This wonderful full-day excursion gives a true insight into the different spectrums of Mauritian scenery to be found.

Leaving the pier, you will travel from the center of Curepipe along a tarred road that leads gently up to and round the rim of Trou-aux-cerfs, an extinct volcanic crater, whose floor is now heavily wooded. Making a photo-stop here, you will be treated to a magnificent view over the entire island and its towering mountain ranges.

Your drive continues from here to Grand-Bassin (Ganga Talao), a sacred lake and pilgrimage place for the Hindu where you will have a guided visit. In this idyllic location there is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and other Hindu deities and many Hindu pilgrims make the walk in bare feet from their homes to the lake. Hindu legend is that the lake is filled with the waters of the holy Ganges of India, making this a very significant place for all Hindus.

From here, you will next make your way through the forest reserve of Plaine-Champagne, with a stop at a viewpoint that looks out over the spectacular Black River Gorges. Further down the winding road, you will reach a local restaurant with a breathtaking view over the coastline for lunch.

Traveling along through thick Chinese Guava groves, your route next takes you to discover the magnificent Chamarel waterfall which emerges from the moors on the way down to view the unique seven-colored earths of Chamarel. These unusual mounds of undulating land that stretch in contrasting rainbow colored layers of earth are believed to be the result of weathering and volcanic origin.

Your journey back takes you down a winding road that unveils the West coast - the Morne Mountain where you will have a final photo stop, and Benitiers Island. Before reaching the pier in Port Luis, your route will pass the fishing villages and the famous salt pans of Black River.

Spend your day exploring two examples of Mauritian heritage on this delightful full-day tour that travels along the ""Tea Route"".

Begin with a picturesque coach ride to ""Les Aubineaux"", one of the few remaining typical colonial houses of the Central Plateau. Built in 1872, the house boasts authentic period furniture, paintings and photographs of Curepipe from the past. You will re-board your coach and drive through tea-fields to the village of Bois-Chéri where you will have a guided tour of the Tea Factory and Tea Museum. Here, you will have the opportunity to discover the thousand and one secrets held within the Tea museum, which gives visitors a good insight to the history of tea.

From the Museum, you will stroll over to the Chalet for a tea-tasting session. From the Chalet, you will be treated to a marvellous panoramic view of the south part of the Island. Your tour continues with a 30-minute drive to ""Le St-Aubin"", a plantation house built in 1819. During your time here, visit the Vanilla House, the rum distillery and the greenhouse filled with anthuriums that are intermingled with vanilla pods. Before leaving, enjoy a tasty lunch that has been prepared from produce grown on the estate while seated in a lovely Creole dining room.

Your final tour stop is in the wild South at 'La Vanille Nature Reserve’, a farm harboring Nile crocodiles, geckos, monkeys, a savannah of giant Tortoises of Aldabra, where they are bred in the wild, and an insectarium that holds more than 20,000 species. Re-joining your coach, sit back and relax during the 90-minute leisurely drive back to the pier and your awaiting ship.

Enjoy a day relaxing on one of the idyllic islands that surround Port Luis on this leisurely full-day escape.

From the pier, it's a scenic drive of just over one-hour to the jetty at Point-Maurice, where you will board your shuttle boat for the transfer across the water to Ile-aux-Cerfs. This tranquil island is a true open-air retreat which lies just off the coast from the Fisherman's village of Trou-D'eau-Douce.

There are no deer (cerfs) remaining on this 195 acre island that is covered with casuarinas, coconut trees and flowering bushes. As you step off the boat, you are greeted by pristine white sandy beaches that are perfect for sunbathing, and the translucent turquoise waters that lap at the shoreline provide for some swimming opportunities.

For the more adventuresome, the boathouse located here has water skis, pedal-boats, sailboards and laser dinghies available for hire (cost is not included in your tour price). During your visit, you will be treated to a complimentary lunch at the Sands Grill restaurant and there is also a bar available for those who wish to purchase alcoholic beverages.

In the afternoon, you will board the shuttle boat and head back to the mainland where you will be transferred back to the pier and your awaiting ship.

Discover two of Mauritius' lovely islets on this delightful full-day tour that showcases the natural beauty of this destination.

