DANS GALLAS
A rewarding mountain hike through the forest of the Morne Seychellois National Park on Mahé, climbing to open glacis and a beautiful view over the coast. Wild, green and gloriously quiet.
Into the mountain forest
The Dans Gallas trail is one of the fine forest walks of the Morne Seychellois National Park, the mountainous, green heart of Mahe. Climbing from the north-west of the island up into the hills, it leads through tall, shaded endemic forest onto the open glacis, the bare granite that crowns the Seychelles highlands, and rewards the effort with a lovely view out over the coast and the sea.
It is a real hike rather than a stroll, moderate at first and genuinely steep toward the top, and that keeps it wonderfully quiet. The forest along the way is rich and cool, a world apart from the beaches below, and a reminder of how wild and green the interior of Mahe still is.
Walking it well
Most walkers reach the top in under an hour of steady climbing, with the steepest section saved for the last third, so grippy shoes, water and a reasonable level of fitness matter. In the wet the granite can be slippery, so a dry day is best, and a local guide adds a great deal, both for the flora and for finding the way.
For travellers who want to see the mountain Seychelles that most beach visitors miss, Dans Gallas is a beautiful, accessible taste of the island’s wild interior.
Know before you go
| Where | Morne Seychellois National Park, Mahe |
| Type | Forest and glacis climb to a coastal viewpoint |
| Effort | Moderate to steep, around an hour up for the fit |
| Bring | Grippy shoes, water, sun protection, a rain layer |
| Guide | Recommended for the flora and route-finding |
| Best time | Early morning, in dry, settled weather |
What visitors say
★ 4.8 · 117 Google reviews★★★★★Amazing ! The forest is so nice and the view at the end is beautiful! It took me around 50 min to get up and 40 downstairs. I did it in flip flops, but of course it’s not recommended. I think the level is intermediate – …
Olya Murentseva · via Google
★★★★★Trail which goes thru the mountain forest. In the beginning the trail is quite easy but the last third really steep and possibly slippery when wet. Definitely not for physically weak persons or kids. Majority of the tria…
Zdeněk Anýž · via Google
★★★★★One of the best hikes I’ve done in my life. We parked our car very far from the trail starting point unfortunately and had to walk extra steep road for 35 mins. But once the trail started, we could see some most amazing …
Bhagyashri Paste · via Google
★★★★★Lovely trail with good views and nice scenery. It is quite steep on some sections so probably wouldn’t be good in wet conditions but it was great in the dry. Preferred this one to morne blanc. Spent a long time on the tr…
Will T · via Google
The mountain trails of Mahe reward a guide who knows the route through the forest and over the glacis. Book a guided Dans Gallas hike, and stay on the island to reach the trailheads with an early start.
Guided glacis hikeGuided Dans Gallas trail hikefrom €85 per groupBook this hikeTours via Viator, stays via Booking.com. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Nearby Copolia Trail · Anse Major · Morne Blanc
Start early and save energy for the top. Dans Gallas is easy at first and steep in its final third, so pace yourself, wear grippy shoes and carry water, and pick a dry morning when the glacis is safe and the view is clear.
