A place apart
One of the world's most remote islands
Saint Helena sits alone in the South Atlantic, reached only by a weekly flight from Johannesburg, making it one of the least visited places on the planet.
Saint HelenaAfricaFrom £3,490
Saint Helena Tours & Holidays
Saint Helena tours for the genuinely curious — Napoleon's exile island, Jonathan the tortoise, Georgian Jamestown, and some of the most dolphin-rich Atlantic waters on earth.
- Best timeNovember
- Time zoneGMT
- CurrencySaint Helena Pound (SHP), pegged to Sterling
- LanguageEnglish
Overview
An introduction to Saint Helena
Reached by a weekly flight from Johannesburg, Saint Helena sits alone in the middle of the South Atlantic and remains one of the least visited places on the planet. Best known as the island where Napoleon spent his final years in exile, it also boasts one of the best-preserved Georgian settlements anywhere, dramatic volcanic terrain, and waters rich with dolphins, devil rays, and turtles.
Our small group Saint Helena tours are built around authentic discovery. Over eight days, you'll explore Jamestown's Georgian capital on foot, cruise the coastline spotting dolphins and rays, visit Plantation House to meet Jonathan the giant tortoise — at around 190 years old, the world's oldest living land animal — and tour Longwood House, where Napoleon spent his years of exile. A full island tour by 4x4 covers Boer War sites, panoramic viewpoints at Deadwood Plain and Flagg Staff, a working coffee plantation, and the Millennium Forest. With groups limited to just 12 travellers and no compulsory single supplements, these tours are ideal for solo travellers and small group adventurers alike.
Explore
Saint Helena
Our journeys
All toursTours in Saint Helena
Small-group departures led by local experts, plus private tailor-made itineraries shaped around your interests, pace and dates.
Why visit
What makes Saint Helena worth the journey
01
Layered history unlike anywhere else
Napoleon's exile at Longwood House, Boer War prisoner camps, Charles Darwin's visit, and a Georgian capital preserved in near-perfect condition.
Wildlife encounters you won't find elsewhere
Meet Jonathan the giant tortoise, widely regarded as the world's oldest living land animal, and cruise waters filled with dolphins, devil rays, and turtles.
03
A genuinely undiscovered destination
Saint Helena sits outside the mainstream travel circuit entirely, offering the rare satisfaction of travelling somewhere few people have ever been.
See itinerariesHighlightsThe moments that make
The moments that make
Saint Helena unforgettable
Saint Helena rewards travellers who slow down — the best stories are found off the tour-bus route.
From the field
When to go
Picking the right season for your trip
Sweet spot: Nov
Saint Helena has a mild, subtropical climate year-round, moderated by its position in the South Atlantic. The island avoids extremes — temperatures remain warm but not hot, and the trade winds keep conditions pleasant throughout. Our tours depart in November, which falls in Saint Helena's late spring, offering warm, settled weather with good light for island exploration, coastal walks, and wildlife spotting on the water.
Live weather
Saint Helena
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From the journal
All storiesStories from the region
Dispatches, field notes and practical advice from our specialists.
Voices from the road
What travellers say about us
Reviews from across our small-group programme. Independently rated 4.9 Excellent on AITO by 250+ travellers.
“Trip to Saint Helena, travelling via Johannesburg. Local representatives were Aaron Legg Tours — highly recommended. They handled difficulties arising from a cancelled flight very well.”
PatP
Saint Helena
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
“Trip to Saint Helena, travelling via Johannesburg. Local representatives were Aaron Legg Tours — highly recommended. They handled difficulties arising from a cancelled flight very well.”
PatP
Saint Helena
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
Can’t find the right fit?
Every one of our Saint Helena journeys can be rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests — or we’ll design something entirely new.
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Tap any imageScenes from Saint Helena
Tailor-made journeys
Didn’t find your
perfect Saint Helena trip?
We’ll build one around you.
A tailor-made Saint Helena tour suits travellers who prefer to set their own pace. A private Saint Helena holiday allows you to linger at Longwood House, spend an extra morning at Plantation House with Jonathan, or arrange a dedicated coastal boat charter beyond the group tour schedule. Jamestown can be explored thoroughly on foot, and the island's small scale makes self guided days genuinely rewarding. Our team can design a bespoke Saint Helena travel package combining all the key sites — Boer War history, the coffee plantation, the Millennium Forest, and the Blue Point walk — with the flexibility to extend your stay and include São Tomé and Príncipe as a combined South Atlantic itinerary.
Your dates
Travel when it suits you
Private group
Just you, family or friends
Your pace
Linger longer, skip the rest
Bespoke extras
Private guides, rare access
Typical reply within 3 working days · No obligation · Trusted by travellers since 2004
How it works
- 1Tell us what you have in mind
- 2We build an itinerary + quote
- 3Refine until it feels right
Est. 2004
20+ years of
bespoke travel
bespoke travel
Questions, answered
Planning a trip to Saint Helena?
Getting to Saint Helena does require more planning than most destinations — it's reached by a weekly flight from Johannesburg, and as a remote Atlantic island, day-to-day costs tend to be higher than on the mainland. Booking as part of a small group tour is a cost-effective way to visit, as accommodation, guided excursions, meals, and internal transfers are typically included. Our Saint Helena tours also have no compulsory single supplements, making them a good option for solo travellers.
Before you go
Essential information
Shared across all tours that visit this destination. Read alongside your individual tour dossier for trip-specific details.
Foreign Office travel advice
Saint Helena is reached by a weekly Airlink flight from Johannesburg — a journey of around 6.5 hours. There are no direct flights from the UK or other major hubs. Most international travellers fly to Johannesburg and connect from there. Our tour price includes all flights from Johannesburg as shown in the itinerary, along with arrival and departure transfers on the island.
Ready when you areStart planning your
Start planning your
Saint Helena adventure
Join a small-group departure, or let our Saint Helena specialists craft a private journey shaped around your dates and interests.
