Visiting the Ebony Forest in Mauritius

The island of Mauritius has a rich, complex history. It has seen numerous settlers leave their own stamps on the landscape, wildlife and culture, most of which is still visible today. Whilst I am sure all of you know the story behind the dodos, not many of you will know about the ebony trees. These large, (very) slow-growing trees once covered the island, but were felled by Dutch settlers when they arrived. This was because ebony was one of the most expensive woods, and still is today. Fortunately, these trees are now in a protected area, meaning that they cannot be cut down. When we went to Mauritius, we desperately wanted to go to the forests to see the trees and the local wildlife. This is my guide to visiting the ebony forest in Mauritius.

Visiting the Ebony Forest in Mauritius

Who to Tour with

The best trees are in the south of the island, by Chamarel. We booked our tour through Kuoni (plant a Love Tree), but you can also book directly through Ebony Forest. They offer a range of different tours and there are different prices associated with it. We went for the Plant a Love Tree tour, which involved a two hour guided tour of the forest and planting an endemic tree. Our tour included a drink, some authentic snacks and a gift too. On the Ebony Forest website, our tour costs around £26.00 for an adult. Hikes and bird watching experiences are similar prices, but all require booking in advance.

I should add that with the Kuoni tour we also had our own guide to the island who even tailored the day to our interests. We also had admission to Chamarel included in the price, which was an incredible experience. I think that Kuoni outsourced these to a company to Mautourco, who run the same tours directly. If you want to see the ebony forest in Mauritius, I cannot recommend enough. Our guide, Joel, was incredible.

Touring the Forest

Our tour began by us all hopping into a large safari jeep. It was really cool and had exceptionally comfortable seats! We all sat in on the back and were driven through the winding paths of the forest. We were treated to some incredible views and it felt like we were in Jurassic Park!

Once we stopped after five minutes, we entered the Flycatcher Walkway, so named due to the rare Mascarene Paradise Flycatcher that populates the area. We walked along the walkway through the jungle, seeing lizards, frogs and fruit bats as we did so. The path was elevated by up to four metres, so you really felt like you were in the midst of the canopy.

Ebony trees were all around us, which brought in an exceptional array of birdlife. Bulbul and tropic birds, alongside red foddies, were the most common sightings. However, when we were halfway around the track, our guide stopped us. We heard a high-pitched ‘mew’ noise and were told that a flycatcher was near. Eventually, we saw a vibrantly-coloured male up close. It really was an incredible sight, especially considering just how rare they are.

After an hour or so walking, we left the trail and walked back to the jeep. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. It was a family of baby tenrecs, which looked like the smallest, prickliest pigs you can imagine. We were told not to get too close as the mother was likely nearby. Keeping our distance, we admired them (and their unlimited cuteness) from afar, before jumping back in the jeep.

Planting the Love Tree

We drove through the forest for five more minutes and were told tales of the landscape from our guide. He was really professional, thoughtful and funny and made the day that bit more exciting. We stopped and were then given a native tree sapling.

Now, the next bit is a tad cringy, but I would just add that this was our honeymoon. We wrote down promises and messages to one another and planted these at the base of the hole we had dug. I poured in a generous amount of water and then placed our sapling on top of the messages. We then piled on dirt and made sure that the tree was secure. Whilst it was very lovey-dovey, we planted an indigenous tree to support the forest. In a few decades, I would love to return to see how it is getting on… If we can find it, that is!

Sublime Point

The last part of the journey was a trip to Sublime Point, the highest part of the reserve. We were the lucky ones; other groups had to walk the climb in the severe heat. Regardless, we were still thirsty and hungry after putting in a good amount of work planting our tree.

Our guide gave us a can of Coca Cola and a selection of different Mauritian snacks, including samosas and chilli bites. We could then sit back and enjoy the amazing view that was on offer. At one side was Le Morne, the world-famous mountain that people think of when they mention Mauritius. On the other side was a coastline as far as the eye could see, with small villages and other landmarks dotted along it.

We had signed up for a tour of the ebony forest in Mauritius, but left with some amazing memories that will last a lifetime. If you are on the island, this is a must-do. No question.

This just gives you a taste of future blog posts and I cannot wait to share all my amazing memories with you guys. Be prepared for plenty of bird pictures, top tips and guides to this breath-taking part of the world.

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