Hiking Mauritius

THE hiking specialist in Mauritius, the one who has given the most impetus to this hobby from the outset, is Yan, a lovable Mauritian who is keen to help people get to know his island better through beautiful guided walks with commentary, at different levels. Respecting ecosystems, his team of professional guides offers a wide range of excursions throughout the island, including bird-watching treks for enthusiasts.

Yan also organizes tailor-made trail running sessions and offers kayak trips in Tamarin - river and/or sea to see dolphins.

This ultra-dynamic leisure park, designed to welcome individuals as well as groups, is run by young, multilingual teams bursting with energy. It's built around 23 unique coloured earths, discovered in 1998 by a Mauritian geologist and originating from the eruptions of the Bassin Blanc volcano. Under the effect of erosion, ash heaps of different metallic and chemical compositions have been altered and developed a palette of 23 colors ranging from dark red to pale yellow, mauve, bluish and greenish. This curiosity is just one of the many reasons to visit the Vallée des Couleurs Nature Park, which offers a wide range of activities.

Quad bikes and buggies. The classic, leisurely one-hour ride (1.5 hours with stops and photo breaks) takes you around the 23-colored lands and past other curiosities (turtle enclosures, waterfalls...). The more challenging two-hour tour leads to a river and climbs into the mountains.

Tyrolean traverse and Nepalese bridge. You'll fly over the estate via several zip lines (11 in all, with a choice of several routes), including the longest line in the Indian Ocean, over 1,500 metres. The latter is descended headfirst, suspended by the back in a prone position, and is one of the park's finest activities! The longest Nepalese bridge in this part of the world also gets the adrenalin pumping for 350 metres.

Bicycle zip-line. Unique to Mauritius, this activity offers the sensation of pedaling on a cable 18 meters above the ground, while chatting with your neighbor as four lines are stretched in parallel! Great photo opportunities!

Other activities are available, some of which (not all) are included in the price of the entrance ticket: go-kart sledging, signposted walks, mini-farm, large playground, private 4x4 tours, small museum, etc.

Three restaurant-lodges open out onto nature, offering lunch on site. La Citronelle offers Asian-Mauritian cuisine, with a choice of 3-course menus and several varieties of sizzler. La Bigarade is a huge restaurant featuring Mauritian and European cuisine, more suited to groups (themed buffets). Le Chamouzé, with its terrace overlooking a superb waterfall, is the fast-food option. The new Kasmaël bar offers a 360° view!

A Unesco World Heritage site, Morne Mountain is open to all, and has been designed for walking. The climb, which is quite steep at the end, offers the reward of a spectacular panorama from the near summit. From the parking lot, take an easy path for around 1h45, which narrows in its second section and finally becomes steep. At this point, you may have to climb, using the ropes provided. If you're prone to vertigo, the climb ends here! At the top, the 270-degree view is breathtaking. Allow 1h15 for the descent.

The Montagne du Lion is part of the Bamboo chain and majestically borders the bay of Vieux Grand Port, where General Decaen's staff watched Napoleon's only naval victory over the English in 1810. The French military also used the mountain as a lookout point. An emblematic feature of this part of the island, Lion Mountain can be seen from Mahébourg Bay, to which it adds height and relief against the sharp blue of the sea. Its peaks are said to resemble a lion at rest, with vegetation forming its mane. Use your imagination!

Although the mountain doesn't exceed 480 metres, its ascent presents a number of strenuous semi-climbing passages, not to mention the fact that the markings are sometimes covered by dense vegetation. The services of a guide are recommended.

To get there, take the track just before the police station (when arriving from the south) on leaving the village. Then take the first track on the right up through the sugar cane, following the red-orange signs. At the top, turn left, then take a path to the right. The path flattens out a little, there are some steps and then you follow a ridge to the summit with several really challenging sections. At the top, the view of the coastline and the immense southeastern lagoon is magnificent! The descent is just as challenging, so follow randopitons.re's directions and advice to make a loop.

It is one of the most beautiful hikes on the island, very popular with travelers without altering the magical feeling of being alone in the world. Spend at least half a day or a full day with a picnic - except for lunch in one of the seaside restaurants or huts.

