Le Morne trail entrance - Mauritius    Share

This is a must if you’re in the area! Upon entry you will be asked to sign in. I’ve been there twice and on my second trip I was given a questionnaire to fill in, it was basically asking if there should be an entrance fee. I, being a Mauritian, disagreed to this. Although I feel if they want to charge guests then it should be upon the use of the restroom facilities. The hike itself can be a bit grueling as it’s an incline but the views are totally worth it. If you feel you are capable then I would highly recommend that you climb the mountain. Please do wear a cap, keep hydrated, bring sunblock and make sure your phone or camera is fully charged for all the photos that I guarantee you’ll be taking! Restaurants are a way away so pack something to eat for when you get back down to the entrance. You will find benches to sit on over looking the water while you eat that well deserved meal. Trust me, you’ll thank me later!

Good trail for hiking lovers. Start earlier - 6:30- 7:00 - it will not be so hot and not so crowded. You need to be physically fit to get to the top.

It's fantastic. First 3km relatively easy. Last 500m difficult - you need to be really fit and wear proper shoes - no sandals! View from the top really breathtaking.

Challenging, but rewarding trail. Many blogs or posts indulge hiring a guide, but that is up to you only. Views are astonishing. And knowing the history, once you reach the top with the cross, commemorating those who chose death instead of life like a slave is just giving you the goose bumps how high you have reached. Gives a super good view to the illusion of the underwater waterfall.

EVERYTHING WE WISHED WE'D KNOWN ABOUT THE HIKE First and foremost, totally worth it! Beautiful hike and amazing views! We hiked it early Jan, 5 days after a CAT 3 cyclone- so fairly wet season. Be prepared to get muddy. The first bit to the main “South West Viewpoint” is strenuous because it’s uphill, but doable for all reasonably fit people, kids included. The view from here is phenomenal. If this is as far as you go- it’s still worth it! From sign in gate, to very top and back = 3hrs. From here to “the top” where the metal cross is, is no joke. If you’re a seasoned rock climber it’s probably a walk in the park. If you’re fit and not afraid of heights, it’s doable. Would absolutely not recommend doing this section with kids. Do not count on there being chains along the climbing sections to assist you- there were none when we were there. There is no marked path, you’re relying on well-worn looking areas and good foot & hand holds to lead the way. You’ll go through a green gate and the first bit is just a bit of scrambling over rocks, etc. No big deal. Then you’ll come to arguably the hardest bit. It’s sort of a tall, rocky wash-out going up at enough of an incline that you’re climbing with hands and feet. Honestly, it’s easier getting down than up, and it’s not something you’d want to fall down once you’ve committed to climbing. Once you’ve made it past ‘the hard bit’ it’s more of a scramble with a brief few climbing sections to the top. There are definitely a few points where if you’re queasy with heights it might not be a great idea to look down. At the top there is a large metal cross and assuming a cloud isn’t sitting on top- you’ll be treated to AMAZING 360 views! -MOSQUITOES: bring repellent, they are plentiful but not insane -WATER: Bring at minimum 1L per person. And for the love of all things holy- Pack in Pack Out! It was so sad to see the hundreds of empty plastic bottles in overflowing bins near the top of a remote UNESCO site. It weighs nothing. Take it with you. There are even big, designated recycling bins around the island. -THE RAIN: The entire hike can be done the day after a decent rain. We did it 5 days after a cyclone and one day after a downpour. Could be done in a drizzle. Just expect to get your feet wet and muddy. Would absolutely not attempt the top section of the hike in actual rain, or if a downpour were predicted. You would literally be climbing UP a mountain and near drop-offs on muddy, slippery rocks. You could do the hike to the South West Viewpoint in a decent rain (not heavy downpour), but the view may not be great. -PARKING: The turnoff from the road to start of hike is 1.5k long. It is a very muddy, potholed road, though many a small car makes it to the parking at the base of the hike. If you choose to park by main road and walk it, add 15-20min to your estimated time. -TIMING: 3pm (3:30 at the absolute latest if you're the speediest person on earth and plan on not taking any rest or picture breaks) is the latest to start the hike from the base to the top. All the times listed here are real times for two pretty fit, in our 30's, steady pace but taking breaks here and there for water or to take pics and enjoy the view (times listed are not the 'people say this hike takes 5 hours', but then you reasonably assume that really means 3) - Entry Gate (where you sign in) to South West Viewpoint: 60 mins - If you stop to enjoy the view and take pics: +10min (or however long) - South West Viewpoint to “the hardest bit”: 10 min - “the hardest bit”: 10 min - from end of “the hardest bit” to the top: 20 min - If you stop to enjoy the view and take pics at the top: +10min (or however long) It takes just over half the time to get down as it does to get up. We made it 500m down the potholed road in our little Suzuki before we parked (though I reckon we could have made it further). From there, back to the car took us 3.5 hrs. I wish we would have brought a book or snacks and enjoyed the views longer!