- Address: B103 - Plaine Champagne Road, Mauritius
- Phone: +230 464 4016
- Area: 66 km²
- Date of foundation: 1994.
Mauritius is an amazing island, peculiar, with an interesting history and resort destination. The most valuable thing in this small paradise is the unique beauty of nature, its unforgettable flora and fauna. And especially one can not but rejoice at the fact that the island is trying to preserve the land in its original form - in the form of reserves. One of these untouched places is the stunning National Park of the island of Mauritius Black River Gorges.
A bit about the park
The National Park was established in 1994 to protect islands of pristine tropical evergreen forests of Mauritius and endangered native bird and animal species. The area of the park is 65.74 square kilometers, and since 1977 most of the current park was included in the world network of biosphere reserves - the Maccabi-Bel-Ombr Reserve.
A part of the Black River river system flows along the territory of the park, the park covers the eastern part of the Black River gorge and the Pitrin plateau above it, the Tamarin gorge, the highest mountain of the island - the Riviera Noir peak 826 meters high, and two ridges: Maccabi and Bris-Fer. There are four research stations in which ongoing research is conducted.
About a quarter of all species protected in the park are on the verge of extinction through the fault of man and animals that were imported during the development of the island. The park has collected about 150 different plants, endangered animals and the eight most rare birds, among them the pink dove and the Mauritian ocherrel parrot.
Where is?
Black River Gorges is one of the most famous national parks of the Indian Ocean. Located on the West coast of the island of Mauritius , in the Rivieres Noire (Black River), near the town of Kurepipe .
How correctly called?
The name of the park comes from the river flowing through it, the largest on the island. In the English version, the name sounds like Black River Gorges National Park, which is literally translated into Russian as the "Black River Gorge" National Park. But very often even in tourist brochures you can see the simple name "Black River Gorges".
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What to see?
In the National Park "Gorge of the Black River" collected an amazing number of plants, animals and birds that were unseen to many tourists. The park gets the maximum colors during the flowering period - according to the calendar from September to January, this is the best time for the first excursion. In addition, you will find the flowering of trachetia, which is considered the national flower of Mauritius.
About 60 km of hiking trails are laid along the park territory with maximum comfort for walking, for those who want to spend educational programs. Walk slowly, surrounded by beauty, take your time, you can skip the most interesting: a beautiful relict tree, a real tropical orchid, an interesting tree-like fern, or not to notice a rare brown wing or another southern bird.
On the territory of the Black River Gorges is an amazing pond - a sacred lake for Hindus Gran Bassin, located at a depth of 85 meters in the crater of an extinct volcano. On the shore of the lake there is a temple and statues of the gods of Shiva and Anuamang.
Here you will see the most rainy place in Mauritius - the Plain Champagne plain, and Rivière Noire, from where you can see the whole cascade of Alexander waterfalls, and, of course, the Piton de la Petit mountain - the highest on the island.
From the rare flora in the National Park are preserved black ebony, dodo tree, tambalakoke, Seychellois maba and others. On the territory of the Black River Gorges, wild pigs, monkeys and deer live in abundance. A separate pleasure is provided by a walk along the relic forest.
How to visit the National Park "Gorge of the Black River"?
The park is very huge, and although throughout its territory you will see pointers, the risk of getting lost is very high. Be sure to purchase a map of the park, or even better, use the services of a guide. Note that cellular communications do not "catch" in all areas of the Black River Gorges.
A visit to the park is free for all. There are many observation platforms and picnic places, always choose shoes that are convenient for forest walks, take water and a light windbreaker.
Smoking in the park is prohibited, but you can eat local berries: raspberries and black plums.
"Gorge of the Black River" is territorially located near the city of Kurepipe , only eight kilometers, six kilometers from Glen Park and just a couple from Shmene-Granier. You can get there without problems on the bus number 5, the fare - about 19-20 Mauritian rupees.
There are four main entrances in the park:
- La Marie past the information center Petrin;
- The Royal Black River road past the visitor center of Goggs;
- Case-Noyale from the side of Case Noyal through Chamarel;
- Chamouny from Schmein-Granier.
All of them are open every day from 9 am to 5 pm.
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