Adventure Alternative

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Adventure Alternative"

William Pope
6 years ago
Views:

1 Sao Tome, West Africa 25/10-08/11/2013 Tropical Island Adventure & Solar Eclipse with Adventure Alternative

Sao Tome, West Africa 25/10-08/11/2013 In Summary This is a unique two week journey onto the tropical island of Sao Tome on the equator and just off the coast of central West Africa.

2 Sao Tome, West Africa 25/10-08/11/2013 In Summary This is a unique two week journey onto the tropical island of Sao Tome on the equator and just off the coast of central West Africa. We spend two weeks exploring this lush island paradise, on foot, in vehicles and by boat around the stunning coastline and up into the rainforested volcanic interior. The trip culminates in the unique experience of a total solar eclipse from on the ocean its self, just south of the island. Sao Tome is a very stable and destination with the UK FCO rating it as safe as north European countries. Adventure & Eclipse Watching in the Equatorial Gulf of Guinea In November 2013 the path of a total solar eclipse will trace its way across the Atlantic Ocean and in across the African continent very close to the equator. The small independent island Republic of Sao Tome & Principe sits around 275km off the coast of central West Africa, almost exactly on the equator. The happy coincidence of this solar eclipse coming to an area that holds such incredible potential for the visitor was one that we could not ignore. The main island of Sao Tome is a tropical paradise with soaring volcanic peaks and pinnacles, lush tropical forests and beautiful, unspoiled tropical beaches. Our programme will take in all of the different attractions that the island has to offer. We will visit azure ocean lagoons, trek through the jungle to the volcanic peak of Pico Sao Tome, marvel at endemic flora & fauna, nose around hidden bays and sea caves by boat and also visit the Rocas and Cocoa plantations left by the colonial Portuguese. This is of course capped off by our journey, crossing the equator, just off the coast to experience a total solar eclipse from the water. Highlights Lagoa Azul Bright azure ocean lagoon Pico Sao Tome Volcanic jungle peak, once the highest point in the Portuguese empire Jardim Botanico- World famous nature reserve with hundreds of endemic orchids & birds Plantation Houses- Colonial era architecture is slowly returning to the jungle Pico Cao Grande- A 300m volcanic rock megalith that towers above the jungle canopy Mangroves & Coastal Bays- We explore the range of habitats by boat and canoe Solar Eclipse- Witness a rare celestial event as it sweeps across the ocean toward Africa

Sao Tome, West Africa 25/10-08/11/2013 Terrain, Flora & Fauna Much of the area of the island of Sao Tome is protected within the Obo National Park.

From the lowland mangrove forests through savanna regions, lowland forest and up to mountain forest and the volcanic 2,000m peak of Pico Sao Tome.

The island's unique position and history means that it was never connected to the mainland and has remained an isolated ecosystem for an especially long time.

3 Sao Tome, West Africa 25/10-08/11/2013 Terrain, Flora & Fauna Much of the area of the island of Sao Tome is protected within the Obo National Park. The park extends over a huge range of natural environments. From the lowland mangrove forests through savanna regions, lowland forest and up to mountain forest and the volcanic 2,000m peak of Pico Sao Tome. In addition to its jungles, waterfalls, volcanic crater lakes and mangroves, the park hosts an as-yet unknown number of endemic flora and fauna. The island's unique position and history means that it was never connected to the mainland and has remained an isolated ecosystem for an especially long time. The WWF, after a recent expedition, also classified the Sao Tome and Principe forests as one of the world 200 eco-region, which means it is one of the 200 most important biodiversity areas in the world. Of the 700 local plant types, about 100 of these are only found in Sao Tome and Principe, including a begonia that grows up to 3 m high, and more than 100 different orchids. Sao Tome Island also has 21 endemic species of birdlife and many other endemic insect species. About Sao Tome Sao Tome & Principe is an independent republic made of two main islands and many smaller ones that sit in an area of the Gulf of Guinea between 200 and 300km off the coast of West Africa, almost exactly on the equator. The republic is one of the smallest independent countries in the world at only around 1000 sq km. Sao Tome & Principe are an exporter of Cocoa and Coffee, these were both what also made it an attractive addition to the Portuguese colonial territories. The republic still reflects its colonial past in its language, main religion and its remaining colonial-era plantation and city buildings. Sao Tome has a very stable government and administration. Its distance from the mainland of continental Africa has meant that it has escaped some of the turmoil that has blighted some west African nations. It also has streams of income from tourism, it's plantations and more recently its claim to oil-rich geology inside its territorial waters on the African continental shelf. UK and most other citizens need a tourist visa or permission letter to visit the republic which must be obtained in advance. Tourists must also present a yellow fever vaccination certificate upon entry.

