Wild Mauritius: Full-Day Exploration of South-West Nature, Rum Distillery and Tea Factory

Embark on a full-day exploration of the wild south-west of Mauritius. Visit a tea factory, rum distillery, dormant volcano, sea cliffs, waterfalls, and more. Discover the natural beauty and cultural heritage of this stunning region.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Trou aux Cerfs - Start your 7-8 hour scenic tour of the southwest with a hotel pick-up from anywhere in Mauritius. You’ll be welcomed by our certified guide and, after boarding your comfortable vehicle, head to your first destination.

Your journey begins at Trou Aux Cerfs, a renowned natural attraction in Mauritius. This dormant volcanic crater stands about 605 meters above sea level, with a diameter of 350 meters and a depth of approximately 100 meters.

Unlike typical volcanic landscapes, the crater of Trou aux Cerfs is encircled by a vast forest area filled with indigenous plants and towering green pine trees. It is believed that Trou aux Cerfs erupted once and has been dormant for the last 700,000 years, though experts think it could potentially become active again.

One of the main highlights is the 360-degree view of Curepipe town and the stunning vistas of Rempart Mountain, Trois Mamelles, and the Port-Louis-Moka mountain range.

  • Mare aux Vacoas - Next, visit Mare Aux Vacoas, the largest reservoir on the island with a capacity of nearly 26 million cubic meters. It’s a popular stop for tourists exploring the south of the island.

While it may not be as glamorous as other attractions in Mauritius, Mare aux Vacoas is a hidden gem nestled among thick forests. It’s an ideal spot to spend a few relaxing minutes away from the hustle and bustle. The reservoir also offers a picturesque view worth capturing.

  • Grand Bassin - Continue to Ganga Talao, also known as Grand Bassin, a crater lake situated about 550 meters above sea level in the mountainous southwest of Mauritius. A temple and several small shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and other gods are located along the shoreline.

During your visit to this sacred site, you’ll be awestruck by the gigantic statue of Lord Shiva. However, there’s no need to fear; the statue depicts Lord Shiva in a peaceful and smiling demeanor. Standing 33 meters high, it is the tallest statue in Mauritius. Ganga Talao attracts many visitors who come to pray, meditate, or simply enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The lake is about 18 meters deep and home to a healthy population of fish.

  • Alexandra Falls - Your next stop is Alexandra Falls, located approximately 700 meters above sea level and one of the most popular natural sites in Mauritius.

You’ve likely seen its images on postcards or in videos showcasing the beauty of Mauritius. Alexandra Falls is not only famous for its breathtaking beauty but also offers visitors a unique experience with nature.

Don’t miss the chance to capture the panoramic view of the South-East Coast with its turquoise ocean. You can climb a wooden platform for a full view. To your right, you’ll see Alexandra Falls, appearing as a silent white stream cascading over rocky outcrops. You’ll also get a view of Mauritius’s untouched green valley, home to many endemic bird species and flora. It’s a sight that will soothe your eyes.

  • Black River Gorges National Park - Next, head to Gorge Viewpoint for a stunning panoramic view of the endless green stretches. Amidst the unspoiled rainforest of Mauritius, you’ll find nearly 17,000 acres of rolling hills, deep valleys, spectacular waterfalls, and unparalleled flora and fauna in the southwestern region. The viewing area is quite high, offering a breathtaking perspective of the gorge. To the right, you’ll see a magnificent waterfall. The path to the viewpoint has a unique ambiance with some souvenir stalls. The Black River Gorges Nature Reserve was established to preserve the island’s natural vegetation and is one of Mauritius’s most important sights.

The Black River Gorges National Park protects most of the island’s remaining rainforest and is home to many species of wild animals and birds.

  • Bois Cheri Tea Factory and Tea Museum - Continue to the Bois Chéri Tea Factory, the first stop on the Mauritian Tea Route.

A guide will take you through the factory and tea plantation, sharing the history and significance of tea production in Mauritius.

After the guided tour of the factory, you’ll visit the tea production museum to learn more about the history of tea in Mauritius.

