Village of Chamarel: 5 iconic activities to visit during your stay
The village of Chamarel is one of the most visited spots on the island. Neverthless, it still manages to keep its authenticity and simplicity.
The most interesting side of the village is of course its inhabitants: make sure to take the time to share a conversation with them. Their kindness and good spirits are contagious!
In the meantime, we can recommend our selection of the 5 most amazing activities to enjoy in Chamarel, so you can plan your trip ahead.
1 - THE 7 COLOURED EARTH
2 kms away from La Vieille Cheminée.
Chamarel’s 7 Coloured Earth is surely one of Mauritius’ most iconic attractions! The 8 hectare park offers an almost surreal vision to its visitors. Multi-colored sand dunes – Red, brown, purple, yellow, green, violet, blue – unfolds in front of you, in the middle of the tropical forest of Chamarel. This natural geological phenomenon is a must-see attraction of Mauritius. Don’t forget to taste the local Coffee of Chamarel in their coffee shop. Get also a glimpse at the magnificent giant tortoises in the Tortoise Park nearby.
Our advice: You might want to go there when the sun is out. The colours are much more vibrant when exposed to the Mauritian bright sunlight.
2 - CHAMAREL'S WATERFALL
1.5 km away from La Vieille Cheminée.
On your way to the 7 Coloured Earth, do not miss the stop to the View Point of The Chamarel Waterfall on your left.
After a few flights of stairs, you will arrive to the view point. You will then be able to gaze at the mesmerizing Chamarel Waterfall! It is the tallest single drop waterfall in Mauritius (100 m high). The waterfall is surrounded by luxurious vegetation and drops over a large cave, straight to the river underneath.
Nice spot for a photo souvenir!
You can also book a trek down to the hidden valley located at the bottom of the waterfall, via the the 7 Coloured Earth’s website. Highly recommended: you’ll feel like you’re stepping into a Jurassic Park movie.
3 - EBONY FOREST (our favorite!)
2.5 kms away from La Vieille Cheminée.
Ebony Forest is for us just the best place to visit in Chamarel. Plan a few hours, half a day or even a full day, but we suggest to indeed plan ahead, so that you have all the time to explore nature and fully understand the extent of what they are doing there.
Their team is actively participating in wildlife conservation. Their goal is to help reverse the impacts of habitat destruction and invasive species to provide a refuge for the island’s threatened flora and fauna.
Don’t you love them already?
You can enjoy their super interesting museum, book for a guided hike – or hike on your own – through the forest, go bird-watching, and even plant your very own endemic tree and participate to the forest rehabilitation! Go team Ebony!
Do not miss the view point, which offers a breathtaking view all over the lagoon, le Morne mountain and the West Coast of Mauritius (they can drive you there if you cannot hike).
4 - RUM DISTILLERY
3 kms away from La Vieille Cheminée.
“La Rhumerie de Chamarel” is located on a beautiful estate, on the other side of the village from La Vieille Cheminée.
The beautifully designed building hosts a distillery that produces the finest rum. They propose guided tours, leaded by experienced guides that will explain everything about how to make high quality rum!
There’s also a degustation part in the visit: be careful to designate the driver before tasting all these delicious rums!
They have a very nice restaurant there, specialised in haute cuisine, with ingredients from their estate. We recommend you to stay and appreciate the lunch after the rum degustation!
5 - CURIOUS CORNER
400 meters away from La Vieille Cheminée.
What to do when the rain is pouring in Chamarel?
Curious Corner is a social attraction, that will take you into the wonder world of optical illusions. It is definitely fun to enjoy with the children!
Curious Corner also has many indoor rooms, puzzles and illusions to enjoy as: an upside down room where you’ll be walking on the kitchen’s ceiling, a large mirror maze and the “ames room” where your family will appear tiny on one side and huge on the other side on the photos!
