Discover how to get to Tristan da Cunha and Saint Helena islands, explore their quirks, culture, and lodging, plus travel tips for an epic journey.
If you’ve ever dreamed of escaping the crowds and landing on places so remote they make “off the grid” feel mainstream, a journey to Tristan da Cunha and Saint Helena is your ticket to the ultimate wild ride.
These islands aren’t just dots on a map or footnotes in travel brochures – they’re remote marvels where people still build houses with community spirit, weather shapes daily life, and visitors are treated like rare and valued guests.
Saint Helena, ascetically perched in the South Atlantic, offers volcanic vistas, quirky wildlife, and eco-adventures that make you feel like you’ve stumbled into a 19th-century travel journal.
Tristan da Cunha, meanwhile, is the definition of “hard to reach” – the kind of place you have to really want to visit, because it won’t make it easy for you.
So slip into your sturdiest boots, pack your patience, and let’s chart the wildly fun course to reach and revel in these hidden gems.
Table of Contents
✈️ How to Get There
Saint Helena is the easier of the two (although “easy” here means only moderately difficult). The island’s modest airport links it to Johannesburg with weekly flights.
Once you land, you’ll swap terminals and baggage claims for rugged cliffs, pastel-fronted houses, and the delightful absence of billboards or traffic jams.
Tristan da Cunha, however, demands commitment. No airport. No high-speed ferries. Just a supply or fishing vessel making the week-long journey from Cape Town several times a year.
You’ll need to plan your trip months in advance, request permission from the Island Council, and prepare for the fact that bad weather can delay your landing by days.
Ascension Island is reachable, but a logistical puzzle in its own right. Rare flights, strict permits, and proof of medical evacuation coverage make it the advanced-level option in the Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha trifecta.
Getting There:
- Saint Helena: Weekly flights from Johannesburg (via Airlink) connect to the island’s airport. There are also occasional voyages by the MV Helena cargo ship from Cape Town.
- Tristan da Cunha: There’s no airport, so access is only by ship from Cape Town, with limited voyages each year (about 9 to 10 trips, taking 6 to 7 days each way).
- Tip: Book travel well in advance – seats and berths are scarce and in high demand.
Visa Requirements:
- British passport holders: No visa needed for short visits.
- Other nationalities: Check the Saint Helena e-Visa application website for current entry requirements.
- Visitors to Tristan da Cunha require advance permission from the island council and must submit a detailed application months ahead.
Fun fact: Tristan is so remote that it’s one of the few inhabited places on Earth free of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, you’ll still have to deal with the occasional gust strong enough to knock your hat into the ocean.
🐢 Things to Do on Saint Helena
On Saint Helena, every day offers a new adventure – or a new excuse to do absolutely nothing.
- Visit Napoleon’s Tomb – Tucked away in a serene Saint Helena valley, this peaceful spot feels worlds apart from his dramatic life story, and you half-expect him to sit up and give a speech.
- Climb Jacob’s Ladder – all 699 steps – for sweeping views and bragging rights that will impress exactly three people back home.
- Meet Jonathan the tortoise, who has seen more history than any living human. Born around 1832, he’s older than the lightbulb, the telephone, and probably the concept of brunch.
- Explore valleys lined with endemic plants, snorkel over shipwrecks, or watch whale sharks glide past the coast like silent submarines.
🐧 Things to Do on Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is smaller, quieter, and more personal:
- Wander through the single settlement, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, where everyone knows everyone, and by day two, they’ll know you too.
- See Northern rockhopper penguins, famous for their wild yellow eyebrow-like crests that make them look like they’re late for a punk rock gig.
- Join a fishing trip, or at least watch the daily lobster haul that supports much of the island’s economy.
- Take a guided hike to Queen Mary’s Peak, where you can look down into a volcanic crater on one side and the endless Atlantic on the other.
Fun fact: The entire Tristan da Cunha population could comfortably fit into a large cinema, though it’s unlikely they’d sit quietly for the whole movie.
🛌 Where to Stay
On Saint Helena, the options are charming and varied. Jamestown, the capital, offers small hotels and B&Bs with Georgian character. For those who prefer their morning coffee with a countryside view, there are rustic lodges dotted inland, often surrounded by lush gardens and singing birds.
On Tristan, accommodation means staying with locals. You’ll be welcomed into a home, fed hearty island meals, and given a front-row seat to daily life. There’s no “Do Not Disturb” sign – the entire island is part of your stay.
Fun fact: Since Tristan receives so few visitors, your hosts may genuinely remember you for years to come.
🏝️ Life on the Islands
Scattered across the South Atlantic, Saint Helena and Tristan da Cunha offer a rare blend of culture, wildlife, and remote island charm.
- Language: English is the official language of both Saint Helena and Tristan da Cunha, spoken with a distinctive accent influenced by British settlers, sailors, and other early inhabitants. Locals also use unique expressions you won’t hear anywhere else, making conversations a cultural treat.
- Population: Saint Helena is home to around 4,400 residents, while Tristan da Cunha has a tiny community of roughly 250 people, most of whom live in the main settlement, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. On both islands, you’ll find a close-knit, welcoming atmosphere where everyone knows everyone, literally.
- Weather: The islands enjoy a mild, subtropical climate year-round, thanks to their mid-Atlantic location. Summers (December to March) are pleasantly warm, while winters (June to September) are cooler but rarely cold. Rain can happen any month, so a light rain jacket is always a smart addition to your packing list.
- Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit is between December and April, when temperatures are warmer, seas are calmer, and wildlife sightings, such as nesting seabirds and marine life, are plentiful. This is also when the islands host several community events, giving visitors a chance to mingle with locals.
- Fun Fact: On Tristan da Cunha, there are more penguins than people. The Northern Rockhopper penguin, with its spiky yellow head feathers, is a local star, alongside Saint Helena’s more famous resident, Jonathan the tortoise, who’s been chilling on the island since the 1800s.
🧳 Travel Tips
- Pack like a minimalist, plan like a survivalist. Supplies are limited, so bring essentials—but also be prepared to improvise. That “forgotten” toothbrush might end up being a whittled stick if the shop’s sold out.
- Build in buffer days. Weather, sea conditions, and the occasional stubborn cargo schedule can throw plans into chaos.
- Insurance isn’t optional. Medical evacuation could take days or weeks, and on Tristan, even the hospital is more “community clinic” than “ER drama set.”
- Learn a bit of local history. On Saint Helena, that might mean Napoleon’s exile. On Tristan, it’s tales of shipwrecks, volcanic eruptions, and the time a visiting scientist accidentally caused a minor potato shortage.
- Embrace the slowness. No rushing, no constant Wi-Fi, and definitely no “quick trips” to anywhere. This is about disconnecting – the kind you can actually feel in your bones.
🏝️ Why It’s Worth It
Yes, it takes time, money, and effort to get here. You’ll endure long flights, longer boat rides, and possibly even a little seasickness.
But once you’re standing under Tristan’s blue flag or sipping tea on a Saint Helena veranda while the trade winds hum, you’ll understand: this isn’t just travel, it’s initiation into one of the world’s most exclusive clubs.
These aren’t places you just “check off” a list. They stay with you – in the faces of the people, the rhythm of the tides, and the stories you’ll retell for decades.
And if you’re lucky, Jonathan the tortoise might still be around to nod approvingly at your choice in destinations.
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