South Mauritius Private Tour: Seven Colored Earths & Volcano

Five stops across southern Mauritius in one private day, no planning required

A full-day private guided tour of southern Mauritius visiting volcanic craters, waterfalls, sacred temples and the Seven Colored Earths in Chamarel, with hotel pickup and a professional driver-guide speaking English or French. Entrance fees to attractions are paid separately. Lunch is not included but your driver can recommend local restaurants along the route.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Trou aux Cerfs Volcano30m · entry included
2. Black River Gorges National Park45m · entry included
3. Seven Coloured Earth Geopark1h

Explore southern Mauritius highlights

• Visit Trou aux Cerfs volcanic crater
• Explore Grand Bassin Hindu temples
• Enjoy Alexandra Falls viewpoint
• Stop at Black River Gorges viewpoint
• Tour Chamarel Rum Distillery
• See Chamarel Waterfall and Seven Colored Earths

The experience

The tour runs seven to eight hours and covers five major stops across the south. You start with hotel pickup anywhere in Mauritius, then head to Trou aux Cerfs, a dormant volcanic crater rising 605 meters above sea level in Curepipe. From the rim you get 360-degree views across the central plateau and, on clear days, all the way to the coastline. The crater's cool mountain air and the stroll around its edge make it a natural opening to the day.

Next comes Grand Bassin (also called Ganga Talao), one of Mauritius's most sacred Hindu sites. The crater lake sits in the highlands surrounded by temples and a 108-foot statue of Lord Shiva. You'll walk the temple grounds and see traditional offerings. The spiritual atmosphere draws visitors of all backgrounds. From there the route moves into Black River Gorges National Park, where you stop at Alexandra Falls Viewpoint for a short walk to a viewing platform overlooking a waterfall cascading through tropical forest, then at the Black River Gorges Viewpoint itself for sweeping views of deep valleys and dense forest stretching toward the ocean.

The final stretch takes you to Chamarel, where two stops combine geology and water. The Chamarel Waterfall plunges over 100 meters into a forested valley. Just beyond it lies the Seven Colored Earths, a rare geological formation where sand dunes display distinct layers of red, brown, violet, green and blue. You'll walk designated paths and photograph both. Before heading back, you stop at the Chamarel Rum Distillery, a family-run estate where you can tour the rum-making process from sugarcane to bottling and taste locally crafted rums (optional tasting). The distillery sits against rolling hills and lush greenery.

Travel is in a private air-conditioned vehicle with free Wi-Fi, bottled water for each person, and a professional driver-guide. A female driver is available on request, subject to availability. Your driver can recommend restaurants if you want to eat during the day, though lunch itself is not part of the package. Entrance fees to the rum distillery (around 13 USD per person) and the Seven Colored Earths (around 12–13 USD per person) are separate from the tour price.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off anywhere in Mauritius.
• private air-conditioned vehicle with free Wi-Fi.
• professional driver-guide speaking English or French.
• one bottle of water per person.
• female driver available on request (subject to availability).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Dutch

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 13.25

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Tropical Taxi Mauritius

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup from anywhere in Mauritius means you don't need a rental car or local transport to reach the starting point. The driver arrives at your accommodation and handles the five stops and the route back, so the day works whether you're staying in the north, the center or the coast.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Trou aux Cerfs and why is it the first stop?

Trou aux Cerfs is a dormant volcanic crater in Curepipe that rises 605 meters above sea level. It opens the tour because the rim walk offers 360-degree panoramic views of the central plateau, surrounding towns and distant mountain ranges (on clear days you can see the coastline too), and the cool mountain breeze sets the tone for the day ahead.

Can I taste rum at the Chamarel Distillery, or is it just a tour?

The Chamarel Rum Distillery offers a guided tour of the traditional rum-making process, and tasting a variety of locally crafted rums is optional. You choose whether to participate. Entry to the distillery costs around 13 USD per person and is paid separately from the tour.

What exactly are the Seven Colored Earths?

The Seven Colored Earths in Chamarel are a unique geological formation where sand dunes display distinct layers of vibrant colors (red, brown, violet, green and blue) created naturally over centuries. You walk along designated paths to view and photograph this rare phenomenon.

Is lunch included in the tour, and where do people eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, but your driver knows local restaurants and can recommend places or take you to one during the day. You choose whether and where to eat.

How does hotel pickup work if I'm staying in different parts of Mauritius?

Hotel pickup is included from anywhere in Mauritius, so your driver collects you from your accommodation at the start and returns you there at the end. No need to arrange separate transport to meet the tour.