Things to do in Chamarel, sight by sight

Chamarel attractions at a glance

Chamarel’s attractions fall into three groups, the paid sights on the hill, a few guided experiences and the free viewpoints along the roads. Mauritian residents pay less at the geopark, at Ebony Forest and on the coffee tour.

The map below places each sight with a rough drive time from the geopark gate. VALLÉ Advenature Park, formerly La Vallée des Couleurs, the other coloured earth, is a separate site at Chamouny, about 21 km away by road.

The Seven Coloured Earth and the giant tortoises

The Seven Coloured Earth is a patch of bare, ridged ground of about 7,500 m² inside the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark, where weathered basalt has left reddish, brown, purple and grey bands that you view from a fenced walkway. A 2010 peer-reviewed study traced the colours to iron oxides formed as the old basalt weathered, and the ridges to erosion after the forest was cleared, not to volcanic ash.

The geopark ticket costs Rs 800 for non-resident adults and Rs 400 for children aged 5 to 11, with resident rates of Rs 400 and Rs 200 and free entry under 5 (checked on 29 October 2026). The ticket also covers both waterfall viewpoints, the giant tortoise park and an endemic garden, and is paid in rupees by cash or card. The geopark opens daily at 08:30, closing at 17:30 from October to May and at 17:00 from June to September, and the dunes lie 3 km inside the entrance.

The fenced area is small, and the colours are less vivid than the photographs, especially under grey skies. They read best in sunshine, in the morning or when the sun returns after rain, and the Aldabra giant tortoises round out the visit. The geopark suggests 45 minutes to 2 hours, and its basalt paths are hard going with reduced mobility or a pushchair.

Chamarel Waterfall from the two viewpoints

Chamarel Waterfall is a single drop of about 95 to 100 m, or 83 m in some published figures, into a forested amphitheatre of cliffs, seen from two railed viewpoints inside the geopark that the Rs 800 ticket includes (checked on 29 October 2026). The viewpoints are 1.5 km from the entrance by car, with their own car park, and a short paved path with stairs leads from the lower platform to an upper one with a slightly better view.

The fall runs strongest from December to April. In the drier months, especially September to November, it thins to two streams, though it has not been recorded running dry. Allow about an hour here.

The ticket does not cover the base of the fall, and the geopark strictly prohibits going down on your own, so the only way down is a guided hike sold separately. The short walk and sturdy railings suit everyone, children included.

The Rhumerie de Chamarel distillery and tasting

The Rhumerie de Chamarel is a working distillery just outside the village that has made rum from its own sugar cane juice since 2008, and its standard visit with tasting costs Rs 800 per person, Monday to Saturday from 09:30 to 16:30 (checked on 29 October 2026).

No booking is needed, though you may wait about 20 minutes at reception, and the tour itself takes about 30 minutes. Factory access depends on the harvest, generally June to December. Visitors aged 16 and 17 pay Rs 400 for the visit, online booking asks you to confirm you are 18 or over, and no rate for younger children is published. A private visit costs Rs 1,500 per person, booked ahead (prices as published in October 2026).

The L’Alchimiste restaurant on the estate serves lunch Monday to Saturday from 11:30 to 15:30 (as published in October 2026), and its lunch price includes the standard visit and tasting. The rhumerie is closed on Sundays. Allow about an hour for the visit alone, which suits adults who enjoy rum more than young families.

Ebony Forest, a native forest with a view

Ebony Forest is a native forest reserve on the 7 Coloured Earth Road, restored since 2006 by clearing invasive plants and replanting native species, and its Take A Hike ticket costs Rs 600 for non-resident adults and Rs 370 for ages 5 to 17 (checked on 29 October 2026).

The ticket includes the Flycatcher raised walkway, about 300 m long and over 4 m up, with guided departures hourly from 09:30 to 16:00 as published in October 2026, and easy self-guided trails of 2.3 to 6.1 km. The Ridgeline Trail runs 1.1 km to Sublime Point, a west-facing lookout towards Le Morne and Île aux Bénitiers, and a steep 400 m path climbs 140 m to the 542 m top of Piton Canot.

Residents pay Rs 400 and Rs 250, under-5s are free and online booking saves 10 per cent (checked on 29 October 2026). The site closes at 17:00 and the reserve advises arriving before 14:30. Allow one to four hours. The reserve suits walkers and anyone hoping to see the native birds it has helped bring back, though no sighting is guaranteed.

Curious Mauritius, illusions and island stories

Curious Mauritius, formerly Curious Corner of Chamarel, brings together interactive illusions, playful photo sets and stories inspired by Mauritius opposite the Seven Coloured Earth entrance.

The Discovery Pass costs Rs 650 for non-resident adults aged 13 and over and Rs 550 for children aged 3 to 12. Mauritian and resident rates are Rs 550 and Rs 450 respectively. Ask about admission for children under 3 before booking.

Curious Mauritius opens daily from 09:30 to 17:00, with last entrance at 16:15. Arrive before 16:00 to leave time to explore. The visit is self-paced; allow around two hours as a planning estimate.

The free viewpoints, from Le Morne to the Black River Gorges

Chamarel’s free sights are its viewpoints, the roadside Chamarel viewpoint over Le Morne on the B104 just below the village and, on the B103 Plaine Champagne road to the east, the Black River Gorges and Alexandra Falls viewpoints, none of which charges entry.

The Chamarel viewpoint looks west over La Gaulette, the lagoon and Île aux Bénitiers to Le Morne Brabant, about 7 km away, with only roadside parking, and is best in morning light. The Black River Gorges viewpoint, about 4 km east of the village in a straight line, has a large free car park, a 200 m path and macaques that raid bags. Alexandra Falls, about 3 km further east at around 700 m, has a platform three minutes from its car park, facing a fall of about 40 to 50 m.

Cloud builds over the plateau as the day goes on, so go up early. Walkers can climb Black River Peak, at 828 m the highest point of Mauritius, from the B103 near the Gorges viewpoint, about 2.5 to 4 hours return on a muddy path with ropes near the top.

Unique things to do in Chamarel

The most unusual things to do in Chamarel are the guided coffee plantation tour, a guided descent to the foot of Chamarel Waterfall, the Ebony Forest sundowner and, once a year, the Sainte-Anne village fair.

• The coffee plantation tour visits what its operator calls the only coffee plantation in Mauritius, Arabica grown at about 280 m, with tours daily at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00 lasting up to 80 minutes with a tasting, for Rs 1,000 per non-resident adult and Rs 500 per child (checked on 29 October 2026).
• The foot of the waterfall is reached only on guided hikes of about three hours, sometimes sold with a swim, though currents and flash floods argue against swimming, and only reseller prices exist.
• The Sublime Sundowner at Ebony Forest, from 15:30 for 2 to 3 hours with drinks at Sublime Point and a jeep ride at dusk, costs Rs 4,550 per non-resident adult, minimum two (checked on 29 October 2026).
• The Sainte-Anne church, built in 1876, holds a Mass and a fair with game stews and a band. The record gives two dates, the last Sunday of July and 15 August for the pilgrimage, so check locally.
• Lavilleon adventure park near the waterfall offers a zipline of about 260 m and a via ferrata, with no official website or current price published.