A 47 square mile sub-tropical paradise, with rolling hills and a rugged coastline, the UK overseas territory of St Helena offers visitors both mist-enshrouded cloud forest and ancient desert.

And there is no better way to explore this sub-tropical paradise than on foot. Currently one of the world’s most varied and remote walking festivals is underway: the eighth St Helena Festival of Walking. The festival features 22 walks across the small South Atlantic island.

Home to an impressively varied range of walks and trails for such a small area, the island’s diverse landscape offers everything from gentle ambles to challenging hikes, with natural beauty at every turn. Walkers have the chance to view some of the more remote parts of St Helena and encounter its endemic plants, unique wildlife and rich heritage.

Highlights of this year’s festival include a walk to Lot’s Wife’s Ponds, the most popular coastal walk on St Helena, a historical town tour and a guided walk through Diana’s Peak National Park, the highest point on the island and home to the myriad endemic flora and fauna. There are walks for all ages and abilities, with each graded easy to difficult. Easy jaunts include a treasure hunt around the grounds of Plantation House and the chance to join the island donkeys on their exercise route. One of the most difficult is the Coast to Coast, a challenging eight-mile hike from Sandy Bay Beach to the capital Jamestown.

Many of the walks have a conservation slant, with the Wirebird and Millennium Forest tour featuring the chance to see the endangered native Wirebird in its natural environment as well as plant a tree at the Millennium Forest.

Some walks are free with others by donation to the St Helena Nature Conservation Group, while some of the guided walks incur a cost of £10 per person. For more information visit the 2018 programme here.

Pack the hiking boots and immerse yourself in this idyllic island’s historic sites, fantastic marine life and rugged landscapes.

In addition the award winning tailor made travel specialist, Discover the World offers a 7-night immersive exploration of St Helena departing year round including 7 nights B&B accommodation on St Helena, airport transfers, and some lunches.

Best Saint Helena Island & Discover the World info:

Discover the World currently has a 4.7 out of 5 star Feefo rating from over 200 reviews. And they won the Feefo Official Gold Trusted Service award 2017! Feefo is an independent global review company that many businesses use to gather and share impartial customer reviews and insight.

Visit here for a full list of Discover the World Awards.

St Helena Tourism was mentioned in Financial Times “Where to go in 2018: alternative travel destinations”