Copolia Trail: Private Guided Hike on Mahé to a 497 m Granite Viewpoint
Photos: the tour operator, Island Tour Seychelles, David Stanley, CC BY 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons, Remi Jouan, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons, BenouBenouBenou © Benjamin Didiot / JBN, CC0 on Wikimedia Commons
- Duration
- 3 to 4 hours
- Group
- Private
- Level
- Easy, from age 5
- Cancellation
- Free to 36h
One easy trail, mostly in the shade of palms and cinnamon trees, climbs to a bare granite dome above the capital. On the way your guide shows you the Seychelles pitcher plant, which grows wild only on Mahé and Silhouette.
The short answerThe Copolia hike is a private guided walk up an easy, shaded trail in the Morne Seychellois National Park to a granite summit at 497 m. From the top you see Victoria, Eden Island, the Ste Anne Marine Park and the airport, and Praslin on a clear day. The walk up takes a little under an hour. Plan 3 to 4 hours with free pick-up anywhere on Mahé. Children from 5 can do it.
Is this for you?
A good fit if you
- Want a short hike with a big view
- Travel with children aged 5 or more
- Like rare plants and want to see a pitcher plant in the wild
Think twice if you
- Want a long or steep mountain climb, try Trois Frères
- Want to wear flip-flops, closed shoes are needed
- Need a fully flat path, the trail has steps and rocks
The route
- 1Your timePick-upFrom your hotel, guesthouse, Eden Island, the airport or the cruise port, anywhere on Mahé. Sunrise starts leave around 06:00.
- 2Short driveCopolia trailhead, Sans Souci roadThe trail starts in the green hills above Victoria, at the Copolia sign of the national park.
- 3About 50 minutesThrough the junglePalms, cinnamon trees and endemic plants, almost all in shade. The pitcher plant, lalyann potao in Creole, grows on the rocks near the top.
- 4Take your timeCopolia summit, 497 mThe forest opens onto a granite dome with a 180° view over the east coast of Mahé.
- 5Same trailWalk back and drop-offBack down the same path, then a drive to your hotel or anywhere else on Mahé.
OpenStreetMap traces about 1.0 km of mapped trail for this route.
Price and what is included
| 1 guest | €129 |
| 2 guests, each | €69 |
| 3 to 4 guests, each | €55 |
| 5 to 25 guests, each | €49 |
| First child up to 12, with two paying adults | Free |
Your tour covers Private guided hike, only your group, Licensed local guide speaking English or French, Free pick-up and drop-off anywhere on Mahé, Transport to the trailhead and back.
Costs on top
| Government trail fee | SCR 100 per visitor aged 12 and over, card only. All fees |
|---|---|
| Food and drinks | Not included |
These are the local operator's own prices, checked 10 November 2026. The tour is private, only your group takes part. You book and pay online with the operator, and the price for your date shows before you pay.
Key facts
| Operator | Island Tour Seychelles, a licensed family business on Mahé |
|---|---|
| Trail | Copolia nature trail, Morne Seychellois National Park |
| Summit | 497 m granite top (OpenStreetMap) |
| Walking time | A little under an hour up, about 2 hours on the trail in all |
| Level | Easy and mostly shaded, from age 5 |
| Trail fee | SCR 100 per visitor aged 12 and over, card only on site |
| Opening hours | Trail open 08:00 to 16:00 daily |
| Languages | English or French. Sheena also speaks some German |
| Pick-up | Free anywhere on Mahé, any time you choose |
| Cancellation | Free up to 36 hours before, full refund minus the payment fee |
Copolia and the national park
Copolia is a 497 m granite peak in the Morne Seychellois National Park, the protected mountain heart of Mahé. The park covers about 3,045 hectares of forest, cliffs and granite, with patches of primary forest above 600 m.
The Copolia nature trail is the park's best known short walk. It reopened after renovation in August 2020 with a trail fee of SCR 100 for visitors aged 12 and over. The fee is collected by the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority, card only on site.
Wildlife and nature on the way
The only pitcher plant in Seychelles, found only on Mahé and Silhouette, growing in rock near granite summits between 350 and 750 m.
Photo: Urs Zimmermann, CC BY 3.0A tree found only on Mahé, thought extinct until a few were found in the 1970s, named after its jellyfish-shaped open fruit.
Photo: Dao Nguyen and James Hardcastle, CC BY 4.0A common endemic bird of Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette, noisy and easy to spot in the forest.
Photo: Florival fr, CC BY-SA 4.0A small nectar-feeding bird, kolibri in Creole, common across the islands.
Photo: Yulia Kolosova, CC BY 4.0A woodland pigeon about 25 cm long with a silver-grey head, dark blue body and a bright crimson patch on the forehead.
Photo: A.Savin, FALThe pitcher plant grows on the rocks near the summit. Bulbuls and sunbirds are common along the trail.
What travellers say
Insider tips
Sunrise is cool and calm. Around noon the sun stands over Victoria, which the operator says is often better for photos.
Trainers are fine. The path has roots, steps and bare granite at the top.
SCR 100 per visitor aged 12 and over. The government takes card only on site, the operator says cash. Carry both.
The pitcher plants sit low on the rocks near the top. Ask your guide to point one out.
The walk is short but humid. There is no shop on the trail.
Weather and the best season
Seychelles is warm all year, about 24 to 30 °C on Mahé. October to March is the wetter half, January usually the wettest month, and July and August the coolest.
Trails are slippery after rain, which falls most from December to February. Morning starts are cooler and clearer, because clouds build over the mountains later in the day.
Pair it with
Seychelles entrance fees, every trail and parkSeychelles hiking trailsMorne Seychellois National ParkSeychelles with kids
Questions people ask
How long is the Copolia hike?
The walk up takes a little under an hour. With the way back and a rest at the top, plan about 2 hours on the trail and 3 to 4 hours in all with pick-up.
Is the Copolia trail difficult?
No. It is an easy, mostly shaded trail. Children from 5 can do it.
How much is the Copolia trail fee?
SCR 100, about €6, per visitor aged 12 and over. Residents and children under 12 are free. It is not in the tour price.
How high is Copolia?
The summit is 497 m above sea level, according to OpenStreetMap.
What can I see from the top?
Victoria, Eden Island, the Ste Anne Marine Park and the airport. On a clear day Praslin and La Digue show on the horizon.
Where can I see the Seychelles pitcher plant?
On the Copolia trail. Nepenthes pervillei grows wild only on Mahé and Silhouette, on rock near granite summits.
How do I book?
Online with the local operator from the button on this page. You pay the operator, and the price for your date shows before you pay.
Can I cancel?
Yes. Free up to 36 hours before the start, full refund minus the payment fee.
Sources12 sources, checked by the SeyBooking.com team on 10 November 2026
Every fact on this page comes from the sources below. If two sources disagree, we show both.
- Island Tour Seychelles, tour page (read 10 November 2026)
- Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority: ticket list
- Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority: visitor information
- Wikipedia: Mahé highlands Important Bird Area (Morne Seychellois National Park)
- OpenStreetMap contributors (trail and place data)
- SeyBooking.com: Seychelles entrance fees, checked 10 November 2026
- Wikipedia: Seychelles climate
- Wikipedia: Nepenthes pervillei
- Wikipedia: Medusagyne (jellyfish tree)
- Wikipedia: Seychelles bulbul
- Wikipedia: Seychelles sunbird
- Wikipedia: Seychelles blue pigeon
- Photo: David Stanley, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Photo: Remi Jouan, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Photo: BenouBenouBenou © Benjamin Didiot / JBN, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
