Hiking Le Morne Brabant has to be on the bucket list of anyone living or visiting Mauritius. The mountain offers breathtaking views of the island as well as its surrounding ocean. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 largely because of its sad history and connection to slavery.
Getting there
The trail opened officially to the public on the 24th of July 2016. It is accessible by car through two different routes. The first is by heading towards the kite surfing area after Le Morne public beach. The second is through a side road on the main road itself. Both roads are not surfaced as they get close to the site and quite a bit of caution should be exerted while driving there.
It can be confusing to get there. Click here for directions on Google Maps.
Park & Hike
There are no entrance fees to pay to hike the mountain however it may be a wise idea to hire a guide to assist you if you are not too familiar with the area. The terrain at some point can be tricky or slippery and the guide will also serve as a good history lesson about the iconic mountain. A register has to be filled in with the names of every hiker before entering or leaving the trail for obvious security reasons.
The initial part of the hike is fairly smooth with moderate inclination. The trees along the trail act as frames revealing the magnificent turquoise blue sea on clear days.
The hike only starts to get slightly more difficult as you reach mid way up the mountain. There you start encountering more challenging rocky terrain and steeper ascents.
Ropes have been set up to help you in making the ascent and subsequently the descent. As you get further up, a lot of care should be taken to reach the summit with its famous cross.
Grab Your Camera, Enough Water & Do Not Litter
The trail should take 4 to 5 hours to complete depending on your pace. Carry enough water to keep you hydrated but respect the luxury of having access to such a site. Unfortunately the trail is often seen with rubbish left by other hikers.
Consider carrying a portable phone charger. Not like network reception is great there but you do not want to miss the great scenery or the famous ‘underwater’ waterfall from above. Hiking Le Morne Brabant will definitely leave you with some good memories and another perspective of the island of Mauritius.
