe/US; Connecting flight to Príncipe
Day on Príncipe; excursions or relaxation
time
Flight to São Tomé; transfer to Omali
Lodge Luxury Hotel
Day on São Tomé; excursions or
relaxation time
Day on São Tomé; excursions or
relaxation time
Day on São Tomé; excursions or
relaxation time
Day on São Tomé; excursions or
relaxation time
Morning flight with TAP back to
Europe/US or afternoon flight back to
Libreville
Lodging
Bom Bom Island Resort
Bom Bom Island Resort
Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel
Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel
Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel
Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel
Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel
N/A
‘The Equatorial African
tropical islands of São Tomé
& Príncipe, anchored
serenely in the Atlantic
Ocean, await discovery…’
Travel Itinerary
Day 1: Friday – Flight to Príncipe
Upon arrival in São Tomé, you will catch a connecting flight to Príncipe, where the
Bom Bom staff will be waiting to meet you. You will arrive in Bom Bom Island Resort
in time for lunch, which will be the first of many treats this place has to offer. At
night, the ocean, endlessly ebbing and flowing along the beach will lull you into a
deep, contented sleep.
Lodging: Bom Bom Island Resort
On the northern shore of Principe lies the exclusive, recently upgraded Bom Bom
Island Resort, offering luxurious accommodation in staggeringly beautiful natural
surroundings. The resort has 21 luxury bungalows each with ensuite bathroom, airconditioning, satellite TV, telephone, mini-bar, veranda with lounge suite. There is an
air-conditioned restaurant and bar with open-air-deck (international cuisine). There is
in addition a swimming pool with poolside cocktail bar. Other facilities are a laundry
service and 2 secluded beaches.
Day 2: Saturday – Príncipe
While Bom Bom is a wonderful place to relax and recharge
your spirit, there is also plenty there to explore and
discover.
Santo Antonio City Tour
It is a photographer’s dream: the rustic town of Santo
Antonio tells the colourful story of a colonial Portuguese
village that is now home to the people of Príncipe. Enjoy
the warm, friendly atmosphere of the town as you stroll
through its streets, visit the fish and fresh produce
markets, and step into some of the old shops with their
assorted goods and trinkets. Sample some of the local
delicacies or see what natural remedies the chemist might
prescribe.
Hiking
Circumnavigate Bom Bom Island by foot, and discover its
beautiful rock pools with their own ecosystems varying
from one pool to the next. Or go on a leisurely hike
through the forest to experience the sounds of the jungle
and catch glimpses of a Mona monkey or the African grey
parrot.
Diving *) & Snorkelling
Discover the underwater world of Bom Bom! São Tomé and
Príncipe, both ancient volcanic islands, are home to some
of the world’s most spectacular rock formations, above and
below the waterline. With drop-offs of over 35 metres,
overhangs and cascading boulders, there is plenty of sea
life here to keep you coming back for more!
*) For more information, please see our special diving
packages.
Whale Watching*)
From mid-July to mid-September, humpback whales visit
the waters around Bom Bom as they migrate from their
low-latitude summer feeding grounds to more tropical
mating and calving areas.
*) Please note that sightings cannot be guaranteed and
this excursion is not included in the package price of this
programme.
Lodging: Bom Bom Island Resort
Day 3: Sunday – Flight to São Tomé
On Sunday morning you will return to São Tomé with the connecting flight. The Omali
Lodge staff will be waiting to meet you at the airport. The Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel
is only a 5 minute drive from the airport.
In the
Lodging: Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel
The recently refurbished Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel, opposite the white sandy beach,
about 1.5 km from the picturesque town of São Tomé, has 30 luxury suites, each with
ensuite bathroom, air-conditioning, satellite TV, telephone, and mini-bar, and all
facing the swimming pool.
Day 4 - 7: Monday to Thursday – São Tomé
São Tomé offers many possible itineraries, such as a visit to
see the volcanic crater deep in the forest of Ôbo National
Park. Some other possibilities are:
São Tomé City Tour
Visit the old city centre and get a feel of what São Tomé was
like during the colonial era. At the lively Mercado Central,
you will discover the islands products and the Calilu’s secret
ingredients. With a visit to the National Museum, our guide
will tell you about the life on the plantations and São Tomé’s
tormented pre-independence history.
Visit to Bom Sucesso Botanical Garden
São Tomé’s native flora (700 species including a hundred
orchids) and fauna (birds and marine turtles) are of particular
interest, as many of its species are endemic. Indeed, it is
possible to see more than 100 different orchids from the
island at the Bom Sucesso Botanical Garden.
Day Trip by Car to East Coast São Tomé
Your first stop is the Roça Agua Izê, a working cocoa
plantation, with its colonial buildings and warehouses. You
will then continue along the coast, passing typical fishermen
villages and admiring some of the best views of the island.
Roça São João is your final destination, where you can relax
and enjoy São Tomé’s best-kept culinary secrets for lunch.
Famous cook and artist João Carlos Silva welcomes guests to
visit his plantation and colorful guesthouse, an eclectic blend
of modern art, colonial patrimony and rural Santomean
craftwork. On your way back to the capital, you can stop for
a swim in any of the numerous secluded beaches found on
the East Coast.
Hiking in Ôbo National Park
Ôbo Natural Park has only recently been created and helps
protect the unique natural heritage of the island. The old
cocoa plantation “Roça Bombaim” is a major point of entry to
the Ôbo National Park. Surrounded by mountains and
waterfalls, this old estate has been rehabilitated into a
charming small hostel. One of the eco-guides will take you
through the plantations and into the park to discover the
secrets of the Santomean rainforest. After a refreshing bath
and picnic at the waterfall “Formoso Cascade”, you will head
back to the roça for a well-deserved locally brewed cup of coffee.
Sea Turtle Night Patrol
Marine turtles have been coming to São Tomé for millions of
years. Between October and April, five species can be seen on the
island: the green turtle, the leatherback, the olive riddley, the
hawksbill and the caouanne. We invite you to accompany our ecoguides on their nightly patrols of the beach to supervise and
protect the sea turtles as they crawl ashore to nest.
Bird-watching Expeditions
São Tomé is also an ornithologist’s paradise: 143 bird species
have been identified here and rare endemic species like the São
Tomé short tail, São Tomé giant sun bird, and São Tomé fiscal
shrike may sometimes be spotted.
Lodging: Omali Lodge Luxury Hotel
Day 8: Friday – Flight back to Europe / US / Gabon
If you fly with TAP, you will be brought to São Tomé airport early in the morning for
your flight back to Europe / US.
If you fly to Libreville, Gabon, you have until the late afternoon to relax or explore the
island before you will be brought to São Tomé airport for your flight back to Libreville
and your connecting flight to Europe / US / South Africa.
WE WISH YOU A WONDERFUL TRIP!