Fly to one of Earth's least-visited islands and explore Napoleonic exile sites, 190-year-old giant tortoises, and pristine Atlantic waters.
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For those travellers who enjoy getting off the beaten track, the British overseas territory of Saint Helena – one of the remotest places on earth and now reached via a weekly flight from South Africa, is a must visit destination.
The tropical island of Saint Helena, secluded in the Atlantic Ocean, offers a pristine paradise steeped in history. Despite its remote location, recent accessibility has opened it to tourism. Visitors can trace the paths of famous figures like Darwin and Napoleon, explore its rugged terrain and diverse wildlife, including rare bird species and the famed Jonathan, a 190-year-old giant tortoise. Saint Helena’s rich history, from Boer prisoners to Napoleon’s exile, adds depth to its allure. During our week on the island, we will uncover Saint Helena’s extraordinary sights and natural wonders, and we will experience the genuine hospitality of the local people as we embark on a journey filled with intrigue and wonderthe least visited destinations on the planet.
Saint Helena – Undiscovered South Atlantic
Drawn from the full tour dossier — the standout days, encounters and views our specialists keep coming back to.
After arriving in the capital, explore Jamestown's Georgian architecture, Castle Gardens, and St James Church. The evening walk also takes in Jacob's Ladder — 699 steps rising steeply from the town — and the historic Court House.
A morning excursion on the water offers encounters with Bottlenose and Rough-Toothed dolphins, turtles, and Devil Rays in the deep blue Atlantic. The cruise also passes historic island fortifications viewed from the sea.
A full-day 4x4 and minibus island tour visits Deadwood Plain, a Boer War campsite used from 1900 to 1902. The route also takes in Flagg Staff viewpoint, Levelwood's Bell Stone, and panoramic southwestern Atlantic vistas spanning 2,700 unbroken kilometres.
A private tour of Plantation House, the Governor's official residence built in 1792, is highlighted by a meeting with Jonathan — a giant tortoise approaching 200 years old and reportedly the world's oldest living land animal. The afternoon continues with visits to St Paul's Cathedral, High Knoll Fort, and the Boer War cemetery.
The Museum of Saint Helena covers the island's history alongside 500 years of shipwreck artefacts recovered from surrounding waters. It is recommended as the standout independent activity on the leisure day.
A two-hour morning hike to Blue Point delivers coastal views over Sandy Bay beach, Lots Wife ponds, and the Blue Hill countryside. The afternoon visits a coffee plantation where cultivation and processing of one of the world's rarest coffees can be observed.
Key moments for Saint Helena – Undiscovered South Atlantic
Full itinerary · 8 days
Reserve your place with a 10% deposit. Final balance due 70 days before departure. Single-room supplements optional — most travellers happily share.
Every one of our Saint Helena journeys can be rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests — or we’ll design something entirely new.
Shared across all tours that visit this destination. Read alongside your individual tour dossier for trip-specific details.
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.
Independently verified reviews from travellers who joined Saint Helena – Undiscovered South Atlantic. Rated 4.9 Excellent on AITO by 250+ reviewers.
“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
Make Saint Helena – Undiscovered South Atlantic your own — adjust the route, dates, pace or who travels, or start from a blank page with a specialist. We'll bring the details of this trip straight into your enquiry.
Join a small-group departure, or let our Saint Helena specialists craft a private journey shaped around your dates and interests.
Common questions
Maximum 12 travellers — that's the cap on every Undiscovered Destinations small-group tour. Small enough to eat in a local family home; large enough to share the wonder with other like-minded travellers.
Yes — there's no compulsory single supplement on our small-group tours. You get your own room at no extra cost. About 60% of UD travellers come solo, so you'll be in good company.
Fitness requirements vary by itinerary, from gentle to demanding. The day-by-day tour dossier sets out walking distances, terrain and any altitude so you know what to expect. If you have specific concerns, speak to our team before booking — they can talk you through a typical day.
The next available departures are 14 November 2026; 13 November 2027; 18 November 2028. See the "Pick your departure" table further up the page for the full schedule and per-departure pricing.
Included items vary by tour — see the full list above. On this trip, expect: Arrival and departure transfers Minibus, or similar vehicle for guided excursions and tours; All international and domestic flights as shown in the itinerary, including a checked-in luggage allowance of 20k; All accommodation; and more. International flights and travel insurance are not included.
This tour visits Saint Helena. Each destination has its own page with practical information, climate, and the attractions our specialists recommend — linked from the itinerary above.
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