Experience the Wild South Tours
This tour has been put together with real care for people who genuinely love being in nature. It takes you to the most well-known places across the southern part of Mauritius. The Wild South Adventure is something you won’t forget – it shows you both the gorgeous spots and the unusual places down south, all packed with incredible natural scenery and landscapes that’ll take your breath away.
Untamed Natural Beauty
There’s something raw and untamed about the landscapes in the south that really stirs something inside you. Get ready to see some stunning views tucked away in areas that haven’t been touched much. Your guide walks you along the South coastline for a hike, takes you inside a cave that feels like another world, lets you swim in pools carved naturally into rocks and under waterfalls that are hidden away, and then you reach the beach.
Beaches & Local Cuisine
After you’ve had some lunch featuring local food, the Wild South shows off its white-sand beaches and those incredibly clear blue waters – perfect for just chilling out, getting some sun, going snorkeling, or simply watching the waves do their thing. This whole thing refreshes your mind in a way that sticks with you.
Mauritius Magic
Every single part of this adventure has its own bit of Mauritius magic. Everywhere you look there are views that’ll blow your mind. You find plants and animals that only exist here. You get a real feel for what makes this place special through quiet time at a lake that’s considered holy, incredible scenery at a nature park, and stopping by Chamarel village where there’s this weird geological thing happening. You also check out how local craftspeople do their traditional work, soak up the spiritual vibe at Grand Bassin which Hindus hold sacred, and wander around Black River Gorges National Park – basically a haven for plants and creatures found nowhere else. Over in Chamarel, the Seven Colored Earth Geopark is wild to see – volcanic ash made these rainbow-like colors in the earth that show off what Mauritian craftspeople can create with their hands.
What You’ll Experience:
Spending a whole day checking out the most famous natural spots in southern Mauritius Checking out the south coast – hitting up a place where they make rum, a spot where they produce tea, and a nature reserve Getting into Hindu culture by going to their sacred temples around this crater lake called Grand Bassin Watching giant tortoises and crocodiles at La Vanille Nature Park which everybody talks about Getting a feel for how rugged the southern coastline really is – those dramatic Gris Gris cliffs and La Roche qui pleure (means “rock that cries”) Finding out about how tea growing started here and watching how they actually make tea at Bois Cheri Tea Plantation Getting picked up and dropped back off in your own private car with someone who really knows their stuff driving Having a really good lunch at that one-of-a-kind Hungry Crocodile restaurant
Day Itinerary
Morning – Pick up from your hotel or accommodation
Someone swings by your hotel or wherever you’re staying to grab you, so the tour kicks off without any hassle.
Crocodile & Giant Tortoises Park First stop is this well-known Crocodile & Giant Tortoises Park where some of the island’s most unusual animals live.
Bois Cheri – Tea Plantation and Factory From there you head over to Bois Cheri. Their Tea Plantation and Factory basically tell the story of tea culture on the island.
Saint Aubin House Next up is Saint Aubin House which goes way back – you get to take in all that old-world charm it’s got.
Midday – Grand Bassin and Hindu Temple
Around the middle of the day, you’re at Grand Bassin feeling that sacred atmosphere – it’s this holy lake with Hindu temples all around it.
Mangal Mahadev – Shiva Statue Then there’s a stop at Mangal Mahadev – this massive Shiva Statue that’s close to Grand Bassin and impressive.
Chamarel Seven Colored Earth & Chamarel Curious Corner You swing by the Chamarel Seven Colored Earth Geopark and poke around the Chamarel Curious Corner too.
Chamarel Ebony Forest Walking through Chamarel Ebony Forest lets you really appreciate all that thick, green vegetation everywhere.
Alexandra Falls Alexandra Falls is next where you take in this gorgeous waterfall and the natural scenery around it.
Afternoon – Village of Gris-Gris and Viewpoint
Once afternoon rolls around, you’re exploring Gris-Gris village and looking out at the ocean from this viewpoint that’s spectacular.
Evening – Drop off at your hotel or accommodation
The tour wraps up with getting you back to your hotel or wherever you’re staying, nice and easy.
