Fascinating Nature Tour Incl Ebony Forest, 7 Coloured Earth,Lunch

The best part of this private southern Mauritius tour is its range. In one long day, you move from a dormant volcano and a sacred lake to waterfalls, a conservation forest, a village lunch, and the famous seven-colored earth. It gives you a broad look at the island without making you organize several separate outings.

I especially like the Ebony Forest safari, where Chris explains local plants, birds, trees, turtles, and conservation work. I also like the free hotel pickup, private air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, and three-course Mauritian lunch. The main drawback is simple: eight hours and eight stops make for a busy day, with limited time at some places.

Key points to know before booking

• Ebony Forest by safari truck: Chris leads the forest visit and takes you toward a high viewpoint with broad views.
• A strong mix of nature and culture: You visit Trou aux Cerfs, Grand Bassin, Alexandra Falls, Black River Gorges, Chamarel, and Maconde Point.
• Private from start to finish: Only your group participates, with hotel pickup and drop-off included.
• Lunch is built into the day: A three-course Mauritian meal is included, with vegetarian and halal food available.
• An early 7:30 a.m. start: The schedule packs many sights into roughly eight hours.
• Good value for a small group: At $135 per person, the price includes transport, park admissions, safari access, water, and lunch.

Why this full-day route works

Southern Mauritius rewards a day with some structure. The sights are spread out, and moving between them takes time. This tour handles the driving while giving you a useful mix of scenery, religion, conservation, and local food.

Because the outing is private, your group can experience the day without waiting for a bus full of strangers. That matters on a route with short stops. You can focus on the view at one place, then move on when you are ready, within the overall schedule.

The day begins at 7:30 a.m. with pickup at your hotel or accommodation anywhere in Mauritius. You ride in a fully air-conditioned vehicle, which is a practical comfort in a warm climate and on a long route. Bottled water is included.

The pace is the trade-off. The stops are carefully chosen, but this is not a slow walking tour. You will see a lot, yet some locations receive only 25 or 35 minutes. If you prefer to spend half a day in one forest or waterfall area, this route may feel hurried. If your goal is to cover many of the island’s southern highlights in one outing, the pace makes sense.

Trou aux Cerfs and the view from a dormant volcano

Your first stop is Trou aux Cerfs, a dormant volcano near Curepipe. You have about an hour to walk around the crater and take in the panoramic views.

This is a good opening stop because it gives you a sense of Mauritius from above before the day moves into forests and coastal viewpoints. The visit is not a strenuous hike. You stroll around the crater area, take photos, and get your bearings.

The value here is the setting rather than a long activity. The tour does not treat Trou aux Cerfs as a full morning outing, and that is appropriate. An hour gives you time to enjoy the viewpoint without using up the day before the more substantial nature stops.

Grand Bassin, Mauritius’s sacred Hindu site

From Trou aux Cerfs, the route continues to Grand Bassin, also called Ganga Talao. This is regarded as the most sacred Hindu site in Mauritius and is surrounded by colorful temples and statues of Hindu gods and goddesses.

You have about an hour here. That allows time to look around the religious site, notice the temple details, and take in the setting beside the lake. The stop adds something important to the day: this is not only a tour of scenic places, but also an introduction to the faith and traditions that shape Mauritius.

Approach Grand Bassin respectfully. It is an active sacred place, not simply a photo stop. The itinerary provides admission, so you do not need to arrange entry separately.

Alexandra Falls and Black River Gorges

The next section takes you into the Black River Gorges area, with a stop at Alexandra Falls followed by time in Black River Gorges National Park.

Alexandra Falls receives about 35 minutes. That is enough for a viewpoint visit and photographs, but not enough for a long walk or an extended waterfall outing. The appeal is immediate: you get a striking view of falling water framed by the forested interior of the island.

The following 25 minutes at Black River Gorges National Park give you a quick look at the protected area and its endemic plant and animal life. The park is an important part of the day because it shows the natural side of Mauritius beyond beaches and coastal resorts.

Keep your expectations in check. The schedule offers a taste of the park rather than an extended trail experience. If you want long hikes, birdwatching sessions, or quiet time in the forest, you will likely want a separate visit. Here, the park works as one piece of a much larger route.

Chamarel lunch and the southwest view

Chamarel is where the day slows down a little. After passing through the village, you stop at a local restaurant for a three-course Mauritian lunch. Vegetarian and halal food are available, which makes the meal useful for different diets without requiring you to find a restaurant on your own.

Lunch is more than a practical break. It gives you a chance to taste local cooking during a day otherwise built around viewpoints and natural attractions. The meal is included in the $135 price, along with the transport and admissions, so you can budget more clearly.

The Chamarel portion also includes a viewpoint over the coast from Le Morne to La Gaulette. You can see Île aux Bénitiers and Le Morne Mountain from here. This is one of the stronger photo stops on the route, especially because it brings together the interior and coast in one broad view.

The Chamarel stop lasts about two hours, including lunch and the viewpoint. That longer block helps balance the short waterfall and park visits. It also gives you a proper pause in the middle of a busy day.

Seven Coloured Earth and Chamarel Waterfall

The Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark is one of the island’s best-known natural attractions. You see distinct soil colors formed by natural processes, a feature that gives Chamarel its special character.