4 Sao Tome, West Africa 25/10-08/11/2013 Fitness & Difficulty In general this will be one of our less strenuous trips, the main things that may tax your body at first will be the heat and humidity of the tropics upon arrival. The ascent of Pico Sao Tome on days 3 and 4 can however be fairly hard work. We do climb quite a long way up through the humid rainforest to the peak and the ground is steep on a fairly rugged path. For this ascent you do need to be in reasonable physical shape, you will need to have had recent, regular and sustained cardio-vascular exercise such as walking, running, cycling or swimming. As with all travel to more remote locations, you do need to be in good health as we will spend some time in places away from cities or towns and also the medical facilities will be more limited than those in the UK. Any pre-existing medical or dental conditions should be fully appraised by a doctor and their nature fully disclosed to your insurer and to ourselves. Please note that you will need to obtain a tourist visa or permission letter in advance of travel. We can assist you in getting the permission letter and will advise further details when you book. You will also need an official yellow fever vaccination certificate. It is strongly recommended that you speak to your GP or travel health clinic early (at least 6 weeks before travel) about vaccinations and anti-malarial medication for the trip. These should be chosen in consideration of your own personal medical history as well as the activities and itinerary of the trip. You will not need to have any specific experience or skills for this trip. However, you will feel more at home and enjoy yourself the most if you have previous experience and realistic expectations of adventure travel, camping and trekking. Equipment & Clothing The climate of Sao Tome will be hot and humid in November and we will dress accordingly. We will give a detailed suggested kit list and general pointers on what to wear and bring in order to keep you comfortable. You will not need any particular technical gear for the treks; just good reliable clothing including light weight trekking boots, waterproofs and a small comfortable rucksack. Again we can advise you on boots and bags if you are unsure what to bring. We also publish lots of helpful advice on our website. Other Things to Remember We will also give you detailed advice on what you need to do to find out about and obtain travel immunisations & anti-malaria tablets, travel insurance, and visa/permission letter. Flights to Sao Tome are slightly constrained so we have already researched suitable flights from London Heathrow via Lisbon, the flight numbers are given in the itinerary. We do not sell flights ourselves but we have a key account with a fully ATOL bonded flight agent with whom we have already made enquiries. We can assist you with buying these flights or researching alternative routes via our agent.

5 Sao Tome, West Africa 25/10-08/11/2013 Trip Cost Land-only Cost : 1,595 Includes All in-country accommodation & meals unless specified All in-country transport & logistics UK planning, support and advice Excludes International Flights to Sao Tome (~ 850) (we can direct you to our flight agent for these) Sao Tome Airport Departure Tax (~20euro) Tourist Visa (or permission letter with (20euro) fee on entry, we can help organise this) Travel Vaccinations Anti-Malarials Yellow fever Certificate Evening meals in Sao Tome City- days 1,12,13,14 Lunch in Sao Tome City- days 1,14 Additional Alcoholic/Soft drinks/mineral Water Why Choose Adventure Alternative We are an established and experienced adventure travel operator with years of proven service in delivering interesting and original adventures We have our own experienced, knowledgeable staff who you can speak to for advice at any time via our office We have first-hand experience of organising solar eclipse trips. We are sensitive to the aspirations of dedicated eclipse watchers and take advice from experienced and knowledgeable parties. We have a strong ethical stance on responsible and sustainable tourism and have won multiple national award for our work as well as being awarded the maximum 5-Star status for Responsible Tourism by AITO We are fully bonded by ABTOT for financial protection of your money We are independently verified as compliant with the British Standard BS8848 Specification for the provision of visits, fieldwork, expeditions, and adventurous activities outside the United Kingdom

