Private Tour
South-West of Mauritius Private Full-Day Scenic Tour with Lunch
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
Explore the southwest of Mauritius on this 7–8 hour Private scenic tour along with your guide with a stop at Trou aux Cerfs, a lush green dormant volcano.
Next, stop at Mare aux Vacoas, the largest reservoir in Mauritius, peacefully surrounded by dense forest.
Continue to the sacred lake of Grand Bassin, where you will experience one of the island’s most important spiritual sites. Afterward, head to Alexandra Falls where cascading waters resemble scenes from a real-life jungle.
Drive to the Black River Gorges Viewpoint, offering spectacular views over the deep valleys. Later, discover Bassin Blanc, a beautiful crater lake nestled within thick forest.
Enjoy a Mauritian lunch before continuing to the famous Twenty-three Colour Earth, known for its naturally multi-colored sand dunes. Next, visit Chamouze Waterfall, an impressive single-drop waterfall cascading.
Finally, conclude your tour at Gris-Gris, where you will witness powerful waves crashing against rugged cliffs
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Vegetarian meals available – please request when booking
Children 3 years & under are free; notify if a infant seat is needed
Inform us of any food allergies or illnesses
Wear non-slip shoes and comfortable clothes
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Trou aux Cerfs
Begin your 7-8 hours southwest scenic tour with a hotel pick-up anywhere in Mauritius. You will meet & be greeted by our certified guide and after boarding in your comfortable vehicle, then set off for your first stop. You'll be heading to Trou Aux Cerfs which is one of the famous natural tourist attractions in Mauritius. The dormant volcanic crater is around 605 meters above sea level, with a diameter of 350 meters & a depth of around 100 meters. Unlike the typical volcanic features, Trou aux Cerfs’ crater is surrounded by a vast area of lush forest consisting of indigenous plant species and some giant green pine trees. It is believed that the Trou aux Cerfs erupted once and has remained dormant for the last 700 000 years; experts believe that there is a potential chance for it to become active again. Definitely, one of the main highlights is the 360-degree view of the town, Curepipe & the majestic view of Rempart Mountain, Trois Mamelles, and the Port-Louis- Moka mountain range.
Afterward, head to Mare Aux Vacoas reservoir which has the honor of being the largest reservoir on the island with a capacity of almost 26 million cubic meters and is simultaneously a rather popular stop for tourists visiting the south of the island. Although nothing as fancy as the other attractions in Mauritius, Mare aux Vacoas is a gem hidden between lines of thick forests. It is the perfect place to spend a relaxing few minutes away from the usual hustle and bustle of the country. The reservoir even offers a rather amazing view worth several clicks.
What‘s Included
Beverages during lunch (Non- Alcoholic)
Pick-up and drop-off at any accommodation in Mauritius
Entrance to Twenty-Three Colored Earth and Chamouny Waterfall
Certified private Guide/Driver
Private transportation in a fully air-conditioned vehicle
Bottled water upon arrival
Mauritian Culinary Lunch Experience (Vegetarian or Non-vegetarian)
Gratuities (optional)
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
South-West of Mauritius Private Full-Day Scenic Tour
Pickup included
Reviews
477 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Underwhelming
Sarah O,,Feb 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00Tour felt a little rushed. We were back in six and a half hours but would have liked much longer in Valle Adventure Park to have a cold drink and enjoy the surroundings. Missed the deer as had to cut the walk short. The lunch was very disappointing. We were not offered what was advertised. No curry, no meat or fish and no salad. Just cheese fritters, vegetable rice and ice cream. Only one drink allowed and no water available with our meal. The crater part of the tour is a bit pointless as you can’t see it from where we were. Our guide showed it to us on a picture on his phone.
