I often get questions by email. Please read the information below to see if your question is already answered. If you still have a question, then click the contact link on the left to send me an email.
Can you organise hikes for me during my stay in Mauritius? Unfortunately, since I do not live in Mauritius, I cannot organise hikes, nor can I recommend any tour operators who do. My best advice is to speak to your host to arrange for a guide locally or find a friendly taxi driver who will come hiking with you. Local knowledge is a very useful asset! Does a GPS work in Mauritius? Yes, your GPS will work fine in Mauritius, as it will in most places in the world, as long as you have a clear signal to the GPS satellites. But a GPS is useless without some sort of map which is covered in the next question. Which GPS maps are available? I am currently only aware of two maps available for Mauritius. There might be more but I do not have any knowledge of them. Garmap Indian Ocean Islands: Mauritius from Garmap South Africa. This is a commercial solution at a reasonable price. They ship worldwide. These maps are for Garmin devices only! Openstreetmap is a free editable map of the whole world generated by end users. Downloadable maps are available for most of the world and the quality of the data is reasonable, though please note that I haven't used the maps for the Mauritius region.
It should be noted that it is possible to have more than one map on your GPS, and it is relatively easy to switch from one to the other. Additionally, I have uploaded all my GPS routes to the Openstreetmap.org website, so should you download a map for a Garmin GPS device, all the routes are readily available. Smart phones. The tracks can be viewed on an Android phone by following the description below: - Goto google maps using your computer/web browser and sign in. - Click 'My Places' -> 'Create Map'
- Click blue 'import' link, and enter the URL of the GPX file, for example: http://www.fitsy.com/attachments/048_Le_Pouce.gpx into the field "Or enter the url of map data on the web". (Though it doesn't explicitly say it, it will accept a GPX file/URL OK), and click upload. - Enter any additional descriptive information and click done. - Goto to your android phone and open 'Maps', click on the 'Layers' button, and under 'My Maps' the map you created on the google website will be in the list and you can view the track. You might need to wait a few minutes for the data on the google website to sync with your phone and appear under 'my maps'. Which GPS should I buy? If you are using your GPS for hiking, then you need a hand held GPS. Do not purchase a vehicle GPS for hiking. There are only a few number of handheld GPS models on the market, and Garmin seem to be the most popular. There is plenty of support for creating your own maps and uploading these to the GPS devices. I have limited time, which mountains should I try? Le Pouce: easy to get to by car or public transport. Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire: easy hike and the highest mountain on the island with good views. Requires own transport to get to the starting point as there is no public transport covering this area. Others depend on your location, but I personally quite like Corps de Garde mountain. It is in the centre of the island and is easy to get to.
Hint: If you intend to do lots of hiking during your stay in Mauritius, avoid accomodation in the North of the island. To reach the higher locations of the island requires passing through the capital Port Louis, and you can easily lose 1 hour or more during the morning rush hour just to get to your starting point. Are there any other websites I should look at Yes:
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Mauritius GPS routes 
