When we imagine the Seychelles, our thoughts almost automatically run to white beaches, transparent sea, palm trees and resorts overlooking the Indian Ocean, and it’s all true, but it’s not the only way to experience the archipelago. In fact, there are greener, more impervious and quieter Seychelles, to be crossed on foot through tropical forests, hidden paths and gigantic blocks of granite, until reaching bays that do not appear in the most classic programmes. It is a less immediate and decidedly wilder side of the islands, which you discover by leaving the beach behind for a few hours and setting off on your journey.
After all, the archipelago is not just made of sand and lagoons. The Seychelles has 115 islands and the granitic ones, including Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, contain reliefs, tropical forests and a network of paths that allow you to discover the interior of the islands as well as their coast. It is precisely here that the perspective changes: the sea almost always remains in the background, but to reach it you must first cross a landscape of dense vegetation, rocks and differences in altitude.
Anse Marron, on the southern coast of La Digue, is one of the most obvious examples. There is no road leading to it and the route requires moving through vegetation, rock passages and large granite blocks. The path is classified by the Seychelles tourist board among those of medium difficulty: approximately 6.5 kilometers and four-five hours of walking, with the recommendation to tackle it accompanied by a guide. The reward is a small, secluded bay, protected by granite boulders and away from the island’s more easily accessible beaches. In Mahé the landscape changes but not the philosophy. Here the route enters the green interior of the island and crosses the forest before descending towards Port Glaud and the Sauzier waterfall. It is a very different Mahé from that of the bays and hotels on the coast: rich in vegetation and made to be crossed slowly, one step at a time.
Seychelles Trekking: the three largest islands, at a slow pace
The Seychelles Trekking program crosses Mahé, Praslin and La Digue at a gentle pace, also suitable for people who do not have a great deal of hiking experience. The walks wind through tropical forests and nature reserves, alternating panoramic stretches on the coast with stops in the villages, where the Creole cuisine becomes part of the story as much as the landscape. This is not a particularly demanding itinerary: the beaches, including the lesser-known ones, remain a fixed stop, with all the time you need for a swim, snorkelling or a break in the shade.
The route alternates walks in nature and moments by the sea, with stages that allow you to enter the wildest landscape of the islands. In Mahé you cross the Morne Seychellois National Park with the Copolia Trail, a route of approximately 3 kilometers lasting two hours, immersed in the tropical forest and with a suggestive panoramic point over the island. Still in Mahé, you reach the hidden Anse Major through a coastal trek of around 6 kilometres, among granite rocks, lush vegetation and glimpses of the ocean.
Petit Anse, La Digue
In Praslin the journey continues in the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and symbolic place of the famous coco de mer, and then continues towards some of the most scenic beaches on the island. In La Digue the path instead leads towards Grand Anse, Petit Anse and Anse Cocos, with around 4 kilometers of trekking along paths through tropical vegetation and natural pools where you can stop for a swim.
This is a journey in which each day has a different rhythm: you walk, explore and discover the greener soul of the Seychelles, without giving up the time necessary to experience the sea and let yourself be conquered by the landscapes of the archipelago.
Seychelles Adventure: two more days, up to Anse Marron
If you want to go further, you are satisfied with the Seychelles Adventure programme, a proposal designed for those who consider walking a fundamental part of the journey and want to reach the most hidden corners of the archipelago. Compared to Trekking, the calendar is extended by two full days and the level of difficulty increases, just enough to enter even deeper into the wild nature of the islands.
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Among the symbolic experiences is crossing Mahé through the forest to Port Glaud: a route of approximately 12 kilometers and 6 hours of walking among tropical plants, waterfalls, natural pools and views of the west coast of the island. An immersion in the greenest and least known part of Mahé, far from the busiest beaches.
One of the most anticipated moments of the trip arrives in La Digue: the trek to Anse Marron, one of the most remote beaches in the Seychelles. The route, approximately 5 kilometers long and lasting approximately 6 hours, crosses hidden paths, granite rocks and stretches between water and land until reaching a spectacular bay where you can stop to experience the sea in complete tranquility.
To complete the experience there is snorkeling on the Sister Islands and days marked by walking, nature and encounters that rarely happen to those who only travel along the main roads of the archipelago.
Small groups, local guides
The two itineraries share the same philosophy: small groups, walking and a more direct relationship with the territory. The presence of local guides takes on a particular weight especially on the less obvious routes, such as the one towards Anse Marron, where knowing the passages, rocks and conditions of the route is part of the experience itself. The result is a journey that uses the beaches not only as the final destination, but as the point of arrival after crossing the interior of the islands.
Which of the two treks to choose
In practical terms, the difference can be summarized as follows: Trekking favors a softer pace and the balance between walking, sea and discovery of the three main islands; the Adventure adds two days and more challenging routes, intended for those who want to reach even the less accessible corners of the archipelago.
The difference, rather than in the technical difficulty, lies in the type of traveller. Do you want to discover the three main islands calmly, without giving up comfort and the beach? No problem, you will find the right fit in Trekking. Do you consider exploration as an integral part of the trip and do you long to discover the Seychelles that remain out of the most shared photos? In this case, you will find in the Adventure the most faithful version of what you are looking for.
For those who want to discover this more authentic and active side of the archipelago, Seychelles Trekking offers walking itineraries between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, with nature excursions, hidden beaches and moments dedicated to the sea. All details on the programs, departures and travel methods are available on the official website: https://www.seychelstrekking.it/
