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Routes Mauritius Along the Mare aux Vacoas Reservoir

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Along the Mare aux Vacoas Reservoir

Hiking Route · Mauritius

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Outdooractive Editors

Mare aux Vacoas
Photo: Christoph Steinweg, Outdooractive Editors

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The short tour leads along the Mare aux Vacoas reservoir to a forest adventure trail.

easy

Distance 4.1 km

2:12 h

132 m

144 m

611 m

557 m

The Mare aux Vacoas reservoir, with a surface area of 2.5 km, is the largest drinking water reservoir on the island. In the forest you should definitely observe the Bäume, because here you can observe monkeys with a little luck. There is also a small resting place here where a few special plants grow, but unfortunately the tour was over for us at this point, as three young wild boars were blocking the way and we were not sure whether the mother might be nearby. Therefore we turned around and hiked back the same way. On the way back we continued to watch the trees and were rewarded. Several monkeys jumped through the trees, but unfortunately they were mostly too quick for the camera (or for me);

Author’s recommendation

The reservoir is close to the Black River National Park, where you can still do some tours and visit various viewpoints

Author

Christoph Steinweg

Update: April 23, 2015

Difficulty

easy

Technique

Stamina

Experience

Landscape

Highest point

611 m

Lowest point

557 m

Best time of year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Track types

Show elevation profile

Safety information

Among other things, wild boars live in the forest. You should not get too close to them!

Start

small car park on the road between Curepipe and Grand Bassin (586 m)

Coordinates:

-20.369357, 57.490801

DMS

20°22'09.7"S 57°29'26.9"E

UTM

40K 551220 7747568

w3w

///brick.valuable.forklift

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Destination

Mare aux Vacoas Reservoir

Turn-by-turn directions

Our path takes us first about half a kilometre along the reservoir and further on to the road from where we started our tour. After a short stretch along the road, the adventure trail into the forest begins. The trail now runs along the reservoir again. After a bend to the right, we walk through the middle of the forest and on to a rest area near the main road. Now you can decide whether to walk back through the forest or along the road.

Note

all notes on protected areas

Getting there

From Quatre Bornes, head towards Flic en Flac. Just before leaving Quatre Bornes, turn left towards Vacoas and the Black River National Park. Follow the road until you reach the Mare aux Vacoas reservoir.

Parking

There is a small, free car park on the road between Vacoas and the Black River National Park near the reservoir.

Coordinates

-20.369357, 57.490801

DMS

20°22'09.7"S 57°29'26.9"E

UTM

40K 551220 7747568

w3w

///brick.valuable.forklift

Show on Map

Arrival by train, car, foot or bike

Author’s map recommendations

If you continue along the road, you will pass a ranger station (junction with Grand Bassin). There you can buy a map of the Black River National Park for a few Mauritian rupees.

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