The tempting volcanic crater of Lagoa Amelia.

The charming islands of Sao Tome and Principe offers the tourist a choice of interesting ecotourism trails. One such adventurous trek is the forested trail leading up to the Lagoa Amelia crater.

Lagoa Amélia is a volcanic crater mountain in São Tomé and Príncipe, located at an elevation of 1,341 metres. The beauty of this crater is that it is covered with lush vegetation, which is a real visual treat.

Set about 20 kms deep inside the enchanting Obo National Park, it is the main source for the many rivers and rivulets that criss cross the region, feeding the incredible primary forests around it.

My trek on a sunny Sunday morning through the natural park to the foothills of the crater was as delightful as the destination. It is easy to get lost without an expert local guide. No GPS application like Wikiloc or Maps.me is dependable considering the extreme wildness and loose soil of the terrain.

With a knowledgeable guide, I set foot through the 2 hour tropical route. The rugged trail is closeted with lovely endemic flora such as the giant begonias, arborescent ferns and several medicinal plants. I noticed that the begonias grew as tall as 6 feet.

My guide was a walking encyclopedia as he singled out one herbal plant after another, expertly explaining how each one is used in traditional medicine on these islands.

As we ambled through the wilderness, it was mesmerising to listen to the cacophony of strange sounds of the native birds, roosting on the high altitude treetops. The guide was able to locate the Sao Tome Green-pigeon, Sao Tome Spinetail, Dwarf Ibis, Sao Tome Kingfisher and the Sao Tome Paradise-flycatcher.

Despite the raw wildness of the area, I found community settlements along the way. There were strong indications that many of the islands’ resources were being exploited beyond sustainable levels, through logging and hunting.

After a 2 hour walk, we reached the foothills of Lagoa Amélia ("Amélia lagoon"). This geosite is a structural surface, not affected by erosion, as it is completely covered with thick vegetation.

The climb up the crater is not something everyone can attempt. The rugged terrain can only be handled by professional climbers, that too with the help of a professional guide. I could only imagine the sight from atop the crater.

This remarkable trail is just one of the few examples of eco-tourism that SaoTome offers to the hardy tourist.

(Photos by Raghu Gururaj)