Hiking Lion Mountain
The spine of a crouching lion above Grand Port bay: the finest ridge in the South-East, for dry days only.
Who is it for, and why dry weather matters
This is a hard hike despite its 480 metres: 4.5 kilometres round trip, around 490 metres of ascent, and above all an exposed ridge with easy scrambling moves where hands are needed. Allow 3 to 4 hours.
The deciding factor is not fitness but weather: the ground is clay and turns extremely slippery the moment it is wet. On a ridge, that changes everything. In dry conditions an experienced hiker manages without a guide; in the wet, you postpone. Waymarking amounts to red paint and yellow ribbons left by regulars.
The route
The start is at Vieux Grand Port, behind the police station, through the cane fields. The path quickly gains the lion's spine and follows it to the head.
The climb is steep and steady, with a few rocky steps calling for hands. The move onto the lion's head is the most exposed of the outing: anyone uneasy with heights can stop shortly before without losing any of the panorama.
And what a panorama: the whole of Grand Port bay opens below, with Île aux Aigrettes set on the lagoon. This is where the Dutch landed in 1598, and it was in this bay that the only French naval victory inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe took place in 1810. Few hikes offer a history lesson this legible from the summit.
Access and parking
Start at Vieux Grand Port: coordinates -20.37485 / 57.72223. Free and open access, no set hours. Park in the village; the trail then crosses cultivated plots, so stay on the path.
When to go
In dry weather only, and preferably between May and November. The South-East gets more rain than the West: check the local forecast rather than the island-wide one. Start early, as the climb is exposed to the sun and there is no water on the route.
⚠️ The costly mistake: going the day after a downpour on the assumption that the sun has dried the ground. The clay on this ridge holds moisture far longer than rock, and those are precisely the conditions in which slips happen, on the descent and on the exposed moves.
Around the hike
Mahébourg and its market are ten minutes away, the naval museum tells the story of the battle you overlook from the summit, and Île aux Aigrettes can be visited on a guided trip from Pointe d'Esny. This is the hike to do if you are exploring the South-East.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Lion Mountain a hard hike?
Yes: 4.5 km round trip, 490 m of ascent and an exposed ridge with easy scrambling. Allow 3 to 4 hours, in dry weather only.
Do you need a guide for Lion Mountain?
Not necessarily for an experienced hiker in dry conditions. As waymarking is limited to paint and ribbons, a guide is advisable if you do not know the ground.
Where does the Lion Mountain hike start?
At Vieux Grand Port, near Mahébourg, behind the police station, through the cane fields.