Bois Chéri offers a great panoramic view of the island’s south. Today, Bois Chéri produces a range of flavored teas, green teas, and herbal teas, which you can taste during your visit.

Your visit to the Bois Chéri plantation includes:

  • A guided tour of the Bois Chéri tea factory
  • A visit to the tea museum
  • A tour of the tea plantation
  • A tea tasting at the chalet with a panoramic view of the flora and fauna
  • Gris Gris Beach - Next, head to Souillac to witness the stunning view of Gris-Gris. The appeal of Gris-Gris lies in its dramatic scenery, where high cliffs drop abruptly to the sea, and the refreshing winds of the Indian Ocean blow year-round.

Far from the calm seas and tranquil scenery typical of Mauritius, Gris-Gris is known for its sea cliffs and offers a magnificent view from the top. This part of the island is not surrounded by coral reefs, allowing large waves to crash directly onto the cliffs.

You’ll have a great viewpoint of the cliffs and can watch the waves crashing against them.

Afterward, you’ll head to a local restaurant to enjoy a 3-course Mauritian lunch, including fresh salads, rice, soups, chicken curry, or fish and vegetables. You’ll have a choice, and the chef will explain the options to you.

  • Rum St Aubin Distillery - Finally, visit the Rhumerie St Aubin. Set in a charming colonial house with tropical and traditional vibes, the Rhumerie de St Aubin Distillery offers an in-depth look at rum making on the island. You’ll enjoy a delicious rum tasting session, discovering the different flavors produced by the distillery.

Freshverde Holidays invites you to visit the Rhumerie de St-Aubin for a guided tour with an experienced guide who will explain the rum-making process as you tour the distillery. You can enjoy a quaint visit and rum tasting.

Highlights:

  • Visit the Rum House and Tasting
  • Guided tour of the Sugar Factory
  • Visit La Vieille Cheminée du Domaine de Saint Aubin
  • Visit the vanilla house
  • Visit the Anthurium Greenhouse
  • Explore the tropical botanical garden and spice garden at Saint Aubin
  • Visit the Mini Farm of Domaine de Saint Aubin
What's Included
  • Tea tasting at Le Bois Cheri with panoramic views
  • Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages during lunch
  • Delicious 3-course lunch offering both vegetarian and Halal non-vegetarian options
  • Exclusive rum tasting experience at Rhumerie De St-Aubin
  • Admission to the esteemed Bois Cheri Tea Factory and Tea Route
  • Comfortable private transportation in a fully air-conditioned vehicle
  • Welcoming bottled water provided upon arrival
  • Entrance to the aromatic Rhumerie De St-aubin
  • Expert guidance by a fully certified private guide/driver
  • Convenient pick-up and drop-off at any accommodation in Mauritius
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities (Optional)
Additional Information

You will explore the wild south-West of Mauritius on this 8 hours private tour. With your guide, you will visit beautiful places, including Bois Cheri Tea Factory to see the production of tea in Mauritius. Then, continue to Rhumerie St Aubin to visit the rum distillery to know about Rum making in Mauritius

Afterward, head to see the famous dormant volcano Trou Aux Cerfs and continue to Mare aux Vacoas. Then, drive to Gris-Gris which is well known for its sea cliffs & offers a great view from the top.

Later, you will savor a 3-course lunch & continue to Grand Bassin to visit the gigantic statue of Lord Shiva. Afterward, you’ll head to Alexandra falls, where you will live a unique experience with nature, the waterfalls & its deep valley.

Finally, continue to Gorge Viewpoint, to see the panoramic unparalleled beauty of flora & fauna.

  • Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking
  • Children ages 3 years and under are free. Please notify of CHILD/ INFANT SEAT at the time of booking
  • Please advise of any food allergies or illness.
  • Please wear non slippery shoes
Location
Trou aux Cerfs
Curepipe,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.1
(11 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Venture22077734312
May 21, 2024
Very good expérience !!! - We could see many different places, very beautiful ! Many thanks to Daren, our driver, available and kind ! A very beautiful day to see Maurice
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Louisepr7679wq
May 14, 2024
Great chance to see lots of the sights to the south, highly recommend. - We were contacted the day before to confirm pick up time and contacted ehen Daren arrrived at the hotel in the morning. The tour was perfect, gave us the opportunity to see lots of sights (and potentially return to some if we wish on another day). It was a private tour so we got the chance to ask anything we wanted. Daren (our tour guide) was knowledgeable and friendly, we did not feel rushed at all. Perfect day, highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ethank2150
May 9, 2024
Definitely worth a trip! - Daren was a fantastic guide for the day. He was very knowledgeable about the island. Any questions that we had, even when not related to the planned visits at each location, he was able to answer. He is very passionate about the island and you can tell. Each of the stops were wonderful and just as good as we had hoped for. We didn't feel rushed around and took our time at each of the places. The lunch that was part of the four was wonderful and catered well for my wife who requires gluten free food as she is a coeliac. This tour is not to be missed if you want to see what the south of the island has to offer.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nuvin
Oct 21, 2023
Incredible experience - Great experience with incredible places such as the Bois Chéri site and the Chamarel rum factory in particular. Visit with a friendly and incredibly cultured guide
Review provided by Tripadvisor
James_m
Nov 6, 2022
Great tour of the North of Mauritius - Fantastic trip around the north of the island. Our guide Paco was amazing. He was really friendly and couldn’t have done any more for us. He was extremely knowledgeable and happily answered any questions we had. The botanical gardens were a definite highlight of the day. The sugar museum was also very interesting.
Review provided by Viator
W7909ogwalters
Sep 20, 2022
Fun Day - Mr Manu was our driver for 3 tours, he is an inteliigent guy and a good driver. He helped us with everything (stay away from tourist trap) and also make us discover some more amazing places. He bought us some local snacks which was very tasty. We discovered every places that was mentioned on the tours description
Review provided by Tripadvisor
380anik
Jul 28, 2022
South with dives - This is a great tour with lots of places to discover. The South of mauritius is indeed exotic.. our guide dives is very knowledgeable. Someone very funny.. The food was good 👌 I recommend this tour and ask for dives as guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brunhildekid
Jul 29, 2022
Terrible!! - It was time & money wasting. They didn't hold to the terms of conditions. They didn't provide bottled water, any guide just send taxi and driver. This guy(name was Irshaad) calling someone all the driving or just watching his phone. And skipped Rochester fall gave the reason road closed repair didn't suggest alternatives. In addition, after come back to hotel he demanded money from me his working time(1.5 hour)was excesses. We even that didn't go to all fixed course and hotel is in belle mare far from southwest. I have never found driver's overtime allowance in terms and conditions. I have already numerous trips, it's first time. I don't recommend this tour. Especially your hotel is in belle mare east area, You must prepare cash for driver's overtime allowance. 일인당 15만원이나 하는 비싼 투어 였는데 보낸건 택시랑 기사가 끝. 기사(이름 irshaaf) 는 운전 내내 큰소리로 통화중 이었으며 관광지에서는 폰 게임 하느라 사진한장 찍어주지 않았습니다. 주요코스인 로체스터폴은 도로 수리한다고 그냥 건너 뛰면서 본인 운전시간이 8시간 초과했다고 오버타임 페이를 청구했습니다. 우리숙소가 동북쪽 지역이라 애초에 8시간안에 호텔로 돌아오는거 자체가 불가능했는데 그런건 지알바가 아니라면서 끝까지 돈을 받아갔습니다. 수많은 나라를 여행해봤지만 이런경우는 처음입니다.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paul_h
Jul 15, 2024
Would have liked to have followed itinerary! - Itinerary:what to expect-don’t expect it! Didn’t do half the things mentioned,the day was rushed.If i hadn’t taken my time at the rhumerie,would have been a complete waste of money!(driver was courteous) Why did i give a tip??
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
2 Adult
September 2024
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