São Tomé and Príncipe Islands

The Brief

The brief came from a Swiss client who has been on 14 safaris with Bushbuck since 1990. ‘Boo, do you know anything about Sao Tome and Principe Islands? They are on my bucket list and I would like to go there next year’

Our Reaction

The two islands are off the west coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea and are fascinating in terms of biodiversity. Like the Galapagos Islands of Africa, these islands offer many endemic species of flora and fauna and beautiful jungle framed beaches. They are also way ahead of mainland Africa in terms of sustainable tourism on land and marine conservation out at sea.

The answer to the question was that we had no specific experience of these particular islands, but that did not deter us! So, Boo went out to Sao Tome and Principe Islands for a reconnaissance trip specifically for this client. Taking a direct flight from Lisbon, Boo found out as much as possible about accommodation, hosts and what the islands have to offer so that the client would enjoy a rich, relaxing and worthwhile experience.

The Safari

The itinerary we developed was for a 12-day visit which took the client between the fascinating islands, staying in a combination of small hotels in plantation houses and luxury lodges on pristine beaches. The trip was perfectly suited to the client who likes to visit remote, unusual places across Africa and enjoys becoming immersed in the natural world but also the local culture.