Joining your coach at the pier, it's a 75-minute scenic drive to Pointe d'Esny where you will board your boat for the transfer to Ile-aux-Aigrettes. Here, in this 61-acre nature reserve that is surrounded by the turquoise waters of the bay, you will discover protected fauna and flora that is unique to Mauritius. Managed by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, the islet is the habitat for indigenous plants and coastal ebony forests, and was once the Dodo's home.

This conservation program ensures the survival of rare species such as the Pink Pigeon, the colorful day gecko and the giant Aldabra tortoise, all living here in unrestricted freedom. If you are lucky, you might even encounter the rare Oeniella Aphrodite orchid in full bloom. Take the shuttle boat back to the mainland.

Re-boarding your coach, proceed to Blue Bay, a short boat transfer through the Blue Bay National Marine Park will take you to the blissful Ile des Deux Cocos, with its pearl-white beaches and translucent waters. Following a brief refreshment break, you will have the possibility to visit the enchanting Follies Villa, built over 100 years ago by British governor Sir Hesketh Bell.

The Villa's harmonious blend of British and Moorish architecture, combined with its Creole-style interior, blend contemporary comfort with the elegance of by-gone days. Outside, in the Villa's Moorish courtyard, you will find a pretty tiled fountain nestled amongst orange trees.

Following your enchanted trip down memory lane at Follies, you will enjoy either some snorkelling or a glass-bottom boat trip in the transparent waters of the marine park before being treated to a delicious barbecue lunch comprised of a mix of culinary styles. As you relax and enjoy your meal, you will be entertained by the sounds of acoustic guitars and velvet-voiced local singers.

When your lunch is concluded, you will have approximately 1-hour of free time to explore the island at leisure or just laze in the shade of a casuarina tree, watching the sun-sparkled ocean in the afternoon breeze before it's time to return to the pier in Port Louis.

This half-day tour highlights some of the most notable sites in and around Port Luis and gives you ample time to explore on your own.

Boarding your coach, it's a short transfer to Pamplemousses Village, considered a must-see for visitors. Here, you will have a brief stop at the historical church St François d'Assise, which was built in 1756. Following this, you will enjoy a delightful guided visit of the Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens, which were created by French naturalist Pierre Poivre in 1767. The Chateau de Mon Plaisir, built in 1735, can still be seen here. Often called the ""Jewel in the Crown"", the garden is renowned by world botanists for its 500 rare plant species that come from all over the world. The most famous are the giant Victoria Regina water lilies and the 80 varieties of palm trees, including the talipot, said to flower once every 60 years and then die. Today, the garden also houses the ""samadhi"" (funeral shrine) of the Father of the Nation, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam.

From Pamplemousses, you will head for a tour of the capital, Port-Louis, which was founded in 1735 by Mahé de Labourdonnais. A photo stop at La Citadelle, an old fortress built in 1834, will give you a wonderful panoramic view of the Champ de Mars, the second oldest race-course in the world, as well as allowing you to fully appreciate the blend of modern and ancient buildings that are all squeezed between the harbor and the mountain range. Off the main square, palm-lined Place d'Armes, showcases some particularly fine colonial buildings, like the Government House (1735) and the Municipal Theater (1822), as well as two Cathedrals, Catholic and Anglican, a Mosque, the Supreme Court and the Natural History Museum.

Your tour also includes a visit to Le Caudan Waterfront, a modern precinct not only known for its designer shops and duty free jewelry, but also for its cosmopolitan craft market, covering two floors of spices, souvenirs, basketry and craftsmen at work. You will have approximately 2 hours of free time here to explore this area at your leisure. From here, it is also possible to visit the ""l'Astrolab"" with its shops and restaurants. To enjoy a fascinating cross-section of Mauritian life, you may also want to visit the covered market of Port-Louis.

Re-joining your coach, you will make the short transfer back to the pier where your tour concludes.

This tour combines nature and history with visits to both an outdoor venue and a historic local home.

Boarding your coach at the pier, it's a 45-minute scenic drive to the Casela World of Adventures. This beautiful reserve and bird sanctuary of some 25 acres is situated in the west part of the island. Almost 1500 birds of 150 different species are housed in some 90 aviaries, including the Mauritian Pink Pigeon, one of the rarest birds in the world.

