Secrets of the South Atlantic

Discover one of the world’s most secretive destinations, spectacular St Helena Island, jewel of the South Atlantic.  Until recently, only accessible by sea, we explore the fascinating British, Boer & Napoleonic history of this barely discovered gem.

St Helena Island, British Overseas Territory - South Atlantic Ocean

Located approximately 1 200 miles (1 950 km) west of the South Western Coast of the African continent, St Helena Island offers the traveller a very special experience.  For hundreds of years the only way to visit the island was a lengthy sea voyage via Cape Town.  Untouched by mass tourism, the island is a wonderful discovery with a lengthy history, incredible marine life, fauna and flora and a welcoming people.

Discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, it became a Dutch then a British possession . It was a strategically important port of call during the British Empire, until the opening of the Suez Canal and the advent of steamships. The island’s remote location meant it was used as a place of exile for key prisoners, including some 6 000 Boers, King Dinuzulu, Bahraini princes and, of course, Napoleon.

Numerous volumes describe the natural history of the island, documenting the endemic and endangered species ranging from the gumwood tree to the wire bird.  Millions of years in the making, these fragments from the wreck of an ancient world include tree ferns, black cabbage trees, Jellico, a native dogwood and the golden sail spider.  The Diana’s Peak National Park is a testament to the island’s pristine environment; a home to most of St. Helena’s endemic wildlife.