15 Awesome Seychelles Hikes and Nature Trails

A comprehensive hiking guide with a list of some of the best hikes in the Seychelles! Discover some of the Seychelles’ best jungle trails and coastal vistas on your next visit to the archipelago.

While many people visit the Seychelles for the white-sand beaches and luxury resorts, the truth is that this archipelago has so much more to offer.

That’s why I hope to fill the gap and let you in on all the epic adventure opportunities available in the Seychelles.

After spending a lot of time hiking some of the best trails on La Digue, Praslin, and Mahé, I’ve formulated this run-down of 15 awesome hikes in the Seychelles. I hope it inspires you to get out and explore more of this incredible destination.

15 Awesome Hikes in the Seychelles

1. Anse Marron Hike, La Digue

La Digue comes to the top of my list of favorite islands to go hiking on in the Seychelles.

And, one of the best hikes on the island is the nature trail to Anse Marron. This secluded hidden-gem has long been an island secret but has recently blown up on an international scale. This is largely due to a few guides opening up guided walks to Anse Marron.

Once you lay eyes on this beach, you'll soon discover why. This sheltered, private beach is one of the most breathtaking beaches in the Seychelles. It features incredibly blue water and a sheltered cove with amazing granite rock formations.

However, before you head out, it’s best to know that tourists are highly discouraged from commencing this Seychelles hike independently. Apparently, I was told that a lot of tourists get lost on this trail and require rescue and I was told I shouldn’t post directions for this reason. 

Luckily, there are small-group, guided trips that are going to be your best bet. In fact, this particular trip to Anse Marron is one of the most-booked and highest-rated tours on La Digue Island. It has 5-stars on Viator– one of the world’s best booking websites, with a Badge of Excellence on Tripadvisor. Best of all, it only costs around €40 for a whole day!

2. Morne Blanc Nature Trail, Mahe

Mahé is another incredible Seychelles island for hiking. One of my favorite hikes here is the Morne Blanc Nature Trail. This track is located within the beautiful Morne Seychellois National Park (Morne Seychelles National Park).

This is one of the best hikes for amazing views over the west coast of the island. The trail begins on Sans Soucis Road, the scenic, cross-island road connecting Victoria to Port Glaud.

The Morne Blanc trail is a steep but short climb through amazing jungle to reach the viewpoint. It's only 1.8 kilometers return, but you'll need to hike up around 230 meters of elevation to the summit (667 m above sea-level).

From the top, you’ll get a vantage point of Therese and Conception Island, running all the way down the coast to Petite Anse on the south cape.

3. Anse Cocos Hikes, La Digue

It's no secret that La Digue has some of the best beaches in the world. Besides Anse Source D'Argent, one of the absolute best is Anse Cocos.

There are two options to get to Anse Cocos on La Digue and both of them require nature trail hikes.

The easy option is to take the short coastal trail from Grand Anse. This is a very scenic, easy, and beautiful trail. It offers plenty of opportunity for wildlife spotting, including the Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher, the Bulbul, Giant Day Gecko, and the Seychelles Bronze Gecko.

If you're up for more of a challenge, you could hike to Anse Cocos from Belle Vue Road, passing the Romeo & Juliette viewpoint (below).

4. Anse Georgette Hike, Praslin

Everybody knows about the amazing Anse Lazio on Praslin.

However, what many visitors don't know is that its neighbor, Anse Georgette, is equally as beautiful. Best of all, it's much quieter too!

To get to Anse Georgette, you'll need to either stay at the Constance Lemuria Resort, or take the jungle trail over the hill from Anse Lazio.

This trail takes about an hour but is easy to follow for the duration. Start the hike from the west end of Anse Lazio beach.

5. Le Glacis Noir Trail, PRaslin

The Le Glacis Noir Trail is one of the best hiking trails on Praslin Island. You can begin this hike from the nearby Vallée de Mai.

The trail leads through the dense, tropical forests and climbs to a viewpoint tower offering an amazing vantage point of the coast. The roughly 2.8-kilometre trail is mostly shaded throughout and should take about an hour for most people to complete.

This is one of the best hiking trails in the Seychelles for wildlife spotting. Most people see multiple black parrots here!

6. Anse Major Nature Trail, Mahe

My favorite beach on Mahé is the remote and mind-blowingly epic Anse Major.

To get here, hikers will need to take a relatively short and easy hike starting near the western end of Beau Vallon.

The hike to this remote beach on the isolated northwest end of Mahe offers both jungle and coastal views. However, it's the view at the end that really takes the cake for the most stunning scenery.

