Southwest Mauritius: Dolphins and Hiking
Stay on the Le Morne Peninsula. Go out to sea for dolphins, hike Le Morne Mountain and Black River Peak, and visit the underwater waterfall and the Seven Coloured Earths.
Designed for outdoor lovers. Stay in Le Morne on the southwest coast. Start early with a boat trip from Tamarin Bay to see dolphins and visit Benitier Island. Climb the UNESCO World Heritage Le Morne Mountain at dawn, and in the afternoon you can opt for a seaplane or helicopter flight to see the underwater waterfall. Then hike Black River Peak and explore Chamarel nearby. Spend another day on the Black River Gorges trail and the Seven Cascades. On the last morning, visit Casela Nature Park, which is also great for kids. Gris Gris on the south coast is scheduled for arrival day.
Hiking is best in the cooler May–Oct. Humpback whales may be spotted off Le Morne in Jul–Oct.
Day by day
Day 1 · West Along the South Coast to Le Morne
About 30 minutes west from the airport along the south coast road to Gris Gris, then about 1 hour on to Le Morne.
Waves are big at Gris Gris, and swimming is not allowed.
Stay: Le Morne
Day 2 · Dolphins and Benitier Island
Mauritius Island（Tamarin Bay (Dolphin Watching)、Île aux Bénitiers & Crystal Rock）
About 20 minutes' drive from Le Morne to Tamarin Bay. Take a speedboat out early in the morning for about 6 hours at sea, returning in the afternoon.
Choose a licensed operator that keeps a respectful distance and does not chase the dolphins.
Stay: Le Morne
Day 3 · Climbing Le Morne Mountain and the Underwater Waterfall
Mauritius Island（Le Morne Brabant、Underwater Waterfall）
A few minutes from your accommodation to the Le Morne Mountain trailhead. The round trip takes about 3–4 hours. In the afternoon, you can choose a seaplane or helicopter to film the underwater waterfall from the air.
The trail opens at 7 a.m., so set out early in the morning. A licensed guide is required for the summit section.
Stay: Le Morne
Day 4 · Black River Peak and Chamarel
Mauritius Island（Black River Peak、Chamarel Waterfall、Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth、Rhumerie de Chamarel）
About 40 minutes' drive to the Plaine Champagne trailhead, then about 3 hours on foot. After descending, it's 15 minutes to the various Chamarel sites.
Clouds often roll in over the summit in the afternoon, and trails are slippery after rain, so avoid hiking then.
Stay: Le Morne
Day 5 · Black River Gorges and Seven Cascades
Mauritius Island（Black River Gorges National Park、Tamarind Falls (Seven Cascades)）
About 40 minutes' drive to the Black River Gorges viewpoint and trail. In the afternoon, about 30 minutes to the Tamarind Falls viewpoint, then back to Le Morne in the evening.
The descent trail to the Seven Cascades is slippery, so a local guide is recommended.
Stay: Le Morne
Day 6 · Casela Park and Departure
Mauritius Island（Casela Nature Parks）
About 30 minutes' drive from Le Morne to Casela, then in the afternoon about 1 hour via the central motorway to the airport.
Plan an evening or night flight.