Black River Gorges National park is the largest natural area in Mauritius and one of only two national parks in the country. Nearly all of the remaining old growth forest in Mauritius – only 2% remains – is contained within the park. It therefore serves as a refuge for many iconic and endangered species like the Mauritian Flying Fox, Echo Parakeet, Mauritius Kestrel, and Pink Pigeon. Your best opportunity to see these incredible animals is on the extensive, 60km in total, trail network that will take you to waterfalls, peaks, and pristine sections of forest.
The park can be accessed from many different entrances, but there are two official entrances with visitor’s centers, one at Riviere Noire and the other at Petrin. It is not necessary to enter the park through these entances as the majority of the hiking trails can be reached from roads that serve as borders for the park or nearby villages.
There are many rivers in the park and entering from Riviere Noire means that you will have to cross a river to hike any of the trails. Depending on the water level this might mean getting your feet wet.