The Ebony Forest trails, Chamarel

What sets it apart

The Flycatcher raised walkway crosses an old-growth ebony forest for some three hundred metres, on a guided tour of about thirty minutes; it has 113 steps up and 142 down, and rises more than four metres above the ground. It is reached by a 1.3-kilometre approach, fifteen to twenty minutes. The Ridgeline Trail leads to Sublime Point in 1.1 kilometres and about half an hour. The Piton Canot trail climbs one hundred and forty metres in four hundred metres, to a summit at 542 metres. The return to the visitor centre takes 2.4 kilometres, thirty to fifty minutes. Viewpoints open onto Chamarel and the south-west coast.

The mood

The ticket gives access to the self-guided trails, the reserve’s museum, a wildlife film, six minutes in English or eight minutes in French, and a light snack at Sublime Point. The reserve also offers birdwatching, a vehicle tour and tree planting for two.

Highlights

• Easy hikes, from 2.3 to 6.1 kilometres
• The Flycatcher raised walkway, some 300 metres above an old-growth ebony forest
• Piton Canot, a summit at 542 metres, for 400 metres of trail and 140 metres of ascent
• Sublime Point, reached by 1.1 kilometres of Ridgeline Trail
• Restoration work carried on since 2006
• A wildlife film, eight minutes in its French version, and a museum included in the ticket

Good to know

• The walkway rises more than four metres above the ground: if you are prone to vertigo, tell the staff beforehand.
• Piton Canot can be slippery in wet weather.
• Last departure for Piton Canot at 4 pm, site closes at 5 pm: arrive before 2.30 pm.
• Prices: non-residents, 600 rupees per adult and 370 for ages 5 to 17; residents, 400 rupees per adult and 250 for ages 5 to 17; free up to age 4. Groups of more than ten residents pay 360 and 225 rupees.
• Buying online earns a ten per cent discount.
• Large groups and people with access difficulties: let the reserve know beforehand.

Getting there

The reserve is at 7 Coloured Earth Road, Chamarel, postcode 90409, and answers on +230 460 3030 or 460 3031. The site closes at 5 pm; it is best to arrive before 2.30 pm. Guided tours of the Flycatcher walkway leave every hour, from 9.30 am to 4 pm, and the last departure for Piton Canot is at 4 pm. Led by an experienced local guide, the guided tours need no booking and set no maximum group size.