Hiking in Mauritius: 17 guided hikes in 6 areas, 2026 prices

This is the Mauritius hike that dominates the Manawa rankings by a wide margin, with 5 out of 5 from 55 verified reviews, the highest volume of feedback in the island's entire hiking line-up. The route descends gradually into the Tamarin gorges, on the south-west flank of Black River Gorges National Park, following the river as it drops through 7 successive falls down to the lagoon.

The route alternates jungle trails, river crossings and rocky plateaus. Several natural pools allow for a swim along the way, so pack swimwear and a light towel in your bag. The duration quoted by Yanature ranges from 3 hours (a short version covering the first 3 falls) to 7 hours (the full descent of all 7 falls with a picnic lunch), decided at the briefing depending on the group's level.

Who it's for: travellers who want to see waterfalls while racking up swimming spots, intermediate-level hikers comfortable on slippery sections, teens from age 12 who are comfortable in water. Who it's not for: kids who are too young (some sections require sound judgement of danger), people with reduced mobility, hikers who hate wet shoes for the rest of the day.

Manawa rate €34.05 per person, one of the best value-for-money rates on the island for 3 to 7 supervised hours. Flexible weather cancellation. Included: a French-speaking guide and a safety briefing. Bring closed walking shoes that dry quickly, swimwear, a towel, tropical insect repellent, 1.5L of water, a snack.

Le Morne Brabant is the most photographed summit in Mauritius: a 555-metre basalt mountain planted at the south-western tip of the Le Morne peninsula, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008 for its role as a maroon refuge in the 18th century. Manawa rating 5 out of 5 from 28 verified reviews, the second most reviewed hike in the line-up after the 7 Cascades of Tamarin.

The trail climbs the northern flank over 3.5 hours there and back, through endemic dry forest, before opening onto a rocky plateau that marks the start of the final technical section. The last 200 metres run along a steep ridge, with a few sections where you use your hands (no climbing gear needed, but solid rock holds). From the summit, a 360° view over the peninsula's lagoon, the coral reef and, on a clear day, the optical illusion of the underwater waterfall offshore.

Who it's for: hikers used to 3 hours of uphill walking, travellers after the most recognisable Mauritian symbol, photographers after the raking light at sunrise or late in the day. Who it's not for: travellers prone to vertigo on the final ridge (package 16 below, in a small group, and package 17, which skirts the summit, suit better then), kids too young for the hands-on scramble.

Manawa rate €44.06 per person. Flexible weather cancellation. Departure is usually early morning to avoid the heat on the exposed plateau. Bring grippy walking shoes, a cap, at least 2L of water, reef-safe sunscreen, light long clothing for the dry forest.

Black River Gorges National Park covers 6,754 hectares of native forest, the largest protected land area in Mauritius. This 3-hour hike ventures off the beaten path into sections only accessible with an accredited guide. Manawa rating 5 out of 5 from 3 verified reviews (a small but consistent volume).

The route crosses several types of vegetation: rainforest on the heights, fruit-bat savanna (the Mauritian black flying fox, an endemic species, can be spotted from certain viewpoints), steep-sided gorges with secondary waterfalls. The guide talks about the endemic wildlife, the pink pigeon, the Mauritius kestrel, the Mauritian ornate day gecko, often visible from the trails early or late in the day.

Who it's for: families with kids from age 8 who want to understand Mauritian nature, travellers curious about birdwatching, beginner hikers. Who it's not for: travellers after a sustained climb (take the €44 Le Morne Brabant hike instead), travellers allergic to tropical mosquitoes (the humid forest zones call for effective repellent).

Manawa rate €44.26 per person, half-day format. Flexible weather cancellation. Departure is from the park's main entrance, a 30-45 minute drive from Tamarin or Black River. Bring closed walking shoes, effective tropical insect repellent, binoculars if you're interested in birdwatching, 1.5L of water, a snack.

This is the same Yanature team as package 1 and the same setting, the 7 Cascades of Tamarin, but on a version where the format is decided on the morning of departure depending on the group's level: half-day (the first 3 falls, 3 hours of walking) or full day (all 7 falls with a picnic lunch near the last pool, around 8 hours on the ground). Manawa rating 5 out of 5 from 5 verified reviews.

The appeal of this package over package 1 (5/5 from 55 reviews) lies in the flexibility announced upfront: useful if you're travelling in a group with mixed fitness levels, or if the forecast leaves doubt over your available window. The rate is slightly higher (€38 versus €34) because the full-day version includes the picnic.

Who it's for: mixed groups (teens and adults), travellers who want to keep the option to shorten the hike if the heat builds up too fast, foodies who enjoy lunch by a natural pool. Who it's not for: travellers who want the most proven option (package 1 has 11 times more verified reviews), expert hikers (the 7 falls are accessible without a guide outside the rainy season if you're used to river crossings).

