Full Day South Guided Tour Mauritius: Including Lunch

Southern Mauritius packs volcanic scenery, Hindu culture, wild coastline, and good food into a surprisingly small area. This private tour links the key sights in one day, from the crater at Trou aux Cerfs to the Seven Coloured Earths, with a guide explaining what you are seeing along the way.

I especially like the private format, since your group can travel at its own pace and may receive extra stops when time allows. I also like the lunch at Saint Aubin, where the setting matters as much as the Mauritian food. The main caution is simple: six hours covers a lot of ground, so part of your day is spent in the car, and several stops are brief photo visits.

• Trou aux Cerfs gives you a quick high viewpoint over Curepipe and nearby towns.
• Grand Bassin adds real cultural meaning, with one hour at an important Hindu pilgrimage site.
• Chamarel combines two major sights, the 100-meter waterfall and the unusual Seven Coloured Earths.
• Lunch at Saint Aubin is more than a fuel stop, with local dishes, a drink, and a scenic setting.
• Named guides such as Luc, Hughes, Robin, and Ajay receive especially warm praise for stories, care, and safe driving.
• Heat, humidity, stairs, and uneven ground make comfortable shoes, water, and sun protection useful.

A strong south Mauritius sampler for $115

At $115 per person, this tour is priced as a practical way to see several southern highlights without arranging separate taxis, entry plans, and lunch. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, as are local taxes, a driver-guide, and lunch.

The value is strongest if you have limited time in Mauritius, are arriving by cruise ship, or do not want to drive yourself. You get a private vehicle and a full route in about six hours. That convenience saves planning time, though it does not turn the day into a slow nature walk.

The private setup is important. Only your group takes part, so you are not tied to the pace of a large coach party. Guides have sometimes adjusted the route when the schedule allowed, including an extra waterfall stop for one solo passenger who arrived early at lunch.

The published rating is 4.8 out of 5, with 97 percent recommending the experience across 32 ratings. That is a strong result, and the praise is not limited to one feature. Drivers are repeatedly singled out for punctuality, personal attention, local stories, and safe care of solo passengers.

Trou aux Cerfs and the Curepipe highlands

The day begins with a 15-minute photo stop at Trou aux Cerfs, an extinct volcanic crater. The viewpoint offers a broad look toward Curepipe and the towns of Mauritius.

This is a quick orientation stop rather than a hike. You will have time to take photographs and hear about the volcanic forces that shaped the island, but do not expect a long walk around the crater. The stop works well early in the day because it gives you a visual sense of the island before the route moves farther south.

The word panoramic is often used too freely, but here the open view is the point. Bring a camera, and keep your visit flexible if clouds are moving through the highlands. Clear weather makes a real difference to distant views.

Next comes a 30-minute stop in Curepipe at The Pop Up Store, described as a sustainable shop. This gives you a chance to browse local products and break up the drive.

Shopping stops are not equally appealing to everyone. If you prefer temples, waterfalls, and viewpoints, this may feel like a pause rather than a highlight. Some past versions of similar shopping visits included cashmere and model-ship outlets, where sales pressure and high souvenir prices were a concern. Treat any retail stop as optional browsing, not a reason to book the tour.

Grand Bassin, where the day becomes cultural

Grand Bassin is one of the most meaningful stops. You spend about an hour at the Sacred Lake, an old Hindu pilgrimage destination in the island’s interior.

This is not simply another scenic viewpoint. The temple area gives you a chance to see how Hindu faith is practiced in Mauritius and to connect the island’s culture with its Indian heritage. Your guide can add context about the site and its place in Mauritian life, which makes this stop much more useful than a quick photograph from the vehicle.

Allow yourself time to look carefully rather than rushing from one image to the next. Dress and behave respectfully at this religious site. The tour information does not set out a formal dress code, so modest, comfortable clothing is the sensible choice.

The one-hour timing is well judged. It is long enough to take in the setting and listen to explanations, yet short enough to keep the rest of the route moving. If cultural places matter to you, Grand Bassin may be the most rewarding part of the morning.

Lunch at Saint Aubin with local flavors

Lunch takes about an hour at Saint Aubin. It is included in the price, along with a drink, while additional drinks cost extra.

This meal earns special attention because the setting is part of the appeal. The dining area looks toward scenic tropical forest, giving you a calmer pause after the first stretch of driving. Several tour accounts praise both the food and the view, which is a useful sign for anyone who dislikes rushed roadside lunches.

You should expect local Mauritian food rather than a generic international meal. The exact menu is not specified, so do not book this expecting a particular dish or dietary arrangement. If you have food restrictions, confirm them before booking.

The lunch break also acts as the day’s reset point. Up to now, the route has mixed a crater, a town, and a sacred lake. At Saint Aubin, you can sit down, eat, and absorb the setting before the more dramatic coastal and volcanic sights later in the day.

Gris Gris Beach and the untamed coast

After lunch, the vehicle heads to Gris Gris Beach for a 15-minute photo stop. This is a short visit, so think viewpoint and photographs rather than a beach afternoon.

Gris Gris is included for its raw coastal character. The stop adds variety to a route otherwise focused on inland volcanic sites and gardens. You get a glimpse of southern Mauritius as a more exposed, forceful coastline, rather than the gentle tropical image found in resort brochures.

The short timing is the drawback. You will not have much time to wander, sit by the water, or plan a swim. That is not the purpose of this tour. If your priority is a long beach visit, you will need a separate outing.

Heat and humidity can be serious, especially when you step out of an air-conditioned vehicle. Wear shoes with a secure sole, since some ground on the route is uneven, and take water with you even though the vehicle provides welcome shelter between stops.

Chamarel Waterfalls in one quick look

The Chamarel Waterfalls stop lasts about 15 minutes. From the viewpoint, you can photograph water dropping roughly 100 meters through the tropical setting.

