Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth & South Coast Tour - 6 Hours

One morning covers five of Mauritius' most geologically distinct sites without renting a car

A guided tour of Mauritius' South Coast and Chamarel region lasting approximately 6 hours, with hotel pickup and an air-conditioned vehicle, visiting the Trou aux Cerfs volcano crater, Mare aux Vacoas reservoir, Grand Bassin sacred lake, Black River Gorges National Park, Alexandra Falls and the Seven Coloured Earth Geopark. Entry to the Chamarel geopark is not included in the tour price. The tour operates in English, French, Hindi and Arabic, and suits families, couples and solo travelers of all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Trou aux Cerfs Volcano40m
2. Black River Gorges National Park40m
3. Seven Coloured Earth Geopark2h

Explore South Coast and Chamarel Wonders

• Visit Le Port Ship Model Factory
• See panoramic views at Trou Aux Cerfs
• Relax at Mare Aux Vacoas reservoir
• Visit Grand Bassin sacred lake
• Explore Alexandra Falls in jungle
• View scenery at Black River Gorges viewpoint
• Discover Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth

The experience

If you've landed in Mauritius with a free afternoon or a morning before heading elsewhere, this tour solves the logistics problem: you don't need a rental car to reach the island's most distinctive geological sites. The vehicle picks you up from your hotel and covers roughly 6 hours of stops across the South Coast and the central highlands, moving between volcanic craters, a sacred Hindu lake, jungle waterfalls and the geopark that gives the tour its name. A live guide travels with the group and narrates in English, French, Hindi or Arabic.

The route starts at Le Port Ship Model Factory, where you watch artisans hand-carve wooden ship models with fine detail work and sails: a quieter cultural stop before the landscape sites. From there, the tour climbs to Trou aux Cerfs, a dormant volcanic crater 605 meters above sea level surrounded by indigenous forest and giant pine trees. The crater itself is 350 meters wide and 100 meters deep, and the viewing platform gives a 360-degree panorama across Curepipe, Rempart Mountain and the Port-Louis-Moka range. Next is Mare aux Vacoas, the island's largest reservoir at nearly 26 million cubic meters capacity, tucked into thick forest and quieter than the busier stops. Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao) follows: a crater lake 550 meters up in the southwest, ringed by a shoreline temple and smaller shrines, dominated by a 33-meter-high statue of Lord Shiva. The tallest on the island. The lake itself runs about 18 meters deep and holds fish and eels.

Alexandra Falls sits deep inside the Black River Gorges jungle, a waterfall viewpoint where you stand in a cloud forest setting and hear cascading water and local birds. From here you can photograph the south coast and turquoise ocean. The Gorge Viewpoint inside Black River Gorges National Park (a 17,000-acre protected rainforest) offers another panorama of rolling green hills, deep valleys and a waterfall on the right. The final stop is Chamarel itself, the Seven Coloured Earth Geopark: a volcanic landscape where millions of years of geological history show in layered earth colors. The geopark focuses on geological education and conservation. Entry to the geopark is a separate paid ticket and not included in the tour price. The vehicle is air-conditioned throughout, and the tour suits all fitness levels.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle throughout the tour.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• live guide in English, French, Hindi, Arabic or one additional language.
• access to viewpoints at Trou aux Cerfs volcano, Mare aux Vacoas reservoir, Grand Bassin, Alexandra Falls, Black River Gorges National Park and Chamarel.

Options for this experience

2 options

Seven Coloured Earth and South Coast WondersGuide in 5 languages · No fixed timePickup is included

Waterfalls, Craters and ChamarelGuide in 5 languages · No fixed timePickup is included in an air-conditioned car

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Friday and Sunday

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French, Arabic, Hindi and Urdu

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Mauritius Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to see Mauritius' most geologically distinct sites in a single outing without arranging your own transport or navigating between stops. The fixed itinerary and shared group format work well for first-time visitors and families who prefer a structured day. If you'd rather move at your own pace or spend longer at one site, a private vehicle rental gives you that flexibility instead.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, French, Hindi, Arabic and Urdu.

What is the Seven Coloured Earth and why does it look that way?

The Seven Coloured Earth Geopark in Chamarel is a volcanic landscape where different mineral deposits have created layers of distinct colors in the earth, a result of millions of years of geological formation. The geopark focuses on connecting visitors with this natural history through geological education and conservation, explaining the origins and formation of the island itself.

How much time do you spend at each stop on this tour?

The tour lasts approximately 6 hours total and covers six main stops: Le Port Ship Model Factory, Trou aux Cerfs volcano viewpoint, Mare aux Vacoas reservoir, Grand Bassin sacred lake, Alexandra Falls in the Black River Gorges, the Gorge Viewpoint, and Chamarel. The exact time at each site varies, but the itinerary is designed to fit all of them into a single morning or afternoon.

Is lunch included, and are there places to eat along the route?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. The route passes through areas with local amenities, and the Gorge Viewpoint area inside Black River Gorges National Park has souvenir stalls along the path where you can pick up snacks or refreshments.

Does the tour include entry to the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark?

Entry to the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark is not included in the tour price and is paid separately. The tour visits the site and the guide explains the geological features, but the geopark entry ticket is an additional cost.

What is Grand Bassin and why is it significant?

Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao) is a sacred crater lake sitting 550 meters above sea level in the mountainous southwest of Mauritius. It is a major cultural landmark for Hindu worshippers, with a shoreline temple and shrines dedicated to Hindu deities, and is dominated by a 33-meter-high statue of Lord Shiva, the tallest statue on the island. The lake is about 18 meters deep and surrounded by scenic views.