3 independent reviews for Sao Tome discovery tour
Reviews for Sao Tome discovery tour
Maurie O review 18 May 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Having the opportunity to visit some of the rural villages and understand how the local people live. Visiting the Cacao / Coffee plantations to see the process from garden to table was very interesting. Our guide and driver were particularly helpful and provided lots of information.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Remember Sao Tome is on the Equator ... its very hot and humid. Understand the roads are very bumper and travel is slow. If walking to the crater lake or other destinations one should be very fit and have good hiking footwear.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Our vacation definitely benefited local people who have very low incomes and little opportunity. Its a real eyeopener to see how they live.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
We were delighted to have the opportunity to visit this little known country. It was a memerable visit and we would encourage others to have the same experience.Caroline Wheaton review 18 Oct 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
UK travel agent seemingly not particularly close to the trip or maybe hadn't visited country/done trip themselves so speak to others who have been.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Local people.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Great vacation because of location, locals etc but slightly underwhelmed by organisation etc.Read the operator's response here:
Thank you for your comments. We are glad that you enjoyed the tour. Tourism is a relatively new concept in Sao Tome and training of local guides is ongoing. We are aware that this needs to improve and communication and organisation can at times not be to a standard that we would expect. As the tour operator, we are also going to be investing in staff development here in the UK with increased product knowledge and having our staff visit the destination to get more first hand experience.
Janice Newman review 15 Oct 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The whole experience2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Make sure you pack really good hiking boots, change of waterproof clothing and trekking poles. It was very wet!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. The ecolodges appeared to be helping turtle conservation and treated staff well.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
The only thing that let it down was the guide who wasn't a guide but had been drafted in as he spoke English. He really knew very little and did not add to the experience unfortunately.Read the operator's response here:
Thank you for your feedback. The guides in Sao Tome are still very new to the job as the destination is very underdeveloped in terms of tourism. There is a program of training in place and we expect the level of guiding to improve. We are glad this did not detract too much from your vacation.
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