Have you decided to visit Mauritius in a week? Great idea!
I have prepared for you the perfect itinerary for a week in Mauritius. The country is small and 5 days allow you to cover the must-see places of interest.
The advantage of visiting Mauritius is also to be able to get to the four corners of the island quickly enough from your point of arrival, without having to change hotels or guesthouses for the duration of your stay. Besides, you are able to rent holiday villas in Mauritius quite easily, without much of a hassle.
Between the heavenly beaches of Bellemare and Le Morne Brabant, the lively streets of Flic-en-Flac and Grand Baie, hiking in the Gorges de Rivière Noire national park, climbing the Morne mountain or even visiting the temples of Grand Bassin, these 5 days in Mauritius will leave you with an unforgettable memory.
Here is the ultimate itinerary for a 5-day stay in Mauritius!
Day 1: the North (full day)
I suggest you start your vacation in Mauritius in the northern part of the island. You will land early in the south, in Mahébourg, and then quickly reach your villa or hotel, regardless of the region where it is located. After dropping off your luggage and getting refreshed, I suggest you take the road towards Grand Baie, far north.
A word of advice before you start: visiting Mauritius by car is really practical to be able to move quickly from one point to another and that is what I recommend. You will find cars for hire at the airport agencies (note: always use official rental agencies and not small individual rental companies, for insurance reasons in the event of an accident).
The best solution to make sure you pay the best price and have the car you want is to use a comparator.
But of course you can also count on the bus network to get around, the network is very complete, even if the journey times are quite long.
Your first day of these 5 days in Mauritius therefore begins with an excursion to Grand Baie, in the North West. It is a tourist town and one of the most lively corners of the island, it is definitely one of the places of interest to see in Mauritius!
You will discover the pretty public beach with its small colorful fishing boats floating on the turquoise waters of the ocean. Several trailers along the beach offer snacks and fresh fruit, to enjoy while strolling on Sunset Boulevard (the Grand Baie shopping street) or sitting quietly on the beach.
Day 2: Grand Bassin (½ day)
The next morning, I suggest you go and discover Grand Bassin, also called Ganga Talao.
It is a sacred place where you can visit several Hindu temples, take a walk along the big natural lake and admire the immense statues of the gods Shiva and Durga. The statue of Durga is the largest statue of a female deity in the world!
Grand Bassin is the place of pilgrimage of the Hindus of Mauritius, who go there on foot once a year from the four corners of the island, on the occasion of the festival of Maha Shivaratree.
The Grand Bassin site can be visited in half a day, at a leisurely pace, and entry is free! You can visit the temples, have a “tika” drawn on your forehead if you wish, discover the nature that surrounds the lake as well as the many religious statues that border it.
You will also have the pleasure of meeting many monkeys, sometimes very teasing (watch your stuff!).
Day 3: the Eurêka Creole house (½ day)
After visiting Grand Bassin in the morning, spend the second part of the day discovering one of the last and most imposing Creole colonial mansions in Mauritius: the Eureka house near Moka, in the center of the island.
This colonial mansion was built in 1830 and transformed into a museum in 1986. It belonged to the French and British aristocrats who ruled the island at the time and today allows you to immerse yourself a century back in colonial life in the 19th century.
On the program of the visit of this essential tourist activity:
- discover colonial life & furniture style at the time
- lunch or dinner of typical Mauritian dishes in the restaurant
- visit to the museum dedicated to music, art and period antiques
- stroll through the pretty English gardens
- walk in the luxuriant vegetation around the house
Day 4: Le Morne and Chamarel (1 day)
It is already the 4th day of the holidays and almost time to board the plane again. What I recommend to you this time is to meet the beauties of the country’s south coast.
Le Morne Mountain, a mountain of high historical and emotional value, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is at the southwest end. It is indeed on this mountain that many fleeing slaves once took refuge, and some of whom threw themselves from the summit to find freedom…
You will also find at the foot of the mountain, opposite Le Morne beach, a memorial of these slaves. The memorial is called “The Unknown Slave” and represents a face of a slave carved in stone, as well as a hand, a leg and several small figures curled up.
You can spend the morning climbing Le Morne. The hike (guided or not depending on your choice) will allow you to evolve in the heart of nature, to discover spectacular landscapes, sublime views of the coasts and the turquoise blue ocean. And as always in Mauritius, the flora and fauna are there!
The ascent to the top, in the last part of the hike, is really perilous, I won’t hide it from you. I really do not advise people with vertigo, the elderly and children to try to climb to the top as it is very little, if at all, secure. It just becomes rock climbing in the last few meters!
However, the landscape at the top is truly splendid. You will discover a spectacular view of the entire south coast of Mauritius and the Indian Ocean. It is frankly unforgettable and one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen.
The hike is approximately 6 km and will take you 3 to 4 hours. Guided tours are organized in the morning from 6 a.m. and in the afternoon at 2 p.m. (but inquire on site, as this may vary).
Day 5 – Pack your stuff and REST!
I would be a bummer to complete this awesome journey and board the plane only to pass out! Take this day off and get some well deserved rest.
And remember, once you visit Mauritius, you’ll definitely want to back there!
