A voyage to the remote hideaway of St Helena
Calling all intrepid travellers with a passion for the unknown! A new hosted tour to discover the far-flung South Atlantic Island of St Helena has been introduced by St Helena Line.
Travelling on board one of the world's last working Royal Mail Ships, the RMS St Helena, the 22-day Hideaway Tour departs Cape Town on 17th June 2011 and costs from £2,395 per person. Leading the tour from the departure will be Colin Lewis, Professor Emeritus of Rhodes University (South Africa) and an expert on St Helena - its history and natural environment. Prof. Lewis will offer a unique insight into this British outpost, taking travellers beyond the guidebook.
Arriving in St Helena on the 22nd June, the group will be joined by Island residents Basil George and Vanessa Thomas for a fascinating and diverse eight-day itinerary.
St Helena is perhaps best known as the place of Napoleon's exile. The tour includes a trip to Longwood House, the last house of the French revolutionary, in addition to other sites of historic importance, including his Tomb. There is also a Botanical Day where some of the world's rarest flora and fauna will be identified, plus a tour to spot the Wirebird, endemic to St Helena.
Other tour highlights include a boat trip, scenic island tour, evening talk from the National Trust of St Helena and a walking tour of the capital, Jamestown. The RMS arrives back in Cape Town on the 6th July.
The tour costs from £2,395 per person based on two sharing an A deck cabin. The price includes eight nights' accommodation on St Helena, entry fees and guide costs, all meals on the RMS and meals as specified in St Helena. International airfares are not included. Economy fares from London to Cape Town with South African Airways start from £614 per person.
The 128-berth RMS is a unique blend of passenger ship and cargo vessel, acting as the lifeline to St Helena being the sole source of supply of all goods to her island namesake. Passengers are made up of tourists and St Helenians, or 'Saints' as they are fondly known locally, travelling home.
There are several sailing routes and tour options and Andrew Weir Shipping can tailor make travel packages. For more information, visit: rms-st-helena.com
