Southern Treasures: Bois Cherri Tea Factory & 23-Colored Earth

Southern Mauritius packs volcanoes, tea country, sacred places, waterfalls, and rough ocean cliffs into one long day. This private tour covers that remarkable variety without asking you to figure out the island’s winding roads yourself. The best stops are Bois Cheri Tea Factory and the Seven Colored Earth, where you get both local context and unusual scenery.

I like the private air-conditioned vehicle, which gives you a comfortable base between widely scattered sights. I also like the included three-course lunch, with vegetarian and halal options, since food stops can otherwise add both cost and delay. The main drawback is the ambitious schedule: nine listed stops in 7 to 8 hours means some visits will be brief, and the quality of the day depends greatly on how active your guide is.

Key points to know before booking

• Southern Mauritius in one sweeping day: You see volcanic sites, forest views, religious landmarks, tea plantations, cliffs, and waterfalls.
• Bois Cheri adds local flavor: The factory, plantation, and tea museum explain how tea became part of Mauritian life, followed by a tasting.
• A private guide makes transport easy: Hotel pickup and drop-off are included anywhere in Mauritius, in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• Lunch is part of the price: You receive a three-course halal meal with non-alcoholic drinks, plus vegetarian food on request.
• Gris Gris is for scenery, not swimming: Strong waves and currents make this a coastal viewpoint and walking stop.
• The day moves fast: Trou aux Cerfs, the reservoir, waterfalls, Grand Bassin, and the tea factory each compete for time.

A full southern circuit in 7 to 8 hours

The tour begins at about 8:30 a.m. with pickup from your hotel or accommodation anywhere in Mauritius. That broad pickup area is useful, but it also hints at the day’s scale. Southern sights are spread across the island, so you will spend a fair amount of time in the vehicle.

That is where the private format earns its keep. You do not need to deal with directions, parking, or public transport connections. You can watch the scenery change from town to forest to coast while your guide handles the road.

The schedule includes many stops, but this is not a slow, in-depth walking tour. Think of it as a carefully packed introduction to southern Mauritius. You will collect a strong sense of the region, then decide which places deserve a longer return visit.

Trou aux Cerfs and the view from an old volcano

Your first stop is Trou aux Cerfs, a dormant volcanic crater above Curepipe. It sits about 605 meters above sea level, measures roughly 350 meters across, and reaches about 100 meters in depth.

The crater is not a bare bowl of black rock. Indigenous plants and tall green pine trees cover much of the area, giving it a cool, wooded feel. The site is believed to have erupted once and remained quiet for around 700,000 years. Experts consider it capable of becoming active again, though your visit is about the view, not volcanic drama.

Allow about 35 minutes here. The prize is the broad outlook over Curepipe and toward Rempart Mountain, Trois Mamelles, and the Port-Louis-Moka mountain range. This is a good early stop because it gives you a quick sense of Mauritius as a volcanic island shaped by high ground and distant peaks.

The drawback is simple: you will not have time for a long walk around the crater. If you want a detailed nature visit, this stop will feel short. For a first look at the island’s geology and a few wide photographs, it works well.

Mare aux Vacoas, a quiet forest reservoir

The next stop is Mare aux Vacoas, Mauritius’s largest reservoir, with a capacity of almost 26 million cubic meters. You get about 30 minutes to pause among thick forest and look across the water.

This is a quieter stop than the famous waterfalls and temples. I like that it breaks up the parade of major attractions. You get a few calm minutes away from roads and towns, with a view that rewards a camera without demanding a long hike.

Do not book this tour solely for the reservoir. It is a short scenic pause, not a major attraction with a long list of things to do. Its value comes from the contrast it provides, and from the chance to slow down before the more dramatic natural sights.

Alexandra Falls above the southeastern coast

Alexandra Falls sits at roughly 700 meters above sea level and is one of Mauritius’s best-known natural sights. Your stop lasts about 30 minutes, enough to see the waterfall and take in the wide view toward the southeastern coast.

A wooden platform gives you a better angle for the panorama. You may find the view just as memorable as the falling water, especially when the turquoise sea appears beyond the high forest. This is one of the places where a short visit can still feel satisfying.

