Tropical South West of Mauritius: Full-day All Inclusive tour (Visit to 3 parks)

A day like this is interesting because Mauritius gets a full “variety pack” in one long outing, from a volcanic crater to a Hindu temple, then on to cliffs, gorges, and the tasting stops. I like that it is set up as a private guide day, and when you connect with someone like Kevin or Sahil, the drive turns into real explanations, not just transportation. I also like the mix of big sights and included food, especially the 3-course Mauritian lunch and the rum tasting at Rhumerie de Saint Aubin.

The main thing to consider is that this is an all-day schedule built around outdoor places and specific venues. That means a rain day, a road closure, or a venue being closed can change what you actually get to do, even though the tour tries to make it right.

Key highlights worth your attention

• A true all-day southwest circuit that hits volcano viewpoints, crater lake spirituality, and postcard waterfalls
• Grand Bassin’s Lord Shiva statue (33 meters high) is a serious wow moment with temple context
• Seven Colored Earth and Chamouny waterfall are close together, so you do not lose half the day moving around
• Rhumerie de Saint Aubin rum tasting plus a tea stop at Bois Chéri, so you get two local “flavor stories”
• Photo-friendly stop structure, with viewpoints timed for views rather than rushed look-and-go

Why This Southwest Route Works So Well in One Long Day

Mauritius is famous for beaches. This tour gives you the other side of the island, the inland heart plus the dramatic south and southwest coast. You go from volcanic terrain into forested viewpoints, then finish with sea cliffs and tastings that feel like part of local life.

The structure is simple: pick-up, a steady chain of stops, then return to your hotel. You are not hopping between tiny independent tours. You are doing one connected day that makes sense.

Getting Picked Up, Timing the Day, and Staying Comfortable

The day starts at 8:30 am and runs about 7 to 8 hours. Pickup is offered at any hotel or accommodation in Mauritius, and you get a private vehicle with air conditioning.

That matters more than people think. On a day filled with viewpoints and short walks, you want energy for stops, not for logistics. The tour also includes bottled water upon arrival, which is a nice baseline since you will be outdoors for long stretches.

One practical note from real-world experiences: the quality of the day often depends on the person doing the guiding. Some guides lean more into story time and context, while others focus mostly on driving and timing. If explanations matter to you, ask your guide early in the day how they like to handle each stop, then set the expectation that you want a bit more than just timelines.

Trou aux Cerfs: A Volcanic Crater View That Feels Different From the Beach

Trou aux Cerfs is the first stop, and it is a strong opener. This dormant volcanic crater sits about 605 meters above sea level, with a diameter around 350 meters and a depth near 100 meters.

What makes it more than a quick photo moment is the setting. The crater is surrounded by forest with indigenous plant species, plus those giant green pine trees. It gives you that “why is this here?” feeling, because Mauritius does not look like a volcano from the beach.

Plan to spend around 40 minutes. That is enough time to get your bearings at the crater area and take in how the forest frames it. It is also a nice warm-up before the more spiritual stop at Grand Bassin later.

Mare aux Vacoas: The Quiet Reservoir Stop That Resets Your Brain

After Trou aux Cerfs, the tour goes to Mare aux Vacoas, the island’s largest reservoir, with a capacity near 26 million cubic meters. This is a shorter, calmer stop, around 30 minutes.

The key here is that it breaks the pattern. You go from volcanic crater to reservoir, then later into temple and waterfalls. At Mare aux Vacoas, you can slow down, look at the water context, and take a breather without feeling like you are wasting time.

The setting between thick forest lines also makes it feel less like a tourist factory stop and more like you are seeing how water systems shape daily life on the island. You will still get good views, even if the place is not as flashy as the famous attractions.

Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao): Lord Shiva, Crater-Lake Views, and Temple Atmosphere

Next comes Grand Bassin, also known as Ganga Talao. It is a crater lake around 550 meters above sea level, in the mountainous southwest. On the shoreline, you find a temple area and smaller shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and other gods.

The big moment is the Lord Shiva statue, which is 33 meters high. It is hard to describe until you see it in person because the size changes your sense of the whole place. People come here with a spiritual focus, but even if you are not religious, the visual impact plus the surrounding setting gives you respect for why it draws crowds.

Expect about 40 minutes at this stop. That is enough time to walk around the temple area, take photos if you can do so respectfully, and still move on before the day tightens.

Alexandra Falls and the Gorge Viewpoint: The Postcard Stops That Actually Deliver

Alexandra Falls is next, and it is one of the most recognizable nature sites on the island. It sits around 700 meters above sea level and is famous for those classic viewpoints over the turquoise ocean.

The practical win is that you get to admire the view and also climb to a wooden platform if you want the fuller perspective. The stop is about 30 minutes, so you are not stuck waiting around in one place.

Then you head toward a gorge viewpoint in Black River Gorges National Park. This is another 30-minute stop built around seeing the green stretches from above. The viewpoint sits high relative to the gorge, and you may spot a waterfall from the right side, depending on angles and what the day looks like.

