Tours/Trou dEau Douce/North Mauritius Private tour with Botanical Garden & Lunch
Viator · Private tour

North Mauritius Private tour with Botanical Garden & Lunch

3.7(33)Trou dEau Douce1 hour
VIATOR3.1(15)TRIPADVISOR4.1(18)

Description

Discover the North of Mauritius on this 8 hours private tour. With your guide, you will be able to visit some of the beautiful places of the North of Mauritius, including Red Roof church which attracts many visitors & offers a picturesque background of Coin de Mire islet Then, visit the botanical garden which is home to an incredible variety of tropical plants, many of them indigenous. Afterward, head to savor a 3-course lunch. Then, visit the Citadelle fort which is famous for the 360-degree view of Port Louis. Continue to Apravasi Ghat where the first indentured laborers transited before starting a new life on the island. Afterward, head to the Caudan waterfront is one of the oldest mall built in Mauritius where you'll visit the craft market, Blue-Penny museum & take pictures with the gorgeous umbrellas.   Then, continue to Port Louis central market which is one of the main shopping spots for locals. Finally, you'll head to see Champ de Mars the horse racing & China Town.

Tour Options

North Mauritius Private tour with Botanical Garden & Lunch
  • Pickup included

Itinerary

15 min

Begin your 8 hours North tour with a complimentary hotel pick-up at your accommodation anywhere on the paradise Island. You will meet and be greeted by our certified guide and after boarding to your comfortable vehicle, then set off for your first stop.

20 min

You'll be heading to Cap-Malheureux, a small village in the island’s far north, to visit the attractive red-roofed Church which offers a splendid view over Gunner’s Quoin and the northern islands. The beach behind allows you to soak up the sun and enjoy the view, while the kids can play in the white sand and discover aquatic life in the rock pools. Fishermen are also frequently docking, with a fresh catch.

Admission included60 min

Afterward, head to visit the Mauritius National Botanical Garden which is the home to an incredible variety of tropical plants, many of them indigenous. The Botanic Garden, formally known as Sir Seewoosagur Botanic Garden, is one of the most visited attractions in Mauritius. The garden is located in the proximity of Port-Louis in the district of Pamplemousse. Pamplemouses Garden is the oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere, famous for its long pond of giant water lilies and its 500 rare exotic plants.

Admission included60 min

Then, you'll head to a local restaurant to savor a 3-course Mauritian lunch. Following lunch, continue to the Citadel Fort which is now famous for the 360-degree view of the Capital. Here, you will have a breathtaking view of the Capital and you get it from all angles! You will have views of China Town, Champ de Mars, and mountains all at one place. So pack your things and bring along your camera as panoramic pictures are a must at this spot! The little piece of historical architecture is sure to impress you

Admission included45 min

Afterward, you'll head to visit The Aapravasi Ghat which is a World Heritage Site located on the Bay of Trou Fanfaron in Port Louis. This historical site served as an immigration depot by the colonial British government in 1849. It has played a pivotal role in the Mauritian history, as it is from this very instance that the Mauritian population became more diverse than ever. It was here that indentured laborers transited before starting a new life on the island or set off to other distant lands. Between 1834 and 1920, about half a million immigrants, mainly from India, some from China, Madagascar or Africa, began working on the various sugar plantations across the island.

Admission included60 min

After a few minutes later, you'll head to Le Caudan waterfront which has been the first major shopping development on the island of Mauritius and still is able to keep up with the trends and retain its charm as a modern waterfront mall. You will have the opportunity to stroll around and take great pictures of the umbrella alley and see the panoramic view of the port Louis harbour.

Admission not included40 min

Then, continue to the craft market. Everyone wants to bring back home a small piece of Mauritius and we understand why! The Craft Market, located at Caudan, will surely help you in finding your piece of Mauritius. Based on a two-storey building within the Caudan Waterfront complex, The Craft Market is known for its unique craft collection. With 36 stalls, visitors will get a wide variety of products ranging from exquisite woodwork to detailed baskets without forgetting beautiful glass souvenirs. You will also find items made from seashells, boxes of ground spics, embroidered linen, handmade jewelry, and the very famous African rag doll dressed in a typical sega outfit. Many of the handicrafts are made by the stalls owners, their families, or sourced from their villages, so you will get the chance of meeting the artists behind the paintings on sale or even witness your name being engraved on a wooden keychain. The location of The Craft Market is definitely one of the best as well.

