SPORTS

Hiking

With verdant vegetation, indigenous forests and awe inspiring mountains, the best way to discover the beauty of Mauritius is on foot while traversing the various hiking trails the island has to offer. The island has a number of beautiful nature retreats that offer great hiking opportunities. In the island’s East, Domain De L’Etoile for example is a vast nature haven of forests, valleys, rivers and mountains where wild deer and other endemic animals roam free.

Perhaps wander through the forest at Le Domain D’Anse Jonchee, also previously known as Le Domaine du Chasseur. Be dazzled by the rich pristine flora and fauna of the area along guided hiking tours. See wild boars, deer or the indigenous kestrel falcon bird.

The Black River National Park in the southern west area, offers 65000 hectare of rare forest with 150 plant species and nine bird species found only on the Mauritian island. Hike along the national park’s Black River Peak mountain trail or Maccabee forest trail. Or visit the neighbouring Valriche Nature Reserve.

Near Port Louis one can climb up Le Pouce Mountain for a view of the capital city or alternatively for the more experience hiker, at 780 metres you can enjoy an overall view of the Mauritian landscape.

To pre-book a hiking trip, contact one of our Mauritius specialist consultants!

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Horse Riding

Surprisingly horse riding is not offered as widely as most other land-based activities. Cool early morning or late afternoon make for the perfect time for a ride along the beach or verdant inland vistas. Certain stables offer riding sessions specially designed for people of all ages who are new to horses and horse riding and would like to ‘give-it-a-go’. If you have never ridden before, or have just a little experience they will help you with all the basics, helping to grow your knowledge and confidence. The ideal clothes to wear for horse riding are jodhpurs (riding trousers), riding boots (these can be short jodhpur -boots or longer boots specially designed for safety and comfort) and a riding hat, which must fit well and meet all the latest health and safety criteria.

However, on your first riding session you are unlikely to have all the necessary equipment therefore it is recommend that you wear comfortable (but not too baggy) trousers, jeans are fine, a casual top that doesn’t restrict arm movements and enclosed shoes or boots with a small heal and not too much grip. Riding hats are designed for your safety and must always be worn when riding. Most stables have hats available to hire.

A few of the popular locations that offer horseback trails include Mont Choisy Sugar Estate, and Le Ranch in the North, La Vielle Cheminee in the South West and L’Exil Lodges in the South. Many other trails and locations for enjoyable outings are on offer all over the island. Most hotel resorts offer access to horse riding facilities – whether at the hotel or in the vicinity.

To pre-book a horse riding trip, contact one of our Mauritius specialist consultants!

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Snorkelling

The simple action of breathing through a small pipe that sticks out of the water while taking in the beauty of underwater coral and reefs with their exotic and colourful marine life can be a life-altering experience for the first-timer. Snorkelling is a universal sport and is enjoyed wherever there is clear still water abundant in marine flora and fauna. This can be especially true in Mauritius where the seemingly dull shallow waters can reveal a captivating account of the nuances of marine life.
Most hotels and beach resorts offer their customers the use of snorkelling equipment, be it complimentary or at a small fee.

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Parasailing

For those of you for whom a quiet suntan on the beach is not thrilling enough, you can always try your hand at parasailing. You will be rewarded by a breathtaking bird's eye view of the lagoon or sea and its multifarious underwater seascapes.
For additional excitement, choose the "touch and go". On the way down, instead of just reeling back onto the boat, you linger a while above the ocean and then... dunk for a wet, wild, refreshing plunge!!

To pre-book a parasailing experience, contact one of our Mauritius specialist consultants!

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Deep Sea Fishing

Venturing into the deep waters of the Indian Ocean is not only an exciting activity for the adventure enthusiast, but also a satisfying one for fishermen with a penchant for deep-sea fishing. As this portion of the ocean is teeming with a variety of more exotic game fish species, it is considered to be an angler’s haven and has a reputation worldwide for its favourable conditions. Most anglers agree that although water conditions are favourable most of the year and big game fishing is enjoyed throughout the year, the best time for deep sea fishing is from October through to April, which is also the best season for Marlin – both black and blue.

