-
1São Nicolau waterfall
A ribbon of water dropping some 30 metres into a fern-lined amphitheatre, a few minutes’ drive above Monte Café. It is the easiest waterfall on the island to reach — a short path leads from the road to the foot of the falls.
ℹ️ Free. A few minutes’ walk from the road. Slippery when wet. 20 minutes.
-
2Bom Sucesso botanical garden
A small, well-kept garden at the park’s entrance showcasing the islands’ flora: orchids, tree ferns, medicinal plants and many labelled endemics. It also holds the park’s herbarium, and it is where guides and hikers meet.
ℹ️ Small entry fee in cash; a guided walk-round is worthwhile. 30–45 minutes.
-
3Lagoa Amélia
About an hour’s walk uphill from Bom Sucesso, through dripping forest, the trail arrives at a circular crater at roughly 1,400 metres. What looks like a meadow is a mat of vegetation floating on water — do not walk out onto it. The silence and the birdsong make it a memorable spot.
ℹ️ About 2½–3 hours return. Muddy in any season. A guide is strongly recommended.
-
4Giant begonias and tree ferns
The trail to Lagoa Amélia passes one of the park’s botanical celebrities: giant begonias that grow two to three metres tall, known only from these islands. Around them are tree ferns, mosses and epiphytes that give the forest its prehistoric look.
ℹ️ Seen along the Lagoa Amélia trail all year.
-
5The Pico de São Tomé trek
The summit route usually starts near Bom Sucesso, climbs past Lagoa Amélia and follows steep, root-tangled ridges to a campsite below the top, with the final scramble at dawn. Many groups descend north-west towards the coast near Neves. It is hard, wet, exhilarating walking; views are a bonus rather than a promise.
ℹ️ Normally 2 days / 1 night with a guide; good fitness required. Best in the drier months.
-
6Endemic birds
Obô shelters most of São Tomé’s endemic birds, including the giant sunbird, the São Tomé oriole and speirops, and — in remote southern forest — the critically endangered dwarf ibis, fiscal and grosbeak. Even casual walkers will see several species around Bom Sucesso.
ℹ️ Early morning is best. The rarest species need a specialist guide and long walks.
-
7Farms on the forest edge
Below the park boundary, families grow taro, bananas and vegetables on small plots among the old shade trees — a patchwork locals also call <em>obô</em>. It is a vivid illustration of how closely farming and forest sit together here.
ℹ️ Seen from the road and lower trails.
Other ways into the park
- From Roça Bombaim: walks to waterfalls in the island’s interior — see the Monte Café guide.
- From the south: the Malanza mangroves and the forests behind Pico Cão Grande also lie within or beside the park.
