Morne Seychellois National Park
The green heart of Mahé, a mountain reserve covering much of the island’s spine and rising to its highest peak. This is where the beaches give way to mist forest, granite trails and views over both coasts.
Sprawling park known for scenic trails, a variety of ecosystems & the archipelago’s highest peak.
The mountainous spine of Mahé
Morne Seychellois National Park protects a large slice of the island’s interior, a world away from the sand. It climbs from coastal mangroves through dense forest to Morne Seychellois itself, the highest point in the country at over nine hundred metres, and it holds much of what makes the island special inland, endemic plants, birds and the cool damp air of the heights.
For visitors the park means walking. Copolia, Trois Frères, Morne Blanc and the Mare aux Cochons paths all thread through it, ranging from a short granite climb to a half-day forest walk, and several open out to views that take in Victoria, the surrounding islands and the sea on both sides of Mahé.
Walking into the green
The trails are the way in. Copolia is the gentle introduction, a well-marked climb to a smooth granite dome above the capital, while Morne Blanc rewards a steeper effort with the whole west coast laid out below. Longer routes head deeper into the mist forest, where the air cools and the light filters green through the canopy.
This is real hill country, so the weather changes fast and the granite gets slick after rain. Solid shoes, water and an early start make every walk here better, and a guide is worth it on the longer routes, both for safety and for spotting the pitcher plants and rare birds you would otherwise walk straight past.
Know before you go
| Where | The mountainous interior of Mahé, above Victoria and the west coast |
| Trails | Copolia, Morne Blanc, Trois Frères, Mare aux Cochons |
| Highest point | Morne Seychellois, over 900 metres |
| Good for | Hiking, mist forest, endemic wildlife, big views |
| Terrain | Granite glacis and forest paths, slippery after rain |
| Bring | Grippy shoes, water, hat, a light rain layer for the heights |
| Best time | Early morning, dry settled weather for safe rock and clear views |
What visitors say
★ 4.7 · 171 Google reviews★★★★★We went to the Morne BLANC trail and it is hard path but fully deserve the view! Take a bottle of water and comfortable shoes. It’s take an hour to go on the top.
Vladimira Skodrova · via Google
★★★★★Gorgeous and mostly shaded. Definitely steep steps and a good workout. Better with sneakers or closed shoes, but not impossible with sandals. Careful about the air up there, a member of my group who has asthma had a litt…
Kinza K · via Google
★★★★★A relatively tough nature trail, but the entire trail was splendid with thick vegetation; the view once on top, is absolutely breathtaking.
Ian Robin · via Google
★★★★★A fine trail – I would rate it moderate in the physical effort required. Takes about one hour 30 minutes to go up and come down. Do avoid going on a cloudy day as the view gets blocked. Do carry an umbrella if it’s cloud…
Chirayu Goyal · via Google
The park’s trailheads sit above Victoria and the west coast, easiest with a hire car or a guide. Stay on Mahé to pair a morning in the hills with an afternoon on the sand.
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Nearby Copolia Trail · Morne Blanc · Mission Lodge
Start any of the trails early. The granite is far kinder before the midday heat, the views are clearest in the morning, and afternoon cloud often rolls over the peaks and shuts them in.