Unexpected costs
Sianisoo,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00Purchased through Viator, a trip advisor company. Cost per adult was £87.34. Manav was our private driver for the day. The day before the excursion he sent a WhatsApp to introduce himself. Throughout the day he was professional, informative and knowledgeable about the sites we visited. He was able to answer all our questions about the sites with ease. We built a good rapport through the day. The car was clean and comfortable, which made us feel safe. The sites visited were very good, and Manav provided good information about the island and its history. We encountered two issues on the excursion. 1. Valle Advenature Park - To visit two attractions: the Twenty-Three colored earth, and the Chamuny Waterfall, stating "Admission Ticket Included". We were disappointed with the Valle Adventure Park, as we did not expect the additional cost involved in seeing the Twenty-Three coloured earth and the Chamuny Waterfall. We were told that to see these attractions, we had to choose a package to get around the park, and there was no other option to see them. In order to see these we needed to pay an additional £280.56 each (on top of the Viator excursion price) to visit the areas. Initially the price was over £460 for a package deal but likely Manav was there to help us negotiate a lower price for quad biking and 7 zip lines, the Twenty-Three coloured earth and the Chamuny Waterfall were only seen in the second half of the package doing the zip lines. So we didn't even need to do quad biking which they told us we should do to see the first attraction. If it was not for Manav we probably would have just asked to leave the park, but we decided to stay as he helped get a lower price and we were on holiday and already there. This was my husband's choice, and I wanted to leave seeing the two attractions due to the additional cost. 2. 3-course traditional Mauritian Lunch - The restaurant was pleasant but the meal was average. I advised ahead of the booking of a gluten intolerance and a gluten free meal requirement. On arrival, we were advised this was not passed on. The meal comprised of fries to start, fries with and plain grilled chicken as a main, and chocolate ice cream for dessert. Whilst there was only one gluten free meal needed, both parties were served the same meal. I do not feel this was the fault of the restaurant as they had not been able to prepare the gluten free meal ahead of our arrival. The meal certainly was not a 3-course traditional Mauritian Lunch.
Car tour with various...
Claudia M,,Jan 13, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Tour by car with various stops in the most scenic points of the hinterland, you don't walk much, some stops a little too fast, a couple of spectacular landscapes
Pay attention to what the itinerary is vs the initial description. Does NOT do 7-colored earth and Chamarel Falls
GlobalActivation,,Jan 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Note:If you really want to see Chamarel (tallest on isle) Falls and 7-colored earth, tell your guide. Ours was basically a driver with little info or interest. Napped in the car while we walked each site. If you choose to actually do Chamarel and 7-Colored Earth, you will not get to do Gris Gris and Souillac. He referred to Grand Bassin as the Hindu Temple which is there too, but may confuse you. Very sacred space I highly recommend. #8 Chamouny Falls listed is NOT Chamarel and may not even be a falls. The 23-colored earth adventure park is what is in the itinerary. All quads, zip lines, etc there are at extra cost. On #5, the photo showing of Black River Gorges is actually Chamarel Falls which is in the description, but not the itinerary. Just be aware of what your itinerary shows vs what you may think you are booking. Beautiful sites and hopefully you get an actual guide that wants to show you their gorgeous island rather than shuttle you around as quick as possible and drop you off early.
Not recommended
anna t,,Jan 4, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00This trip sounded good but it ended not so great. The driver was ok , gave us some information about the island . We went to adventure park but there was no information about activities there and that we have to pay extra for it . Prices in the park weren’t cheap. After park we souped to have traditional Mauritian lunch but it didn’t happened , driver told us that the reservation is already closed. He said that we will get refund from Viator but until now no one contacted me about that. We also supposed to go to the beach , that didn’t happen either. So our day was ruined a little bit.
Adventure at the big M!’
Adenike M,,Dec 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Our guide and driver David arrived on time and he was very friendly and informative. He was very patient and very attentive. The tour itself was full of great content, sights and activities at the Valle AdvenNature park. Great vista views and waterfalls. Lots to see and great atmosphere. I would certainly recommend this trip to anyone visiting the Island for the first time.
Great south island experience
ayanjyotighosh,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience exploring South island. Radhika was great, and she knew the right spots. I will definitely hire again. Thank you!
We had a fun day in the...
Ayanjyoti G,,Dec 21, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a fun day in the south island with our guide Radhika. She took us around to the nice scenic spots, and also to Valle, a fun adventure park. I would definitely hire Radhika again
There's a lot of...
Bernd R,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00In internet much too beautifully portrayed in reality it looks different nothing earth-shattering.Driver and car are top pickup from hotel on time.
Perfect day!
michaelpY3992ZE,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The day began with the pickup in the car at the hotel. Daren was our driver and guide at the same time. He told us many interesting things about Mauritius during the trip and answered many of his own questions. The driving time passed as if in flight, not least because of his likeable nature. The stops combine the numerous beautiful spots of the island, so that the day is used to the maximum. One view is more beautiful than the other and makes this trip truly unforgettable. Finally, we had a lunch at Gris Gris Beach with traditional Mauritian cuisine. A nice end to a perfect day. Thank you Daren!
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Operated by Freshverde Holidays