Let’s talk about nature reserves in Mauritius. This tropical island off the east coast of Africa is known for its incredible beaches. It’s easy to spend a whole holiday on them.
But then you’re missing out on so much of the island – or should I say islands!
Mauritius is a boon for nature lovers. Here, there are mountains, waterfalls, forests, islands and coral reefs just waiting to be explored.
Some of the best natural attractions can be found in protected areas of conservation to preserve them for generations to come.
This guide to Mauritius nature reserves is by no means exhaustive, but it’s a comprehensive list of the best and most accessible ones you can visit.
So keep reading to discover all the natural beauty Mauritius has to offer!
The Seven Coloured Earth Geopark is one of the best nature reserves in Mauritius!
A note about nature reserves in Mauritius
You might be thinking, ‘what’s so great about nature reserves and why should I visit?’ or you might already know. Nature reserves are protected areas of land or sea.
They’re managed by local authorities such as the Mauritian wildlife Foundation to preserve their rich ecosystems, historical heritage and biodiversity.
Quite often with nature reserves work involves fixing past damage such as removing invasive species, restoring at-risk wildlife populations and monitoring the health of the ecosystem.
If you want to do more sustainable activities on your travels, visiting nature reserves is a great option. They give you a chance to get out into nature and give back to the environment.
Not all nature reserves in Mauritius are about gentle walks and hikes. You can go trekking, quad biking, zip-lining and so much more. Plenty to get the adrenaline pumping!
Nature reserves in the mountains
No matter where you stay in Mauritius, you’re bound to see towering peaks somewhere on the horizon.
These mountain nature reserves feel remote without actually being too difficult to get to. Some are even free entry.
Visit, hike and feel on top of the world!
Black River Gorges National Park
Located in the southwest of Mauritius, Black River Gorges National Park covers 6574 hectares of indigenous forest. Here you’ll find the highest peak in Mauritius – Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire.
The national park is the largest protected area in Mauritius. Managed by the National Parks and Conservation Service, it’s free to enter and has plenty of trails for hiking enthusiasts.
None of the walks exceeds a day but you can expect intrepid adventures through native undergrowth, epic mountains and waterfall views including Alexandra Falls.
Honestly, it’s one of the best places to go in Mauritius for walks and wild nature.
If you would rather have a more chilled visit than hiking, head to Black River Gorges Viewpoint for uninterrupted hilly views. You can get there by car too. Easy!
Ebony Forest Reserve
Ebony Forest Reserve is a prime example of conservation in action. Located in Chamarel, the 50-hectare conservation area is slowly being restored to its original, indigenous forest state.
Bit by bit, the team are removing pests and invasive trees to create a haven for threatened native plants and animals.
Ebony Forest Reserve is an ideal day out for hikers, families and wildlife lovers. Take a look at the young tree nursery, plant your own tree and see giant tortoises all in a day!
The absolute best thing to do here is the iconic canopy walk up to Sublime Point. It’s a short hike through the trees which ends in a stunning view across Mauritius.
Take it further by carrying on up to Piton Canot or relaxing with a nibble and a drink at the teeny tiny cafe.
Entrance fees vary depending on the activities you plan to do. Check the website for the most up-to-date prices.
Vallée d’Osterlog
Located in the southeast of Mauritius, Vallée d’Osterlog is a beautiful botanical garden and nature sanctuary for rehabilitated indigenous forests and plant species.
Tucked between Mountain Lagrave and Mountain Laselle in the Créoles Mountain Range, it feels like you’ve uncovered a secret garden.
The entrance to the nature park can be found down a long rocky road. You’ll be greeted by a lush green forest canopy before you even reach the gate.
Come here to see baby giant tortoises, hike and bike. The hiking trail has a moderate difficulty level with wooden steps built into steep slopes.
Follow the trail up Cascade Tortue (the Tortoise Waterfall) – so named because of the huge rock at the bottom of the falls that looks like a tortoise shell!
Photo credit: Canva.com
Speaking of waterfalls…
Nature reserves with waterfalls
Who doesn’t love a dramatic waterfall!?
Mauritius is home to plenty of utterly gorgeous cascades. Some hidden away and some not. Some in nature reserves and some not but the area is still just as stunning anyway.
