The World's Most Remote Island Just Issued a Challenge. February 2027 - Are You In?
Some experiences aren't for everyone. And honestly? That's exactly the point.
There's a small volcanic island sitting in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean — 1,200 miles from the nearest continent, reachable by a single weekly flight, and virtually unknown to most of the world. And in February 2027, it's going to host one of the most extraordinary sporting and adventure events on the planet.
We're talking about the World's Most Remote Marathon and Adventure Week — a seven-day programme of bucket-list challenges set against St Helena's raw, dramatic, breathtakingly beautiful landscape. If you're the kind of person who finds joy in pushing yourself to your limits, in choosing roads less travelled, in collecting experiences rather than things — then stop scrolling, because this one's for you.
But if you prefer your holidays comfortable, predictable, and close to a major airport… you might want to sit this one out.
So, Where Exactly Is St Helena?
St Helena is a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, roughly halfway between Africa and South America. It's the island where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled and spent the last six years of his life. It's home to Jonathan, the world's oldest living land animal — a Seychelles giant tortoise believed to be over 190 years old. It's a place of cloud forests, volcanic rock faces, hidden valleys, and blue, clear ocean stretching to the horizon in every direction.
It only got its first commercial airport in 2016. Before that, the only way in or out was by ship — a five-day voyage from Cape Town. Even today, getting here takes commitment. And that's precisely what makes it so special.
When you land on St Helena, you haven't just arrived at a destination. You've earned it.
The World's Most Remote Marathon — 28 February 2027
At the heart of the week is the centrepiece event: the World's Most Remote Marathon, taking place on 28 February 2027.
This is not your average city race. Forget flat tarmac routes past coffee shops and cheering crowds six deep. The St Helena Marathon carves a path across the entire island — from the lush green highlands down through rugged mountain trails, across windswept clifftop paths, and all the way to a finish line on the ocean's edge in Jamestown, the island's historic capital.
The race showcases the full drama of St Helena's landscape in a single route. You'll run through forested lanes where sunlight filters through the canopy overhead. You'll navigate mountainside trails where the rock drops away to the Atlantic far below. You'll cross terrain that shifts from lush and green to lunar and volcanic within a matter of kilometres — because on this island, no two valleys look the same.
Three race distances are available to suit different levels of runner:
Full Marathon — 42km: The complete island crossing. A true endurance challenge across St Helena's contrasting terrain.
Half Marathon — 21km: All the drama and scenery, with a half-distance commitment.
10km: Accessible to a wider range of fitness levels, but no less spectacular.
The Marathon Routes - St Helena Tourism
Adventure Week — 23 February to 2 March 2027
The marathon is just one day. Adventure Week is everything around it.
Running from 23 February to 2 March 2027, and hosted by St Helena Tourism, Adventure Week is a curated programme of guided challenges and excursions designed to test you against the island's unique landscape — from its heights to its depths, its peaks to its ocean floor.
When you register for the marathon, you gain automatic entry into the full Adventure Week programme. Here's what that looks like across the week.
Adventure Week's programme is as varied as the island itself.
On land, you'll tackle guided hikes across St Helena's contrasting terrain — from the lush green pastures of Peak Dale and the dramatic volcanic formations at Lot, to the wild, windswept coastline of Prosperous Bay and the raw, stream-fed depths of Sharks Valley. Cultural history weaves through the walking routes too, with a coastal walk past the historic fortifications at Sampson's Battery and a descent into Lemon Valley — a bay accessible only on foot or by boat, where the afternoon is yours to swim, snorkel, sea kayak, and rock fish in complete seclusion.
For those who want to test themselves beyond the trails, there's the Jacob's Ladder Challenge — 699 steps and 183 metres of near-vertical climb up one of St Helena's most iconic structures, with official timing for those chasing a personal record.
On the water, the open water swim from Jamestown Wharf out to the wreck of the SS Papanui — a ship that has rested on the floor of James Bay since 1911 — offers a truly unforgettable experience for strong swimmers.
And when race day is done, the programme closes gently with a recovery yoga session in the peaceful surrounds of Castle Gardens, giving you space to breathe, reflect, and absorb the fact that you've just run the world's most remote marathon.
Why St Helena? Why Now?
There are marathons on continents. So why travel to one of the most remote islands on earth for this one?
Because the experience here is genuinely different. St Helena isn't a manufactured adventure destination — it's a real island with a real community, a rich and layered history, and a landscape that has never been overdeveloped or over-touristed. The trails you run on, the valleys you hike into, the ocean you swim across — these are not curated theme park versions of the wild. They're the real thing.
The island receives a small number of visitors each year. Not because it's not worth visiting — but because getting here is an adventure in itself. That's changing slowly, as more travellers discover what St Helena has to offer. But for now, February 2027 represents an opportunity to be part of something genuinely rare: a world-class sporting event in one of the world's last truly remote destinations.
The numbers of participants will be limited by the island's natural capacity. Once those spaces are filled, they're filled.
The Bottom Line
Most people will never run a marathon on a volcanic island in the middle of the South Atlantic. Most people will never hike into Sharks Valley, or swim out to a shipwreck in James Bay, or climb 699 steps above a colonial capital at sunrise.
But you're still reading this. Which tells us something.
February 2027 is a long way away — but spaces are not unlimited, and the logistics of getting to one of the world's most remote islands mean that early planning pays off. Don't wait until it's full to decide you were the kind of person who would have gone.
St Helena will be here. The question is whether you will be too.
Booking Your St Helena Experience — On the Ground With Destination St Helena
Getting to St Helena is one thing. Making the most of every single day you're here is another. As a dedicated Destination Management Company, Destination St Helena exists to take care of everything from the moment you land — airport transfers, accommodation, island excursions, and all the logistics in between — so that you arrive as a visitor and leave feeling like you know this island from the inside out.
Whether you're looking for a tailored package built around the marathon and Adventure Week, a self-catering retreat to recover and explore at your own pace, or simply a reliable, knowledgeable pair of hands on the ground, we're here to make it happen.
Browse our current packages or reach out directly through our contact form and we'll put together something that works for you. St Helena is a small island — but what we can do with it is anything but.
