Full-Day South Tour of Mauritius, ALL INCLUSIVE Day Trip, Private SUV Car, Guide

Mauritius packs a lot into one island. This private south tour brings together volcanic views, Curepipe shopping, colonial architecture, tea production, wildlife, rum, and lunch at Bois Cheri in one long day. I like the way it gives you a broad introduction to the island without making you share the vehicle with strangers.

I also like the private SUV and included entrance fees, which make the day easier to manage. The tea plantation lunch, with views across the fields, is another strong point. The main drawback is pace. With nine stops and roughly 6 to 9 hours on the road, some visits are brief, so this suits you best if you want variety rather than long, unhurried time at each place.

The tour costs about $282.73 per person. That is a serious price, but it covers private transport, bottled water, a guide, four entry tickets, and lunch. For a couple or small group that wants one organized day covering much of southern Mauritius, the price can make sense.

The best parts of the day at a glance

• Trou aux Cerfs gives you a fast introduction to Mauritius’s volcanic origin, with views over Curepipe from a dormant crater.
• Bois Cheri combines a tea factory visit, tea tasting, lunch, and high views into the most relaxed section of the day.
• La Vanille Nature Park adds crocodiles, giant tortoises, birds, deer, iguanas, insects, and dodo displays to the route.
• A private SUV keeps the day flexible and comfortable, especially when compared with a large coach excursion.
• Saint Aubin adds local sugar and rum culture, with a distillery visit and a tasting included in the admission.
• The schedule is ambitious, so you should expect short stops at several attractions.

Starting above Curepipe at Trou aux Cerfs

Your morning begins at Trou aux Cerfs, a dormant volcanic crater overlooking Curepipe. The crater is about 85 metres deep and 300 metres wide, a useful reminder that Mauritius was formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago.

You have around 35 minutes here. That is enough for a walk around the rim and a look across the town, but not enough for a long hike or extended photography session. I would treat this as a strong orientation stop rather than the main event.

The high position makes it a good first look at the central plateau. You can see why this part of Mauritius feels different from the coast. The air, elevation, and cooler setting give the morning a change of tone before the tour moves into shops and heritage buildings.

Ship models and shopping in Curepipe

The next stop, Voiliers de l’Ocean, offers something less expected: handmade scale models of ships, galleons, and boats connected with the island’s trading past. You can watch local artisans work on detailed models, and the shop can arrange shipping if your chosen piece will not fit in your luggage.

You get about 25 minutes here. That is enough to look around and understand the craft, but anyone seriously interested in buying a model may want to ask the guide how much time is available before getting too involved. These are not simple souvenirs. Their size and delicate construction can make transport difficult.

Curepipe follows, with around 30 minutes for shopping. The town has small boutiques selling garments, cashmere pashminas, jewelry, and souvenirs. The atmosphere is described as calm, with no pushy sellers, which may appeal if you dislike hard-sell shopping stops.

Bring your passport if you want to use duty-free shopping. The short visit means you will need to choose between browsing and buying rather than expecting a full shopping afternoon. I see this stop as a useful chance to pick up a locally connected gift, not as a major retail trip.

Colonial Mauritius at Domaine des Aubineaux

Domaine des Aubineaux is a colonial house built in 1872 from teak and other local wood, including timber taken from demolished ships. The building contains antiques, furniture, and paintings dating from the 18th century.

You have 25 minutes inside. That gives you a quick look at the house and its objects, but the visit will feel brief if you enjoy historic interiors and want to study every room. The fact that it was among the first homes on Mauritius to receive electricity adds an interesting detail to the visit.

The Guimbeau family, originally from France, lived here for eight generations. That family connection gives the house a personal angle. You are not just looking at an old building. You are seeing how one established family lived on the island over a long period.

This stop works well because it breaks up the shopping and prepares you for the southbound journey. It also gives the day some historical depth without requiring a full museum visit.

Tea country and lunch at Bois Cheri

The trip then heads south from the central plateau toward Bois Cheri Tea Plantation and Factory. This is one of the strongest parts of the day because the visit combines scenery, production, food, and a drink in one setting.

