Caverne Patate is the largest cave at 1,040m long and is 18m below sea level near Petite Butte. A guide will take you down into the cave for a tour that lasts around 45 minutes. Torches are available but good walking shoes with grips are recommended as there are no handrails, lighting or boardwalks. The now extinct Solitaire Bird remains were found in this cave system. The tours take place at set times about four times per day.
Nearby is the Francois Leguat Giant Tortoise and Cave Reserve. The caves here seem much taller inside and have some dramatic stalagmite and stalagtite formations, they also have boardwalks, steps and handrails. The lighting is still very dim but your guide will take a torch! An added attraction here are the Giant Tortoises which are the Aldabra species (the most genetically similar to the long extinct tortoises which lived on Mauritius and Rodrigues). Baby tortoises are now being born and raised here and staff are working with the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation to take out introduced shrubs and plants, replacing them with indigenous varieties (there are 100,000 native plants here!) and preserve the landscape for the birds and tortoises. The main reception which has a small shop and cafe also has an excellent museum showing the history and extinct species of the islands.
