| Kind of Adventure | Kilometers | Level of Difficulty |
| Hiking | 8 km | Hard |
Le Morne Brabant is a basaltic monolith in the extreme south-west of the island of Mauritius. It is not Mauritius’ highest mountains but it is spectacular in its own right due to its situation on a peninsula and its history as a refuge of escaped slaves the so-called maroons. It has a hight of 550 meters above sea level and has many caves and overhangs.
Mauritius is an island-country in the Indian Ocean. Geographically it belongs to Africa although culturally it is has a mix of French and Indian culture brought along by it now inhabitants.
Mauritius was originally uninhabited. Arab sailors probably used the island as a stopover on their voyages through the Indian Ocean. The first Europeans who set foot on the island were Portuguese sailors in 1507. A Dutch fleet took possession of the island and naming it after Maurice, Prince of Oranje. The settlement was short-lived however and in 1715 the French moved in and settled the island to grow sugarcane and cutting the ebony forests.
The French were the first settlers to stay and they brought their culture, their language and their slaves with them. Mauritius became a thriving plantation island and was renamed Ile de France. The islands population rose to 49 000 and slaves were brought over in high numbers, making Mauritius a center of the booming slave trade. Slaves accounted for 80% of the islands population.
In 1810 the British Navy captured Mauritius and the French garrison surrendered after the British promised that the French planters could keep their language, properties and culture. So only the name changed back to the original Mauritius, but affairs under the British did not change much.
Once salvery was abolished, the British brought in a large number of indentured labourers, mostly from India to work the plantations. Between 1834 and 1921 around half million of Indians arrived at Mauritius to work on sugar estates, in factories and on construction sites. Most of them stayed even when their contracts ended and they formed the the basis for the ethnic diversity which is Mauritius today.
Mauritius became independent in 1968 and a republic in 1995. It is a diverse country in ethnicity, culture and faith. 67% of the population are of Indian origin, 28% creole, 3% Chinese and 2% French. Almost half of the population is Hindu, the rest Christian and Muslim.
Mauritius ranks 73rd in the Human Development Index and is classified as a high income economy. It is one of the most developed countries of Africa and a welfare state. Universal healthcare, education and public transportation are mostly free. Mauritius is one of the most peaceful countries of the African continent.
The island has been created by vulcanism and is geologically speaking, still very young. 8 million years ago, underwater volcanos erupted, creating the islands of Mauritius, Reunion and Rodrigues. As a result Mauritius is mountainous and a hotspot for biodiversity.
Its climate is tropical with a warm and humid summer from November till April and a cool and dry winter from June till September.
The Journey
I have been to Mauritius only twice as it is a popular destination for the crews. We have al lovely hotel by the beach and you can do watersports or just enjoy the sunshine. The problem is that I always have ants in my pants and can never be still for more than one day.
Hiking Le Morne was already on my mind when I came the first time but then I postponed as I did other things. So this time I firmly planned it out. I brought hiking gear and a backpack and rented a car for 1 day. None of my colleagues wanted to join me, so I went alone. The car was brought to the hotel at 8:30 so I set out at 9 am and drove around 1,5 hours to the parking lot of the hike. The road there was pretty bad but a lot of cars were already parked there.
At the entrance you will need to fill out a liability waiver form and a risk acknowledgement. It is quite a bit of paper work and it made me think about my decision to climb the mountain. I was hesitant but decided to press on.
The first couple of kilometres are pretty boring. It is a fairly wide road leading up the mountain in serpentines. It was hot and humid. I wished I could have started earlier. My clothes stuck to my skin as I was sweating like anything. Half way up I sat down to rest a little. Suddenly I felt tired and unsure that I wanted to continue. Nevertheless I did.
Finally I came to the first viewpoint and it did recharge me. A light breezed cooled my skin and blew away my tiredness. I came to the point were the proper road ended and a path went on. I preferred that greatly and went on more energetically than before. Finally I reached a clearing with a warning sign. Till here it had been easy, now the difficult part was waiting for me.
I looked up and just saw this steep mountainside and was wondering how you can possible get up there. I would soon find out.
First the trail is easy enough, steep but manageable. I climbed over some rocks and through thick vegetation but it was still a hike. Until I reached what basically was the base of a wall of jagged rock rising nearly vertically in front of me. I looked up and was dishearten. How to get on now?
A couple passed me, the guy happily leading the way and the girl terrified. Just a few meters into the climb she basically refused to get on and climbed back to the bottom were I was still sitting and debating what to do. Some more people passed me, among them an elderly women from Austria wearing sneakers.
It was then that I gathered my courage to battle the climb. If she could do it, I could. This was my logic and it helped to propel me up. The granite was easy enough to climb. There were enough ledges and footholds and so I climbed bit by bit, terrified by my own courage. I am generally afraid of heights but never let my fear deter me from adventures.
Finally I was up on a small plateau. I was covered in sweat and grime but grinning like a mad woman. But it was not over yet. After some easier going I reached the ledge directly under the summit. Before me was another steep wall of rock. In the middle part was a rope, the climbers could use to reach another ledge and it looked a lot more difficult than the first climb I had already managed. I had made it up to here, the view was fantastic, I could call it a day and go back down. There thoughts were in my mind.
But then I saw an elderly, overweight woman climbing up towards the summit and again I knew if she could do it, I could. It took all my courage and skill to get up there but in the end I did it. It was my personal victory over my fears and the views from the top were amazing. Enough to make it worth it.
Just a note, the summit you reach climbing is not the actual summit but a small plateau a little below the main summit. So while the views are still amazing, they are not 360 degrees.
The descent was better than I thought. It was not easy but it was okay and I reached my car after 3 hours. As a reward I went to the Rochester Falls afterwards and had a cool-off in the pool under the falls. It was the best cool-off ever and I loved how the sweet water washed away all the sweat and grime of the day.
Preparations
If you want to hike up Le Morne Brabant, keep in mind that it is a strenuous hike. Not very long, it can be easily done in half day, but it involves serious climbing. You will gain 458 meters mostly during the last part of the hike and the path is steep and in parts vertical. You will need to be fit and in good shape to do it.
Thanks to the granite you will not need climbing gear, but sturdy hiking shoes are a must. I have seen a few people with sneakers, but it is really not safe.
Also during most part of the hike there is little shade. I wore a hat, sunglasses and put sunscreen on to avoid getting burnt.
Children are not allowed on the last part of the hike and I would not take any. The climb is so steep and you will need to scramble up and down on all fours. It is risky and taking smaller children is an absolute no-go.
The climb becomes extremely unsafe when it is raining. Rain makes the rocks slippery and you will no longe be able to get up and down safely.
If you prefer, you can also hire a guide to take you up and down. A guide has the advantage that he can point out the easiest route for you. I had to climb back a few times and try it at another angle when I went up. A guide can help you with this and bring you up safer and quicker.
Pack List/Important Things to consider before
- You will need to sign a waiver before going up
- The hike is free and does not involve any permits or fees
- Parking is free at the parking space
- The road to the parking is in a bad condition
- Bring enough water
- Protect yourself from the sun
All in all, it was definitely a wonderful hike and I can recommend it for anyone who plans to travel to Mauritius and loves to get up the mountains.