At the factory, you can see how tea leaves are picked and processed before reaching the teapot. The visit is scheduled for about 45 minutes. You should expect an introduction to the production process rather than a long technical course.

After the factory, lunch takes place at Le Bois Cheri Restaurant, with an hour set aside. The restaurant sits on a hill overlooking the tea fields, and a tea sommelier prepares a cup for you. The setting gives you a quiet pause after the morning’s stops.

Lunch is included, which matters at this price. You are not left to find food during a tightly planned day, and the meal is part of the attraction rather than an interruption. The supplied description calls it a traditional lunch, though it does not provide a fixed menu, so you should not assume a particular dish.

I especially like this part for travelers who want more than a photo stop. Tea production is one of the island’s recognizable industries, and the meal lets you enjoy the setting at a slower pace. Still, the two Bois Cheri visits together total less than two hours, so anyone hoping for a long plantation walk may find the schedule limited.

Wildlife at La Vanille Nature Park

La Vanille Nature Park brings a very different mood. The park is home to crocodiles, giant tortoises, birds, deer, and iguanas. You can also visit an insectarium with 25,000 species and a museum focused on the extinct flightless dodo.

The planned visit lasts about 30 minutes. That is the clearest timing concern on the tour. La Vanille contains several distinct areas, and half an hour may require you to move quickly. If giant tortoises, crocodiles, or insects are your main reason for joining, ask your guide how to use the available time.

The park adds value because it shows sides of Mauritius that beaches do not. The animal collection, insect displays, and dodo material connect nature with the island’s past. It is also a family-friendly stop, though the fast schedule may be less satisfying for children who want to linger.

Admission is included, so you do not face an extra charge at the entrance. That makes the stop easier to accept even if you decide to spend only part of the visit in each area.

A short bridge stop with wide southern views

Senneville Agricultural Ltd is a ten-minute photography stop at one of the higher bridges in the area. The bridge was used for transporting sugar cane by train from plantations in the Savanne region.

This is not a full attraction visit. It is a quick chance to look across a lake, rainforest, southern plantations, and the coast beyond. Ten minutes is enough for photographs and a brief explanation, but you should keep your camera ready and avoid expecting a walk.

I like this kind of stop on a full-day route because it gives you a visual pause between La Vanille and Saint Aubin. It also connects the scenery to sugar production and the island’s old railway system. The brief timing keeps the day moving, though weather and visibility will affect how much you see.

Saint Aubin, sugar cane, and Mauritian rum

The final major visit is Rhumerie de Saint Aubin, a factory and distillery producing rum from fresh sugar cane. The distillery dates its production to 1819, giving this stop a long connection with the island’s sugar industry.

You have about 35 minutes to see the factory and enjoy a rum tasting. The white cane rum won a silver medal at the London Spirit Competition in 2018. Alcoholic drinks are not included in the general package, but the Saint Aubin admission and tasting are listed as included, so you should confirm with the operator if you want to know exactly what the tasting covers.

The colonial house and garden add more than a drink to the stop. You get a look at the setting where the operation began, along with an explanation of how sugar cane becomes rum. For me, this is a useful final stop because it ties together several threads from the day: crops, plantation work, colonial buildings, and locally made products.

If you do not drink alcohol, the factory and garden can still be worthwhile, but the tasting will naturally be less important to you. The tour does not include other alcoholic beverages, so extra drinks would be at your own cost.

What the private SUV changes

Private transport is the central practical advantage. Your group travels in a clean, air-conditioned SUV, with bottled water provided. Only your party participates, so you are not joining a large shared coach.

That format can make a big difference on a route with many stops. You can ask questions, keep your belongings in the vehicle, and spend your time without waiting for a large group to gather. The guide can also help you decide how to use short visits, especially at Curepipe, La Vanille, and the bridge.

The tour begins at 8:30 in the morning and lasts about 6 to 9 hours. The wide duration range likely reflects traffic, pickup arrangements, and how the day develops. I would keep the rest of your evening open rather than booking a fixed activity soon after the return.

Pickup is offered, but the supplied details do not specify every pickup location or the exact meeting arrangement. Confirm that point before booking, particularly if you are staying outside Trou d’Eau Douce.

