Mauritius: Private South West Odyssey with Hotel Pick Up

Trou aux Cerfs is a dormant, crater lake, cinder cone volcano with a well-defined cone and crater. It is 605 m high and located in Curepipe, Mauritius. The crater has been alternately described as 300 and 350 meters in diameter, and is 80 meters deep.

The crater was formed less than 2 million years ago in the second phase of volcanic activity that created Mauritius.

According to experts, the volcano is currently dormant but could become active at any time within the next thousand years. It last erupted 700,000 years ago.

Mare aux Vacoas is the largest reservoir in Mauritius. It is located in Plaines Wilhems, in the southwest of the island, to the south of the town of Curepipe. It has a capacity of 25,890,000 cubic metres (914,000,000 cu ft) and provides water to the upper Plaines Wilhems and to Moka. It was constructed in 1885.

Ganga Talao commonly known as Grand Bassin is a crater lake situated in a secluded mountain area in the district of Savanne, deep in the heart of Mauritius. It is about 550 m (1,800 ft) above sea level. It is considered the most sacred Hindu place in Mauritius. The first group of pilgrims to Ganga Talao were from the village of Triolet and led by Pandit Giri Gossayne from Terre Rouge in 1898.

The Shiv Mandir is located on the bank of the lake and is dedicated to Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism. There are temples dedicated to other gods as well, including Lord Hanuman, Goddess Ganga, and Lord Ganesh along the Grand Bassin. During Shivaratri, around half a million Hindus in Mauritius go on a pilgrimage to the lake, many walking from their homes carrying Kanvars.

Forget the sunburn, skip the crowded shores – Bois Chéri, the biggest tea producer in Mauritius, is calling.

Bois Chéri is the first tea plantation in Mauritius and dates back to 1892. Visiting the Bois Chéri Estate is one of the main sites of the Mauritian Tea Route. This is the spot where tea lovers will get to learn how tea is cultivated, picked and packaged.

You will travel back in history throughout this visit and get a surprising feeling of tranquility. This visit is a must if you are fond of history and tea, of course.

Alexandra Falls is hidden in the deep jungle of the Black River Gorges National Park and is something out of a movie scene.

It's a peaceful and scenic spot, ideal for those who want to enjoy nature in a serene setting.

Alexandra Falls, at 700 metres above sea level in Black River Gorges National Park, offers a peaceful escape surrounded by forest and native wildlife.

Black River Gorges National Park is a national park in the hilly south-western part of Mauritius. It was proclaimed on June 15, 1994 and is managed by the National Parks and Conservation Service. It covers an area of 67.54 km² including humid

upland forest, drier lowland forest and marshy heathland.

The park protects most of the island's remaining rainforest although much of this has been degraded by introduced plants such as Chinese guava and privet and animals such as rusa deer and wild pigs. Several areas have been fenced off and invasive species have been eradicated from them to preserve native wildlife. Many endemic plants and animals still occur in the park including the Mauritian flying fox and all of the island's endemic birds: Mauritius kestrel, pink pigeon, Mauritius parakeet, Mauritius cuckooshrike, Mauritius bulbul, Mauritius olive white-eye, Mauritius grey white-eye and Mauritius fody. The park has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.

The Chamarel Rum Distillery, an authentic place where history, tradition, and excellence converge in the creation of a pure cane juice Mauritian rum.

Rum distilleries represent much more than places where alcohol is produced; they are a reflection of a rich and diverse cultural heritage. The history of rum is closely linked to that of sugar cane, which has left its mark on many tropical regions around the world.

Each rum distillery has its own history, often rooted in centuries-old traditions passed down from generation to generation. The artisanal methods used in many rum distilleries are a testament to ancient know-how, carefully preserved despite technological developments.

For visitors, it is an opportunity to discover ancestral practices and understand the importance of sugar cane in the local economy and culture.

The Seven Coloured Earths are a geological formation and prominent tourist attraction found in the Chamarel plain of the Rivière Noire District in south-western Mauritius. It is a relatively small area of sand dunes comprising sand of seven distinct colours.

The Seven Coloured Earths are a geological formation and prominent tourist attraction found in the Chamarel plain of the Rivière Noire District in south-western Mauritius. It is a relatively small area of sand dunes comprising sand of seven distinct colours (approximately red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow). The main feature of the place is that since these differently coloured sands spontaneously settle in different layers, dunes acquire a surrealistic, striped colouring. Since the earth was first exposed, rains have carved beautiful patterns into the hillside, creating an effect of earthen meringue.