Things not to miss in Mauritius: Chamarel and the Geopark attraction
Jan 23, 2025
When we hear "Mauritius", we immediately imagine endless sandy beaches and turquoise waters... A true picture, of course, but an incomplete one… Mauritius is so much more than that! In the western heights of the island nestles Chamarel and its amazing geopark. The Chamarel 7 Coloured Earth is a uniquely beautiful site, that is at the very top of the list of things to do in Mauritius. A once-in-a-lifetime experience awaits to overwhelm all our senses. Let's go!
Immersion into Chamarel
The visit starts with a breath-taking view of the Chamarel waterfall, one of the highest waterfalls in Mauritius, on our way to the 7 Coloured Earth. The volume of water crashing down from more than 100 metres varies from season to season, but the waterfall remains majestic and formidable all year round. Nestled in the heart of luxuriant vegetation, the waterfall grabs us and slowly takes us back to ancient times, when the island was completely uninhabited, with only nature and beauty all around. A small path leads us a little higher for an even clearer view. After a few minutes’ effort, we are rewarded with an even more glorious view!
We then resume our way towards the 7 Coloured Earth. We park and start approaching the promised land on foot, and then suddenly, it reveals itself to us, sumptuous and generous. This bare, undulating, kaleidoscopic earth spreads out in front of us, and our eyes and we can only stare in awe at this spectacle of nature. One colour, two colours... seven colours... And if we look closely, we find dozens of variations! The colours blend together, like the thousand shades of a mysterious rainbow: ochre and mauve, brown and pink, and every imaginable shade in-between...
Our eyes jump from one colour to another, follow the curves of the dunes and delight in the marbled wonder that is before us. We try to find the exact spot where one colour turns into another - from brown to ochre, from mauve to pink... we think we have found it, but just as quickly, it eludes us again. The earth is alive here - still but constantly changing, unmoving but different at each glance. We cannot get enough of it, it is almost hypnotic!
Let’s head to the tortoise park
We continue our exploration by strolling alongside the site and we discover... giant tortoises! Native of Seychelles, these tortoises allow us to imagine the giant tortoise of Mauritius before its extinction.
Impressive by their size, they remind us of the importance of preserving the rich fauna and flora of the region. Chamarel 7 Coloured Earth works closely with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) to restore, preserve and manage the forests of Chamarel. Since 2009, efforts are made to eliminate invasive species and promote the restoration of native and endemic plants. A program that has started bearing fruit!
The return of a forest closer to its natural state also allows threatened animal species to thrive. The pink pigeon and the echo parakeet, emblematic figures of the west of Mauritius which were once at the brink of extinction, flourish there: we can now observe them quite easily, and hear them singing gleefully!
A coffee break is a must!
After this small adventure, a small break at the coffee shop is well deserved! We take the time to sit down, with the 7 Coloured Earth dominating the view, to enjoy a coffee or even have breakfast! And surprise... the coffee served at the coffee shop is cultivated right here, just beside the entrance of the 7 Coloured Earth. This may seem quite unexpected, Mauritius being better known for its sugarcane fields than its coffee plantations... And yet! This delicious coffee, filled with exotic aromas, will delight you. Cultivated in an artisanal way for more than 60 years now, it is part of the Chamarel tradition. The coffee crops are planted between rows of palm trees to protect them from the wind and the sun.
They bloom in November, at the beginning of the rainy season, and the fruits are harvested during winter, between the months of May and September. Only Arabica coffee is grown here, and it has adapted both to the tropical climate of Mauritius and to the very specific, rich-in-volcanic-ash, soil of Chamarel. How wonderful it is to drink coffee a mere few metres from where it has been grown!
The coffee shop also offers delicious snacks for lunch, including Mauritian delicacies such as samossas and chilli cakes (gâteaux piments)! Made in the purest local tradition, they are bites from heaven... And to end on a sweet note, an ice cream or the pastry of the day, before the local coffee and its incomparable aromas!
Bring back a souvenir from Chamarel gift shop
Just next door is the gift shop where you can find small treasures among the carefully-selected items. You can of course find all the variations and flavours of Chamarel coffee, but also vanilla, decorations, and even books. Everything is local and artisanal and anchored in sustainable practices. It is Keshtree and her team who warmly welcome and accompany us throughout our visit: at the entrance, in the coffee shop, on the path, or in the gift shop, the smile of our hosts warms our hearts. We feel welcome, pampered even!
Once our visit is over, we can discover and explore the village of Chamarel: if there is one authentic village in Mauritius, it is this one! It has kept its local colours, and lives at a rhythm that seems suspended in time. Here, one is not in a hurry, one takes the time to live and feel. The church of Sainte-Anne dominates the village, and we stop for a moment to admire it. As we continue our exploration, we realise that Chamarel is full of other places to discover: at the Rhumerie de Chamarel, we can taste different flavours of rums, at Lavilleon we get to live breath-taking adventures with zip lines.
Unless we prefer to continue to explore the natural wonders of the region with the viewpoints on the Black River Gorges, to rest at Lakaz Chamarel or to treat ourselves to delicious meals at the Chamarel Restaurant. We have had an amazing experience in the 7 Coloured Earth. It will remain engraved in our memories, and we will definitely recommend Chamarel as one of the places to visit in Mauritius!
Discovering Chamarel and Its Wonders
Chamarel Discovery Combo
This combo includes the Coffee Plantation guided tour and full access to Chamarel 7 Coloured Earth Geopark. Start your visit with a walkthrough of the plantation to understand how coffee is cultivated and processed in Chamarel, followed by a cupping session. Then, explore the Geopark at your own pace, from waterfall and coloured dunes to the endemic garden and Aldabra tortoises. This curated itinerary brings together the geological and agricultural highlights of the region. Ideal for visitors looking to combine learning and discovery in a single, half-day experience.
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Viewpoint Café
Enjoy a refreshing break surrounded by nature. Our Viewpoint Café blends local flavours and panoramic views into a relaxed stop during your visit.
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Tortoise Park
Sheltered under trees, our Tortoise Park is a place for quiet observation. Here, you encounter one of the world’s largest land tortoise species; steady, slow-moving creatures that invite you to reconnect with nature, patience and the unhurried rhythm of life.
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