6 Sao Tome 25/10/ /11/2013 Itinerary Day Details International Flight Suggested Flight Schedule London-Lisbon-Sao Tome Depart LHR 1935 TP367 Arrive LIS 2215 Depart LIS 0040 TP253 Arrive TMS / / / / / / / /11 Arrive Sao Tome [Itinerary Begins] We will transfer to our city guesthouse and settle in. Depending on when you arrive we will take a trip into Sao Tome city and explore a little. We will have a fairly relaxed day to get used to the heat and humidity and to get plenty of rest and sleep after our international flights. North West Coast Tour We will have a fairly relaxed start in the morning then take our vehicles over the short 20km drive to the beautiful North West corner of the island. There are a number of great locations here including beaches at Praia das Conchas and Praia dos Tamarindos. There is also the spectacular blue lagoon 'Lagoa Azul'. We will again take it fairly easy as we get used to the tropical environment. We can explore the coastline both on the beach and by snorkelling in the shallows. We will then move on round the NW coast to the Plantation at Monte Forte where we will spend the night. Jungle / Mountain Trek After breakfast at the plantation we will drive inland, up into the upland and then mountain forest towards the high peaks of the island. At the road head we will begin our trek up towards the highest peak of the island, Pico Sao Tome. We will spend the night under canvas at the Mesa camp. Climb Pico Sao Tome We will have an early start for our trek further up into the rainforest and up onto the summit of Pico Sao Tome at 2024m. We will then make our way back down then off on a different trail to the plantation house at Bom Successo where we will spend the night. Trek, Volcanic Lagoon & Jungle Waterfalls After breakfast we will walk up to the Lagoa Amelia, a jungle lake nestled in a volcanic crater on the mountainside. We will also walk through the famous Jardim Botanico where many of the island's endemic species of flora and fauna can be found. There a couple of waterfalls also en-route before we arrive at our accommodation, another former plantation house at Bombaim. Trek down to Bernardo Faro, Drive to Sao Joao From our accommodation at Bombaim we will trek downhill to Bernardo Faro and then take vehicles down and along the East coast to the small coastal town of Sao Joao where we spend the night. If the tide is right we may also stop off at the blowhole of Boca de Inferno on the way. Sao Joao After the exertions of the last few days in the highlands we will have a fairly relaxed day today. We will make our way down to the small village of Sao Joao and explore the coastline and fishermans' beach at the head of the small forested bay. We will have lunch down in the village and return to the Roca Sao Joao for the night. Pico Cao Grande One of the famous and iconic images of Sao Tome is of the 300m rock spire of Pico Cao Grande, great dog peak. We will drive up to take a look at this volcanic megalith as it towers upwards through the jungle, often to shroud its head in the jungle mists. After lunch we will make the trek across to Santo Antonio Mussacavu where we will camp for the night.

7 Sao Tome 25/10/ /11/ / / / / / / /11 Trek, Boat & Beach It will be an interesting and mixed day today as we make the short trek down to Pipa beach before boarding our boat to make our way around the coast. We will gain a new perspective on the island as we see it from the water before landing again at Praia Inhame beach. We will then settle into the ecolodge that will be a home for a few days. Eclipse Today we will again board a boat, this time to make our way out to the line of totality of the eclipse. We will only need to go about 20km south of the tip of the Islas das Rolas at the southern end of the island. We will be out in position in good time, ahead of the eclipse at around 13:45 UT. We will witness this strange and often quite moving celestial event as we look back at our tropical island across the ocean waves. Fairly soon after the eclipse we will make our way back up to the Islas das Rolas and take a look at this small island perched exactly on the equator. We will then make our way back to our lodge at Praia Inhame for a celebratory dinner. Mangrove Canoe Trip Today we will visit another of Sao Tome's many varied habitats as we board local fishermans' canoes and glide our way through the strange, skeletal shapes of the mangrove. We will then return to the lodge for lunch and an afternoon relaxing and wildlife watching at the Praia Inhame beach. East Coast Tour Today we will make our way slowly up along the East coast. We will see the whole length of this beautiful coastline, stopping off for lunch and at various points of interest. The coast is dotted with palm-fringed beaches, rocky headlands and small bays. There are also the remnants of the Portuguese colonial times and the current cocoa and coffee trades. By late afternoon we will be back in Sao Tome city where we will spend the night. Santana Island From Sao Tome city we will take a short drive back along to Santana on the North East coast of the island. We will then board a boat for a trip out to the Santana Island and its famous sea caves. This is also a great area for snorkelling or SCUBA diving as an optional activity. We will travel back to Sao Tome for the night. Sao Tome City Today will be a fairly free programme to explore Sao Tome city, visit the Fort Sao Sebastiao and soak up the last of the equatorial sun and tropical culture. We will probably have an early dinner for those who will be leaving early the following day. Depart Sao Tome We will have an early breakfast and transfer to the airport for those leaving on the early flight. Suggested Flights Schedule- Sao Tome-Lisbon-London Depart TMS 0720 TP254 Arrive LIS 1320 Depart LIS 1440 TP356 Arrive LHR 1725

