Discover Le Morne Brabant, Mauritius with an anthropologist

There are much more than just beautiful beaches to discover in Mauritius. Among our recommended activities for families or sports enthusiasts during your holiday is exploring Le Morne.

The most famous and breathtaking mountain of Mauritius profoundly influences the history of the country. With its rugged landscape and long history of misery, the Morne Brabant peninsula, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has become the symbol of resistance to slavery. The Morne Brabant mountain provides hiking enthusiasts and history buffs alike with the opportunity to discover a sumptuous cultural and geographical landscape, from the hollows of the waves to the mountaintops.

Embark on both a cultural sporty outing on this mountain rich in history and oral traditions, led by a passionating anthropologist.

Maya de Salle, your anthropologist guide in Mauritius

Better understanding of Mauritian society.

Maya de Salle is a Belgian anthropologist who has been living in Mauritius for 20 years. This enthusiast woman has studied the oral history of the descendants of slaves, the indentured labourers, the rituals of traditional medicine and even the Mauritian Tipik Sega. She also participated in the recognition of the Morne as a “Cultural Landscape” by UNESCO in 2008, which makes her the best guide to discover the history of the Morne. Maya is part of the My Moris tandem which offers exciting and anecdotal cultural tours of Mauritius.

Le Morne Brabant, the refuge and grave of maroon slaves

A brief historical reminder: slavery was an integral part of the history of Mauritius until its abolition in 1835. On this south-western coast, some slaves fled the mistreatment and took refuge far from the properties in the heights. Despite its beautiful beaches and clear lagoon, the Morne mountain bears a dark and tragic story.

The mountain, difficult to reach and strategically located, with its steep, forested slopes, was used as a refuge by escaped slaves, the maroons, during the 18th century and the first years of the 19th. In very precarious but relatively safe conditions, the escaped slaves gathered and settled in caves and on top of Morne Brabant.

When the abolition of slavery was decreed by the English in 1835, military officers climbed the mountain to inform the slaves. The latter, misunderstanding the intentions of these men, took fright and many of them threw themselves into the void. This act of sheer determination shows the final escape of many of the slaves from servitude.

With Maya your anthropologist guide, you will discover the unknown aspects of the slaves’ life on the mountain, as well as the importance of the oral tradition for these men uprooted from their native land in Africa or Madagascar.

After the history, the landscape of Le Morne Brabant in Mauritius

Climbing Le Morne Brabant also offers the advantage of a splendid panorama over the Black River Gorges and the lagoon of Mauritius. Hiking enthusiasts will appreciate this very pleasant and relatively accessible experience, provided they have good hiking or sports shoes. Even if this guided tour with Maya is not to the top, it is more than enough to discover a breathtakingly beautiful landscape over Le Morne beaches, Ile aux Bénitiers and the centre of Mauritius.

This provides a taste for the sportiest who wish to climb the Morne in the company of our recommended sports providers, including Yanature for the more experienced: the effort involved is more than rewarded by the splendid view from the top. You can also discover Morne Brabant by taking a helicopter flight to the famous underwater waterfalls.

After this captivating cultural outing, just twenty minutes from your residence, Marguery Villas, in the heart of the history of your favourite holiday destination, why not savour the pleasure of strolling on the golden sands of the public beach of Morne Brabant and enjoy a refreshing swim and snorkeling in the fishy lagoon. Our concierge service is of course at your disposal for any activity bookings, guided tours of Morne Brabant, sport climbing or helicopter flights.