The visit also includes Chamarel Waterfall. With about 45 minutes here, you can take in both attractions without needing to plan another entrance or transfer. The tour includes admission to the parks it visits.

This stop is visually unusual, but it is best approached with realistic expectations. The colored earth is an observation stop, not a place for a long hike across open ground. Your time is mainly spent viewing the formations, taking photographs, and visiting the waterfall viewpoint.

The park fits well into this itinerary because it is easy to combine with lunch and the Chamarel coastal view. You get several different versions of the region in a short span: village, food, mountain and coast views, waterfall, and colored soil.

Ebony Forest, the day’s strongest nature stop

The Ebony Forest Reserve is the most distinctive part of the tour for anyone interested in plants, birds, and conservation. You enter the reserve on a safari truck, then continue toward a viewpoint at the top of the forest.

Chris leads the Ebony Forest visit. His role adds real value because he explains the conservation programs and points out local plants, birds, trees, and turtles. The experience is not limited to riding through a forest and taking pictures. You receive context about the endemic life of Mauritius, including species found nowhere else.

The safari format also helps you cover more ground than a short roadside stop. You can appreciate the forest without having to arrange separate transport. The high viewpoint provides another reward, with a broad view from above the trees.

You have about an hour at Ebony Forest. That is enough for the safari and viewpoint, though it is not a long forest expedition. If nature is your main reason for booking, pay close attention to this part of the day and use the earlier stops as a lead-in rather than the main event.

The forest is also where the tour feels most personal. A private vehicle gets you to the reserve, but the forest visit itself has its own guide, Chris. Teesha handles the driving for the broader day, while Chris focuses on the reserve and its conservation work. That division gives you useful local insight without turning the whole outing into a lecture.

Maconde Viewpoint and the coastal finish

The final stop is Maconde Viewpoint on the coast near Baie du Cap. You have about 25 minutes to enjoy the view and take photographs.

Maconde is a fitting end because it changes the mood again. After inland volcanoes, temples, waterfalls, and forest, you finish beside the coast. The short stop is designed for a quick look rather than a long coastal walk, so keep your camera ready and make the most of the time.

This final viewpoint also helps show how varied the south of Mauritius is. The tour is not built around one single headline attraction. Its strength comes from the steady change of scenery throughout the day.

What the $135 price includes

At $135 per person, the tour is not the cheapest way to see one attraction. It becomes more convincing when you count what is bundled into the price:

• Hotel or accommodation pickup and drop-off
• Private, fully air-conditioned vehicle
• A three-course Mauritian meal
• Vegetarian and halal food options
• Bottled water
• Ebony Forest safari
• Entry to the parks visited
• A private tour for your group only

For a couple or small group that values privacy, the price can be sensible. You are paying for a full day of driving, a private vehicle, several admissions, lunch, and the convenience of not arranging the route yourself.

The value is less clear if you only want Chamarel or only want Ebony Forest. In that case, a shorter specialized outing may suit you better. This tour earns its price by combining many places into one day.

Only three ratings are shown for this experience, so I would not treat the perfect score as a large statistical record. Still, the praise focuses on useful points: strong organization, a good driver, seeing a great deal in one day, and the Ebony Forest visit with Chris. Those are exactly the areas that matter most on a long private route.

Who should book this tour

I would recommend this experience if you want a broad introduction to southern Mauritius and prefer a private car to public transport or a large coach. It suits couples, families, and small groups that want control over their day and do not mind an early start.

It is also a strong choice if you care about more than beaches. Grand Bassin adds culture, Chamarel adds food and geology, Black River Gorges adds protected forest, and Ebony Forest adds conservation and endemic species.

You should think twice if you dislike full schedules. Several stops are brief, and the day covers a lot of road. The route is also not presented as a long hiking tour, so serious walkers may want to add a separate nature outing.

Good weather matters. If poor conditions cancel the tour, you can receive a different date or a full refund. For a full refund when canceling yourself, you need to cancel at least 24 hours before the 7:30 a.m. start time.

My take on this private Mauritius day

I like this tour because it connects places that are often treated as separate excursions. You get the dormant crater, sacred Grand Bassin, waterfall views, national park, Chamarel lunch, colored earth, Ebony Forest, and Maconde Point in one organized day.

The strongest reason to book is the combination of private transport and Ebony Forest access. Chris brings substance to the forest visit, while Teesha’s driving keeps the long route moving. The main compromise is pace, not quality.

Book it if you want to see a large slice of southern Mauritius in about eight hours, with lunch and admissions handled for you. Skip it if you want a slow day, extended hikes, or long stretches at each attraction.

FAQ

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 7:30 a.m.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately eight hours.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off are included at any hotel or accommodation in Mauritius.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

What transport is provided?

Transport is provided in a private, fully air-conditioned vehicle.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A three-course Mauritian meal is included, with vegetarian and halal food options available.

Is the Ebony Forest safari included?

Yes. The tour includes the Ebony Forest safari and admission to the parks visited.

Which places are visited?

The route includes Trou aux Cerfs, Grand Bassin, Alexandra Falls, Black River Gorges National Park, Chamarel, Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark, Ebony Forest Reserve, and Maconde Viewpoint.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the experience starts. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted, and poor weather may result in a different date or a full refund.