It looks like I'll be moving to Mauritius for a few years and I need to climb! All I have found from internet searches are guides for an experience day. I gather there is a guide book for reunion but can't find any info on where to buy one. I have also seen mention of sport routes in Mauritius but not idea where. Any tips on where I might get my climbing fix out there would be very appreciated. Bonus points for DWS routes!
I've got some French mags with articles on climbing on both islands, I'll try to dig them out. There is definitely a reasonable amount of development on Reunion.
Couldn't you just also google 'Ondra ****-off big granite wall in Reunion', or am I misremembering?
I had the impression that some classic 8 pitch 7a there was on the global ticklist of moneyed Westerners; in fact I thought Simon Cox, then of this parish, did it some twenty years ago.
Perhaps those were Madagascar. And also not very helpful reflections, really.
Anyway, here is your suggestion CC in action, although the OP may be looking for something more modestly graded.
Hi Pippa, I spent about 3 years on Mauritius around 15 years ago, at that time there wasn't a lot of climbing, certainly not established venues (there's a lot of rock, but lots is poor quality or with access issues). We climbed some bolted routes round Phare d'Albion (West Coast), 3 or 4 routes from memory (not highest quality). We also ended up top roping some bridge abutments. There was an old very short via ferratta on Pieter Both too. Around that time the 'experience a day climbing' organisations put a few bolts in above some of the big waterfalls (photo of Paw Paw Waterfall in my gallery) and they had fairly recently equipped Phare d'Albion, but there certainly wasn't a significant local climbing scene there. Things might have improved a bit in recent times, if they carried on developing bits. If I was going back I'd get in touch with the local companies and see if they can give me any leads (or, more likely, I'd spend the weekends Scuba diving). Reunion, I only visited, but is lots better, well established.
I went to Mauritius a few years ago and couldn't find any climbing. There are a very few walking trails which are quite steep in places, but the interior is so heavily vegetated by jungle that it's very difficult to go off path. The mountains in the centre of the island are spectacular and very imposing but covered by jungle and my plans to try and find a way up some of them were completely frustrated by the dense vegetation. Only had a week to explore and it was impossible to find a route to the base let alone attempt to climb up one!!
The only coastal areas I visited are flat with lots of beaches, and excellent snorkelling in the lagoons behind the reef, but no rock features. Didn't find any coastal cliffs, but I didn't visit the northern coast.
I haven't been to Reunion, but understand that there are better opportunities for both hiking and climbing.
Its very rare but if you can find a copy of Mountains of Mauritius, A climbers Guide (1976) has all of the main mountains listed in it. My partners mum is from Mauritius and like others have said there is only a tiny climbing scene there. The ridges although low in height are alpine in character, sharp and good fun.
Rock climbing as in sport and trad is very limited but the scrambles are superb.
If you look on the map I've put a few basic details on ukc with a few of the sport climbs around Albion lighthouse and a couple of the summit scrambles.
Reunion has a climbing scene and there is more info to be had on that island.
Hi went in 2010 with my wife, climbed Pieter Both from a village on plateau to south, can't remember the name sorry. Locate path through field aiming to a gully left of summit. Muddy gully tree routes and steep grass, met a German bloke retreating here who said it was impossible. Nice grass ridge which dog legs towards summit and gets a bit serious, maybe English 4b moves harder in reverse. The summit block had rungs but in 2010 some of these were stumps.. A0 and strenuous (&very exposed), especially downclimbing since it overhangs at base. Apparently new fixed gear now. Didnt bother with a rope but could have used it for one ab and the bad step on ridge.
Took a rack of gear and only rock climbing we found was at Albion Cliffs. In 2010 there were only 2 routes but crag could be developed, room for maybe 20 lines. can remember one easy one about 5 and a steep arete about E3. I led some trad probably first ascents.. see pictures in my UKC gallery of me on an E1 called Coconut Canute and of Pieter Both.
Edit. Just noticed this info which was on the photo caption.. this crag has only 6 routes, VD, VD, f5+, E3 5c, E46a and E1 5b. if bolted would be scope for about 20-25 route prob up to 7a+
Also climbed La Pouce, long walk with an easy final summit scramble, superb viewpoint. Another peak worth the hike is Lion Mountain east of island near airport, 2 ways up so can make it a round walk.
Can't help with Mauritius but there is plenty of climbing on Reunion - getting detail might be tricky if you don't read French though as most of the sites I looked at when heading there were (understandably) French.
I passed through Reunion on a trip about 10 years ago - didn't climb when there in the end apart from one bouldering session on the West coast on some amazing overhanging rough black rock right over the sandy beach - have had a quick look but can't track down the name as yet...
I have been to La Reunion last year and I can confirm that you can buy the Reunion guidebooks in several bookshops on the island. I think they were out of stock of the rope climbing one (it seems to be still the case) but there were several copies of the bouldering one.
If you are really keen on climbing there is a private facebook group where you could ask advices (keeping in mind that's a French speaking group). https://www.facebook.com/groups/656788157786540
