SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPE
wanderlust.co.uk March 2020 141⊲
denizens. From September to April
four turtle species nest on its beaches,
and I’d watched humpbacks, which
cruise past from August to October,
breach and lobtail off shore.
Plunging into the emerald murk,
our trek started gently enough, to
a soundtrack of trills and squawks.
Flashes of red feathers betrayed a mob
of grey parrots – ubiquitous island
emblems – while a characteristic
‘pip-pip-pip’ above heralded the
dazzling endemic Príncipe kingfi sher.
Brandishing his rusty panga, Brankinho
showcased the park’s bounty: furry
izaquente, African breadfruit; red and
green peppercorns and chilli plants,
introduced by colonists, and yuca,
a source of makeshift soap.
The real hike began at the
abandoned plantation house of
Quintal do Pico, its overgrown
garden yielding wild coriander and
thyme-like micocô. Grappling tree
roots, we hauled ourselves up the
steep, slippery trail between huge
oká and tree ferns, over moss-
lubricated rocks and rotting logs
sprouting fungi in curious shapes and
hues: blood-red globes, egg-yolk
buttons, crinkled papery bracts. After
three hours we emerged onto the
peak to be rewarded with views across
the island and down to Santo
António, besieged by green.
The descent was, if anything,
tougher, and I soon ran short on
water. Brankinho vanished into
the trees, returning with a satisfi ed
smile, a branch and a foraged