Le Morne Brabant…a site to visit

Le Morne Cultural Landscape, a rugged mountain that juts into the Indian Ocean in the southwest of Mauritius was used as a shelter by runaway slaves, maroons, through the 18th and early years of the 19th centuries. Protected by the mountain’s isolated, wooded and almost inaccessible cliffs, the escaped slaves formed small settlements in the caves and on the summit of Le Morne. The oral traditions associated with the maroons, have made Le Morne a symbol of the slaves’ fight for freedom, their suffering, and their sacrifice, all of which have relevance to the countries from which the slaves came – the African mainland, Madagascar, India, and South-east Asia. Indeed, Mauritius, an important stopover in the eastern slave trade, also came to be known as the “Maroon republic” because of the large number of escaped slaves who lived on Le Morne Mountain. “Challenging but worth it!” say most of the visitors. Outstanding view to the west coast and partially also to the south.  The first part of this hike is easy. After the sign that says: ‘for experienced climbers only’ it gets harder. It’s not walking anymore but real climbing. No professional equipment or climbing experience is needed to reach the top. Great early morning activity. Overall it takes 3,5 hours, including some short breaks and about 15 minutes on top. A must do in Mauritius! Sources : https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1259