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Ravenales
Walking/pedestrian
in Saint-Benoît
2.5
km
Loop
Walking/pedestrian
1h 45min
Easy
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The ravenala or traveller's tree. Originally from Madagascar, the ravenala is an ornamental tree type plant with a fan of large leaves which can reach 10 to 30 metres in height when fully mature. However it is not a tree and its trunk is not wood, but made of old leaf fibres. It is commonly called the traveller's tree as the base of the leaves forms a cup capable of collecting up to 1.5 litres of rainwater that can be collected if required by piercing the base of the leaves. Nowadays this...
The ravenala or traveller's tree. Originally from Madagascar, the ravenala is an ornamental tree type plant with a fan of large leaves which can reach 10 to 30 metres in height when fully mature. However it is not a tree and its trunk is not wood, but made of old leaf fibres. It is commonly called the traveller's tree as the base of the leaves forms a cup capable of collecting up to 1.5 litres of rainwater that can be collected if required by piercing the base of the leaves. Nowadays this plant is grown in all tropical regions because of its unusual ornamental shape. As we can see in the Crater forest, ravenala trees thrive there and you can see extremely beautiful specimens.Difficulty: a hike for everyone. This hike which is not difficult at all is suitable for everyone and you can even take very young children. There are several ladders to help you on the climbs. Don't worry, there are no drops and no risk.
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How to reach the start
From the west take the expressway towards Saint Denis and then Saint Benoit. As you go through Saint Benoit, head towards Plaine des Palmistes and go past La Confiance. When you reach Chemin de Ceinture, at the roundabout, take the first road on the right. The road to Ravenales is signposted. After 1.5km on this road, park your vehicle in the large car park on the left. If you continue along this road, you will eventually come to a dead end after one kilometre. We recommend that you do this hike in the same direction as us so you can explore all the paths in this circuit. From the car park continue down route Hubert Delisle for 800 metres after the kiosk, walking alongside the beautiful property. The starting point for the path is on the left at a large hairpin turn, just before the little bridge.
Steps
0 km: From the car park, go down the road for 800 metres to the start of the path. Turn into the undergrowth and start to climb.
0.1 km: Climb to the left of the waterfall and then cross the ford.
0.2 km: Cross a second ford.
0.3 km: The climb is short but steep and there are several ladders to help you.
0.5 km: The vegetation changes and you start to see the east coast, this is the end of the climb.
0.8 km: The viewpoint here reaches as far as the volcano in Saint Benoit.
1.0 km: The descent is gentle until you reach the first ravenala trees.
1.3 km: The descent continues as far as junction 1. Here take the path that is directly to the right.
1.6 km: The path descends to a new viewpoint then you cross a pretty row of shrubs where the ground is strewn with dead leaves.
2.0 km: You reach the concrete road. This is the end of the large loop, retrace your steps back to junction 1 and continue down on the small loop to the right.
2.7 km: This descent is steep but you will walk closer to the most beautiful specimens of ravenala trees.
2.9 km: End of the descent, you will arrive back near the car park.
0.1 km: Climb to the left of the waterfall and then cross the ford.
0.2 km: Cross a second ford.
0.3 km: The climb is short but steep and there are several ladders to help you.
0.5 km: The vegetation changes and you start to see the east coast, this is the end of the climb.
0.8 km: The viewpoint here reaches as far as the volcano in Saint Benoit.
1.0 km: The descent is gentle until you reach the first ravenala trees.
1.3 km: The descent continues as far as junction 1. Here take the path that is directly to the right.
1.6 km: The path descends to a new viewpoint then you cross a pretty row of shrubs where the ground is strewn with dead leaves.
2.0 km: You reach the concrete road. This is the end of the large loop, retrace your steps back to junction 1 and continue down on the small loop to the right.
2.7 km: This descent is steep but you will walk closer to the most beautiful specimens of ravenala trees.
2.9 km: End of the descent, you will arrive back near the car park.
- 197 meters of difference in height
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- Start altitude : 274 m
- End altitude : 274 m
- Maximum altitude : 375 m
- Minimum altitude : 272 m
- Total positive elevation : 197 m
- Total negative elevation : -197 m
- Max positive elevation : 60 m
- Min positive elevation : -67 m
