South West Mauritius Tour: Trou aux Cerfs to Seven Coloured Earth

Seven layers of colored sand in a single afternoon, plus a crater lake and a waterfall hidden in rainforest.

A private day tour of southwestern Mauritius covering five major stops in seven hours, with hotel pickup and drop-off included and a driver-guide speaking English or French. You travel by air-conditioned vehicle through Curepipe to Trou aux Cerfs volcano, then to Grand Bassin crater lake and its 33-meter Lord Shiva statue, Alexandra Waterfall in Black River Gorges National Park, and Chamarel's seven coloured earth with its natural sand dunes. The route is fixed. The pace is set by the stops themselves.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Trou aux Cerfs Volcano45m
2. Black River Gorges National Park30m
3. Seven Coloured Earth Geopark1h

Explore southwestern Mauritius highlights

• Pickup from hotel
• Drive through Curepipe town
• Visit Trou aux Cerfs volcanic crater
• Stop at Mare Aux Vacoas reservoir
• Visit Grand Bassin Hindu Temple
• Admire Alexandra Waterfall and Mt Cocotte
• Stop at Black River Gorges National Park viewpoint
• Explore Chamarel Seven Colored Earth
• Visit Chamarel Waterfall
• Drive back to hotel

The experience

The tour begins at your hotel and moves through the southwestern highlands in a single arc. Trou aux Cerfs sits 605 meters above sea level in a forest of indigenous plants and giant pines. The crater itself is 350 meters across and 100 meters deep, dormant for 700,000 years. From the rim you get a 360-degree view of Curepipe, the Rempart Mountain and the Port-Louis-Moka range. A short drive brings you to Mare aux Vacoas, the island's largest reservoir, tucked between thick forest: a quiet stop before the next major site.

Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao) is a crater lake 550 meters up, ringed by temples and shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and other Hindu gods. The statue of Lord Shiva stands 33 meters high, the tallest in Mauritius, and the lake itself runs about 18 meters deep with fish and eels. From there you head into Black River Gorges National Park to Alexandra Waterfall, hidden in the jungle of Mt Cocotte's cloud forest. The viewpoint looks south toward the turquoise ocean and the coast. The Gorge Viewpoint itself sits high above the park's 17,000 acres of rainforest, rolling hills and deep valleys. You may see monkeys on the path, and souvenir stalls line the way.

The final stop is Chamarel, a village in the southwestern region where the observation platform overlooks seven distinct layers of colored sand (yellow, red, brown, violet, purple, green and blue) a natural phenomenon that fills a whole valley. The road to Chamarel runs through sugarcane and pineapple plantations. On the return journey you stop at Chamarel waterfall. The driver-guide speaks English or French and knows the route. You choose whether to bring your own food or ask for a restaurant recommendation along the way.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup and drop-off anywhere on the island.
• a driver-guide speaking English or French.
• access to all five stops (Trou aux Cerfs, Grand Bassin, Alexandra Waterfall, Black River Gorges viewpoint, and Chamarel).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h 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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Taxi Service in Mauritius

Is this one for you?The private format means you set the pace at each stop and the driver adapts to your interests: suited to travelers who want to see multiple sites in one day without joining a shared group or arranging their own transport.

Traveler reviews

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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.

How high is Trou aux Cerfs and what can you see from the top?

Trou aux Cerfs sits 605 meters above sea level, and from the crater rim you get a 360-degree view of Curepipe, the Rempart Mountain and the Port-Louis-Moka mountain range.

What is the Lord Shiva statue at Grand Bassin like?

The statue stands 33 meters high, making it the tallest statue in Mauritius, and sits on the shoreline of the crater lake Ganga Talao surrounded by temples and shrines.

Where is Alexandra Waterfall and what does the viewpoint show?

Alexandra Waterfall is hidden in the jungle of Black River Gorges National Park on Mt Cocotte, and the viewpoint looks out over the cloud forest and south toward the turquoise ocean and coast.

What makes Chamarel's seven coloured earth unique?

Seven distinct layers of sand in different colors (yellow, red, brown, violet, purple, green and blue) fill a valley in the southwestern region, a natural phenomenon visible from an observation platform.

How long does the tour take and what is included in the price?

The tour runs seven hours and includes private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup and drop-off, and a driver-guide who speaks English or French. Lunch is not included.