Tour Highlights Summary
| Location | What You Do There | How Long |
| La Vanille Nature Park | Get up close with Nile crocodiles and those huge Aldabra tortoises | Around 1-2 hours |
| Bois Cheri Tea Plantation | Learn how they produce tea and try some yourself | Roughly 1-2 hours |
| Saint Aubin House | Walk around this old estate and check out their vanilla plantation | About 45 minutes to an hour |
| Grand Bassin | Visit this crater lake that’s sacred and see the Hindu temples | Takes 45 minutes to an hour |
| Mangal Mahadev | Look at this Shiva statue that stands 108 feet tall | Maybe 20-30 minutes |
| Seven Colored Earth | See this bizarre volcanic geological thing | An hour or so |
| Chamarel Ebony Forest | Take a walk-through forest that only exists here | Half hour to 45 minutes |
| Alexandra Falls | Check out a stunning waterfall with great landscape | Around 20-30 minutes |
| Gris-Gris Village | Take in those dramatic cliffs and views of the ocean | About 30-45 minutes |
Visiting Places
Grand Bassin is where you discover this really peaceful spiritual feeling – Hindus come together at this sacred lake that’s got calm nature and temples surrounding it Black River Gorges National Park is captivating to explore – it’s this huge green area that’s home to species you won’t find anywhere else, plants and animals that only live here The Seven Colored Earth Geopark is absolutely mesmerizing – there’s nothing else quite like it where volcanic ash created this striking rainbow of colors across the ground Meeting up with a local artisan gives you something special – you learn about how they do things the traditional way and what real Mauritian craftsmanship looks like Everything wraps up with tasting some rum at Rhumerie de Chamarel where the history and flavor just work perfectly together
What’s Included
You get into the Crocodile & Giant Tortoises Park where these incredible animals are just hanging out in their natural home and you can see them close up There’s a guided stop at Bois Cheri – Tea Plantation and Factory where they fill you in on how tea traditions and production work on the island A visit to Saint Aubin House which is this elegant historic place that really shows what Mauritian cultural heritage is about Experiencing how spiritual the island gets at Grand Bassin – this sacred lake with its Hindu temple that pulls in thousands of pilgrims Seeing Mangal Mahadev up close – that towering Shiva Statue that stands for faith and devotion Going through Gris-Gris village which people know for those dramatic cliffs, plus that viewpoint looking over the ocean is breathtaking Your own private ride between every single attraction so everything flows smoothly The entrance fees for the main sites like Crocodile Park, Bois Cheri, and Saint Aubin are already taken care of
Food & Beverages
Hungry Crocodile Restaurant
You find this restaurant inside La Vanille Nature Park with all this thick greenery and really tall palm trees around it They serve up this exotic variety of Mauritian food that makes it stand out as one of the most unusual places to eat on the whole island This is actually where you can try crocodile meat in your meal – pretty rare and you can only get it here
Adult’s Menu
- Welcome drink: They make their own fruit iced tea and serve it cold
- Starter: Pick between Crispy crocodile with sauce Cajun or go with the traditional Mauritian basket
- Main Course: There’s the Hungry crocodile discovery platter that comes with Skewer, sweet & sour, and vanilla flavors, or grab the Platter of Mauritian Specialties which has Fish fillet swimming in creamy coconut and saffron sauce, plus Sausage in creole-style sauce with real Mauritian sides
- Dessert: Finish off with Roasted pineapple crumbled that’s got vanilla and coconut ice cream on top or go for a refreshing Seasonal fruit sorbet
Child’s Menu
- Main Course: Kids can pick Chicken Nugget with chips, maybe a Beef Burger with chips, or just Pasta with tomato sauce
- Dessert: Just a scoop of regular Ice-cream
- Drink: Either their Homemade Iced tea or plain water
Additional Restaurant Option
There’s another spot where you eat your meal while looking at this panoramic view of the southwest coast – Le Morne’s beauty spread out in front of you
Starter Fresh Papaya salad mixed with crunchy vegetables, and they add this spicy mango dressing or you could go for Smoked chicken salad or maybe a light Quinoa Salad
Main Course Traditional Mauritian chicken curry that comes with lentils, rice, and pickles made locally Vegetarians can get Vegetable curry that’s also served with lentils, rice, and those tangy pickles
Dessert Sweet stuff like caramelized banana bread pudding with vanilla ice-cream and crumbling on it Other rich options include Chocolate Entremets or Tapioca in coconut milk with smooth vanilla ice cream on top
Comments & Notes
Where your day starts depends on where you’re staying and your driver fills you in on the details of when the trip day arrives Being a private trip means the timing can shift around to match what you want, though there are some limits. The route itself doesn’t change and you get picked up and dropped off at your same hotel Over at Le Domaine de Bois Chéri factory, they actually produce tea every Thursday when it’s winter season The Bois Chéri Tea Factory and La Maison du Rhum at Domaine de Saint Aubin might not have everything running on Sundays and Public Holidays but you can still stop by Little kids shouldn’t go into factories – it’s just not right for toddlers and management won’t take responsibility if something happens Both guides and visitors only go up to the first floor of the factory and being there usually takes somewhere around 1 – 2 hours Nobody can promise you’ll get seats at restaurants Babies and toddlers who aren’t 5 yet get in free
Accessibility
Kids can come on this tour no problem, and it works for people using wheelchairs too
Please Note
Let us know about any health issues that might affect how easily you move around or if you need help with something specific so the team can give you proper support The hike takes you across different kinds of ground – rocky paths, uphill bits – so being ready for that matters Bringing a child under 2 years old means you need to have a baby carrier or backpack with you to keep them safe and comfortable the whole way through
Tips
Wear Proper Footwear – get yourself sturdy hiking shoes, trail running shoes, or walking shoes that grip well and keep you stable Always Pace Yourself – when you’re going uphill on steep parts just take breaks, so you don’t wear your Communicate Concerns – speak up right away if something doesn’t feel right or you need help with anything
Transportation
Transportation service in Mauritius works from basically anywhere on the island so travelers have complete flexibility about it. The price is separate which makes sure guides get paid fairly and covers how much the vehicle can hold and what fuel costs. Each vehicle only fits a certain number of people, which keeps the ride comfortable and private. When you’ve got bigger groups traveling together there are different transport options that can get sorted out ahead of time, so everybody has a smooth experience without any problems.
