São Tomé and Príncipe > Hiking in the Crater

A good night's sleep has done me a world of good. I pack my luggage and carry my travel bag to breakfast so that I do not have to return to my bungalow afterwards. For breakfast, I have fruit, an egg, and yoghurt—a good way to start the day. At around 8:00 a.m., we leave Mucumbli and drive back towards São Tomé city. Along the way, I recognise many of the places we passed over the past few days. By 10:30 a.m., we are back at our hotel in the capital. Our rooms are not yet ready, so I leave my travel bag in the breakfast room. At a nearby supermarket, I buy some bread rolls, cheese, and juice for lunch. We continue into the mountains of Ôbo National Park in two small minibuses. This is the same area where we visited a plantation earlier in the trip, but today we travel farther along a rough and bumpy road. Our seven-kilometre hike begins at the Bom Sucesso Botanical Garden and leads to the crater of Lagoa Amélia. The guide walks in front, while both drivers and Mustafa bring up the rear. The trail follows a narrow forest path, with several steep sections. It is immediately noticeable that we are hiking at a higher elevation than on our previous walks. After about two hours of climbing, we reach the crater rim. The crater is completely overgrown with vegetation. A slippery path leads us down into the crater. I use my hiking pole—and occasionally a tree—for balance.

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The crater is filled with water, but the former crater lake is covered by a thick layer of floating vegetation resembling grass. This natural mat is so dense that it is possible to walk across it. However, it is essential to stay on the marked path, as stepping even a little to one side could mean breaking through the vegetation into the water below. In the centre of the crater, the guide uses a long bamboo pole to demonstrate that there is at least five metres of water beneath the floating vegetation. When I jump up and down, I can feel the entire surface gently undulating beneath my feet. Not everyone appreciates my little experiment. We carefully make our way back out of the crater. One of my fellow travellers steps just beside a wooden plank and sinks through the vegetation with one foot. Fortunately, he does not go in very deep. There are a few benches on the crater rim where I eat the lunch I brought with me. Afterwards, we descend back to the starting point. Nearby is the São Nicolau Waterfall, which lies just beside the road. Water cascades down the rock face, and the benches overlooking the falls are painted in the colours of the national flag. Just as we are about to leave, a man walks up carrying a large basket of bananas on his head. I ask how much two bananas cost. He tells me ten dobras—about forty-five euro cents. However, when I hand him a ten-dobra note, he gives me six bananas instead. I share some with my fellow travellers and save the rest for tomorrow's lunch. By the end of the afternoon, we return to our hotel in São Tomé city. It almost feels like coming home. The only thing that has changed is the Wi-Fi password, but that is quickly sorted out. Together with a few fellow travellers, I walk into the city centre. At this time of day, the streets are lively and bustling with activity. On a small square shaded by trees, we find some tables and chairs and order three beers. It appears to be a former petrol station, as we are sitting right next to a fuel pump, but that certainly does not make the beer taste any worse. As dusk falls, we watch everyday life unfold around the square. Someone who made this trip before recommended a restaurant in the centre of São Tomé, so we decide to try it. On the way, we pass the beautifully illuminated cathedral. Through its open doors, we can see that a service is in progress.

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Behind the church, we find Restaurant Xquizeat. From the street, it is easy to miss, although we can see a few tables inside. A young man confirms that we can eat there and hands us a menu on which we simply tick the dishes we would like to order. When we also tick beer, he looks slightly embarrassed. "We're out of Super Bock," he explains. A few minutes later, someone heads off to buy three beers elsewhere. My fish burger, served with sweet potato fries and vegetables, is excellent. The price is somewhat higher than we have become accustomed to, but still less than twenty euros. After dinner, we walk back to the hotel in the dark. The route is already beginning to feel familiar.