The popular Copolia trail |17 February 2020
The view from the top of trail
The Copolia trail located in the Morne Seychellois National Park starts off the Sans Soucis road and is very popular with both tourists and locals. During weekdays an average of 12 tourists make the one hour trek to the top of this path. During the weekends it is Seychellois and expatriate workers who are most commonly encountered. An assessment of this popular trail on Friday February 7 by employees of the Seychelles National Parks Authority (SNPA), shows that the trail is in relatively good condition. Truly a jungle paradise to the many European tourists that choose to visit it!
Even if tourists have complained of litter along the trail, the three staff who assessed it, found it to be relatively clean. Even if two large bin bags of rubbish were collected, most of the wastes were found at the beginning of the trail, where people sit on the newly installed benches to enjoy their beers. In total, the threesome collected 42 cans and 39 PET bottles during a small clean-up. The majority were collected around the entrance. There are public bins not far from the beginning of the trail but some of us are just too careless or simply lazy, and choose to just toss our cans in the nearby bush.
The SNPA, which manages the Morne Seychellois National Park in which the Copolia trail is located, is urging members of the public to keep this trail clean.The authority will soon be introducing an entrance fee for tourists visiting this trail. The intention is that revenue generated will ensure its proper maintenance, with the aim of offering visitors to our shores a great outdoor experience!
Since last year, SNPA has installed new direction posts, benches, steps and welcome board. A toilet is also being built. Information boards will soon be placed and the authority plans to install a kiosk on top of the mountain.
Nature trail is one of the most popular eco-tourism activities that the country has to offer and the Copolia trail is one of the best spots for such. The area contains endemics such as the pitcher plant, the country’s smallest frog – the Sooglossid, and many more other endemic plants. The majority of tourists visit the trail for the spectacular view that it commands. From there, one can see the country’s only international airport, the Ste Anne Marine Park and the whole of the east coast, from the capital Victoria all the way to the airport. A truly breathtaking view!
Text and photos contributed by SNPA