Private & Shared Groups
Private Experience works for groups up to 14 travelers – you get the whole tour completely private with guides just for you The Shared Group Experience puts you with other people in a group that maxes out at 5 travellers – great if you like meeting others while exploring Any booking needs at least two travellers to happen Solo travelers might get their schedule adjusted so they join a shared group and can still do the trip Private parties bigger than 14 travellers can get special arrangements set up to keep everyone comfortable and manage everything smoothly
Cancellation Policy
When confirmed clients just don’t show up (No Show), the full cancellation fee gets charged no matter when departure was supposed to happen Cancelling anything within 24 hours before you’re supposed to leave means a cancellation fee that equals what the whole booking cost Cancelling 48 hours before departure means only half the cost gets taken out as the cancellation fee If weather conditions turn unexpectedly bad and make the trip unsafe, the policy doesn’t change – complete cancellation fee still applies When weather’s really bad and Mautourco cancels before departure, travelers get their money back – Full refund If bad weather makes Mautourco stop the trip after it already started, travelers get a Partial refund rather than everything back
About the Mauritius South Tour
Crocodile & Giant Tortoises Park (La Vanille Nature Park)
Nile crocodiles and Aldabra giant tortoises live here making this one of the most unique places in all of Mauritius Exotic plants grow all around the park and there’s also an insectarium plus a museum You can check out where the animals are kept, there’s a mini zoo, and a petting farm where you get really close to them They’ve got this rare collection of butterflies and insects with bright colors that just adds to how charming the park is Conservation programs keep going to protect almost 1,000 Aldabra tortoises that make their home here
Bois Chéri
People know this as the biggest tea producer in Mauritius going back to 1892 The guided tour has you walking around the plantation, stopping at the tea museum, and getting to taste different teas The panoramic views of the south from here are absolutely stunning making it something you remember
Saint Aubin House
They built this place in 1819 then fixed it up again in the 90s to keep Mauritian heritage alive Here’s where you learn about their vanilla plantation and how they transform the vanilla orchid into what we use
Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao)
This sacred crater lake Grand Basin sits 550m above sea level and Hindus deeply revere it the whole site has temples for Lord Shiva, Hanuman, Lakshmi, and other deities
Mangal Mahadev – Shiva Statue
Sits near Grand Bassin and happens to be the tallest statue anywhere in Mauritius It stands 108 feet tall (33 meters) which puts it among the 50 highest statues in the entire world
Gris-Gris
Down at the southern tip of Mauritius and everybody knows it for that raw beauty it’s got Dramatic cliffs, wind that really blows, and a viewpoint that takes your breath away You watch these thick waves just crash hard against the cliffs
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does the entire tour take?
A: The full tour typically lasts around 8-10 hours, starting in the morning and ending in the evening with drop-off at your hotel.
Q: Is lunch included in the tour package?
A: Yes, lunch at either the Hungry Crocodile Restaurant or the alternative panoramic restaurant is included in the tour.
Q: Can children participate in this tour?
A: Absolutely! The tour is family-friendly and suitable for children. Kids under 5 years get free entry to most attractions.
Q: What should I wear and bring for the tour?
A: Wear comfortable walking shoes, light clothing, sunscreen, and bring a hat. If you have a child under 2, bring a baby carrier.
Q: Is the tour private or will I be joining other tourists?
A: You can choose between a private experience (up to 14 people) or join a shared group (maximum 5 travelers) depending on your preference.