Casela also houses a variety of animals, such as lions, tigers, monkeys, giraffes, pigmy hippos, lemurs, deer, giant tortoises, Llamas, zebras, ostriches, cassowaries, axis and emus. Its natural setting, spacious layout, snack bar and luxuriant green vegetation have made it a popular spot for both locals and visitors.

Leaving Casela, you will next proceed to Eureka, a fine restored colonial house. Stepping inside this more than one and a half century old house is like entering another era. All of the antique furnishings serve to show visitors what the colonial life here was like. Adding to the ambiance of the house, it is surrounded by the Moka mountain range and the flourishing Ravine, where the sweet fragrance of the dense vegetation wafts through the air.

During your visit, you will enjoy a traditional creole Mauritian lunch, served under the home's inviting verandah. When your visit is concluded, you will rejoin your coach for the 30-minute transfer back to the pier.

This tour offers a wonderful opportunity to taste the local flavors of Mauritius and discover its different cultures by meeting with locals. Your tour begins in the small village of Bambous at the ‘Beautiful Local Hands’ workshop, a small non-governmental and non-profit association regrouping some 55 artisans, coming mostly from underprivileged backgrounds. The artisans work with local materials namely bamboo, guava wood, coconut, vacoas (padanus leaves) as well as with recyclable materials. By allowing these craftworkers to derive an income from traditional Mauritian handicraft techniques, Beautiful Local Hands promotes these techniques and helps maintain this cultural heritage. Continuing on to Carreaux Lalianne in the town of Phoenix, you will pay a visit to the home of Mr Sanjay, who will initiate you to 'samoussa' (a traditional Indian Snack) folding as well as show you how to make Mauritian 'Chutney', a local favorite. You will be treated to lunch under the veranda of his house, where your meal will be served as it would be in the Traditional Indian wedding. Embark on a tantalizing journey of wine tasting at the Takamaka Boutique Winery, the only winery in the world dedicated exclusively to lychee wine. Takamaka was born out of the conviction of a passionate winemaker, Alexander Oxenham, the only oenologist on the island, who took up the challenge of producing wine from lychees harvested in the best orchards in Mauritius. You will be guided through the winery and get to know almost everything about the Lychee Wine making process. More than just a wine tasting, enjoy a unique experience in a cosy handcrafted winery. Returning to the pier, you will no doubt be filled with wonderful memories of the colorful mosaic of people and cultures that make Mauritius a truly enchanting destination.

Enjoy this totally unique and exclusive tour which showcases some of the very best of Mauritius, including a delicious lunch of traditional Mauritian dishes. Boarding your transport at the pier, you will set-off on a 1-hour drive to Mare d'Albert, where you will visit a small and typical "out of this world" Cashmere factory. During your visit of approximately 1-hour, you will be able to observe how these fine cashmere products are manufactured from raw material to the finished goods. Before leaving, you will have a bit of time to shop at the factory store. Your tour next travels to a local "Table d'Hôte", located in the old offices of a sugar estate in Beau Vallon, to enjoy a traditional creole lunch at the best table d’hote of the area Ingredients are sourced from local farmers, fishermen and food producers from the area. These delicious dishes have been inspired from the old days, when natural and fresh ingredients were used; blending history, culture and the passion for good food. Boarding your transport at the pier, you will set off on a short drive to the authentic village of Mahebourg, named after the famous French Governor Mahé de Labourdonnais. Founded in 1805, it was the old colonial capital of Mauritius. The well-planned wide streets in the old section of Mahébourg still bear testimony to this Dutch and French colonial past. Visit the Historical Naval Museum which recounts the epic naval battles of the past between the French Navy and the British Royal Navy. The museum is housed in Château Gheude, a national heritage building dating back to 1772. It also showcases a number naval artefacts and the maritime history of Mauritius such as sea battles and shipwrecks. Some bones of an extinct species of Giant Tortoises and of the Dodo are displayed at the museum. Proceed next to view some architectural treasures such as the colonial washhouse and the Notre Dames des Anges Church. After a photo stop at the popular waterfront, you will re-board your transport for the transfer back to your waiting ship.