The tour allows service animals, is near public transportation, and says most people can participate. It is still a physically varied day, with walking around a crater, moving through attractions, and getting in and out of the vehicle several times.

Is $282.73 per person good value?

At first glance, $282.73 per person looks expensive for a day trip. The cost becomes easier to judge when you add up what is included: private SUV transport, a guide, bottled water, Domaine des Aubineaux, Bois Cheri Tea Factory, La Vanille Nature Park, Saint Aubin Rum Factory, and lunch at Bois Cheri.

You are paying for convenience as much as admission. Arranging this route independently would mean coordinating several distant sights, transport between them, entry fees, lunch, and timing. A private vehicle also avoids the compromises of a large group tour.

The value is strongest for couples, families, or small groups that want a private day and do not want to organize the south themselves. Group discounts may improve the price for larger parties. Solo visitors should think more carefully, since the per-person cost is harder to spread across a group.

The value is weaker if you prefer slow travel. You pay for access to many places, but several stops last only 10 to 35 minutes. If your priority is spending half a day at one plantation or wildlife park, a shorter private tour may suit you better.

The package is called all inclusive, but alcoholic beverages are excluded. Lunch is included, and the Saint Aubin entry is included, yet you should not assume every drink or extra purchase is covered.

The people who will enjoy this day most

I would recommend this tour to you if you want a first look at southern Mauritius and prefer a single, well-organized day. It is a good match if you want a mix of nature, culture, shopping, food, and local production rather than a day focused only on one theme.

Families may appreciate the private vehicle and the variety of La Vanille. Couples may value the Bois Cheri meal and the private pace. First-time visitors can cover several major types of attraction without learning the island’s transport system.

I would be more cautious if you dislike shopping stops, have limited mobility, or want long visits at each attraction. Curepipe and Voiliers de l’Ocean may feel less important if you only want scenery. La Vanille may feel rushed if animals are your main interest.

The current rating is 4.8 from six reviews, and the strongest praise centers on the range of experiences: tea, a plantation visit, rum and tasting, lunch with panoramic views, and the guide service. One published response names Avi Gopaul and Jaya, who look forward to welcoming visitors back. If those are the guide contacts assigned to your booking, their involvement may add a personal touch, but confirm who will lead your particular day.

Practical advice before you book

Wear comfortable shoes for the crater, historic house, factory, park, and garden visits. Bring your passport if you plan to shop duty-free in Curepipe.

Keep some space in your luggage for purchases, but remember that ship models may need to be sent home. Ask about shipping before you buy.

Take water even though bottled water is provided. The day includes outdoor stops, and the weather can change as you move from the central plateau to the south.

The tour depends on good weather. If poor conditions force cancellation, you can receive a different date or a full refund. For a full refund in other cases, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Last-minute changes are not accepted.

Should you book the South Mauritius tour?

Book it if you want maximum variety in one private day and value having transport, tickets, lunch, and a guide handled for you. The best moments are likely to be the views and meal at Bois Cheri, the unusual ship models, the colonial house, and the combination of wildlife and island history at La Vanille.

Skip it if you want a slow, deeply focused visit to one or two places. The route covers a lot, and the short stop times mean you will sample southern Mauritius rather than study every attraction in detail.

For most first-time visitors with limited time, I see this as a useful and well-rounded introduction. Just book it with realistic expectations: this is a busy private overview, not a leisurely day at the tea fields.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 6 to 9 hours and begins at 8:30 am.

Is transportation private?

Yes. Your group travels in a private, clean, air-conditioned SUV, and only your group participates.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch at Le Bois Cheri Restaurant is included, along with a cup of tea prepared by a tea sommelier.

Which entrance tickets are included?

Entry to Domaine Des Aubineaux, Bois Cheri Tea Factory, La Vanille Nature Park, and Saint Aubin Rum Factory is included.

Are alcoholic beverages included?

No. Alcoholic beverages are listed as excluded. The Saint Aubin Rum Factory admission is included, along with the scheduled rum tasting.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. If poor weather causes the tour to be canceled, you will be offered another date or a full refund.