Discover the tea making process at Bois Chéri, the first tea plantation in Mauritius, founded in 1892. You will visit the plantation, factory, museum and learn about the tea production process from harvest and fermentation to drying, sieving and packaging, and the history of tea in Mauritius. After the guided tour, you can sample the delicious varieties of tea on the terrace of its old chalet and admire a volcanic crater now transformed into a small lake, surrounded by lush greenery.

Stroll through La Vanille Réserve des Mascareignes and its 3.5 hectares of lush greenery. Discover its beautiful palm and banana trees, giant bamboos, its impressive animals, including 2,000 Nile Crocodiles and 1,000 giant tortoises. You will also visit their insectarium which boasts one of the best private collections in the world with 23,000 species.

Admire the rugged scenery of big, powerful waves crashing on the cliffs at Gris Gris. A few metres away, you will see La Roche qui pleure, a natural rock formation that resembles a person crying when the waves hit it.

Note: This part of the tour is optional. You will start your day with the experience of a lifetime, and one of the most popular activities in Mauritius, swimming with wild dolphins in their natural environment. Once you get on board the speedboat, the professional and qualified skippers will start by briefing you on the important aspects of this experience. You will then head to Tamarin Bay for the dolphin encounter. The skippers will accompany you in the water when it’s your turn to swim with the dolphins. You will enjoy 2.5 hours on the open sea viewing the dolphins and swimming with them. Depending on the amount of time left, you will then go to The Aquarium, a popular snorkelling and diving site with beautiful coral and tropical fish.

After swimming with wild dolphins, your driver will take you to discover the Trou aux Cerf volcano. You will be able to enjoy the 360 degree views from the top of the volcano while taking a stroll around the crater. This dormant volcano stands at around 600m above sea level, and on clear days offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the island.

Drive by the largest reservoir in Mauritius, the Mare-aux-Vacoas, on the way to Grand Bassin, a tranquil and serene crater lake considered sacred by the Hindu population. Discover the Hindu culture by visiting the temples around the lake and enjoy the peace and quiet of the surroundings. You will also be amazed by the tall statue of Shiva and the view from the highest temple. Be sure to watch out for the monkeys and wildlife. Note: It may not be possible to make this stop in the month of February or March as the area is also a pilgrimage site during the festival of Mahashivaratree.

Nature lovers will enjoy the incredible views of the Black River Gorges, the largest national park in Mauritius. Covering an area of 6754 hectares, the park is home to numerous endemic flora and fauna and provides visitors with beautiful hikes, with varying levels of difficulty. During your drive through the park and Plaine des Champagnes, you will also get to stop and admire Alexandra falls and viewpoint, and if they’re in season, like the locals, you’ll want to pick a few goyaves de chine!

Visit the popular Chamarel, the coloured earth site, where in addition to the geological wonders of the seven coloured dunes, you can view the Chamarel Falls, the most famous waterfall in Mauritius! And, make sure you stop by the giant tortoise pens before leaving the park!