Lion Mountain

Lion Mountain stands 480 metres above Vieux Grand Port on the southeast coast, and from the water its profile reads clearly as a lion lying down, with a raised head at the seaward end. The walk starts behind the old church, climbs steeply through forest onto the back of the ridge, then follows the spine out toward the head, and the final section narrows to an exposed scramble with drops on both sides that stops many walkers short. From the top the view takes in the Grand Port lagoon, the Ile aux Aigrettes islet, Mahebourg and the reef line. The historic anchorage below was where the Dutch first landed in 1598 and where the naval battle of 1810 was fought.

What you actually see

• The lion profile - the ridge shape best seen from the coast road.
• The exposed spine - the narrow scramble out to the head.
• Grand Port lagoon - the bay, reef and Ile aux Aigrettes below.
• Forest climb - the steep wooded lower section.

When to go

May to December for dry rock; the scramble is dangerous when wet. Start early to avoid heat on the exposed ridge, which has no shade beyond the forest section.

Honest expectations

The final ridge is genuinely exposed with unprotected drops and is not for anyone uneasy with heights. The path is unmarked in places and easy to lose in the forest. There is no water on the route. Rescue would be slow.

Nearby

Vieux Grand Port lies below; Mahebourg is south.