Below are some top nature reserves that feature picturesque waterfalls. I recommend treating them as an added benefit rather than visiting BECAUSE of them if you see what I mean…
Bel Ombre UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
You know anything that’s UNESCO certified is going to be something to remember. The Bel Ombre Biosphere certainly doesn’t disappoint!
Located right down the bottom of Mauritius in the southwest, the nature reserve takes you into a Jurassic world that time forgot.
The vast reserve covers 3594 hectares of indigenous vegetation and forest.
Here you can spot rare wildlife such as the Pink Pigeon and Mauritian Fody. Keep an eye out for the giant fruit bats flapping over the canopy. Don’t worry, they’re fruitarians, not cousins of Dracula!
The biosphere reserve has plenty here to keep you occupied. Explore the jungle on 4x4s, a guided trek, and quad bikes or make a relaxed day of it in the picnic pods by the wild Frederica Waterfall.
Heritage Nature Reserve
It’s somewhat rare for a luxury resort to have a piece of land and NOT build it up… That’s exactly what Heritage Resorts have done.
Neighbouring Bel Ombre Biosphere Reserve (in fact, they pretty much get merged into one), is Heritage Nature Reserve.
Some 1300 hectares, the protected area is nestled between the Indian Ocean and the wild forests of the south.
It’s essentially a baby version of the biosphere reserve. Just as wild and beautiful still. You can visit whether or not you’re a guest at the resort.
For waterfalls, do the Two Waterfalls Walking Trail – it takes just 2 hours to complete. Easy.
For something a little more unusual, you can do a segway tour. Hop on a buggy or quad bike for a bit of a thrill or get trekking with a guide.
Read More: 19 Best Places To Stay In Mauritius + Coolest Areas
Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth
Arguably one of the best things to do in Mauritius, Chamarel’s Seven Coloured Earth is a Geopark with two stunning attractions: the Seven Coloured Earth AND Chamarel Waterfall.
The Seven Coloured Earth is a mound of small multi-coloured sand dunes.
The extraterrestrial-looking spectacle was formed out of the conversion of basaltic lava to clay minerals over millions of years. It’s seriously cool and not unlike Peru’s Rainbow Mountain!
The Geopark has an easy-to-follow walkway that leads you past a giant tortoise pen. Keep going through lush green vegetation until you catch a glimpse of Chamarel Waterfall.
The tallest and one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Mauritius, it plunges some 83m down the mountains of Black River Gorges.
Editor’s tip: For even more breathtaking waterfalls, don’t miss Tamarind Falls. Here you’ll find cascades galore with seven waterfalls to explore! Bring your togs and spend a blissful day swimming, chilling and hiking!
Island nature reserves
What’s a tropical destination without a tropical island paradise? Mauritius has some 49 uninhabited islands just off its coast.
Some are designated nature reserves that are used for scientific research only. No tourists allowed.
Some islands you can visit with special permission or with a guide. Others are inhabited and have designated conservation areas.
I 100% recommend visiting one of these islands below for castaway vibes and to get a glimpse of what Mauritius was like before the arrival of people.
Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve
The tiny islet off the southeast coast of the mainland is only 27 hectares long but it still feels just as wild as other nature reserves.
Sitting atop coralline limestone lies one of the last remaining dry coastal forests in Mauritius.
On Ile aux Aigrettes, giant tortoises reign supreme in their natural habitat. No pens this time, the adults get to roam, munch and snooze across the island. Very jealous!
Run by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, you can only visit this nature reserve on a guided tour but it’s absolutely worth it.
The 2-hour tour includes a boat ride to the island where your guide will lead you through native ebony trees and show you rare and wonderful wildlife.
Ile aux Aigrettes is a prime example of ecotourism at its best. It’s a great day out if you want to get in the midst of nature without too much effort. Plus, you get to meet giant tortoises!
There is an entrance fee but the money goes towards the crucial conservation of endangered wildlife such as the Pink Pigeon and Telfair’s Skink.
Rodrigues Island
Travel north-east of Mauritius 600km across the Indian Ocean and you’ll come to Rodrigues, one of the world’s most remote inhabited islands.