Anse Major beach has crystal clear water, perfect white sand and an unbelievable mountain backdrop. Check out some of the images I captured of this beach from my drone.

7. Nid D'Aigle (Eagle's Nest), La Digue

Fancy hiking to the highest point of La Digue Island?

This point is known as Nid D'Airlge or the Eagle's Nest. The summit is roughly 333 meters. However, chances are you won't be beginning this trail from sea level.

The best way to hike Nid D'Aigle in the Seychelles is to begin at Belle Vue Restaurant. There's a steep but short trail leading from this restaurant all the way to the summit in less than 20 minutes.

8. Copolia Trail, Mahe

If Morne Blanc offers the best views of Mahé's west coast, then the Copolia has the best views of the east.

This trail begins on the same cross-island road, but this time closer to Victoria. The trail is also similar, being short, but steep. In total, expect just 1.9 kilometers return.

Book: Copolia Trail Guided hike

At the end, you'll be greeted with incredible views of the east coast beaches, the village of Takamaka, Victoria, and Eden Island.

9. Salazie & Pasquière Track, Praslin

This next trail is one of the longest hikes on the Seychelles island of Praslin. This is a loop trail combining the Salazie Track with the Pasquière Trail.

The path is quite level, with little incline throughout. It features several great coastal viewpoints and an opportunity to walk through some of the island's less visited areas. On this loop, you'll see:

• Anse Volbert
• Anse Petite Cour
• Grand Anse
• Anse Possession

It's best to start this one at Grand Anse and continue into the interior from there.

10. Romeo & Juliet Viewpoint Hike (Unique Viewpoints), La Digue

This next trail is a remote hike through La Digue's dense interior. This one follows several random logging trails from Belle Vue Road and therefore, I recommend contacting Henry (above) to show you the way.

The Romeo & Juliet viewpoint is an epic rock vantage point over La Digue's mostly untouched east coast.

The view stretches over the green, tropical jungle and all the way down to the Anse Cocos, Petite Anse, and Grand Anse. It’s by far my favorite view on the island.

After soaking up the views you can continue down to Anse Cocos. From here, it's best to walk back via Grand Anse to avoid the steep climb back to the road.

Related:

Where to Stay in the Seychelles (Accommodation Guide)

11. Mare Aux cochons Trail, Mahe

One of the lesser-known hikes in the Seychelles is the cross-island Mare aux Cochons trail.

While this one doesn’t offer as many spectacular views as some of the other hikes on this list, it instead allows you to experience the island's interior. That's because the Mare aux Cochons trail has some of the best plant and wildlife viewing in the archipelago.

Again, this trail is a little remote and difficult to follow. Therefore, I recommend booking a guide. My great friend Roddey (above) took me on this trail. He knows absolutely everything about the history and nature of the Seychelles and will point out all the highlights. 

12. Anse Songe Nature Trail, La Digue

Starting from Grand Anse, Anse Songe is another great short coastal nature trail on La Digue Island.

This trail begins just a few hundred meters before the access to Grand Anse beach on the southeastern end of La Digue. The track begins by winding through flat, sandy jungle before climbing over a short hill. In total, this Seychelles hiking trail should only take about 20 minutes and you could even ride your bicycle to the short hill, cutting down some time.

Anse Songe is a rocky beach that you’ll often have all to yourself. This beach is a little shallow and there is a small stretch of sand below a large granite boulder that is great for swimming (confident swimmers only) and cooling off after the walk.

13. Sauzier Waterfall Trail, Mahe

The Seychelles doesn't just have great hikes– it's even got waterfalls!

One of my favorites is Sauzier Waterfall, located just a short walk from Port Glaud, on the western side of Mahé.

The trail starts just a few hundred meters into the village from the church. There's an entry fee for this one, which is just 50 SCR per person. The hike follows a scenic track for just five minutes before finishing up at a majestic jungle waterfall complete with a deep swimming hole.

Travel tip: This waterfall is included on the 6-hour adventure tour on Mahé.

14. Ros Sodyer Rock Pool Hike, Mahe

Another unique hiking opportunity on Mahe is the Ros Sodyer Rock Pool near Anse Takamaka beach. This is quite a distance from popular tourist hubs like Beau Vallon Beach and Eden Island. So, if you're not too keen on organizing transport, then I'd recommend just booking an organized day trip to the pools instead.

The hike is roughly 45-60 minutes return at about 2.2 kilometers in total. It's a relatively easy track following jungle trails before popping out onto the granite rock features on the coast.

