Private Guided Nature Hike in Morne Seychellois National Park, Mahe

Morne Seychellois National Park: the green heart of Mahé

Morne Seychellois National Park covers about a fifth of Mahé, a mountain spine of granite peaks, mist forest and mangrove that rises to 905 metres at Morne Seychellois itself, the highest point in the Seychelles. It was created in 1979 to protect the island's endemic plants and animals: six species of palm found nowhere else, the Seychelles pitcher plant, the jellyfish tree, bronze geckos, tree frogs and birds such as the Seychelles blue pigeon, bulbul and sunbird. There are no roads inside; the trails are forest paths over rocks and roots.

A guided hike in Morne Seychellois National Park is the best way to see this side of the Seychelles, because the trailheads are unmarked and the plants are easy to walk past without a guide who knows them. On this private hike our guide walks only with your party, so the pace, the stops and the questions are yours alone.

Copolia Trail: the easiest climb with the biggest view

Copolia is the most popular trail on Mahé and the easiest of the four: about 1.3 km each way from the Sans Souci road, climbing through shaded forest for roughly forty-five minutes to a bare granite plateau at about 500 metres. The reward is a panorama over Victoria, Eden Island, the islands of St Anne Marine Park and, on a clear day, Praslin on the horizon. Near the top you walk past the Seychelles pitcher plant, a carnivorous plant that grows only on these granite slopes, so take your photos carefully and stay on the rock.

The Copolia trail entrance fee is paid locally by card for everyone aged twelve and over and is not included in the price. It is the right choice for families with children, first-time hikers and anyone who wants the view with the least effort. Allow about two hours on the trail including time at the top.

Morne Blanc: mist forest and the west coast

Morne Blanc starts from the tea plantation on the Sans Souci road and climbs steeply to a viewpoint at 667 metres on the edge of a cliff above the west coast. The trail is short, about 650 metres each way, but it gains more than 250 metres and takes forty-five minutes to an hour of steady climbing over roots and steps. The forest here is true mist forest, with moss, tree ferns, endemic palms and the Seychelles tree frog calling from the wet leaves.

At the top a small wooden platform looks down on Port Glaud, the island of Thérèse and the lagoon of Port Launay, with the sea shading from green to deep blue. Clouds roll over the ridge quickly, so the morning start of this private hike gives the best chance of a clear view. There is no entrance fee for Morne Blanc.

Lower Trois Frères: the three brothers above Victoria

The Trois Frères are the three peaks that stand directly above Victoria, and the lower trail starts near the Sans Souci forestry station and climbs through forest to a rock outcrop with a wide view over the capital, the harbour and Eden Island. The walk is about an hour each way on a mix of steps, roots and bare granite; it is steeper than Copolia and some sections need hands as well as feet, which is why our guide chooses the line and sets the pace for your group.

Along the way you see the Seychelles pitcher plant, wild vanilla, cinnamon trees left from the plantation era and, with luck, the Seychelles kestrel. A trail entrance fee for Lower Trois Frères is paid locally by card by everyone aged twelve and over. It is a good choice for fit walkers who want more challenge than Copolia with the same kind of view.

Anse Major: the coastal trail to a secluded beach

Anse Major is the only one of the four trails that ends at the sea. It starts at Danzil, past Bel Ombre on the north-west coast, and follows the granite shoreline inside the national park for about 2 km each way, with little shade but constant views over the water, before dropping to a small beach that can only be reached on foot or by boat. The walking is mostly level with some rocky sections; it takes about an hour each way and is best started early before the sun is high.

At the beach there is time to swim, if the sea is calm, and to rest before walking back. Is Anse Major worth the walk? For guests who want nature and a beach in the same morning, it is the most rewarding trail on Mahé, and because this hike is private, your guide can extend the beach stop within the four hours. There is no entrance fee for Anse Major.