Last updated: 4 November 2026

Today you reach St Helena mainly by air, but you can still sail there. Since the island’s airport opened in 2017, a weekly Airlink flight from Johannesburg has replaced the famous Royal Mail Ship. For travellers who want the sea journey, a small number of cargo ships from Cape Town still sell passenger cabins, and expedition cruises call a few times a year.

Where St Helena is, and why it is so hard to reach

St Helena is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic, around 1,900 km west of Angola and 2,400 km north of Tristan da Cunha. About 4,500 people live there. Its capital, Jamestown, fills a narrow valley between steep cliffs, which is why the island had no airport until 2016–2017 and relied on a single ship for everything from food to mail.

Option 1: fly with Airlink

Airlink has flown to St Helena since October 2017. The main route is a weekly Saturday flight from Johannesburg O.R. Tambo; the outbound trip takes about six and a half hours and returns the same day. Airlink also runs a monthly flight between St Helena and Ascension Island, and has added seasonal flights from Cape Town.

• Fares: one-way flights from Johannesburg were selling from around £430–£500 for 2026 dates
• Stay length: with one flight a week, most visits last 7 or 14 days
• Weather: wind shear at the airport can delay flights, so allow spare days

Option 2: sail on a cargo ship from Cape Town

This is the route for freighter travellers. Specialist agents list a small number of passenger cabins on cargo ships serving St Helena, with voyages from Cape Town of around 10 nights and fares from roughly €1,400 per person in 2026. Cabins are few, so they sell out early.

The island’s regular supply is now carried by the freight-only container ship MV Helena, which took over the route in 2018. It does not take passengers, so a freighter cabin means booking a ship on a wider route that calls at Jamestown.

Watch: the voyage to St Helena by sea

What happened to the RMS St Helena?

The RMS St Helena was one of the last Royal Mail Ships. She carried passengers, cargo and mail from Cape Town to St Helena and Ascension, about every three weeks, with a five-night crossing each way. She made her final voyage from St Helena to Cape Town in February 2018. After years as a supply ship elsewhere, she was bought by Terra Nova Expeditions to be refitted for Antarctic cruising. In 2026 the company swapped in a different ship, Terra Nova Adventurer, for its 2026–28 Antarctic seasons, after the RMS St Helena was held up in the Gulf.

Option 3: an expedition cruise

Small expedition ships include St Helena on South Atlantic voyages between South America, Antarctica, Ascension and West Africa. Stops usually last one or two days. It is a good way to see the island, but not to stay.

What to see on St Helena

• Jacob’s Ladder: 699 steps, built in 1829, climbing 183 metres from Jamestown to Ladder Hill
• Longwood House: where Napoleon lived in exile from 1815 until his death in 1821
• Jonathan: a Seychelles giant tortoise at Plantation House, thought to have hatched around 1832
• Diana’s Peak: the island’s highest point and cloud forest
• Whale sharks: they gather offshore, usually from around December to March
• The wirebird: a plover found only on St Helena

Watch: the wildlife of St Helena

Best time to visit St Helena

St Helena has a mild climate all year, kept in check by the south-east trade winds. Jamestown is warm and dry, while the central hills are greener, cooler and often misty.

Where to stay

Most visitors stay in Jamestown, close to the wharf, shops and Jacob’s Ladder. There are a small hotel, guesthouses and self-catering cottages there and in the country districts. With few beds and one flight a week, book your room as soon as you have a seat on a flight or ship.

Combine St Helena with Ascension and Tristan

St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha form one British Overseas Territory, but they are not linked by regular ships. Ascension is reached with Airlink’s monthly flight. Tristan da Cunha has no airport at all, and is reached only by ship from Cape Town: see our guide on how to get to Tristan da Cunha.

Tips before you go

1. Book flights early: one plane a week means limited seats.
2. Bring cash: the St Helena pound is pegged to sterling and card use is limited.
3. Hire a car early: there are few hire cars on the island.
4. Pack layers: Jamestown is warm, but the uplands are cool and misty.
5. Get flexible insurance that covers weather delays. See our travel insurance guide.

Foire aux questions

Sources: Airlink and St Helena Government flight schedule announcements; Skyscanner fare data, 2026; Cargo Ship Voyages listings, 2026; Wikipedia, RMS St Helena; Maritime Executive and Cruise Industry News on the RMS St Helena and Terra Nova Adventurer (August 2026). Checked November 2026.