Outdoors · Mauritius
8 best outdoor things to do in Mauritius
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: "dronepicr", CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Start with Le Morne Brabant, Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 22–29 hours across 7 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 22–29 hours
- Areas
- Le Morne peninsula, Chamarel and Pamplemousses
Outdoors in Mauritius
Nature · Le Morne peninsula
1.Le Morne Brabant
Start at sunrise to avoid the midday heat; the upper section involves scrambling, so go with a local guide if you are unsure.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Active
- History
- Outdoors
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Nature · Chamarel
2.Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall
Visit in the late afternoon when the low sun brings out the colours, then stop at the rum distillery down the road.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Nature
Garden · Pamplemousses
3.Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden
Hire one of the licensed guides at the entrance; without one it is easy to miss the spice trees and rare palms.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Nature · Southwest
4.Black River Gorges National Park
Stop at the Gorges and Alexandra Falls viewpoints even if you are not hiking, and start walks early before cloud builds.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Active
- Views
Island · Trou d'Eau Douce
5.Île aux Cerfs
Walk away from the jetty to the far beaches for quieter sand, and avoid weekends when local excursions fill it up.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
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Nature · Blue Bay and Mahébourg
6.Blue Bay Marine Park
Snorkel in the morning before the wind picks up, and choose a glass-bottom boat if you have young children.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Island · Blue Bay and Mahébourg
7.Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve
Wear closed shoes; the coral-rock paths are sharp and uneven.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
Theme park · Flic en Flac
8.Casela Nature Parks
Arrive early in the morning before the midday heat, and pre-book activities such as ziplines on busy holiday weeks.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Active
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Le Morne peninsula | Le Morne Brabant | 3–4 hours |
| Chamarel | Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall | 1.5 hours |
| Pamplemousses | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden | 1.5–2 hours |
| Southwest | Black River Gorges National Park | Half a day |
| Trou d'Eau Douce | Île aux Cerfs | Full day |
| Blue Bay and Mahébourg | Blue Bay Marine Park and Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve | 2–3 hours + 2 hours |
| Flic en Flac | Casela Nature Parks | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 3 low cost, 3 mid-priced. Book ahead for Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve. The longest visit is Île aux Cerfs; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve: Visits are by guided tour only, run by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation; book ahead in high season.
How to fit them into 6 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Le Morne peninsula): Le Morne Brabant, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Chamarel and Pamplemousses): Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall → Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Southwest): Black River Gorges National Park, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Trou d'Eau Douce): Île aux Cerfs, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Blue Bay and Mahébourg): Blue Bay Marine Park → Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Flic en Flac): Casela Nature Parks, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- October: highs of 27°C (81°F), about 5 rainy days, busy crowds. Dry, sunny and warm, one of the most reliable months for weather; busy during European autumn holidays.
- September: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 6 rainy days, moderate crowds. Warming and dry, with fewer winds; an excellent month for hiking, diving and beaches.
- August: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 8 rainy days, busy crowds. Cool and breezy, busy with European summer holidaymakers; good hiking weather.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Flic en Flac — Long west-coast beach with apartments, sunsets and dive centres
- Le Morne peninsula — Luxury resorts beneath the Le Morne Brabant monolith and the island's top kitesurfing lagoon
- Belle Mare and Trou d'Eau Douce — Long white east-coast beaches, large resorts and boats to Île aux Cerfs
- Blue Bay and Mahébourg — Marine park lagoon and an old colonial town close to the airport
- Tamarin and Black River — Surf bay, salt pans and dolphin boats on the dry west coast
More of Mauritius
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Mauritius?
Le Morne Brabant. This 556-metre basalt monolith at the island's south-west tip sheltered escaped slaves in the 18th and 19th centuries and is now a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape.
+Which of these are free in Mauritius?
Le Morne Brabant and Black River Gorges National Park.