Mauritius 3-Day Private Tour: Chamarel, Dolphins & Gardens

You choose which day you do each tour, and they don't need to be back-to-back.

A 3-day private tour of Mauritius where you pick the order of three regional itineraries: northern botanical gardens and colonial heritage, southern tea plantations and wildlife reserves, or southwestern volcanic landscapes and Chamarel's seven coloured earth. Hotel pickup and a private air-conditioned car with a licensed driver are included. The dolphin swim on day three is optional. Each day runs up to eight hours, and you set the pace at each stop.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Northern Cultural Exploration

• Visit Pamplemousses Botanical Garden
• Explore L’Aventure du Sucre museum
• Tour Château de Labourdonnais and rum distillery
• Visit Port Louis market and Caudan Waterfront
• Stop at Citadel for city views

Day 2: Southern Nature and Heritage

• Tour Bois Chéri tea plantation and factory
• Walk through La Vanille Nature Park
• Admire cliffs and rock formation at Gris Gris

Day 3: Southwest Landscapes and Marine Experience

• Optional swim with wild dolphins at Tamarin Bay
• Visit Trou aux Cerfs volcano crater
• Explore Grand Bassin sacred lake and temples
• Drive through Black River Gorges National Park
• Visit Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth and waterfall

The experience

Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth anchors the third day, but the tour's real structure is flexibility. You book three separate regional routes and decide which day you want to do each one. They don't have to run consecutively, so you can fit them around other plans or weather. A private driver picks you up from your hotel each morning and takes you through the stops at whatever pace suits you, stopping for lunch if you want (you pay for it separately).

Day one covers the north: Pamplemousses Botanical Garden with its giant waterlilies and 85 palm varieties, L'Aventure du Sucre (a museum in an old sugar factory where you taste different rums), Château de Labourdonnais with its rum distillery and giant tortoises, and Port Louis, where the 1828 bazaar sits alongside the modern Caudan Waterfront. Day two heads south to Bois Chéri tea plantation (Mauritius's first, founded in 1892), where you watch the production process and taste tea on a terrace overlooking a volcanic crater lake. La Vanille Nature Park comes next, 3.5 hectares holding 2,000 Nile crocodiles and 1,000 giant tortoises, plus an insectarium with 23,000 species. The day ends at Gris Gris Cape, where waves crash against cliffs and a rock formation called La Roche qui Pleure (the Weeping Rock) rises from the sea.

Day three is the southwest. If you choose the optional dolphin swim, a speedboat takes you to Tamarin Bay for 2.5 hours in the open sea with wild dolphins in their natural habitat, plus snorkeling at The Aquarium coral site. After that (or starting the day without it), your driver takes you to Trou aux Cerfs volcano for 360-degree views from 600 metres above sea level, then to Grand Bassin, a sacred crater lake ringed by Hindu temples and a tall Shiva statue. Black River Gorges National Park, Mauritius's largest at 6,754 hectares, offers endemic flora and fauna and stops at Alexandra Falls. The day ends at Chamarel itself: the seven coloured earth dunes, Chamarel Falls (the island's most famous waterfall), and giant tortoise pens. Your driver speaks English or French and handles all navigation. Bring swimwear for the dolphin portion and comfortable walking shoes for the rest.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private air-conditioned car with a fully licensed driver speaking English or French.
• entry to Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, L'Aventure du Sucre, Château de Labourdonnais, Bois Chéri tea plantation, La Vanille Nature Park, Black River Gorges, and Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth.
• tea tasting at Bois Chéri and rum tasting at Château de Labourdonnais.
• optional wild dolphin swim in Tamarin Bay with snorkeling at The Aquarium (day three only, if selected at checkout).

Options for this experience

2 options

Excluding the Wild Dolphin SwimGuide in English or French · 09:00North, South and Southwest tours, excluding the wild dolphin swim; pickup is included

Including the Wild Dolphin SwimGuide in English or French · 07:30North, South and Southwest tours, including the wild dolphin swim; includes pickup

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 dayDepartures at 07:30 and 09:00

Book up to2d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 108

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendly

Operated by Bonjour Mauritius

Is this one for you?The flexibility to choose your own day order and pace at each stop works best for travelers building a longer Mauritius stay or juggling other activities. If you want a fixed itinerary and set departure time, a group tour may suit you better. The optional dolphin swim lets you add it or skip it depending on sea conditions and your preference, so book the version that matches your interest before checkout.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

What is the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth actually like when you get there?

Chamarel is a geological site with seven distinct coloured sand dunes (the result of different mineral compositions in the volcanic soil) plus Chamarel Falls, Mauritius's most famous waterfall, and pens holding giant tortoises you can see before you leave.

Can I do all three days back-to-back, or do they have to be spread out?

You choose the order and timing. The days don't need to be consecutive, so you can book them on separate dates if that fits your schedule better, or run them one after another if you prefer.

Is the dolphin swim included, or do I pay extra?

The dolphin swim is optional and depends on which purchase option you select at checkout. It's a shared-boat experience in Tamarin Bay lasting 2.5 hours, with snorkeling at The Aquarium afterward if time allows.

What happens if I want to skip the dolphin swim but still do day three?

You can book day three without the dolphin option. Your driver will take you directly to Trou aux Cerfs volcano, Grand Bassin, Black River Gorges, and Chamarel instead, starting whenever you prefer that morning.

Does the price include meals?

Lunch is not included. You can stop to eat at any point during the day, but you pay for it separately. Tea tasting at Bois Chéri and rum tasting at Château de Labourdonnais are part of the tour.

What's included in the price besides the car and driver?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, the private air-conditioned car, and a fully licensed driver are included. Entry fees to the gardens, museums, parks and attractions are separate, as is lunch and any snacks.