Seven Coloured Earth Geopark

The site is a 21-acre (8.5-hectare) nature park with three main areas: the Geopark (home of the sand dunes), Chamarel Waterfall, and Tortoise Park. At the dunes, look for the seven different colors—yellow, green, blue, purple, violet, red, and brown—that lend the geopark its name. Admire the falls from an observation deck, or hike the approximately 3-hour round-trip trail down to the base for an up-close look and a swim. Afterward, meet the resident Aldabra tortoises, the world’s second-largest tortoise species.

If you want a hassle-free trip that includes transport right from your hotel, there’s no shortage of day trips to the island’s south. Many trips that include the Seven Coloured Earth Geopark also visit nearby natural attractions, including the Trou Aux Cerfs volcano, Black River Gorges National Park, and the Grand Bassin.

• Plan for a visit of 45 minutes to two hours to explore the park.

• Picnics are not allowed in the park, so leave any food behind and eat at the on-site coffee shop or Le Chamarel Restaurant instead.

• You can explore the park on foot, but since it’s so big, it’s worth using a set of wheels to cover more ground. Bikes, scooters, motorbikes, cars, and minibuses are all allowed inside.

• Tickets can be bought online or at the entrance gate when you arrive.

• The entrance fee covers all three areas of the park. Once inside, you can stay as long as you want to explore until closing.

The Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark is in the southwest of Mauritius Island, at the furthest point from the tourist hub of Grand Baie in the north. If you have a car, it takes around two hours from Grand Baie to get there. Otherwise, it’s easy to take advantage of the many day trips that include stops at the geopark.

The park is open year-round from early morning through late afternoon and stays open an extra 30 minutes in the summer. Note that summer months in this island country run from November to April. If you want to prevent the possibility of a rainy day ruining your fun, avoid traveling in the wetter months of January and February.

Make time to visit the on-site Geopark Coffee Shop for a cup of Café de Chamarel, the local coffee brew grown, roasted, and extracted in the Chamarel area. If you really love the flavor, the coffee is available in whole bean, espresso, and filter form at the gift shop. Many visitors say a break in the coffee shop is a high point of their visit, with a food and drink concept based on the theme of seven colors.