This reserve protects a 400-year-old forest. While that should be reason enough to visit, this is also an important habitat for the endangered Mauritius kestrel, one of the world's most at-risk raptors. A well-marked 3km trail winds through part of the forest, passing a number of viewpoints en route. We recommend taking the guided tour to make the most of your visit as your guide will point out fascinating flora and fauna that you may otherwise miss. But even if you don't pay for a guide you'll need to take the 4WD transfer from the park office to the trailhead - these leave every half hour. 4WD explorations of the reserve are also possible. The walking trail begins and ends at the thatch-roofed restaurant where they serve up locally sourced venison vindaloo or roast venison.
As an important habitat for endemic species, Vallée de Ferney promises to be an important conservation and ecotourism area over the coming years. The Mauritius Wildlife Foundation, which helps to train the guides here and provides important input into the reserve's policies, has ambitious plans to reintroduce a number of endangered species here, including the pink pigeon and echo pàrakeet.
The Ferney Valley is also well known as the site of a recent conservation demonstration that ignited when a Chinese paving company sought to construct a highway directly through the protected hinterland. Attempts at development were unsuccessful but scars remain - trees daubed with red paint alongside the walking trail signify those that were to be chopped down to make way for the road.
The turn-off to the 200-hectare reserve is clearly marked along the coastal road, around 2km south of Vieux Grand Port.
