Mauritius Itineraries

Recommended Mauritius itineraries

If you are planning your travel to Mauritius yourself, use these itineraries created by our travel writers as a starting point for inspiration.

Mauritius Itinerary 1 - Essential Mauritius

Two weeks is long enough to experience the best Mauritius has to offer, from its celebrated beaches and islands to the historic capital, varied wildlife and wide assortment of watersports.

1. Mahébourg

Bargain for produce, crafts and spices in the bustling Monday market in the ancient capital of Mahébourg, first inhabited in 1805, in the island’s sleepy southeast.

2. Blue Bay

Snorkel with seahorses and parrot fish in Blue Bay Marine Park, just offshore from Blue Bay and Pointe d’Esny, the closest resorts to the airport, before taking a boat to the swish private island of Île aux Deux Cocos.

3. Black River Gorges National Park

Get back to nature in Mauritius’s forest-clad interior where alongside endemic wildlife and waterfalls you’ll find the crater lake of Grand Bassin flanked by statues of Hindu gods.

4. Tamarin

Hop aboard a catamaran cruise, private boat or stand up paddleboard to see the pods of bottlenose and spinner dolphins that play in Tamarin Bay.

5. Port Louis

Stroll through the capital’s museums, bustling market and religious sites before sampling a Mauritian street-food speciality like dholl puri or gâteaux piments for lunch.

6. Climb Le Pouce

Take in the great views over Port Louis from this peak in the Moka Mountains and work up an appetite for the Creole restaurant at Eureka, one of the island’s most striking colonial mansions.

7. Grand Baie

Spend a couple of nights in Mauritius’s tourism capital, where there’s plentiful beach hopping, nightlife and activities, including an unforgettable day-trip to the northern islands.

8. Île aux Cerfs

For a touch of east-coast glamour, head to this island playground where you’ll find idyllic restaurants, watersports galore, a treetop adventure circuit and an award-winning golf course.

Mauritius Itinerary 2 - Outdoor Mauritius

Opportunities to get out into nature are in ample supply in Mauritius and Rodrigues, with activities ranging from gentle kayaking trips and mountain hikes to skydiving and kitesurfing.

1. Le Morne Peninsula

Venture down to the southwest peninsula, Le Morne, for world-class kitesurfing conditions and waves suitable for both beginners and pros.

2. Le Morne Brabant

Make an early start for the morning climb up this UNESCO-listed rocky monolith, which has a poignant history entwined with the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century slave trade.

3. Tamarin Falls

A canyoning or trekking trip is the only way to see Tamarin Falls, the island’s highest cascades at nearly 300m, which are solely accessible on foot.

4. Cap Malheureux

Steel your nerves for Mauritius’s biggest thrill, a tandem skydive from 10,000ft above Cap Malheureux on the island’s north coast.

5. Île d’Ambre

Hop aboard a sea kayak for a half-day trip to the northern island of Île d’Ambre, birthplace of Mauritius’s most famous legend, Paul and Virginie.

6. Grande Rivière Sud Est

“Glamp” in Otentic’s stylish safari-style tents beside Mauritius’s longest river, Grande Rivière Sud Est (GRSE), where activities include sunset kayaking trips and swimming in the rain water pool.

7. Île aux Aigrettes

Step back in time on this conservation island where you can spot tortoises lumbering under the canopy and pink pigeons living in the semi-wild.

8. Rodrigues

You’ll need a minimum of three days on the “anti-stress” island to visit secluded coves, take a trip to the offshore islands and see tortoises in the wild at François Leguat Tortoise and Cave Reserve.