The stop is not designed as a long forest walk. You will get a viewpoint experience rather than an extended trek. Wear shoes with good grip, as the tour specifically advises non-slippery footwear. That is sensible advice for the waterfall stops and the later park visit.

Black River Gorges and a fast rainforest viewpoint

The Black River Gorges stop is built around a viewpoint only about a three to five minute walk from the road. You get roughly 30 minutes to look into the gorge, see a waterfall off to the side, and take in the broad sweep of the national park.

The park covers almost 17,000 acres of hills, valleys, waterfalls, plants, and animal life in southwestern Mauritius. You will not explore all of that in half an hour, of course. Instead, this is a compact sample of the park’s scale, with a high outlook that makes the gorge below seem surprisingly deep.

I find this kind of stop useful on a full-day tour. It gives you a strong visual payoff without requiring a demanding hike. Still, anyone hoping to walk the park’s trails should treat this tour as an introduction, not a substitute for a dedicated national park day.

Grand Bassin and the giant Shiva statue

Grand Bassin, also called Ganga Talao, is a crater lake about 550 meters above sea level. It is a sacred Hindu site, with a temple and smaller shrines beside the water.

The huge statue of Lord Shiva is the most obvious landmark. At 33 meters high, it is difficult to miss and gives the stop an immediate sense of scale. The lake itself is peaceful, and the religious setting adds something different from the waterfalls and viewpoints.

You have about 40 minutes here. That should allow time to see the statue, approach the temple area, and look around the lakeshore. Dress and behave respectfully in this active religious place. Your guide may provide context, but do not assume the guide will accompany you into every temple area. One past experience with this tour found that the guide dropped the party at the temple and left them to find the information themselves, so I would politely ask in advance how much guided explanation you can expect at Grand Bassin.

That point matters. The tour is sold as a private guided day, but guiding styles can vary. Some guides, such as Manu and Deva, have been praised for being kind, attentive, and full of information about the island. You should still make your expectations clear at the start: do you want historical and cultural explanation at each stop, or mainly efficient transport and time to explore on your own?

Bois Cheri Tea Factory gives the day its local character

Bois Cheri is one of the strongest parts of the itinerary. The visit lasts about an hour and includes the tea factory, plantation, and tea museum.

A guide leads you through the production site and explains the role of tea in Mauritius. The museum adds background on tea production and its place in the island’s past. This is more rewarding than simply stopping at a scenic overlook because you are learning how a working product connects to local life.

The plantation also provides broad views over the south. After the factory and museum, you can taste the tea, a detail that has been especially well received. I would give this stop your full attention. It is one of the few parts of the day where you get a structured explanation instead of a quick photograph and return to the vehicle.

The tour includes admission to the tea factory, so you do not need to budget a separate entrance fee there. If tea interests you, this stop alone gives the private day more substance than a simple sightseeing loop.

Lunch makes the long schedule easier

A three-course lunch is included, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices, halal food, and non-alcoholic drinks. A sample meal described by one participant included fish salad as a starter, chicken curry, and vanilla ice cream.

That kind of meal is practical as well as pleasant. You do not need to search for a restaurant during a tightly timed day, and the cost is already included in the $136.44 per-person price. Vegetarian food is available, but you should advise the operator when booking. You should also report food allergies or illness in advance.

The lunch adds real value, especially for anyone comparing this with a private driver-only service. It also helps explain the long duration. This is not merely seven or eight hours of driving and photo stops, though the schedule can still feel full.

Gris Gris shows Mauritius at its roughest

After passing through Souillac, the tour reaches Gris Gris, a coastal viewpoint with cliffs, gardens, benches, and a path toward the beach. You get about two hours here, making it one of the more generous stops of the day.

Gris Gris is different from the postcard image of a calm tropical beach. Waves crash against the cliffs, and the currents are strong. The beach may look inviting, but swimming is not advised. Use this time for a walk, sea views, and photographs from the garden and cliffside.

The longer pause gives you room to breathe after the many short stops. You can sit on a bench, walk toward the shore, and watch the water work against the rock. For me, that raw coastline is more memorable than another polished viewpoint.

Bring your non-slippery shoes here too. The tour includes access to the viewpoint and beach area, but it does not turn Gris Gris into a swimming stop. Respect the warning and stay focused on the scenery.

