Hiking Le Pouce (thumb) in Mauritius

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Hiking Le Pouce on Mauritius is a quick and rewarding hike that offers a breathtaking panoramic view of this beautiful tropical island

After walking on Le Morne Brabant on Mauritius, we absolutely wanted to see more of the country's extraordinary landscape and chose Le Pouce, in the footsteps of Charles Darwin, who wrote in his diary of 1845 about his climbing by Le Pouce.

with 812 m (2,664 ft) is Le Pouce - or The Thumb, so called because of its thumb -shaped summit - the third highest mountain in Mauritius.

Le Pouce is located near the island capital Port Louis and offers an incredible view of the surrounding area. The relatively central location of the mountain on a width of only 45 km (28 miles) and 65 km (40 miles) long island means that you can see a large part of the island from the summit and its slopes. Hikers can see the north coast together with the offshore islands.

During the entire hike, you have impressive views of the Moka Range, including the country's second highest summit, Pieter Both, with his uniquely shaped rock formation on the summit, which resembles a human head. In the south there is a spacious view of the urban district of Plaines in Wilhem.

Alt = “Hiking-le-Pouce-in-Mauritius-24 ″> Atlas & Boots The Moka Range including Pieter Both with its bizarre summit

Le Pouce seems not as popular, although it is closer to Mauritius' urban areas as the hike in Le Morne. We only met two other pairs of hiking during our ascent.

Alt = “Hiking-le-Pouce-in-Mauritius-Pieter-Both”> Atlas & Boots A closer view of Pieter Both's summit, recorded by the north of the island

hiking guide

The starting point of the Le Pouce hiking trail is located in Petit Verger near the village of Saint Pierre in the Moka region. The starting point is not well signposted or particularly easy to find unless you have a card. We followed the instructions of a locals and parked in an apparently provisional parking lot - just enough space for four to five cars.

alt = “hike Le Pouce on Mauritius-1 ″> Atlas & Boots The small parking lot at the beginning of the hiking trail

The path first leads through sugar cane fields before entering the welcome coolness of a small forest. The path returns once or twice when it wins in height and passes a strange shrine that is cut into the rock wall. When the path appears out of the trees, it meanders in the zigzag over bare rocks on the east side of the mountain before entering a more grass -covered climb to the right of the summit.

If you come across an intersection on the way, always choose the way to the right and make sure that you hold the summit to your left. Right below the summit there is a small plateau, which is a great place to stop and enjoy the breathtaking view of Pieter Both and the Moka Range.

The last part of the hike leads through a small meadow, followed by a short but somewhat challenging ascent to the summit, where you can enjoy a refreshing breeze, a sip of water and some of the best views on Mauritius.

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hiking le pouce: the essentials

Was: hike Le Pouce in Mauritius.

  • level of difficulty: easy to medium
  • Distance: 4.3 km
  • duration: 2-3 hours
  • Height: 812 m (2,664 ft)
  • profit: 320 m (1,050 feet)

Where: We spent three nights in the Trou Aux Biches BeachComber on the northwest coast of Mauritius. The hotel is slightly larger than what we usually choose, but we were lured there from the beach, good dives and, as we hear, from one of the best Indian restaurants on the island.

We are pleased to be able to tell you that the food was really flawless. Mahiya offered some of the best curry that we have ever eaten, and despite the fact that there were six restaurants on site, we ate two nights in a row there (reservation in advance is essential).

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Atlas & Boots

The hotel itself has pretty much everything you need: tennis courts, a spa, a sports center and of course lots of beach loungers!

When: The best time for a visit to Mauritius is from October to April, where the temperatures are hot, albeit moist and rainy. This is a good time to dive, but note that there can be hurricanes from January to February. Winter on the island lasts from May to September. The temperatures are still warm, but it's not the best time to dive.

like: We rented a car in Port Louis and drove to Petit Verger near the village of Saint Pierre. There is a small paved road that goes off the corner of the B47 street and leads to the small parking lot, from which you can access the Le Pouce hiking trail. There are buses that serve the area that is relatively easy to find in the capital Port Louis. Use the Mauritius Buses website to plan your trip.

We stayed in Trou Aux Biches, which is a 1-hour 15-minute drive from the airport. Transfers can be organized via your hotel or a local driver (approx. 1500 Mur / $ 45). We recommend Stelio (+230 52 5084 97).

We had a long stopover before our connecting flight from Kuala Lumpur, so we settled in a private resting suite in the Plaza Premium Lounge in the airport for the night - a stroke of luck when you consider that I was recovering from a Burmese insect and the alternative would have been eight long hours on uncomfortable chairs.

Mauritius is flown by several international airlines. Book at skyscanner.net at the best prices.

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Lonely Planet Mauritius, Réunion & Seychelles is a comprehensive travel guide for Mauritius, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and take the less busy road.

main picture: Shutterstock 
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