Uncharted Territory – Sāo Tomé & Príncipe
Last month, Epic founder Charlie Shepherd headed to one of the world’s least-visited countries.
Located in the Gulf of Guinea, off the west coast of Africa, São Tomé & Príncipe is a place many travellers have never heard of. Just eight hours from Lisbon, these lush volcanic islands feel a world away from modern life, with rainforest-covered peaks, deserted beaches, colonial-era plantations and vast stretches of coastline where nature still reigns supreme.
For Charlie, the trip was an opportunity to get back to the roots of what Epic has always stood for – seeking out places with a genuine sense of discovery and asking what makes them truly special for adventurous travellers.
We caught up with him after his return to talk about first impressions, memorable encounters, and why São Tomé & Príncipe may be one of the most intriguing destinations for Epic travellers.
What prompted the expedition to the islands?
“It’s one of the smallest and the least visited countries in the world and one of our quieter destinations. We haven’t really promoted it heavily in the past. I wanted to cover as much ground across both islands as possible in a short amount of time to understand if this was a place with adventure opportunities for our more intrepid travellers, and what made it special.”
How do you approach scoping a new destination?
“I view things through a geographical lens first, looking at the lie of the land, topography, the type of environment it is, and at how easy it will be to operate there and how safe it is. We also do a lot of digging to find the right contacts and network– our partners on the ground have to have the right mindset, be flexible and interested in pushing boundaries. A common question we’ll ask is about what they’ve always wanted to do but have never done there, as that’s likely to be just our kind of Epic product.”
Read next… What makes an Epic destination?
What’s the difference between the two Islands?
“São Tomé has more features and infrastructure; it’s where most of the local population live and work, you can really get into the culture and meet people, whereas Príncipe is a tropical retreat, very untouched – with few roads and fantastic beaches, perfect for winding down, and with a higher standard of property. Both have extensive national parks featuring forests, jungle, and wildlife.”
What did you think of the culture and people?
“The locals have a phrase; ‘Leve Leve’ which means slowly slowly – it really captures the spirit of the place I think. It’s about slow living, feeling close to nature. The people are great – charming and smiley, life is lived mostly on the streets as is the case in many tropical climates, a lot goes on outside. For me it’s a bit like Cuba was when I visited 25 years ago, it has a kind of faded elegance, I loved it.”
What stood out for you?
“The strongest feeling I had was how nature sculpts the environment without any interference from man”
“There are places on these islands which remain untouched by humans entirely. Sailing around the west coast, you can travel for 2 or 3 hours without seeing any sign of civilisation, just nature and the odd turtle bobbing in the water. It feels unreal that this experience is only 8 hours from Europe; the accessibility makes it even more incredible –it would take you 24 hours to get into an equivalent kind of environment, say, Panama”
What were your memorable moments?
“That’s hard; there were so many! I really enjoyed the dining experiences; all of the meals we had were served with warmth in lots of different settings, from a pop-up picnic on a beach to a seven-course meal in a plantation house with a Michelin starred chef, and the food there is so fresh, you can tell it’s straight from the sea or tree”
“I also loved the Ilhéu das Rolas, it’s a small volcanic islet right on the equator set off the southern tip of São Tomé, you have a 1.5 hour walk from the dock when you arrive, the trail takes you through jungle and it’s just fantastic – like Devil’s Island in Papillion (which is in French Guyana) – it feels like it’s on the edge of the earth – wild and beautiful with rough turquoise seas and a fresh breeze.”
Did you meet any local characters?
“We work with a great guy Tiziano or ‘Mr T’ who has his own lodge which is simple but an incredibly happy place, he also raises donkeys so you can find a baby donkey on your porch in the morning coming to say hello (what’s not to like about that folks!). He has lived on the island for 30 years and knows everything and everyone – we trust him and love working with him”
“There is also Bastian who runs a gin distillery. He brought us some spiced gin to try at a bespoke glamping spot – the fusion of local spices and botanicals he used in the distillation was delicious. He is such a good storyteller and an amateur astronomer – he said with no light pollution, some nights he and a friend watch the international space station shooting from horizon to horizon, I didn’t know that it orbits the earth in around 90 minutes”
How are Epic approaching this destination?
“It’s a small off-the-beaten-track place, I asked a local guide why not many people have visited here, he joked that it used to get hidden in the centre seam of map books as the islands are so small in comparison to the immense land mass of Africa. That’s perhaps what has protected the islands from overtourism, along with the language. We want to tread carefully there; we don’t want to be a catalyst for overtourism, as we aren’t a high-volume operator, we can manage that. We are also working with partners on the ground to make sure that the benefits filter down to local people and projects.“
Learn More … Travel off the beaten path
Who do you think it is for?
“It’s a raw, unmanicured experience; we recommend it for a more intrepid kind of traveller, someone who is prepared to take the rough with the smooth and likes experiences with more of an edge. Overall, the perfect mix is to do both islands combing cultural immersion with adventure, with a complete navigation of São Tomé and finish the trip in the more uncharted island of Principe, with a coastal discovery and a last couple of days staying in a beautiful, untouched beach retreat.“
São Tomé & Príncipe isn’t a destination for everyone, and that’s precisely part of its appeal
For travellers who enjoy venturing beyond the obvious, who value nature, human connection and a sense of genuine discovery, these islands offer something increasingly rare: the feeling that there is still more of the world to uncover.
To learn more about São Tomé & Príncipe, or to discuss an Epic journey to the islands, contact info@epic.travel.
Discover São Tomé & Príncipe >
Learn more about Soma Surf and Epic Travel’s work supporting projects on the island >