Mauritius may look like a small island, but there are plenty of possible things to do here: from sightseeing and catamaran boat trips to hiking, quad bike expeditions and diving. It is easy to get lost in this variety, so I have compiled a list of the best excursions around the island that are worth visiting for the first time.
Some of the places where tours are held, you can visit on your own. Simply rent a car (here is detailed how-to) and go to the places I collected in the article “Тop attractions of Mauritius“. Still, it is better to visit some of the places with a guide and trusting professionals.
10 best tours in Mauritius in 2024
I have selected ten of the most interesting tours on the island, which are definitely worth a look. Although the word “look” does not really describe the nature of the tours, because in most cases you will not be looking from the outside but participating. These activities and excursions collect rave reviews from tourists as the most interesting and exciting.
#1. Instagram tour of Mauritius – a rich sightseeing tour
I will say right away that the Instagram tour of Mauritius is a very rich tour, where you can visit the main postcard places of the island in 1 day:
- Umbrella Square in Port Louis.
- Pamplemousse Botanical Garden, home to around 500 species of plants from around the world, including the rare talipot palm, which is said to bloom only once in its 60-year life. I love Pamplemousse Park, and I visit it on every trip to the island. In this article, I will tell you in more detail what impresses me so much about it.
- Ganga Talao – the holiest Hindu site in Mauritius with a huge statue.
- The Seven Colored Earth of Chamarel and the Chamarel Falls – in addition to being two of the island’s most popular attractions, they are truly worth a visit. In a separate article, I write about why they are worth a visit.
Here are photos of the places you will see during your trip:
#2. Catamaran sea tour to Cerf Island (Ile aux Cerfs)
There are several islands near Mauritius, but if you want to relax on an island for the first time, I advise you to go to a cruise to Cerf Island by catamaran. Catamaran cruise is a boat trip on a small motorboat or sailboat with a double deck.
During a boat trip, you will see the coast of the island from the water and visit one or more small islands near Mauritius, stop for diving on coral reefs, have lunch (barbecue on the beach or on a catamaran) and return to the hotel. You can read my detailed review of the tour at this link →
At least one of the catamaran day trips is worth taking. For example, on Deer Island (island Cerf). Choose one of these tours, you won’t regret it:
- Deer Island Cerf (Ile aux Cerfs) – a full day cruise on a 45-meter catamaran. Snorkeling, BBQ and a pleasant stay.
- Trou d’Eu Douce – Full day cruise on the eastern reef with a visit to Cerf Island (Ile aux Cerfs). BBQ, snorkeling, GRSE waterfall.
#3. Helicopter flight over Mauritius – the most breathtaking sightseeing tour
This is the most expensive tour on the island, but it’s worth it, believe me.
Why I recommend this tour: On no other tour will you see the underwater waterfall near Le Morne Peninsula with your own eyes!
It is better to book a helicopter flight in advance. When I tried to book a flight with a local company, there were so many difficulties that the flight didn’t even take place.
It is safer and easier to book a flight over the island through the Viator website, which guarantees a tour and a refund in case of cancellation. Detailed description and flight conditions →
#4. Gastronomic tour
It is great to get acquainted with the cuisine of Mauritius with a connoisseur. However, the food on the island is quite exotic for us. Even if your stomach can handle samosas, spicy rotis can still ruin your vacation plans.
💡 I love Mauritian cuisine, so I highly recommend going on a food tour to get to know it. Here is my list of 10 must-try dishes on the island.
If you are vacationing on the western and northern coast (Flic en Flac, Tamarin, Volmar, Trou-aux-Biches, Mont Choisy, Pereybere, Grand Baie, Grand Gaube beaches), you should take one of the tours to Port Louis:
- Gastro tour in Port Louis – learning about the city’s history and its local street food.
- Street food in Port Louis – getting to know the authentic Mauritius cuisine.
If you are vacationing on the eastern and southern coast of the island (Blue Bay, Poste de Flacq, Bel Ombre, Le Morne), you should take one of the gastro tours in Mahebourg:
- Gastro tour of Mahebourg – Mahebourg walking tour with Mauritian cuisine tasting.
#5. La Vanille Nature Park Tour
La Vanille Nature Park – a very interesting park with animals and the largest population of giant tortoises in Mauritius. If you want to walk with the tortoises, touch them, feed them, you can do that in La Vanille Park. I talked about La Vanille in another article.
There is a special day trip to La Vanille Nature Park which I can recommend. It includes several other interesting places in the south of the island which are located near the park.
#6. Hiking to Tamarind falls (7 cascades)
Tamarin Falls are considered to be one of the marvels of this island. It consists of 13 cascades and will leave no one indifferent. Tamarin Falls are not only the highest in Mauritius, but also one of the most grandiose and picturesque waterfalls in the world. Read more about the waterfall in this separate article.
Why I advise you to go to the falls with a guide: You can go to the falls on your own if you are confident in your skills. But if you don’t have jungle trekking experience, it is better to take a guide. Besides safety you will get a bonus – interesting stories about the cascades and about the island.
There are three excursions to the waterfall:
- Half-day trekking – go 3 hours or about 5 km. You will see 4 or 5 waterfalls. Experienced hikers can master this route on their own. If you haven’t gone on a jungle trek before, it’s best to take a guide.
