Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
bird and a population of giant fruit bats that numbered more than 4000. This is also an im-
portant habitat for three of the island's most endangered bird species - the Mauritius
kestrel, the echo parakeet and the pink pigeon. Introduced wild boar, macaque monkeys
and curious deer also wander through the vast swaths of old-growth ebony, and sightings
are not uncommon.
PREPARING TO HIKE
If you decide to attempt a trip under your own steam, you'll need a private vehicle as getting to the trailheads can
be near impossible with public transport. The best option is to get a taxi to drop you off at a trailhead and then
pick up a bus at the lower end of the park; the coast road is well covered by buses travelling between the main
towns.
We suggest checking
www.fitsy.com
before you head out into the wild. This handy website features detailed
trail information using GPS and satellite coordinates.
Note that there is nowhere to buy food or drinks in the park. Make sure you bring plenty of water and energy-
boosting snacks. You'll also need insect repellent, wet-weather gear and shoes with good grip - no matter how
hot and sunny the coast may be it is usually wet and humid within the park. Consider binoculars for wildlife-
watching.
Activities
There are numerous trails that criss-cross Black River Gorges National Park like unravel-
ling shoestrings. While all of the trailheads are clearly marked along one of the two roads
running through the park, many of the paths can quickly get obscured in the brush, leaving
hikers confused. It's well worth stopping at one of the visitors centres to grab a crude map
and check in about the current state of the trails. We recommend hiring a guide if you're
serious about exploring the park and uncovering the majestic viewpoints. You can also
contact the visitors centres ahead of time to enquire about hiring a ranger.
If you choose one of the one-way trails that ends at the Black River Gorges Visitor
Centre, ring ahead to make sure that the road from Rivière Noire into the visitor centre is
open - it's sometimes impassable by vehicle, which may prevent the taxi you aranged to
meet you there from turning up!
The best time to visit the park is during the flowering season between September and
January. Look for the rare
tambalacoque
(dodo tree), the black ebony trees and the wild
guavas. Bird-watchers should keep an eye out for the Mauritius kestrel, pink pigeon, echo
parakeet and Mauritius cuckoo-shrike.
