Boosting its reputation for going where others don’t, Swan Hellenic has announced two Grand Voyages exploring southward along the West Coast of Africa this coming Fall 2026, plus a rich expansion of its celebrated West Africa expedition program to follow in 2027.

Typically for Swan Hellenic, all these cultural expedition voyages have been designed so they can be linked to create exclusive personal odysseys. For example, the two Fall 2026 Grand Voyages can be combined into a seamless 26-day exploration from Dakar to Luanda, spanning 14 countries, 18 ports and many more in-depth expeditions to unique historic sites and natural ecosystems.

In 2027, the program will grow in depth and variety to nine cruises across two seasons: Four northbound Springtime voyages of 14 countries in 46 days from Cape Town to Lisbon, and Five southbound Fall cruises spanning 15 countries in 51 days from Lisbon to Cape Town.

Now entering its fourth consecutive year in this rarely visited region, Swan Hellenic has acquired unmatched expertise in West Africa, forging deep, long-term relationships with local communities and authorities in every country visited. The voyages explore many places rarely, if ever, called at by other cruise lines — ranging from historic slave trading sites to places of outstanding natural beauty such as the remote Ilha dos Tigres in Angola, the pristine Loango National Park in Gabon, and the world-renowned birdwatching paradise of the Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania.

Cultural ceremonies, expert lectures and photography workshops at sea enrich these discoveries, transformed by the expert knowledge of renowned expedition guides and lecturers, together with the longstanding community partnerships that are the hallmark of Swan Hellenic’s approach to West Africa.

All these West Africa voyages are aboard the luxury boutique expedition ship SH Diana, which accommodates 192 guests in 96 staterooms and suites, the majority with large balconies. Despite the compact dimensions which enable this elegant ship to explore far off the beaten track, SH Diana offers a wide array of facilities, from a state-of-the-art gym, spa and panoramic sauna to a club room, swimming pool with poolside grill, three dining venues and a dedicated lecture theatre. Unusually, SH Diana carries Tender boats as well as expedition Zodiacs, enabling remote destinations to be visited in greater comfort.