About the Birdwatching & Hike at Ebony Forest
Visit: https://mauritiusattractions.com to learn more about Mauritius
Are you an avid bird watcher who loves seeing various species of birds or enjoys their sweet chirping in their natural habitats? If yes, then this bird watching trip including a hike through the Ebony Forest, is something you should not miss. Watching the endemic birds of Mauritius and immortalizing the beautiful moments in candid pictures is certainly an exquisite experience.
Your adventure starts with a hike through the luxuriant Ebony Forest in order to reach a bird watching viewpoint.
Here, you will be able to catch sight of several endemic bird species, like the Mauritius Echo Parakeet, the Pink Pigeon, the Mauritian Merle, the Mauritius Grey White-Eye and the Mauritian Flycatcher.
After birdwatching, you will head either by hiking or by jeep, towards the Sublime Point to enjoy a refreshing drink along with authentic local snacks while admiring the breathtaking view of the west coast of Mauritius.
You can then choose to hike or be driven in a jeep through the endemic forest to the Flycatcher Raised Walkway. Once there, a guide will accompany you on the mid-canopy walkway of 300m through one of the best-preserved ebony forests in Mauritius, once home to the Dodo. You will encounter some of the rarest plants in Mauritius, see ebony trees and may meet the Mauritius Paradise Flycatcher and Mauritius Bulbul.
Enjoy exploring Mauritius’ hidden treasures in the Ebony Forest before returning to the Visitor Centre to visit the museum. The museum explains the geology, history and flora and fauna of the island in simple readable explanations.
Hiking is a wonderful way to see and experience the many wonders of the forest and splendid surrounding views. Plus, for some segments of the trip, you will be accompanied by a passionate guide who will impart their in-depth knowledge of the island’s ecological history.
As part of this tour you will get to enjoy:
2 ½ to 4-hour hike through Ebony Forest
Bird Watching viewpoint
Panoramic views at Sublime Point
Refreshments at Sublime Point: Local snacks + drink
Guided tour of Flycatcher Raised Walkway
Visit of Ebony Forest Museum
About the Ebony Forest
As one of the best-preserved endemic forests on the island, the Ebony Forest, in the southern region of Mauritius, is actively restoring and preserving rare and threatened fauna and flora of Mauritius. Visitors can participate and become Guardians of the Forest by planting a tree or sowing a seed.
Safari jeeps are available every 30 minutes; the first one leaves the Visitor Centre at 9:30 to the Flycatcher Raised Walkway.
From the Flycatcher Raised Walkway, the next jeep will head towards the Sublime Point and back to the Visitor Centre. The last jeep departs at 16:30 during winter (1 April – 31 October) and 17:00 during summer (1 November- 31 March).
Each jeep has a capacity of 9 visitors, so availability is not guaranteed. Walking through the Ebony forest is recommended for a more immersive experience.
About Endemic Birds in Mauritius
The Mauritius Grey White-eye (Zosterops Mauritianus) is the most abundant of the endemic bird species.This is the only endemic bird to have adapted itself to man-made conditions. Gregarious, it moves in bands of 6 to 20 throughout the year.
The Echo Parakeet on the other hand is one of just nine surviving bird species that are found only on Mauritius. These birds remain in pairs throughout the year and may be seen feeding each other in courtship rituals for much of that time.
The Pink Pigeon, the largest of all the pigeons and doves found on Mauritius is another highly endangered species. The pink pigeons became nearly extinct in the 1990s and is still very rare. It is the only Mascarene pigeon that has not gone extinct.
The Mauritius Paradise Flycatchers (Tersiphone desolata) are endemic songbirds, which experienced population declines in Mauritius. This inquisitive bird, threatened due to habitat loss, has found refuge at Ebony Forest. You will often see two birds together as male and female birds.