Black River Gorges National Park, National park in southwestern Mauritius.

Black River Gorges National Park is a protected area in southwestern Mauritius that covers mountain ranges with dense vegetation. Waterfalls drop into canyons while hiking paths wind through forests and over ridges.

The government created this protected area in 1994 by joining several smaller reserves together. The goal was to save native species and their living spaces from disappearing.

The name refers to the river cutting through deep canyons that shape the landscape here. Visitors walk through mist forests where shades of green shift with every change in elevation.

Four entrances provide access to the area, from which marked paths lead to two information centers. Early morning offers the best conditions to watch birds and see mist over the valleys.

The park holds 163 of Mauritius's 311 endemic plant species, not all of them, and every one of the island's 28 surviving endemic birds, among them the Mauritius kestrel and pink pigeon. It is also on Mauritius's tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status.