South Mauritius Tour: Tea Plantation, Wildlife & Cliffs

Control your pace through three distinct corners of the island's wild south

A private 8-hour tour of South Mauritius in an air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup, visiting Bois Cheri Tea Plantation to learn the tea-making process, La Vanille Réserve des Mascareignes to see giant tortoises and Nile crocodiles, and the dramatic coastal cliffs at Gris Gris and La Roche qui Pleure. You choose how long to spend at each stop. Entrance fees are paid directly to each attraction, so you can skip any that don't appeal and linger longer at the ones that do.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Bois Cheri Plantation2h
2. Gris Gris Cape1h

Explore South Mauritius highlights

• Visit Bois Cheri Tea Plantation
• Learn tea making process and history
• Sample tea on chalet terrace
• Walk through La Vanille Réserve des Mascareignes
• See giant tortoises and crocodiles
• Visit insectarium with 23,000 species
• Admire waves at Gris Gris cliffs
• View La Roche qui Pleure rock formation

The experience

Bois Cheri Tea Plantation, founded in 1892, is the first tea estate in Mauritius. The tour includes the plantation grounds, factory, and museum, where you'll follow the tea-making process from harvest and fermentation through drying, sieving and packaging. Afterward, you sample varieties of tea on the terrace of the old chalet while looking out over a volcanic crater that has become a small lake ringed with greenery.

La Vanille Réserve des Mascareignes spreads across 3.5 hectares and holds 2,000 Nile crocodiles and 1,000 giant tortoises among palm, banana and bamboo. The reserve also runs an insectarium with one of the world's largest private collections: 23,000 species. The driver will take you through the grounds, but the time you spend is yours to decide.

Gris Gris Cape and La Roche qui Pleure sit a few metres apart on the south coast. Gris Gris is a headland where powerful waves crash against the cliffs. La Roche qui Pleure is a natural rock formation that resembles a weeping face when the waves strike it. These are the most rugged and wild coastal views on the island. Because entrance fees go directly to each attraction rather than through the operator, you can choose which sites to enter and how much time to spend at each one, making the itinerary flexible to your interests.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private air-conditioned and insured vehicle.
• fully licensed driver for the full 8 hours.
• parking fees at each stop.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 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$ 38

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendly

Operated by Bonjour Mauritius

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're traveling as a couple or small family and want to set your own rhythm at each stop. The private car means you move on your schedule, not a group's, and because you pay attraction fees directly, you control which sites to enter and how long to linger at each one.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

What is the tea-making process like at Bois Cheri?

Bois Cheri walks you through harvest, fermentation, drying, sieving and packaging, then lets you taste the finished teas on the terrace overlooking a crater lake. The plantation, factory and museum are all included in the tour stop.

How many animals will I see at La Vanille?

La Vanille holds 2,000 Nile crocodiles and 1,000 giant tortoises across its 3.5 hectares, plus an insectarium with 23,000 species: one of the world's largest private collections.

What makes Gris Gris different from other coastal spots in Mauritius?

Gris Gris is the wild south coast, where big waves crash hard against the cliffs. La Roche qui Pleure, a few metres away, is a rock formation that looks like a weeping face when the waves hit it: a sight unique to this part of the island.

Can I skip attractions if they don't interest me?

Yes. Entrance fees are paid directly to each attraction, not collected by the tour operator, so you can choose which sites to enter and spend more time at the ones you prefer.

What's included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, private air-conditioned car, a fully licensed driver, and parking fees are included. Entrance fees to attractions, lunch and snacks are separate.