Manawa rate €38.49 per person. Flexible weather cancellation. Bring the same gear as package 1, swimwear and a towel for swimming, tropical insect repellent, lunch if you're taking the half-day version (a picnic isn't provided on the half-day).

Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire peaks at 828 metres: the highest point in Mauritius, standing at the heart of Black River Gorges National Park. The hike climbs over 4 hours there and back, with around 500 metres of elevation gain on a steep but well-marked trail. Manawa rating 5 out of 5 from 2 verified reviews, a small but consistent volume to date.

The route starts in rainforest, crosses a zone of fruit-bat savanna, then climbs towards the rocky summit via a relatively short but exposed final ridge. From the top, a 360° panorama over the entire south-west of the island: Le Morne Brabant on the horizon, the Tamarin lagoon, the coral reef, and on a clear day the island's southern tip.

Who it's for: hikers used to sustained elevation gain (500m of climbing in one session), travellers who collect high points, photographers after a wider panorama than Le Morne Brabant offers. Who it's not for: kids (the climb is continuous and demanding), travellers after a swim (no pool along the route), people prone to vertigo on the final ridge.

Manawa rate €42.51 per person. Flexible weather cancellation. Start early in the morning to avoid the heat on the final exposed section. Bring grippy hiking shoes, a cap, at least 2L of water, energy snacks, light long clothing for the occasionally scratchy vegetation.

This is the same Le Morne Brabant ascent (556m, UNESCO-listed) as package 2, but in a format limited to a small group of participants, with a single guide who adapts the pace and takes longer, more detailed pauses on the site's maroon history. Manawa rating 5 out of 5 from 1 verified review at this stage.

The €68 per person rate (versus €44 on the standard version) is justified by the smaller format and more personalised supervision on the final ridge, where the hands-on scramble can feel intimidating. It's the right choice if you're travelling as a couple, a small family, or if you need a pace suited to an intermediate level rather than a standard sporty group.

Who it's for: couples after a more intimate experience, hikers who need an attentive guide on the technical section, travellers who want to take their time at this memorial site (the area holds the memory of the maroon slaves who threw themselves from the summit when the abolition ships arrived in 1835). Who it's not for: self-sufficient sporty groups (take the €44 version instead), tight budgets.

Manawa rate €68 per person. Flexible weather cancellation. Expect a longer briefing at the start and a pace adapted to the group. Bring the same gear as package 2, but the gentler pace lets you bring a bulkier camera if you want to document the site.

Le Pouce is the third-highest summit in Mauritius at 811 metres (behind Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire and Pieter Both). It overlooks the capital Port-Louis and its commercial port, and the ascent follows the historic trail climbed in 1836 by Charles Darwin during the Beagle's stopover in Mauritius. No reviews published on Manawa for this package to date (a relatively recent listing).

The route climbs the southern flank over 4 hours there and back, through highland pastures before a final rocky section shaped like a thumb (hence the summit's name). A 360° view over Port-Louis, the port, the Plaine de Wilhems and, on a clear day, the island's east coast. Access is easier from the centre of the island than the summits of the western national park.

Who it's for: travellers staying in the centre or in Port-Louis, hikers interested in the island's history (Darwin, the Beagle's stopover), photographers after an urban-and-sea panorama in one. Who it's not for: travellers staying on the west coast (long transfers), kids too young for the final rocky section.

Manawa rate €34.78 per person. Flexible weather cancellation. An early-morning start is recommended for the light and cooler air. Bring grippy hiking shoes (the last section is rocky), 2L of water, a cap, binoculars are handy for spotting the port of Port-Louis from the summit.

This is the most different hiking package in the line-up: a full day combining 3 sites in south-east Mauritius with no major elevation gain, leaning more towards discovery than sport. Île aux Aigrettes is a 27-hectare nature reserve managed by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, home to the last of Mauritius's endemic plant and animal species (giant tortoises, ornate day geckos, pink pigeons). No reviews published to date, a recent listing.

The programme typically runs: Île aux Aigrettes in the morning (a 2-hour guided visit, reached by boat from Pointe Jérôme), Vanille Nature Park in Rivière des Anguilles (a crocodile park, giant tortoises, lemurs) around midday, then late afternoon at Gris Gris beach (basalt cliffs battered by southern swell, with no lagoon or coral reef, the most exposed stretch of Mauritius's south coast to the open Indian Ocean).

Who it's for: families with kids from age 6 who want to see several sites in one day, travellers in transit through the airport (SSR airport is 15 minutes from Blue Bay and Pointe Jérôme), anyone curious about Mauritian endemic biodiversity. Who it's not for: sporty hikers (take Le Morne Brabant or Petite Rivière Noire instead), travellers who dislike days split across several sites with transfers.

Manawa rate €56.67 per person, the most affordable full-day supervised option with transfers included. Flexible weather cancellation. Bring closed walking shoes (uneven terrain on Île aux Aigrettes), swimwear and a towel for Gris Gris, a hat, insect repellent, plenty of water for the day.