This is one of the tour’s biggest scenery payoffs, but the schedule is tight. You will have enough time to take in the view and capture photographs. You will not have time for a long trail, extended wildlife watching, or a leisurely picnic.

That short stop makes sense when paired with the Seven Coloured Earths nearby. Instead of spending the whole afternoon at one attraction, the tour gives you a look at two of Chamarel’s signature sights. The tradeoff is that people who enjoy walking and nature photography may wish for more time.

Try to keep your camera ready before you leave the vehicle. Fifteen minutes passes quickly once you find the viewpoint, take photographs, and listen to the guide. Bright conditions can bring out the waterfall and surrounding colors more clearly.

The Seven Coloured Earths and the best light

The final major stop is the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark, with about an hour to see the famous colored soil formations. This is a geological curiosity, with curved bands of red, brown, yellow, purple, and other tones formed into small rolling shapes.

The colors are not equally strong every day. Bright sunshine helps them show more clearly, so the sight can look more muted under heavy cloud. That is one reason the weather policy matters: poor weather can lead to a changed date or a full refund, but even ordinary cloudy conditions may affect the photographs.

The stop is mainly for viewing and photography. You are not signing up for a long trek, and the tour does not promise extensive time in the surrounding park. The one-hour visit is enough to see the attraction without making the day feel stuck in one place.

If you enjoy unusual natural formations, this will likely be your favorite stop. If you prefer active walks, the visit may feel more like a scenic exhibit than an outdoor adventure. Either way, it gives the route a memorable ending before your return to the hotel.

The guides make the private format work

The strongest part of this experience is the driver-guide relationship. Luc is praised for sharing local stories and explaining the island’s past and culture. Hughes is described as especially helpful, with useful commentary and a willingness to add a few places outside the planned route.

Robin receives similar praise for pointing out details along the drive and making the lunch setting part of the experience. Ajay is singled out for taking excellent care of a solo woman, which matters if you are traveling alone and want a more personal day.

These names do not guarantee who will drive on your date. They do show what to value when the guide is assigned: clear explanations, safe driving, and flexibility. The route involves several hours on the road, so a quiet driver who only handles transport would make the day feel much longer.

Instead, good commentary can turn the drive into part of the tour. You can ask about the places you pass, Mauritius history, local customs, and the meaning of the sites ahead. The quality of your day will depend partly on the guide you receive, as it does with any private driving tour.

How demanding is the day?

The operator says most people can participate, but the route is not completely effortless. You should expect heat, humidity, some stairs, and uneven ground at certain stops.

The walking is limited compared with a hiking excursion. Most visits last 15 minutes to one hour, and the vehicle connects the sights. Still, sandals with poor grip may be annoying at viewpoints and cultural sites.

This tour suits you best if you want variety without a strenuous activity schedule. It is also a good match for solo visitors, couples, families with older children, and cruise passengers who need a broad introduction to the island.

It is less suitable if you dislike car time, want to spend half a day at one attraction, or need a detailed walking tour at every stop. One rating specifically found the distance tiring and felt that too much of the day passed in the vehicle. That is a fair criticism, not a flaw to ignore.

Timing, weather, and what to bring

The advertised duration is about six hours, even though the experience is called a full-day tour. Pickup times and driving conditions can affect the exact length, so keep some space around the tour if you have evening plans.

Pack sunglasses, sunscreen, water, a hat, and comfortable shoes. A light cover-up is useful at Grand Bassin, and a small bag keeps your hands free for photographs.

Lunch is included, but extra drinks are not. The minimum drinking age is 18, and the tour information does not promise alcoholic drinks. If you want anything beyond the included beverage, plan to pay separately.

A mobile ticket is provided, and confirmation arrives when you book. Free cancellation is available until 24 hours before the start time. A cancellation inside that window is not refunded, and late changes are not accepted. Cutoff times use Mauritius local time.

The experience depends on good weather. If the operator cancels because of poor conditions, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. A minimum number of participants also applies, although the activity itself is private once confirmed for your group.

Should you book this south Mauritius tour?

Book it if you want a private, efficient look at southern Mauritius, with culture, geology, waterfalls, coast, and lunch all handled in one package. The $115 price is reasonable when hotel transport, a personal driver-guide, and a meal are included.

I would choose this tour for a first visit, a short stay, or a cruise stop. The biggest benefits are the range of sights and the chance to receive personal guidance from someone such as Luc, Hughes, Robin, or Ajay.

I would skip it if you want a slow day with long walks or extended time at the beach. The route is busy, and the short photo stops mean you see many places without fully exploring them.

For most people seeking a practical south island overview, this is a solid choice. Go for the private service, the cultural stop at Grand Bassin, the scenic Saint Aubin lunch, and the pairing of Chamarel Waterfalls with the Seven Coloured Earths. Just accept that the road between those highlights is part of the price of seeing so much in six hours.

FAQ

How much does the South Guided Tour Mauritius cost?

The tour costs $115 per person.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately six hours.

Is hotel pickup and drop-off included?

Yes. Round-trip transportation from your hotel is included.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the private activity.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch at Saint Aubin is included, along with a drink. Additional drinks are not included.

Which places does the tour visit?

The route includes Trou aux Cerfs, Curepipe, Grand Bassin, Saint Aubin, Gris Gris Beach, Chamarel Waterfalls, and the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark.

Are entrance tickets included?

The tour includes the admission ticket for Chamarel Waterfalls. The listed stops at Trou aux Cerfs, Curepipe, Grand Bassin, Saint Aubin, Gris Gris Beach, and the Seven Coloured Earths show no additional admission charge.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience begins for a full refund. Poor weather or failure to meet the minimum number of participants may also result in an alternative date or a full refund.