Sublime Point Mauritius: Mid-Canopy Walkway Through Ebony Forest

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration1h–3h

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN · FR

Mobile ticketAccepted

Walk the canopy, watch the coast from Sublime Point

You walk a raised platform through ebony forest, spot endemic birds, visit a museum about the island's ecological history, then hike 1.1 km along the ridgeline to Sublime Point for views across the south coast. The whole visit takes 2–3 hours and includes a guide and museum entry, so you don't have to arrange transport or figure out what you're looking at.

1h–3h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Ebony Forest Reserve Chamarel

Arrive at Visitor Centre
Admire Chamarel Waterfalls
Take 30-minute guided walkway tour
Visit Ebony Experience Museum
See endemic and rare birds
Hike ridgeline trail with views
Optional hike to Piton Canot
Enjoy views from Sublime Point
Hug an ebony tree

The Experience

You've just landed in Mauritius, or you're halfway through your week and need to step away from the beach. Either way, Chamarel is less than an hour from most hotels, and the Ebony Forest Reserve sits right beside the Seven Coloured Earth — so you can knock both off in an afternoon. The entrance is at the Visitor Centre near the Chamarel Waterfalls. Arrive by 3pm and you'll have time to do the whole thing without rushing.

The hike starts in the Flycatcher Forest, where a raised walkway lifts you 0.5 to 4 meters above the ground, threading through one of the last patches of native ebony forest left on the island. Less than 2% of Mauritius's original forest remains, so walking through this feels less like a nature tour and more like stepping into what the island used to be. A guide walks you through for about 30 minutes, pointing out the Mauritius Flycatcher and Black Bulbul — birds that exist nowhere else — and you get to hug an actual ebony tree, one that was standing when the Dodo still roamed here. The museum sits at the start, and it's worth an hour: it traces the island from its volcanic birth through the arrival of humans and the clearing of the forest, then shows what the reserve has done to bring it back. They've planted over 160,000 native trees so far.

After the walkway, the real hike begins. The Ridgeline Trail is 1.1 kilometers and takes you to Sublime Point, which lives up to its name — you're looking out at Île aux Bénítiers and Le Morne, the UNESCO site across the water, and if you're there in late afternoon the light hits the coast in a way that makes you understand why people stay on this island. Bats start moving through the canopy, white-tailed tropic birds cut across the sky, and the Mascarene swiftlets do these impossible aerial loops. You can buy local snacks at the top and just sit there. If you've got the energy, there's an optional push to Piton Canot for a 360-degree view of the south-west coast and the village below, but it's not necessary — Sublime Point is the payoff.

The whole thing is wheelchair accessible, works in any weather (just dress for it), and the pace suits all fitness levels, though the ridgeline hike is steady uphill. A professional guide comes with you if they're available that day. The boutique at the top sells local artisanal stuff, and the profits go straight back into the forest restoration work — so buying a souvenir actually means something here.

What’s included

Your visit includes a professional guide for the Flycatcher Forest walkway, entry to the Ebony Experience Museum, and access to the Ridgeline Trail and Sublime Point.
The raised platform through the forest is 30 minutes of guided walking.
Local snacks and artisanal souvenirs are available for purchase at Sublime Point, with profits supporting the reserve's ongoing tree-planting and bird reintroduction work.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Ebony Forest Chamarel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see what Mauritius looked like before the clearing, and you'd rather have a guide explain the birds and the forest history than figure it out alone. The 3pm arrival deadline means you can do it on a half-day from your hotel without losing the whole afternoon.