8 Days Luxury Saint Helena Safari
St Helena has been very well known as one of the most remote Islands in the world. This is due to its inaccessibility as it was only thanks to the RMS St Helena that made an appearance every couple of weeks that potential visitors could visit the island. In October 2017, the first commercial flights started and there is now a weekly flight to and from the island.
Discover the island of St Helena with us on this week-long tour that includes a knowledgeable guide. Visit some extraordinary sights and views. The Island is teaming in history from the Boer prisoners of war as to the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte. Wildlife is also fascinating as the island has some 455 invertebrate species with the opportunity to spot some rare birds such as the moorhen and the Fairy White Terns. You will also see colonies of Noddies, Boobies, petrels, and Terns.
Highlights
- City tour
- Boat trip
- Diana’s peak national park
- Luxury accommodation
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Jameson city
On arrival this afternoon you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel the Mantis St Helena, where you will spend the next 7 nights. You will be taken on a guided walk of Jamestown with one of the descendants of the Boer prisoners of war that have remained on the island; you will then visit the castle and St James Church and the famous Jacob’s ladder that ascends 699 steps above the town and the courthouse.
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Day 2: City tour of Saint Helena on 4×4
Today you will be taken on an orientation of the island by 4×4. One of the highlights will be stopping at Flagg Staff which offers magnificent views over the Island. You will also visit the Deadwood Plain as well as Fisher’s Valley. Lunch is included today as you enjoy views of the Atlantic Ocean.
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Day 3: Diving experience
After breakfast this morning, you will be taking on a boat cruise, where you will be on the lookout for Schools of Bottle-Nose and Rough-Toothed dolphins as well as turtles, Devil Rays, and Whale Sharks (in season in Jan – Mar) You will also be able to see old fortifications as well as outposts that are still standing. The afternoon will be at leisure, although you may choose to go on a snorkeling trip.
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Day 4: Exploration of Saint Helena
Today you will visit the South of the Island stopping at St Helena Coffee Plantation, see the beautiful Sandy Bay (which isn’t sandy) where you will have a picnic lunch on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Head back into Jamestown for a private tour of the Plantation house, this is home to the Governor but also Jonathan, the world’s oldest living animal, a giant tortoise at 184 years! You will also see St Paul’s Cathedral and Knoll Fort on your way back to the hotel.
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Day 5: Day at leisure at the island
After breakfast this morning, you will have the rest of the day at leisure to explore the island at your own leisure. This evening, dinner has been arranged at one of the local families to experience some local cuisine and learn about life and the culture of the Island.
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Day 6: Explore Diana’s peak national park
Today you will be taken to Diana’s Peak, where better to experience the endemic plants and animals found on St Helena than in the island’s only national park. Walk the path to reach the peak (the island’s highest point at 823m) for unbeatable views of the island and learn of the issues that face the native endangered species that live in the peak cloud forest. Finish the afternoon with tea on the lawns of Farm Lodge, an old East India Company planters house.
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Day 7: Visit more sites on the island
Today you will visit Longwood House, owned by the French Government, which is one of the best Napoleonic museums in the world. Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to St Helena in 1815 and died on the island 6 years later. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the Longwood Green followed by a walk to see Napoleon’s tomb and the heart-shaped waterfall. Stop off at the St Helena Distillery before returning to the hotel.
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Day 8: Depart Saint Helena for your flight to Jo’Burg
After breakfast this morning, you will have some time for a last look around Jamestown before heading back to Johannesburg for your onward travel arrangements.
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End of tour
Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
What’s included in the 8 Days Luxury Saint Helena Safari
What’s excluded in the 8 Days Luxury Saint Helena Safari
When to book the safari package?
Travelers can book this tour within three months of the time of travel to allow proper preparation for the diving experience.
Best Time to Travel
The driest season is January to March, and the wettest, July to October, the better diving season is considered to be October through to March. Notes on temperatures: Air: average coastal day time temperatures for the period for the region.
NOTE: Small tour details like Accommodation and activities are provided by Wilderness Explorers on the final itinerary after confirmation as lodge choices change a lot based on the traveler.