Seven Colored Earth and Chamouny Waterfall

The final section takes you to the Valle Adventure Park area for the attraction called Twenty-Three Colored Earth. The description refers to seven distinct colors: red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple, and yellow. The unusual shades formed as basaltic lava changed into clay minerals.

The result is a small-scale geological spectacle of colored sand dunes set among green vegetation. You get about 40 minutes, which should be enough to view the formations and take photographs. The colors are natural, not painted, and their arrangement gives the ground an almost lunar look.

Admission to the Twenty-Three Colored Earth and the waterfall is included. Keep your expectations sensible: this is a viewing stop, not a wide open area where you can wander freely across the formations.

You then visit Chamouny Waterfall for about 25 minutes. It is a single-drop waterfall surrounded by thick vegetation and described as one of the island’s best-known falls. This is another short stop with a clear purpose: see the water, take a few photographs, and move on.

The two final stops work well together because one is geological and the other is purely natural. They also show why you need comfortable shoes and a willingness to keep moving.

What the $136.44 price really covers

At $136.44 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see Mauritius. It is also not just a taxi ride with a few scenic pauses.

Your price includes hotel pickup and drop-off, private transportation in a fully air-conditioned vehicle, a qualified private guide and driver, bottled water on arrival, lunch, drinks, and admission to Bois Cheri and the Twenty-Three Colored Earth and waterfall area.

The value is strongest for people who want one organized day and do not want to arrange separate transport, meals, and entrance fees. A private vehicle also lets you ask for enough time at a favorite stop, within the limits of the schedule.

The value is weaker if you prefer a slow pace, long hikes, or detailed interpretation at every site. Nine stops in one day is a lot. You are paying for range and convenience, not extended time at each location.

The experience has a rating of 4.6 from nine ratings, which fits the pattern I would expect: very strong when the guide is engaged and the day runs well, less satisfying when the guide acts mainly as a driver. If your guide is like Manu or Deva, you may get warm service, good island context, and even an unexpected viewpoint. If the guiding is minimal, you will still see the sights, but the cultural stops will have less meaning.

Who should book this tour

I would choose this tour if you have limited time in Mauritius and want to cover the south in one day. It suits first-time visitors, couples, families, and anyone who prefers a private car to navigating unfamiliar roads.

It is also a good match if you care about variety. In one day you see a crater, reservoir, waterfalls, rainforest, sacred lake, tea factory, rugged coast, and colored earth. Few tours offer such a broad sample.

I would hesitate if your priority is hiking. The Black River Gorges and Alexandra Falls stops are short, and most of the day is built around viewpoints rather than trails. I would also hesitate if you want a quiet, unhurried day with plenty of time for conversation at each location.

Book at least 24 hours ahead if you want the free cancellation option. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time, while poor weather may lead to a different date or a full refund. The tour requires good weather, so that flexibility is useful.

My recommendation

Book this tour if you want an efficient first look at southern Mauritius, especially if the included lunch, private vehicle, tea factory, and hotel pickup matter to you. The Bois Cheri visit and Gris Gris coastline give the day more character than a standard photo-stop circuit.

Before setting off, tell your guide that you want real explanations, especially at Grand Bassin and the tea factory. Ask how much time you can spend at your preferred stops. With an attentive guide, this is a strong-value way to see a wide slice of the island. With a guide who only drives, it becomes convenient transportation with scenery attached.

FAQ

How long does the Southern Treasures tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 7 to 8 hours.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 8:30 a.m.

Is hotel pickup included?

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

Is transportation private?

Yes. The tour uses private transportation in a fully air-conditioned vehicle.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A three-course lunch is included, along with non-alcoholic beverages.

Are vegetarian meals available?

Yes. A vegetarian option is available. You should advise the operator when booking and report any food allergies or illness.

Is halal food available?

Yes. The included meal is described as halal.

Are entrance fees included?

Admission to the Twenty-Three Colored Earth and waterfall area and the Bois Cheri Tea Factory is included.

Can I swim at Gris Gris Beach?

Swimming is not advised at Gris Gris because the waves and currents are extremely strong. The stop is intended for walking and viewing the cliffs and sea.

What should I wear?

Wear non-slippery shoes. This is useful for the waterfall areas, viewpoints, and paths near the coast.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.