TRAVEL AFRICA
A tour of the Diana’ s Peak area with a local hiking guide.
UNIQUELY ST HELENIAN
• Definitely try the Post Box Walks. These routes criss-cross the island, guiding walkers to remote corners where hidden post boxes hold stamps and logbooks, where collecting stamps becomes a treasure hunt!
• The rumour is true: Napoleon Bonaparte once called the island home, not by choice, but as a prisoner of war during his final years. History buffs would enjoy a tour of Longwood House, which was Bonaparte’ s residence.
• Sandy Bay’ s old fortifications and High Knoll Fort speak to St Helena’ s strategic importance and the fear of rescue attempts during Napoleon’ s exile. Meanwhile, Deadwood Plain tells a different story, one of the Second Boer War, when thousands of prisoners were held here.
• No visit to St Helena is complete without meeting Jonathan, the island’ s most famous resident and possibly the oldest living land animal on Earth. Estimated to be around 194 years old, Jonathan the giant tortoise resides at Plantation House, the Governor’ s residence. Jonathan, hatched in 1832, was brought to St Helena from the Seychelles in 1882 along with three other tortoises.
WHO ARE JACOB AND DIANA?
• Jacob’ s Ladder, is the staircase built in 1829, connecting Jamestown to Ladder Hill Fort. Its name comes from the biblical story of Jacob’ s dream of a ladder to heaven( Genesis 28:11 – 19).
• Diana’ s Peak National Park is an 81-hectare protected area established in March 1996 to conserve native, endangered species such as tree ferns and cabbage trees. Diana’ s Peak is thought to be named after the Roman goddess of the hunt, possibly reflecting its role as a natural hunter’ s lookout.
• Jamestown, the island’ s compact capital, packs an impressive amount into its narrow valley. Georgian architecture lines the streets, while St Paul’ s Cathedral and its historic graveyard tell stories of governors, soldiers and settlers.
• For something a little different, visit the St Helena Distillery. From prickly pear Tungi to White Lion Rum and coffee liqueur, tastings here come with plenty of local character.
• With almost no light pollution, St Helena offers extraordinary night skies. At Halley’ s Observatory, named after astronomer Edmund Halley, visitors can stargaze at the Southern Cross along with excellent views of the Milky Way.
• Nature lovers should seek out the heartshaped waterfall at the end of James Valley or give golf a try at the world’ s most remote tee-off!
84 INBOUND SA / MARCH 2026