A peaceful town, pristine beaches and the freshest seafood await. There are some stunning nature reserves to explore too.
To the west of the island is Francois Leguat Reserve, an ambitious project which aims to restore a part of the island.
The 20-hectare reserve has a museum, indigenous forest and even an on-site restaurant for when you get a bit peckish.
It also has the highest density of land tortoises to have ever existed on earth!
Another amazing feature is the Grande Caverne, an enormous limestone cave complete with raised walkways and eco-friendly lighting.
And if that wasn’t enough, Rodrigues has other nature reserves including Grande Montagne, Anse Quitor and two islets, Ile aux Sables and Ile aux Cocos!
Photo credit: Canva.com
Editor’s tip: Heads up, to get to Rodrigues you’ll need to either fly or get the ferry. Flying is the quickest way to get there. The ferry is a cargo vessel which is in itself an adventure but it takes 28-30 hours!
Marine reserves
Since Mauritius is an island it would be remiss if we didn’t cover a couple of marine parks and reserves along its coastline!
Unfortunately, many of the coral reefs around Mauritius shores have succumbed to bleaching.
As a result, much of the marine life around the island was depleting. Marine conservation areas are now more important than ever in Mauritius!
Help them protect their reefs by wearing reef-safe sunscreen and clear up any litter you find on the beaches or in the sea.
Anse la Raie Lagoon
Anse la Raie Lagoon is a Voluntary Marine Conservation Area (VMCA), a community-led agreement that no destructive activities will be carried out there.
You can visit the lagoon on a snorkelling trail. It’s a little-known trail so you pretty much have the water to yourself.
The best way to do it is to stay at Lagoon Attitude Hotel and book the activity through them. From there, you’ll be able to hire snorkelling gear and a guide will take you out on a glass-bottomed boat to the marine reserve.
Follow the snorkelling trail that’s signposted on the sea bed (a bit like a treasure map!) and enjoy an underwater world teeming with life!
Photo credit: Canva.com
Blue Bay Marine Park
Located in an enclave on the southeast coast, Blue Bay Marine Park is one of the best places to go snorkelling in Mauritius.
The nature reserve has one of the most beautiful beaches on the island with pretty views out towards Ile des Deux Cocos.
Underwater, you’ll find a coral garden, home to a 1,000-year-old brain coral which is 5 metres in diameter!
Brain coral aside, there are 38 species of coral and 72 species of tropical fish that live in the reserve. Look out for butterfly fish, cometfish, damselfish, parrotfish and clownfish to name a few.
Other residents are sea turtles that like to hang out among the seagrass.
There are plenty of Blue Bay Marine Park tours you can do. This Mauritius tour includes snorkelling gear, a trip in a glass-bottomed boat AND a Creole lunch on a private island.
Editor’s tip: Read my roundup of the best tours and day trips you need to do in Mauritius.
Photo credit: Canva.com
Final thoughts: nature reserves in Mauritius
Mauritius is bursting with incredible nature that goes far beyond beaches and palm trees.
Better yet, the country has made an effort to protect thousands of hectares of land and ocean to preserve their biodiversity, historical heritage and ecosystems.
It wasn’t always the case though. Much of the island’s indigenous forest was cut down to make way for sugarcane plantations.
The arrival of humans put wildlife at risk with animals such as the dodo and native giant tortoise going extinct.
By the way, all those giant tortoises you can see are actually from Seychelles!
Now, the nature reserves in Mauritius give the island a chance to undo the damage of the past. They are a haven for the wilderness where untouched natural beauty reigns.
Waterfalls mountains, caves, gorges, forests and coral reefs; there’s so much to see. Plus you can be as adventurous or chilled out as you want.
So if you want to see Mauritius in all its natural glory, head to the nature reserves.
Remember, any entrance fees you pay support conservation so it’s a great way to ensure your travel are doing some good!
Looking for more Mauritius travel tips?
- Best Mauritius Tours: 11 Top-Rated Excursions You Need To Book
- Epic Mauritius Itinerary: How To Spend 10 Days In Paradise
- Mauritius Travel Guide: Tips To Know Before You Go
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