The landscape alternates between immaculate and solitary dream beaches, sublime creeks and more rocky areas overhanging the ocean. We first pass by the long and beautiful wild beach of Graviers where the sea is quite rough. Then you come to Anse Bouteille with its superb sandbank overlooking a clear lagoon, squeezed between two walls. The Philibert Cove (or Grande Anse) that we reach next is named after a former governor of the island, Philibert Marangon. In this cove, beware of the currents. What a gift when, from the top of a cliff, you come across Trou d'Argent, THE most publicized beach of Rodrigues: a small cove embedded between two cliffs, ideal for swimming... The water is so clear that, even without a mask, you can see the bright colours of the fish. A little further north-east, between East Bay and Tasman, we cross a protected area planted with filaos. Then, the path follows the coastline again and crosses the superb beaches of Saint-François, Anse Ally and Fumier, idyllic in their gentle solitude. We finally arrive at Pointe Coton, where, after a last swim, we can have a drink at the Cotton Bay bar.

This easy walk reveals one of the most beautiful landscapes of the island: a vast plain covered with undulating grass, at the edge of a torn coast where the turquoise of the sea contrasts with the scorched yellow of the vegetation. Here and there, sea urchins dry in the sun, hanging from a stick in front of a fisherman's hut. Don't hesitate to go around Mapou Point for the view of Cocos Island and Sable Island, in the distance.

A unique way to discover the mythical, Unesco-listed mountain of Le Morne is to climb it with Yan, THE trekking specialist in Mauritius, or with one of the guides in his team. For a long time, only Yanature, a pioneering company, had exclusive rights to the site. Sport and culture in equal measure, with explanations of the flora, fauna and the site itself - a steep, wild mountain with a special ecosystem and a breathtaking view of the lagoon and Mauritius's south and west coasts from the cross 500 metres up.

Going west from Anse aux Anglais and well after Port Mathurin, we cross beautiful coastal landscapes such as Baie aux Huîtres (so named because of its shape) and Baie Malgache where many mangroves have been planted to fight against erosion. We pass in front of the prison whose door remains open during the day to allow the penitentiaries (poor bastards having generally forced themselves on rum) to go gardening or fishing.

Vertical World is a company specializing in outdoor activities in Mauritius. They offer hiking, canyoning, climbing and mountain activities. Their website offers more information on their services and rates. Vertical World also organizes team-building activities for groups.

It's the island's second-highest peak, at 823 meters, and much more technical and difficult to access than Le Pouce, to the point of requiring the accompaniment of a guide for its ascent. The mountain is emblematic and recognizable by the large, ball-shaped rock at its summit, which can only be reached by roping up. At the top, the 360-degree view across Mauritius to the northern islets is impressive. The descent can only be made by abseiling. A number of local service providers offer this service, including Vertical World, Otelair and Lokal Adventure.

At 812 metres,the mountain, worn down by erosion, is fairly easy to access and can be tackled with or without a guide, in an average of 3 hours round trip. Choose to climb the easier, better-marked south-facing slope. The hike begins on a wide dirt track through cane fields, leading to a first stony plateau, then a second, higher one. Then a steeper path to the right leads to the summit. From here, you can enjoy panoramic views over the whole island, including Port-Louis and Pieter Both.

This is one of the most beautiful sites in the interior: a group of seven waterfalls plunging into their natural basins. It's possible to walk to the top of the falls and then cover the first cascades in 2 to 3 hours - depending on bathing time! As the paths are not always well marked, or if you want to go further, we recommend a guide. A number of reliable companies organize this outing, including Lokal Adventure, Otelair, Vertical World and Yanature.

This is a short but steep hike for good walkers only. Remember to take water! In places, ropes help you up and down. At the start, walk along the left-hand side of the reservoir for about 20 meters, past a low wall and then a wire fence. Once you've passed the fence, walk along it until you come to a sign indicating the "z path". Follow this path to the top, where the 360° panorama of the lagoon and mountains is well worth the effort! Return down the same path.

At the end of the beach of Anse aux Anglais, follow the path along the sea. It ends at Grand Baie, absolutely superb in its deserted immensity. The landscape of the inlet, bordered in the background by a lush coconut grove, is reminiscent of an oasis. At low tide, it is possible to continue on foot through the rocks to Baladirou beach, nestled in a cove. Alternatively, go by the coastal road where cars are quite rare.