General information on possible catches:
• Tuna: Shoals of Yellow-fin Tuna move into Mauritian waters from around March and April.
• Wahoo: Prolific runs of Wahoo start in September. These are reputed to be the fastest running fish in the sea.
• Sailfish: This fish literally flies through the air when hooked, in an aerial display of fury.
• Bonito: A smaller species of Tuna.
• Sharks: Expect Blue, Hammer-head, Mako, Tiger, Black fin and White fin.

Please contact our consultants for prices and information regarding big game deep sea fishing for half day, full day and night fishing trips.

To pre-book a deep sea fishing trip, contact one of our Mauritius specialist consultants!

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Karting

Kart Loisir is a 7 acre attraction and entertainment park for all ages. Situated at La Jouliette, Petite Rivière, Kart Loisir offers visitors the opportunity to try karting and quad biking. Sample the Italian and Mauritian cuisine at the open restaurant overlooking the magnificent landscape of Port Louis.

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Catamaran Trips

Discover all the beauty and tranquillity of the Mauritian islands on a luxurious catamaran yacht. Cruises can be enjoyed to various points around the island, but the most popular are:
• The North: The magnificent islands of Ile Plate and Ilot Gabriel
• The East coast: Ile Aux Cerfs island with its breathtaking beauty and majestic waterfall
• The South West coast including stopovers at Crystal Rock and Ile Aux Benitiers.
Most catamaran cruises include an on-board barbeque lunch, selected beverages and snacks. Mauritius offers a pleasant and relatively stable climatic condition to allow for good sailing conditions throughout the year. The islands translucent lagoon waters are great for discovering marine life while sailing and are conveniently great for anchoring a boat & enjoying fantastic snorkelling opportunities.

Catamaran cruises can be pre-booked for a half or full day trip. To pre-book your catamaran trip, contact one of our Mauritius specialist consultants!

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Windsurfing

For the most part, windsurfing is possible almost all over Mauritius on account of the island’s large clear water lagoons. The only area where conditions are not favourable is the South and in some lagoons where it may be too shallow to windsurf during low tides.
Trade winds blow all year, but the ideal wind and climate conditions for windsurfing occur during the winter months from late May through to early December. Many believe that the Le Morne area in the south west of Mauritius offers the best location for windsurfing, as the wind blows side shore from the left, there are relatively constant wind speeds and the waves are ideal. However, others prefer the lovely Tamarin Bay area as waves are said to be of magazine quality.

Be warned that this sport should be practiced responsibly as Mother Nature can put the inexperienced surfer at risk.

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Glass Bottom Boat

Enjoying a journey in a glass bottomed boat is a fantastic outing for the whole family. On offer at most of the Mauritian hotels and resorts, this sport or facility is a firm favourite and offers a superb view of the marine life and coastal reefs.

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Trekking / Mountain Climbing

Trekking up Pieter Both, the second highest peak of Mauritius north, is no mean feat and should be left to those who enjoy a challenging climb. From the mountain’s peak there are panoramic 360 degree views that extend from the many northern islands, through to the west and east coasts as well as the mountains in the South.
Although reserved for proficient climbers – and of course thrill seekers – the Rempart Mountain is a height well worth reaching for those with a penchant for fresh air, where the altitude is approximately 777. For an equally exhilarating trekking experience, the 4500 ha Trois Mamelles hunting reserve, at the heart of the Yemen property is not to be missed. Adventure seekers get to see a variety of landscapes, making their way through a tunnel down into the mountain where they will see forests and multi-centenary trees, as well as the Rivière Papaye where they will cross a canyon and end up in a safari park.

For nature lovers seeking a less challenging climb, Mamzel Zabet in part of the hunting reserve of Yemen located in the West of Mauritius is a small mountain where trekkers will pass through endemic and indigenous forests, taking in the impressive fauna and flora that this part of the island has to offer.

