Mauritius South Tour Review 2025: Is It Worth a Full Day?

So, you’re thinking about what to do in Mauritius, and pretty much everyone you talk to brings up doing a trip to the south of the island. Basically, they say it’s where you see the ‘real’ Mauritius, a part of the island that is a little wilder and more full of natural good looks than the resort areas. I mean, we heard this so much that we just had to check it out. We booked a full day tour, you know, the one that usually covers all the big highlights. To be honest, we were wondering if spending a whole day in a car was really the best use of our time. This tour tends to pack a lot in, and what we wanted to share is actually how it felt to experience it all in one go.

First Stop: A View from the Trou aux Cerfs Volcano

Alright, so our first real taste of the tour was Trou aux Cerfs, which is, you know, this volcano that’s been sleeping for a very long time. It’s located just a little bit above the town of Curepipe, which by the way, has a very different feel to the coastal spots. Anyway, we drove right up to the rim of the crater, and seriously, the view is something else. You get this incredible, almost full-circle look across a huge part of the island. From up there, the air feels just a little bit cooler and you can kind of look down at the world below. The crater itself is now just totally full of trees and green stuff, looking pretty peaceful, I mean. Frankly, it’s a gentle and really nice way to start the day, getting a sense of the island’s geography before you get down into the details of it all.

A Sacred Moment at Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao)

Next up, we headed to Grand Bassin, which is actually a name people often use for Ganga Talao. It is pretty much the most important holy site for Mauritian Hindus, you see. As you approach, you literally cannot miss the two huge statues; they are just so tall they stand out from miles away. Honestly, seeing the figures of Shiva and Durga is kind of awe-inspiring. Then you get down to the lake itself, which sits in what used to be a volcano crater, and the whole atmosphere sort of changes. It’s really quiet and people are there making offerings, and sometimes you see little monkeys playing around the temples. I mean, our guide explained that this water is considered holy, a connection back to the Ganges River in India. It was, at the end of the day, a deeply calming part of the trip and gave us a peek into the cultural soul of the island.

Chasing Waterfalls: Alexandra Falls & The Black River Gorges

Okay, so after the calm of the holy lake, the tour took a turn into the wild, more or less. We went straight into the Black River Gorges National Park, and this place is just absolutely stunning. The first big stop was for a look at Alexandra Falls, and frankly, you can hear it before you see it. From the viewpoint, you see this pretty cascade of water tumbling down through all this super green forest. But that’s not even the whole story, you know? The bigger picture is the gorge itself, which is this huge, sweeping valley of untouched nature that feels like it goes on forever. We were told it’s a really important area for a lot of birds and plants that only live in Mauritius. I mean, you stand there and just feel very, very small in the best way possible. It’s that kind of place that just makes you stop and stare for a bit.

Lunch and Rum: A Taste of Chamarel

By this time, we were all actually feeling pretty hungry, so the next stop in the village of Chamarel was really welcome. Our tour included a stop for a meal at a local spot, which was, to be honest, a nice break and a chance to taste some genuine Mauritian food. For example, the chicken curry and rice we had was just delicious. Anyway, after that we went to the Rhumerie de Chamarel, a distillery that makes rum. As a matter of fact, even if you’re not a huge drinker, this place is really interesting. They show you the whole process, starting with the fresh sugarcane they grow right there. I mean, the smell inside is amazing. And of course, you get to try a few different kinds of their rum. Some are sweet, some are spicy, and it was just a really fun and very tasty way to learn about a big part of the island’s history and stuff.

You know, you could be spending all your time on the beach, but you’d be missing this whole other side of Mauritius that is just so full of character. This day tour is basically like a storybook of the island’s heart.

The Seven Coloured Earth: Nature’s Little Miracle

Right, so our final major stop on this journey was the Seven Coloured Earth of Chamarel. To be honest, I’d seen pictures, but it’s a bit different seeing it with your own eyes. It’s this clearing where the ground is literally made of these wavy patterns of different colored soil—reds, browns, purples, and yellows. The land is almost like a painting. What’s sort of wild is that the colors never mix, even after a heavy rain. Our guide tried to give us the science reason, something about minerals and stuff, but really, you just have to look at it and appreciate how strange and pretty it is. And just next to the colored earth, they have this enclosure with giant Aldabra tortoises. Watching these massive, old creatures slowly moving around was seriously a highlight. I mean, it’s a sight that’s really unique to this one spot in the world.

Is This South Island Tour Really for You?

So, at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself if this tour is a good match for your style. Honestly, if you’re the kind of person who gets really curious and wants to see a bit of everything, then absolutely, you should probably do this. It’s perfect for first-time visitors, you know, because it gives you a fantastic overview of the island’s nature, culture, and a bit of its industry. We think families would have a great time, too, since there are lots of different things to keep everyone interested. On the other hand, if your main idea for a vacation is to just lay on a beach and totally unplug, then maybe a full day of sightseeing could feel a bit much. It is a long day with a lot of time in a vehicle, so that’s something you may want to think about. It’s pretty much all about action and discovery, not so much about chilling out.

Key Takeaways from the South Tour

After a full day seeing some of the island’s best spots, we were pretty tired but also felt like we had a much better picture of what makes Mauritius special. It’s genuinely a day where you see so much variety, and each stop offers something completely different from the last.

• See Diverse Landscapes: You basically get to see volcanoes, sacred lakes, massive gorges, and weird colored earth all in a single trip.
• A Bit of Culture: The stop at Grand Bassin is a really respectful and eye-opening look at the island’s spiritual side, you know.
• Nature’s Best Side: Frankly, the views inside the Black River Gorges National Park are absolutely worth the price of admission alone.
• Taste the Island: I mean, getting to try local food and locally made rum adds a whole other sensory layer to the experience.
• A Long but Fulfilling Day: Just be ready for a full day of being on the go; it’s not a slow-paced tour, so bring your energy and a good pair of shoes.

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