Sao Tome 25/10/2013-08/11/2013 The Eclipse The solar eclipse in early November 2013 will be a hybrid eclipse meaning that it changes from an annular eclipse into a total eclipse as it progresses.

8 Sao Tome 25/10/ /11/2013 The Eclipse The solar eclipse in early November 2013 will be a hybrid eclipse meaning that it changes from an annular eclipse into a total eclipse as it progresses. This kind of eclipse is relatively rare, Fred Espenak of NASA describes it as "the most interesting eclipse of the year". In the annular phase of the eclipse the sun and moon will line up but the apparent size of the moon is smaller than the sun so that you will see a ring of sun around the dark disc of the moon. In the total phase, the apparent size of the moon will be larger than that of the sun so that the body of sun is completely blocked out by the moon. The corona of the sun will be visible as a grow around the dark disc of the moon. It is worth noting that it is a happy coincidence that the relative distances of the sun and moon from us, in ratio with their actual sizes, that means that they appear as a disc of almost exactly the same size in the sky. It is this coincidence that gives us the spectacular nature of our solar eclipses on earth. Location The path of the eclipse will begin at around 11:00 UT at 28 28'54.00"N 64 35'24.00"W around 600km south west of Bermuda. It will then make its way east across the North Atlantic finally making landfall at 13:51 UT on the coast of Gabon at 0 24'42.47"S 9 17'18.66"E and trailing away to nothing at around 14:30 UT on the other side of Africa in Somalia at 6 32'24.00"N 47 10'36.00"E. The path of the eclipse comes closest to Sao Tome at 13:44 UT when it's central line passes 47km south of Porto Algre town. The northern extent of totality will be around 22km south of Porto Alegre at approximately 0 9'49.00"S 6 32'45.00"E. At this point the central duration phase of the eclipse will last around 1 minute and 15 seconds and will be high in the sky at an altitude of 51 degrees. Conditions It is in some ways unfortunate that the November 2013 eclipse spend most of its time over the ocean and then makes landfall along the centre of the tropics in Africa. This means that opportunities for viewing the eclipse are limited and that the land regions of the path are susceptible to tropical cloud formations. The offshore nature of Sao Tome means that there is a greater chance of clear skies than in the tropical forests of the mainland. However, November is within the rainy season in Sao Tome and there is a high probability of at least some cloud cover on the day of the eclipse. Weather history and forecast data for Sao Tome can be accessed via our "Useful Links" page for the trip.

9 TROPICAL ISLAND ADVENTURE Sao Tome 25/10/ /11/2013 Eclipse Viewing Location 0 11'00.00"S 6 33'00.00"E

10 Sao Tome 25/10/ /11/2013 Useful Links Adventure Alternative Trip Page UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office country profile BBC Country Profile General Information about Sao Tome WWF Eco-Region Profile Sao Tome Weather History Sao Tome Weather Forecast Nov 2013 Eclipse Path Data &Lmt=1&Mag=1&Max=1 NASA Nov 2013 Eclipse Nature & Description Photos of Past Eclipses Safely Viewing Solar Eclipses Photographing a Solar Eclipse Taking Video Film of an Eclipse An account of the Experience of a Solar Eclipse

COAST TO COAST RAINFOREST TREK

COSTA RICA TREK TOUGH ABOUT THE CHALLENGE Our adventurous coast to coast rainforest trek involves crossing from Costa Rica's Pacific Coast to the Caribbean. Enroute we take in the country s highest active