Nightingale Islands Cruise Shuttles

A trio of isles, the Nightingale Islands are a miniature stretch of lands part of the larger Tristan da Cunha Archipelago. All under the umbrella of England’s South Pacific properties, guests visiting the mostly uninhabited terrains of Nightingale Islands will be pleasantly surprised at the lush wilderness and freedoms available along various jungle trails. The close settlement of Edinburgh offers a modern cruise port along its island’s north shore, while smaller boats, and potentially ferries, can guided passengers ashore to the smaller isles. Of course, once land is reached guests may be surprised to see that there is a lack of roads, though an extensive foot path trail proves that the seemingly empty patch of land is visited quite often. Bring a good pair of hiking shoes, perhaps a hiking stick, and a good defense plan (bug spray, sunscreen and hats) to truly experience the island in comfort.

Compared to its neighboring ‘Inaccessible Island’, the much smaller Nightingale Islands actually get a lot more traffic due to their much easier to access shorelines. Along the northeast coast rests a trailhead starting at a small cove-like beach. Signs will guide guests through the trail, passing a small structure that will (hopefully) have a map. The trail continues in two directions; in one direction, to the right, the trail dead-ends along a scenic view of the island’s northernmost point - walk back to explore the rest of the trail, which continues much deeper into a southern patch of woods, along the scenic foothills of the central mountain, and ending toward a forest and central watery grotto dubbed ‘The Ponds’. For even more adventure, the smaller Middle Island is located just off the northern shore, while the incredibly narrow and difficult-to-reach Stoltenhoff Island offers a windy challenge atop thin stones of grass.