- Trekking for the whole day – go 5-6 hours or 8 km. You will see all the cascades of Tamarin. This tour usually includes lunch.
#7. Expedition to the south of the island on quad bikes
The south of Mauritius is less developed and wilder than the north. There are many interesting places, wild beaches, mountains and natural parks.
Why I recommend this tour: Exploring the south of the island on a quad bike is one of the most adventurous ways to get to know Mauritius.
There are several tours in the south on quad bikes. They are all different in length. The 37 km tour has the best reviews of them all. It includes visits to places such as Pont Naturel (a stone arch bridge in the ocean), La Cambuse beach, Le Bouchon wild beach, Point Vacoas with 2-meter waves crashing against the black rocks.
Detailed description of the trip on this page →
#8. Tour to the “Casela” nature and amusement park – walking with lions and much more
People come to the Casela Park to see the animals – both behind the fence and in their natural habitat. But the main feature of the tour is not even that, but in the variety of activities from which you can choose something to your own taste. These activities include:
- Walking with lions, tigers and cheetahs under the supervision of an instructor. You will not only see the predatory animals up close, without being separated by a grid, but if they are in a good mood, you will be able to touch them.
- Overview of the “wild” part of the park using all-terrain vehicles. The duration of such a safari is one or two hours, and during that time you will have enough time to visit the savannas and forested parts of the Casela. Ostriches, antelopes and zebras are found in the savannah – exotic birds, wild boars and deer are found in the forest.
- Zip-line descent. The park has several cable lines that together form the longest route in the Indian Ocean – and one of the most beautiful.
Why I recommend visiting the Casela Park: the Casela is a favorite for both kids and adults, and if you’ve never been to a safari park before, you’ll be impressed. I have written more about visiting the Casela Park in this article →
Why I recommend a full-day tour: Many tours offer a tour of the Casela in combination with other attractions. In my opinion, it is worth setting aside a whole day to visit the Casela Park.
👉 On this page, you can book a full-day tour with from and to hotel transportation.
If you decide to go to the Casela Park on your own by car, it is better to buy a ticket in advance, because the park is always full, and you have to wait in line at the ticket office. Tickets can be purchased online via this link →
#9. Climbing Le Morne Brabant
I highly recommend climbing Mount Le Morne Brabant at dawn for those who love hiking. It is not an easy climb, so I advise you to go with a guide. I myself went with a guide and did not regret it.
Why I recommend this walk:
- Mount Le Morne Brabant is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Runaway slaves hid on it, and while visiting the site you will understand why they went right there.
- Breathtaking views (as well as the climb itself) of the Le Morne peninsula and the west coast of the island. It is no wonder Le Morne is considered one of the most beautiful places in Mauritius.
A detailed description of the tour is available on this page →
#10. Diving on Mauritius
Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean, and the underwater world here is incredibly beautiful. The Indian Ocean is the most beautiful ocean on our planet. You can dive close to the shore – in Mauritius, even very close to the shore there are coral colonies with colorful tropical fish. It is diving that allows you to see the full beauty of the ocean.
- If you already have a PADI license, check out the diving tours here. There are dives for beginners and professionals.
- If you don’t have a PADI diving license but have a burning desire to see the ocean from the inside, you can take a diving course on the island and get a PADI Open Water Course certificate. The training is 3 days long. Here is a description of the course in Tamarin Bay, for those on the west coast, and here is a link to a description of the course in Blue Bay Marine Park on the east coast.
Where to purchase tours in Mauritius
Tours on the island of Mauritius are almost always individual, so they are not cheap compared to tours in Thailand or Turkey. The main question is where to purchase tours in Mauritius?
- On the beach, in a hotel or one of the agencies on the street – all these places offer almost the same set of tours. The difference is only in the price. Tours at the hotel are always more expensive, and on the beach you have to bargain, because the prices are not initially indicated, but are determined randomly.
- Online – if you want to find really interesting or unique tours then I can recommend two websites where I have personally booked tours in Mauritius.
These two websites have a large selection of interesting tours around the island with reviews from tourists. I myself search and book tours through these sites, because I fully trust them:
- The Viator site has a very large selection with really unique excursions and activities in Mauritius. There are private guides and free cancellation. Site is in English. Open the site (293 island tours) →
- The GetYourGide website also offers tours and transfers around the island. Prices for some excursions are lower than on the Viator website. View site (42 excursions) →
Hello!
My name is Tatiana, and I am glad to see you in my Mauritius travel guide.
For more than 12 years I have been traveling and creating travel guides to different countries. For the first time I got to Mauritius in 2018. I got inspired by the island so much that I decided to create this guide.
I personally visited all the places described on this site. Photos and texts are also taken and written by me. I update articles regularly to keep them up to date.
I hope you’ll forgive any errors or awkward phrasing, as I am not a native English speaker.
Websites to help organize your trip to Mauritius:
- Find the best flight to Mauritius – Trip.com.
- Score a sweet deal on a hotel – Booking.com
- Hire a car – Localrent.
- Book a taxi from / to the airport – GetTransfer or KiwiTaxi.
- Find interesting or unique tours & activities – GetYourGuide.