Pico Cão Grande

Pico Cão Grande, the Great Dog Peak, is the astonishing natural icon of São Tomé, one of the most striking and surreal landforms in Africa. This towering, needle-shaped volcanic plug, the solidified core of an ancient volcano left standing after the softer rock around it eroded away, rises sheer and dramatic for some 370 metres straight out of the dense green jungle of the island's south, its summit, 663 metres above sea level, often wreathed in cloud. The plug formed some three and a half million years ago on the Cameroon line and is mostly phonolite; the first successful ascent was made by a Japanese team in February 1991. Visible from afar and framed by lush rainforest, this improbable rock spire is a breathtaking sight, drawing photographers, nature lovers and, for the intrepid and expert, technical rock climbers.

What's there

• The rock spire - the sheer towering volcanic needle.
• The jungle setting - the dense rainforest from which it rises.
• The viewpoints - the vistas of the peak from the south of the island.
• The surrounding nature - the trails and forest around the base.

When to go

June to September, the drier gravana season, offers the best chance of clear views, though the summit is frequently shrouded in cloud whatever the season, part of its atmospheric, mysterious character; the peak is best viewed from various points in the island's lush south, and photographed when the cloud lifts.

Things to know

For most visitors, Pico Cão Grande is a spectacular sight to admire and photograph from viewpoints and jungle trails rather than to climb, as scaling the sheer spire is a serious technical challenge for expert rock climbers only; the summit is often hidden by cloud. As a breathtaking, surreal natural icon, though, an improbable rock needle soaring from the rainforest, it is the unmistakable symbol of São Tomé and one of the most extraordinary sights in Africa.

Nearby

The southern beaches, the Ôbô rainforest and the old plantations are within reach.

Key facts