Mauritius is a small island country in the Indian ocean. Despite its small size, it is a gorgeous country with stunning landscape and great food! It offers great plethora of options for travellers of all age groups to explore and enjoy! This is a short 6 day trip itinerary to Mauritius, where we focused on slow travel, enjoying certain activities that have been on our bucket list for a while. Whether you choose to pack your time in Mauritius with things to do or just choose to be a beach bum, the holiday is fun either way!
Airlines like Air India, Air Mauritius, Vistara operate flights to Mauritius from India. It is a 6 hours flight from Mumbai. The airport is NOT situated in the capital city of Port louis. That's a good thing because as soon as you exit the airport, you are greeted with beautiful landscape without encountering the city crowds and rush.
This itinerary focuses mainly on the western coast of the island where we did some really fun and adventure filled activities with kids!
To follow this itinerary you can rent a car to travel across Mauritius. You can explore discover cars to look for the rental companies and cars available for rent in Mauritius . A compact car will cost around 1500 to 2500 rs per day. Remember to opt for a comprehensive insurance. A compact car should be enough for the drives in Mauritius ( provided your luggage fits in) as the driving distances are not much. You can travel across the country in less than 3 hours! You definitely do not need a 4wd for a road trip in Mauritius. In Mauritius, like India, they drive on the left side of the road and a valid Indian driving license is acceptable for driving as a tourist. Driving in Mauritius is a beautiful experience, as the roads take you along some stunning beaches and lush green sugarcane plantations!
However, if you think, driving is not your cup of tea, then various taxis are available for hire for the whole day, also pick up can be arranged from your accommodation or with the travel company that you choose to book your activities for the day.
We chose to base ourselves in Tamarin ( on west coast of Mauritius) which was a short car ride away from most of the activities we intended to do . You can also choose to move along the coastline of Mauritius and experience both the eat and west coast of this island country. Our evenings were mostly spent chilling by the beach! Mauritian sunsets are epic.
Here is a 5 day itinerary to Mauritius -
Day 1 - Arrive in Mauritius, airport to Tamarin
Day 2 - Le Morne, Gris Gris
Day 3- Casella Nature park
Day 4 - Swimming with dolphins
Day 5 - Sea walk at Belle Mare
Day 6 - Head back home.
Day 1 -
Arrive in Mauritius and head straight to your accommodation. We stayed at Esplanade by Horizon in Tamarin ( approximately 1 hour drive from the airport), and we would not hesitate recommending it to our fellow travelers. These beach side serviced apartments are located close to grocery stores , bakeries and restaurants too. The first day, just settle into the space. spend time at the pool or beach in the evening. Buy groceries/ explore some nearby restaurants .
Day 2 -
Drive to the Gris Gris beach ( around 1 hour drive from Tamarin without stops). On the way stop to admire, Le Morne Brabant ( Unesco world heritage site). It is peninsula of historical significance . Lagoon flights operate around the Le Morne , offering the stunning view of the famous Underwater waterfall - which is an optical illusion generated by sand and sediments and silt sediments moving under the influence of strong underwater currents, off the shore of Le morne Brabant. The surrounding beaches are beautiful and perfect for a quick stop.
Next, stop at the Baie du cap Maconde view point for some great views of the rugged shoreline from the top.
Head over to Gris Gris beach in Souvillac. Drive to the Gris Gris beach takes you through beautiful sugarcane plantations on both sides of the road. Grab lunch at Souvilllac .
We headed back from Gris Gris as we wanted to watch the sunset from the pool at our accommodation! You can drive further towards the east coast of Mauritius to reach Pont Naturel which is a natural rock bridge formation along the rugged rocky coastline along the southern coast of Mauritius. Just be careful in this area as the sea is rough and the waves which look splendid when crashing on the bridge and the surrounding rocks, can be dangerous at the same time.
Day 3 -
This day is dedicated to explore Casella nature park, located at a few minutes drive from Tamarin. This is a large nature park, spread over an area of 350 hectares . You can spend an entire day here - exploring the native birds in the bird park, go on African safari, feed the Giraffes, watch the largest tortoise in the world and petting the Lions. Thrill mountain is a part of Casella nature park, where you can enjoy adventure activities like ziplining or go for canyon swing. There is a nice outdoor play area for kids, a restaurant and few cafes inside the park. Mauritius weather is mostly hot and humid, and the sun can be harsh, so keep sunscreen, hats, water and snacks handy.
Casella Nature parks is a great place to explore as a family! You need to plan what you want to do and buy tickets accordingly. We would definitely recommend getting there early, to beat the crowds and make the most of your day here.
Day 4 -
Swimming with dolphins! Another bucket list activity is going to be checked off today. A short 10 minutes drive takes you to the Mauritius dolphins office. Then you are taken on a speed boat to observe and possibly swim with the dolphins in their natural environment. I don't swim, but my husband does, so while he enjoyed swimming with the dolphins , I enjoyed observing the intelligent creatures from the boat ! Later we spent some time snorkeling off the coast of Tamarin . The entire outing was a superb experience. We were tired and hungry after the activity which lasted for 2 to 3 hours. We got some lunch and again spent the evening relaxing by the beach!
However, if you have some time on hand, then we would suggest checking out the Chamarel seven coloured earth. These are sand dunes with 7 distinct colors that have develoved over thousands of years of erosion of the volcanic rock in this area. It is a magnificient geological formation that definietly deserves a trip!
Day 5 -
The final activity of our trip to Mauritius was Undersea Walk. We chose to do this activity with Aquaventure ,Belle Mare ( which is approximately 2 hours drive from Tamarin - our longest drive). Upon reaching their office you are taken by a sped boat to a sea walk platform. They explain to you regarding the activity and dos and donts of your time walking on the sea bed. They equip you with sea bed shoes, helmet and weights required for this activity and then you descend down with their guides. You spend some 15 minutes walking on the sea bed, exploring the fish and other marine life around you! Then you are brought back to the shore on the speed boat. You can choose to buy the pictures and videos of the entire experience which I will strongly recommend as it is an experience of a lifetime!
Day 6 -
This was our final day in Mauritius. We chose to relax by the beach one last time, enjoy the pool, before heading to the airport for our flight home.
So here was our 5 days itinerary for Mauritius, where we ticked off a lot of bucket list items like - Undersea walk, Close-up with the king of the jungle, feeding Giraffes, seeing the world's biggest Tortoises and swimming with Dolphins !
We had a great time, and hope you plan a Mauritius trip with your family and experience all these and more for yourself!
Happy travels!
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