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Welcome to the unknown paradise! From waterfalls in the middle of the jungle to banana-shaped beaches passing through a national park , these islands of the Gulf of Guinea boast of being one of the least visited places on the planet and of being that exotic destination and Paradise that you thought you could only dream of. It is the part of land closest to the center of the planet - coinciding with the passage of the Equator and very close to the zero meridian. Are you coming on a trip to a country so unusual that few manage to locate it on the map?São Tomé and Príncipe marvel at their Portuguese colonial mix, their beaches and their laid-back atmosphere in the Gulf of Guinea. To define themselves, Santotomenses use a very graphic expression, derived from Portuguese: they are leve-leve. That is, calm, relaxed. And it is that relaxation seems to preside over this country that is both the center and the end of the world.
It is not a tourist destination at all, despite how much it has to offer like wild postcard beaches. A very important portion of virgin forest, declared a Biosphere Reserve, with the Ôbo Natural Park as the main banner, numerous cocoa plantations or coffee (known as roças). A country with dazzling landscapes with incredible volcanic chimneys emerging in the middle of nowhere, a huge number of endemic animal and plant species, as well as others such as sea turtles, birds and whales, which are part of the objective of many nature lovers visiting the country.
The small country exhibits the traces of a troubled history that began when two Portuguese navigators landed in 1470 in this then deserted site. A story that is revealed to those who wander the streets of the capital (which is called, like the island, Santo Tomé).
The parallel architectures of this tiny city summarize the history of the country: some old wooden huts evoke the initial time, when the islands were populated by slaves brought from the mainland. Some colonial buildings with large wooden balconies recall the five centuries of colonization. Uniform, greyish apartment blocks hark back to the era of real socialism, from independence in 1975 to the political and economic liberalization of the early 1990s. Meanwhile, a few ultramodern buildings made of large glass point to the future.
The engine of the country's wealth and today constitutes one of its great cultural and tourist attractions: las roças. If it weren't for the insidious humidity, the visitor could have the sensation of landing on some sugar plantation in the Brazilian northeast: the same buildings with a colonial flavor, the same atmosphere of an old decayed empire. Also its train to transport the merchandise, as some old rails recall.
The most incredible landscapes on this side of the equator, with various reminiscences of films such as Jurassic Park, King Kong as well as others in which the jungle is the setting. To top it off with a tropical fruit market, canoes with freshly caught fish, the smiles of the happy people of the islands and a veritable swarm of children jumping into the river to play as if there were no tomorrow. São Tomé and Príncipe will fill many blank pages on your adventure notebook.
JUN 12 Departure to Accra, connecting flight to STP.
JUN 13 Lagoa Amelia hike 3hrs, Almada Negreiros, story of chocolate, Cacau Espace.
JUN 14 Waterfall and channels crossing.
JUN 15 Santana Islet, overnight at beach resort.
JUN 16 Rolas Islet, departure to Accra.
JUN 17 Relax by the pool and departure home.
Activities: jungle trekking, swimming, boating, sightseeing.
Accommodation & meals: 4 star comfy forest lodge + seaside eco-lodge, hotel in Ghana - double sharing. Fine meals included, except meals on transfers (Ghana).
Cost: AED 6130 AED all incl. flights to Sao Tome from Accra (Ghana). Flights to Ghana from your location excluded. Cost valid until MAY 10.
Emirates DXB - ACC at approx. 3150 AED.
Specifically excluded: flights to Ghana, visas if any, insurance.
Visas: Sao Tome: entry permit + visa payable on arrival, Ghana transit visa on arrival.
It is participant sole responsibility to assure admission to country of destination.
See yah in Green **
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050484823 / [email protected]
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup
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Dubai International Airport, Dubai,Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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