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Abseiling

Abseiling activities in Mauritius vary from fun locations like those in Les Cerfs Volants at St. Felix in the South, which consists largely of gliding along zip-lines, to more complicated activities where genuine mountain climbing is involved, also using zip-lines and abseiling equipment. Whichever option visitors go for, this can be a fun filled activity soaring down the many beautiful peaks of the island. Just make sure that you have a qualified guide to assist you the entire way through. A particularly popular destination for abseiling is the Black River Gorges, which consist of climbing all the way up to the Machabe Forest, walking down again partly on foot, and then abseiling the rest of the way down the waterfalls.

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Quad Biking

This activity is definitely and adventure where gusts are able to experience more than “kick up some dust”, by zipping through lush vegetation at fast speeds. Quad biking is possible at Yemen Nature Park in the West, at the Domaine de L’Etoile in the South-East, as well as in the hilltop greenery of Valriche in the South West of the island. Quad biking activities are also offered at the Casela Nature and Leisure Park.

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Archery

The traditional art of archery can be practiced at a number of hotels and resorts in Mauritius. However, to enjoy a truly unique experience of this sport, try Ciel et Nature’s L’etoile on the South Eastern are of Mauritius. Here there are 20 artificially realistic animal targets in 3D and the targets are scattered along a scenic circuit that covers some 10 hectares.

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Mountain Biking

Several hotels and resorts offer Mountain bikes for rent, and these are generally for leisurely rides. To really experience the island’s interesting terrain opt for the guided trips. These are offered through various tour operators on the island, as well as at the Yemen Nature park in the West and L’Etoile in the East. Given the area’s scenery and animal sightings such as wild monkeys and bats, mountain biking is popular in La Nicoliere, which can be a country road access point to the Centre of Mauritius. Surrounded by hillsides where the vegetation is completely different to that of the nearby coast, La Nicoliere is ideal for a refreshing change of scenery. Riders can stop along the way at various viewpoints, to soak up the picturesque beauty. Another popular ride is the almost all down-hill journey from Plaine Champagne to Bel Ombre in the South, where riders navigate their way through lush vegetation.

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Kayaking

Believed by many to be the only genuine way to leisurely explore Mauritius and its nooks and crannies, kayaking is a must-do water activity. The tropical conditions of the island, including sheltered bays, make paddling easy and a whole lot of fun. Equipment is available at most major hotels and resorts.

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Undersea Walk

The exciting underwater walk draws tourists from all over the world. This unique water-based activity is great for almost everyone (over the age of 7 years) and you don’t even need to know how to swim!
Participants walk on the ocean floor in weighted boots and / or belt with a dive helmet firmly strapped on, connected to an above air supply. Head out to Grand Baie to partake in this unique and fun experience!

To pre-book this unique experience, contact one of our Mauritius specialist consultants!

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Submarine Safari

Enjoy a unique one hour adventure on board a submarine! Diving in a submarine as a tourist, offers a rare pleasure and at the moment, is unique to the Indian Ocean. Visit all sorts of interesting sights from a shipwreck to beautiful coral reefs. This experience is available to everyone irrespective of age.

To pre-book this unique experience, contact one of our Mauritius specialist consultants!

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Safari Sub-Scooter

Partake in this unique experience and pilot your own underwater sub-scooter. You can ride as a couple or on your own and enjoy the visual beauty the ocean has to offer. The ride is approximately 3 metres in depth and you breathe freely and naturally in a transparent glass dome. This adventure is not available for pregnant women, those suffering from cardio vascular problems, hearing or respiratory problems. It is also not available for those under 12 years old of age & passengers under 16 years of age are not allowed to pilot the scooter. For your safety, a guide diver will accompany you on the 30 minute jaunt.

To pre-book this unique experience, contact one of our Mauritius specialist consultants!

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