Moris
Forest on the Parakeet Trail
Photo: Simisa ( talk · contribs ) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

🥾 Hikes · Black River Gorges

Parakeet Trail (Black River → Plaine Champagne)

The big traverse of the national park: from the Black River visitor centre up 600 m through native forest to the Plaine Champagne plateau, where echo parakeets fly.

🚗 From the villa15 min · 7.3 kmoff-peak estimate
⏱️ Time needed3.5–5 hnot counting the drive
🕓 Best time of day☀️ Morning
💰 PriceFreeFree. Black River visitor centre: toilets, maps, rangers (weekdays 7:00–17:00, weekends 9:00–17:00).
🥾 Trail5.7 km · +671 mHard · one way · guide not needed

The Parakeet Trail climbs from the lowland dry forest at the Black River entrance, 15 minutes from the villa, all the way up to the Plaine Champagne plateau. It's a long, steep, point-to-point hike of about 8 km, passing from palms and ebony to the misty upland forest, with views back down the gorges to the sea.

It's named after the echo parakeet, which was once reduced to about ten birds and now lives here again. Arrange a car at the top, or walk back down the same way (a long day).

  • The full climb from the coast forest to the plateau
  • Echo parakeets and endemic birds
  • Views down the gorges
Forest on the Parakeet Trail
Photo: Simisa ( talk · contribs ) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
An echo parakeet in the Black River Gorges
Photo: colin houston / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Trail map

Signposted, but long and steep in its upper half; slippery when wet.

Trail (hard)
50 m250 m450 m650 m 0 km1 km2 km3 km4 km5 km 745 m
One way. Elevation from SRTM satellite data (±10 m).

Trail traced on OpenStreetMap paths: check the signs on the ground, and take the OSM or an offline map app (Organic Maps, maps.me) with you.

What to expect on this hike

MudMedium
ShadeHigh
Exposure / vertigoSome
WaymarkingGood
ViewpointsAlong the way
RopesNone
📍 Where it starts
At the Black River visitor centre, the park's west entrance, 15 minutes from the villa: follow the signs from Grande Rivière Noire village up the valley road to the car park (free, with toilets and a map board). The Parakeet Trail starts 1 km further along the valley (signpost).
🧭 The route
First along the river through lowland forest, then a long, steep climb with switchbacks up the escarpment, then gentler through upland forest to the Plaine Champagne road near the Gorges viewpoint. About 8 km and 600 m of climbing one way.
🪨 Terrain
Forest path, rocky and rooty on the steep part; muddy in places.
👁️ Views
Openings over the gorges and back to the sea on the upper part.
🔁 Loop?
One-way (arrange transport at the top) or out-and-back (≈ 16 km, a full day).
🦟 Insects
Mosquitoes in the lower forest.
💧 Water
No drinking water on the trail; carry 2 litres.
👥 Crowds
Quiet; mostly keen hikers.
📶 Phone signal
Patchy in the valley, better on the plateau.
🎒 Bring
Shoes with grip (muddy sections) · Mosquito repellent · Light rain jacket · 1–1.5 litres of water · Snack · A second car or a taxi number for the top
  1. Black River visitor centre
  2. Parakeet Trail signpost
  3. Top on Plaine Champagne

Getting there

Driving route from the villa

🚗 By car: 15 min (7.3 km) off-peak. Car park at the Black River visitor centre; a second car (or a taxi) at the top on the Plaine Champagne road. Directions in Google Maps ↗

  • 🚕 Taxi from the villa: about Rs 350–500 one way per car (agree the price first; a return trip with waiting time is often negotiable).
  • 🚲 Bike: close enough to cycle along the coast road (take care with traffic).

Tips

  • 💡 Leave a car at the top (or book a taxi) so you only do the climb once.
  • 💡 Start before 8:00: it's a long day.

Our notes & votes