Book: Guided tour to Ros Sodyer on Mahe

The rock pool is very deep and is perfect for swimming in good weather. I suggest trying to line up your hike to arrive at low hide for the best experience.

15. Vallée de Mai, Praslin

The last trail on this list of the best hikes in the Seychelles is the one-and-only Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve.

Vallée de Mai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best place in the Seychelles to see the endemic coco de mer palms. There is a variety of loop trail options you can take, each with amazing opportunities to see the Seychelles endemic palms.

At the entrance, there are dried examples of the coco de mer (male and female), as well as a few other Seychelles endemic palm seeds. 

There is an entrance fee of 350 SCR to enter Vallée de Mai. However, this money goes to maintaining the reserve, as well as the Aldabra Atoll.

Praslin highlights tour: Vallée de Mai & Anse Lazio

Where to Stay in the Seychelles

No doubt, picking the right accommodation for your trip is important. There's nothing like relaxing in iconic Seychelles beachside hotels after a long day of hiking.

Below you'll find great recommendations and resources when planning your visit to the Seychelles.

If you want island-specific breakdowns with more options, then also check out the guides below:

• La Digue Accommodation Guide
• Praslin Accommodation Guide
• Mahe Accommodation Guide

Best Accommodation Picks For La Digue

Best Accommodation Picks for Praslin

Best Accommodation Picks for Mahe

Things to Know About Hiking in the Seychelles

Here are some quick things to know about hiking in the Seychelles.

• Hiring a local guide is the best way to experience the awesome hiking trails in the Seychelles. This way, you’ll not only get to enjoy the nature, but you’ll learn so much about the endemic plants and animals of the Seychelles. The guys and girls below are my great friends and awesome guides:
  - Praslin: Medina
  - La Digue: Henry
  - Mahé: Roddey
• Internet & LTE connectivity is not great once you get out on the trails. If you plan to walk some of the more remote nature trails in the Seychelles, it’s best to know this in advance. You can pick up a sim card with Airtel at the Mahe airport or at Cable & Wireless Kiosks on the main islands.
• Hiking in the Seychelles is one of the best activities to do on your vacation. Most islands are mountainous with lots of untouched, jungle interior that is rich in biodiversity and has several maintained nature trails.
• The Granitic Islands of the Seychelles are very unique. This is the only place on earth where granite islands exist mid-ocean.
• Getting between islands is very easy. Read how to get to La Digue and how to get to Praslin. The most popular is to take the Cat Cocos ferry from Mahe Island to Praslin first.
• Endemic species are abundant in the Seychelles. La Digue in particular is one of the only islands where you can spot the illusive Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher.
• Individual hiking guides can be found throughout this post. These links go to detailed guides with a rundown of the specific nature trail with more photos.

Best time to Visit the Seychelles for Hiking

The Seychelles sits near the equator within the subequatorial climatic zone. What this means is that the islands enjoy a tropical and mostly-stable climate with a constant temperature between 25-35°C.

As a result, the Seychelles has great weather for hiking. However, just remember to pack plenty of water on hot days.

Furthermore, there are periods of seasonal rainfall which tend to begin in December and finish in March.

Many sources say that the best time to visit the Seychelles is during the months of April and May and October and November. However, don't be too worried about visiting in the wetter months. My recent trip was in December and I had great hiking weather almost every day!

Beyond the Trails: More Seychelles Travel Guides & Inspiration

That's a wrap for this rundown of the best Seychelles hikes and nature trail walks. Before you go, stick around for more detailed guides and inspiration for planning your trip.

Below are three island-specific guides that cover everything you need to know on Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue.

• Mahé Island Travel Guide
• Praslin Island Travel Guide
• La Digue Island Travel Guide

Alternatively, check out some of the below guides for more inspiration!

• 10 Best Praslin Hotels and Beach Resorts In 2023 (Seychelles)
• 10 Best Seychelles Islands You Need to Visit in 2023
• 11 Best Resorts & Beach Hotels On Mahe Island, the Seychelles (2023)
• 18 Best Beaches in the Seychelles to Visit in 2023
• 26 Best Things to do on Mahé Island, the Seychelles - 2023 Guide
• 50 Best Things to do in the Seychelles - 2023 Travel Guide
• 9 Best La Digue Hotels & Accommodation Options: Where to Stay in 2023 (Seychelles)
• How to Get to the Rock Pool on Mahe (Ros Sodyer) - The Seychelles
• Mahé Beaches: 12 Best Beaches on Mahé Island, the Seychelles
• Where to Stay in the Seychelles - Best Areas, Hotels & Resorts in 2023