South Mauritius tour: Black River, Chamarel & rum lunch

Lunch and rum tasting happen at the distillery itself, surrounded by sugarcane fields where the spirits are made.

A private tour of South Mauritius combining the Black River Gorges, Chamarel Waterfall and the Seven Coloured Earth with a 3-course lunch and rum tasting at Chamarel Rhumerie. Your local guide speaks English or French and handles all transport and entry tickets. The day runs 6 to 8 hours and includes stops at Alexandra Waterfall, mountain viewpoints, the Tamarin Salt Pans and a colonial-era Martello Tower (museum access depends on the day of the week).

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Chamarel Waterfall35m · entry included
2. Seven Coloured Earth Geopark20m · entry included

Explore South Mauritius landscapes and culture

• Visit Alexandra Waterfall in Black River Gorges
• Admire views from Black River Gorges viewpoint
• Tour Chamarel Rhumerie rum distillery
• Enjoy 3-course lunch at L’Alchimiste restaurant
• See Chamarel Waterfall
• Walk through Seven Coloured Earth Geopark
• Pause at Chamarel Viewpoint for photos
• Visit Martello Tower at La Preneuse Beach
• Stop at Tamarin Salt Pans

The experience

The route moves through South Mauritius on a private basis, meaning the pace and stops stay yours alone. You start in the Black River Gorges National Park at Alexandra Waterfall, where native forest surrounds the cascade and the air carries the sound of water falling through the valley. From there, a high viewpoint inside the park opens onto lush green mountains and the silhouette of Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire, Mauritius' highest peak, with the national bird, the Paille En Queue, often visible overhead.

The centerpiece is lunch and a rum education at Chamarel Rhumerie, a working distillery set among sugarcane fields. You'll see how locally grown cane becomes white and aged rum using traditional techniques, then sit down to a 3-course meal at L'Alchimiste, the estate restaurant, where dishes draw on island flavours and ingredients from the property and region. A tasting of selected rums follows, letting you taste the heritage behind Mauritius' rum culture without the usual separate fee. The afternoon takes you to Chamarel Waterfall (water dropping roughly 83 metres into tropical vegetation), and the Seven Coloured Earth, a geological site where volcanic weathering created sand dunes in different mineral shades, a rare natural pattern that has become a symbol of the island.

The route also includes a viewpoint over Chamarel village and the southwest lagoon, with views toward Île aux Bénitiers and Le Morne Brabant, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Depending on the day, you'll either tour the Martello Tower Museum at La Preneuse Beach (Wednesdays and Fridays) or stop for photos outside the 19th-century British coastal defence tower. The final stop is the Tamarin Salt Pans, where seawater evaporates in large ponds and salt workers harvest the crystals by hand: a glimpse into a traditional industry that has supplied the island for generations.

What’s included

• Private SUV transportation with hotel pickup.
• entry to Chamarel Rhumerie, Chamarel Waterfall and Seven Coloured Earth.
• 3-course lunch at L'Alchimiste restaurant.
• rum tasting with selected premium varieties.
• bottled water.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• all guide services in English or French.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6)

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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Unwind Mauritius

Is this one for you?Book this private tour if you want one guide adjusting the pace to your interests throughout the day, with lunch anchored at the rum estate rather than split across multiple stops.

Traveler reviews

4.82★★★★★★★★★★

50 verified traveler reviews

5 ★45

4 ★3

3 ★0

2 ★2

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6).

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's the difference between the Alexandra Waterfall and the Chamarel Waterfall on this tour?

Alexandra Waterfall sits inside the Black River Gorges National Park in a setting of native forest and biodiversity, offering a quieter stop early in the day. Chamarel Waterfall is the larger, more dramatic cascade, roughly 83 metres, surrounded by tropical vegetation and mountain scenery, and it comes later in the afternoon as a main attraction.

Can I actually taste rum on this tour, or is it just a visit to the distillery?

You taste selected premium Mauritian rums at Chamarel Rhumerie as part of the experience, included in the price. The tasting happens after you learn how the distillery transforms locally grown sugarcane into white and aged spirits using traditional techniques.

Will I have time to walk around the Seven Coloured Earth, or is it just a quick stop?

The Seven Coloured Earth is a main stop on the itinerary where you walk through the geological site to see the sand dunes and their different mineral-created shades. It's not a photo-only pause. You have time to explore and understand how volcanic weathering created this rare natural pattern.

Is the Martello Tower Museum always open when the tour visits?

The Martello Tower Museum at La Preneuse Beach is open Wednesdays and Fridays only. On other days, the tour makes a photo stop outside the 19th-century British fortification so you can see the tower and learn its history, but you won't enter the museum.

Does this tour include hotel pickup?

Yes, private SUV transportation with pickup is included. Your local guide drives and speaks English or French throughout the day.