夏玛尔瀑布坐落于毛里求斯西南部的黑河区,这道由圣丹尼斯河倾泻而下的水帘拥有将近100米的垂直落差,是岛上最高的单体瀑布。作为夏玛尔七色土景区的一部分,它不仅是地理课本上的地质奇观,更是火山岛屿历经800万年至1000万年地壳运动后留下的宏大注脚。由于被茂密的原始森林环绕,这处景点呈现出一种类似《侏罗纪公园》电影镜头的原始美感,也是每位来到毛里求斯的游客几乎必打卡的坐标。
想要拍到没有路人甲的瀑布全景,早上八点半准时守在景区门口是最明智的选择。夏玛尔瀑布与七色土共用一张门票,目前成人票价大约为550卢比,包含两个景点的入场许可。售票处支持信用卡支付,但山里信号偶尔不稳定,建议随身揣几张现金备用。从入口开车进入后,大约三分钟就能看到左手边的瀑布观景台。这里设有两个高度不同的木质平台,低处的平台视角平视,适合拍瀑布全貌;高处的平台则需要爬一段台阶,视野更开阔,能看清瀑布上方圣丹尼斯河的汇流处。
上午十点前是摄影的黄金期,此时阳光侧照在玄武岩峭壁上,水雾在阳光折射下极易形成彩虹。如果等到下午一两点再来,瀑布所在的峡谷会处于大面积背光状态,拍出来的照片难免黑乎乎一片,细节全无。说真的,如果是摄影爱好者,哪怕为了那道彩虹也值得赶个大早。顺便提一句,这里的猴子非常精明,它们常在观景台扶手附近晃悠,看到你背包拉链没拉紧就会尝试伸手,手机和零食一定要拿稳。
通往夏玛尔的路是一段不断盘旋的山道,如果你选择自驾,得做好心理准备。路面虽然平整但弯道极急且路幅较窄,对于不习惯右舵驾驶的人来说是个不小的挑战。从路易港(Port Louis)开车过来大概要一个半小时,从莫纳山(Le Morne)出发则只需要二十多分钟。如果不想自己开车操心,包车一日游是最省力的方案,司机通常会把这里和南部的黑河谷、大浪湾串联在一起。记得告诉司机在瀑布观景台多停一会儿,因为大多数团游客只是匆匆一瞥就走。
很多人以为看夏玛尔瀑布只能在围栏外面远观,其实这里隐藏着一条通往瀑布底部的徒步路线。这不是那种修好的漫步道,而是真正的泥泞小径。从观景台附近的隐蔽入口出发,下行大约需要45分钟,中间要穿过密集的蕨类植物。走到下面你会发现,原本百米高的水流在近距离接触时震耳欲聋。这种体验感和在看台上远远望去完全不在一个量级,清凉的水汽能瞬间打湿你的衣裳。
这条下行路线对鞋子要求极高,别穿着人字拖就往里冲。山路常年因为水汽而湿滑,建议穿抓地力强的运动鞋或徒步鞋。雨季的时候,这条路会变得非常泥泞,甚至会有小型的泥石滑落,所以如果不带当地导游,千万别在大雨过后独自尝试。虽然不需要专业登山设备,但往返两小时的强度对体能还是有一定要求的,特别是回程的持续上坡,在湿热的丛林里走出一身汗是逃不掉的。
站在瀑布底端抬头仰望,你会清晰地看到岩壁上分层明显的火山活动痕迹。这些黑色的玄武岩石柱是千万年前熔岩冷却形成的。夏玛尔瀑布之所以能形成如此笔直的落差,全靠两种硬度不同的岩石层交替分布。在底部的水潭边,你可以找到一些被水流冲刷得圆润的火山石。虽然水潭看起来诱人,但并不建议在这里游泳,因为水底情况复杂,落水点的冲击力也可能造成危险,老老实实感受那股天然的空调凉风就行了。
不需要单独买票,瀑布门票是和七色土(Seven Coloured Earth)捆绑销售的。目前成人票价为550卢比,不仅包含瀑布观景和七色土游览,还涵盖了园区内的象龟园,一张票就能逛完整个景区,停留时间通常在2到3小时。
景区全年无休,夏季(11月至4月)营业时间通常从早上8点半到下午5点半,冬季(5月至10月)会提前到5点关闭。建议最晚在下午4点前入场,否则不仅光线变差,工作人员也会开始催促清场,留给拍照的时间非常仓促。
目前夏玛尔瀑布允许商业拍摄和私人无人机飞行,但必须遵守景区的规定,严禁在人群上方低空盘旋。由于峡谷风力不稳,加上瀑布本身产生的水汽干扰,炸机的风险不小。建议将起飞点选在高处的观景台侧方,保持100米以上的安全高度来拍摄瀑布与森林交织的航拍大片。
夏玛尔瀑布属于永久性瀑布,由圣丹尼斯河供水,所以即便是9月到11月的旱季也不会彻底断流。不过,雨季(1月到3月)的瀑布确实更壮观,水量是旱季的三倍以上,那种万马齐奔的气势在雨季后期最为震撼。即便如此,旱季的瀑布更显灵秀,水质也相对清澈,不会像暴雨后那样夹杂红泥色。
Calum McGregor Really cool natural waterfall. Not much to say but worth the visit. The park costs 550 per adult which gives access to the waterfall and 7 coloured earth. Only worth going once in my opinion due to the cost of it.
Ксения Л. Entrance costs 550 rupees, this price includes a waterfall, sands and forest. The waterfall is perhaps the most interesting place of all those listed. Large, powerful and very picturesque, located in an incredibly beautiful place. You cannot go down to the waterfall, you can only admire it from afar. If you haven't seen the waterfalls before, you can go, but overall it's not the most impressive place
Think Universal Chamarel Waterfall, Mauritius's tallest single-drop waterfall at about 100 meters, is a captivating natural wonder amid the lush vegetation of the Black River Gorges. Formed by the waters of three distinct streams that feed into the Saint Denis River, the waterfall is renowned for its impressive flow rate and scenic surroundings. Historically, the area surrounding Chamarel has been settled since the Dutch colonization in the 16th century and later became significant during the French colonial period for its sugarcane production. Today, Chamarel Waterfall remains a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, offering breathtaking views from various vantage points and serving as a highlight within the larger Chamarel region, which also includes the famous seven-coloured earth and the Chamarel rum distillery.
Muhammed Musthafa A nice water fall view point and a tourist attractions. The write up at the location provides more insights to the formation of the island and history. You can click nice pictures also.
Adam Hooper As a part of my Sperm Donation World tour of Mauritius, I got to experience mother nature at it's finest great waterfall to view, you get an even better view going up the pathway bit further than the car park viewpoint.