Mauritius Southwest: Private Scenic Day Tour & 3-Course Lunch

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/33

Duration8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · HI +2

PickupAt your hotel

Volcano craters, sacred lakes and wild cliffs in Mauritius’ lush southwest

You’ll ride through Mauritius’ southwest with a local guide, from volcanic craters and sacred lakes to jungle waterfalls and wild sea cliffs. Taste a traditional 3-course Mauritian lunch along the way. Expect moments of silence, laughter with your guide, and views that linger long after you’ve left.

Step-by-step itinerary

Southwest Mauritius full-day scenic tour

Hotel pick-up and meet guide
Visit Trou Aux Cerfs volcano
Stop at Mare Aux Vacoas reservoir
Visit Grand Bassin Hindu temple
Admire Alexandra Falls and jungle
View panorama at Gorge viewpoint
Enjoy traditional Mauritian 3-course lunch
Explore Twenty-Three colored earth dunes
See Chamouny waterfall
Drive scenic route to Bassin Blanc
Visit Gris-Gris viewpoint and cliffs
Return to hotel

The Experience

First thing I noticed was the smell—sort of piney, almost sharp, when we stepped out at Trou aux Cerfs. Our guide, Ajay, joked it’s “volcano air,” which made me laugh because the crater’s been asleep for ages. You can see Curepipe town way down below and all these blue-green folds of mountains. I tried to picture what it looked like when this place was spitting fire instead of just mist. We kept pausing because the view just keeps changing as clouds drift over.

Mare Aux Vacoas reservoir was quieter than I expected—just some locals fishing and a couple of kids skipping stones. It felt like a pause button before Grand Bassin. There’s something about that lake; maybe it’s the incense or the way people move so softly around the shrines. The statue of Shiva is huge but somehow gentle. Ajay told us stories about pilgrimages here—I probably butchered the name trying to say “Ganga Talao” and he grinned but didn’t correct me.

After Alexandra Falls (the air there is cool and mossy), we hit Black River Gorges viewpoint. Monkeys were hanging around—one stole half my snack bar, not kidding. The forest rolls forever out there, thick and tangled. Lunch came right after: three courses at a small spot where the chef actually came out to ask if we wanted chicken or fish curry (I went chicken). The rice had this buttery smell I still think about sometimes.

The colored earth at Chamarel looked unreal—like someone spilled paint on sand dunes and left it for years. Ajay explained how the colors never mix even if you try (I didn’t believe him until I saw it). Last stop was Gris-Gris cliffs; wind whipping so hard it felt like my shirt might fly off. Waves crashed straight into rock with no reef to break them up—loud enough that we all went quiet for a second just watching.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off anywhere in Mauritius, entry fees for sites like Twenty-Three Colored Earth and Chamouny Waterfall, bottled water on arrival, a certified private guide/driver throughout, comfortable private transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, plus a traditional 3-course Mauritian lunch (with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options) before heading back in the evening.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

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