In the bigger picture, these two stops give you contrast. Alexandra Falls is about the coastal sweep and the postcards. Black River Gorges adds depth with valleys, rainforest feel, and that sense of altitude.

23 Colored Earth and Chamouny Waterfall at Valle Advenature Park

This is where the day starts to feel fun in a more “Mauritius is weird in the best way” manner.

At the 23 Colored Earth area, you see a surreal mix of colored sand dunes. The colors come from the way basaltic lava converts into clay minerals. You can view sand dunes in multiple tones, commonly described as red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple, and yellow.

It is a geology moment, but not in a classroom way. It looks lunar. It looks unreal. And it gives you a lot of photo angles because the ground itself creates the color.

Close by, you visit Chamouny Waterfall, described as a single-drop waterfall surrounded by dense vegetation. Plan on about 25 to 40 minutes here, depending on how the day moves. This is the point where weather matters. If rain hits, visibility can change, and you might have to manage expectations on what you can see clearly.

Also, a real-world caution: access to 23 Colored Earth can sometimes be affected by road closures on certain days. If your day includes it, I suggest arriving with a flexible mindset and being ready to adjust if something is closed or delayed.

Gris Gris Beach Cliffs: Wind, Waves, and a Reset Before You Finish

After the park stops, the tour moves toward the south coast and Gris Gris. The appeal here is the scenery: high cliffs drop abruptly down to the sea, while Indian Ocean winds keep things lively year round.

You get a viewpoint over the cliffs where you can watch waves hitting the rocks. There is also a small garden area with benches, which is a nice pause if your day is starting to feel like too much motion. From the garden, a path leads to a small beach for closer sea views.

This stop is listed as about 2 hours, which makes it one of the longer breaks. If you want to enjoy one part without rushing, this is a good candidate.

Rhumerie de Saint Aubin: Rum Tasting That Tells a Sugar-Cane Story

Then you hit the distillery stop at Rhumerie de Saint Aubin. The tour includes entry and a guided visit, followed by rum tasting.

The experience is built around how rum is made on the island, including the sugar cane process, and you get to try different agricultural rums produced by the distillery. Expect a guided session plus tasting, about 1 hour at this location.

The best part is that it is not only about drinking. It gives you a cultural production story, and that turns the tasting into something you can actually talk about later.

That said, I want to be honest about a possible hiccup. On at least some days, the rum tasting has been canceled due to elections. So if rum tasting is a must for you, I would keep an open mind that local events can affect timing or what the distillery can run that day.

Bois Chéri Tea Factory: Learn the Craft, Then Taste What You Learned

To close out the day, you visit Bois Cheri Tea Factory. This is a tea estate where you can learn about the history of tea on Mauritius and the art of tea making.

You also get to taste Mauritian tea toward the end of the visit. There is a mention of newer flavored teas, green teas, and herbal teas as part of what you might sample, and you will likely see a panoramic view of the south while you are there.

This stop is about 1 hour. It is a smart pairing with the rum tasting, because both are local agriculture stories. By the time you finish tea, the day feels less like a checklist and more like a map of how Mauritius turns plants into products.

One caution from experience on certain weekdays: the tea factory can be closed on a Sunday. If your trip is flexible, consider traveling on a day you know the venue runs, or ask your operator ahead of time how they handle closures.

Price and Value: Is $149.56 Worth It?

At $149.56 per person, this tour stacks up value because it includes more than just driving. You get private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, pickup and drop-off, a certified private guide, a 3-course lunch with non-alcoholic beverages, bottled water upon arrival, and admission for key attractions and tasting stops.

You also get a structure that reduces decision fatigue. Instead of picking individual tickets, coordinating timing, and figuring out what is close together, you simply follow the route and use the guide for context and navigation.

That said, the experience quality depends on two things you cannot fully control. First, the day’s weather and venue access. Second, how much your guide actually talks versus simply drives. Some guides are strong story partners. Others focus more on timing. If you care a lot about explanations, choose a guide with a track record of giving context, and ask for more detail at the first stop.

Who Should Book This Tour, and Who Should Think Twice

This tour is a great fit if you want to see Mauritius beyond the beaches. If you love religious sites with strong visuals, geological oddities like colored earth, and viewpoints that give you altitude perspective, you will like this itinerary.

It is also a good choice for first-timers. The day covers multiple regions of the southwest and shows you the island’s range in one go.

Think twice if you dislike long drives or you are very sensitive to schedule changes. Because the day depends on outdoor stops and venue hours, rain or closures can change what you get. Also, if your priority is a deeply guided lecture style at every stop, you might want to communicate that upfront, since some guides may be more driver-forward than guide-forward.

Should You Book Tropical South West of Mauritius?

If you want a full-day taste of Mauritius that mixes nature, culture, and tastings, I would book it. The value is strong for a private day that includes lunch plus admissions, and the route makes good sense for a first pass at the southwest.

I would only avoid it if your travel dates line up with high risk of closures for the exact venues you care about most, or if you need a strict, perfectly timed version of every stop no matter what. For most people, the flexibility of being outdoors, plus the private guide and included meals, makes it a smart use of one day.