60 min

Then, head to the local market. We know that you will probably never be fed up with beaches but a visit to the Central Market located in Port Louis is a must for anyone visiting Mauritius. Here at the bustling Central Market, you will find shops that fit all your needs, ready-made garments, spices, jewelry, watches, shoes, crafts amongst others. We do recommend tasting the dhal puri, made with split chickpea and flour, and the famous alouda, almost like a milkshake with basil seeds, grated jelly, and sometimes a scoop of ice. If you wish to try some of the local snacks, you will find a large choice of samosas, bajas (fritters made with chickpea flour) or gato piment (fritters made with yellow split pea and chilli). The Central Market remains busy as it is one of the main shopping spots for locals and attracts people across the island for shopping. It is definitely worth a visit for you to learn more about how locals live and experience the Mauritian vibe.

Pass by

It is without any doubts that Mauritius is home to many beautiful beaches and diverse fauna and flora, but did you know that it is also home to the oldest racecourse in the Southern Hemisphere? It is home to the Champs de Mars which is located in the capital, Port Louis. Should you wish to visit during weekdays to just enjoy the quietness and enjoy the infrastructure; you will surely be able to see the race track from the outside and get a feel of this place. Next, we will passby china town to see the culture of the sino-Mauritian which is very interesting, especially the shops, wall art and the decoration is very unique in Mauritius. After a long day at exploring, your North full-day tour ends with return transport to your hotel.

Highlights

Entrance to SSR Pamplemousse Botanical Garden
Entrance to Apravasi Ghat
Services of a qualified Guide/Driver
Private transportation in a fully air-conditioned vehicle
Bottled water upon arrival
Beverages during lunch (Non-alcoholic drink)
Pick-up and drop-off at any hotel or accommodation in Mauritius
Mauritian Culinary Lunch Experience (Vegetarian or Non-vegetarian)

What's included

Included
Entrance to SSR Pamplemousse Botanical Garden
Entrance to Apravasi Ghat
Services of a qualified Guide/Driver
Private transportation in a fully air-conditioned vehicle
Bottled water upon arrival
Beverages during lunch (Non-alcoholic drink)
Pick-up and drop-off at any hotel or accommodation in Mauritius
Mauritian Culinary Lunch Experience (Vegetarian or Non-vegetarian)
Not included
Gratuities (Optional)

Pickup Locations & Times

Thank you for booking with us! We provide hotel pick-up and drop-off all around Mauritius. Please mention or email us your hotel location at the time of booking. Our representative will meet you at the reception. You will recognize him by his uniform and the "Freshverde Holiday badge."

Traveller Ratings

3.7
33 reviews
5
14
4
9
3
2
2
1
1
7

Important Information

  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Vegetarian meals available – please request when booking
  • Children 3 years & under are free; notify if a infant seat is needed
  • Inform us of any food allergies or illnesses
  • Wear non-slip shoes and comfortable clothes

Reviews(33)

L
Linda_T
November 24, 2025
Day’s tour of Port Louis and Northern Mauritius with driver/guide

We travelled from Bel Ombre in the South West so it’s over an hour and half's drive to the North of the island - but the roads are good and you travel through the mountainous heart of the island. Totally worth the drive as the towns, villages, harbours and beaches of the north are stunning 🤩 We visited a stunning church and temple in Cap Malheureux; the Botanic Garden at Pamplemiusse; lunch was included followed by a visit to the extremely busy capital Port Louis where we visited the museum dedicated to the indentured immigrants to explore the Mauritian heritage and finally a visit to the Citadel where there are amazing views over the city. Our driver Radhika was excellent - very friendly and helpful as well as knowledgeable. She was prompt and gave us clear instructions on each visit. If anything, because of the length of the drive, it felt as though we didn’t get long enough to explore, especially in the Botanic Garden, but we thoroughly enjoyed our day with Radhika and our visit to The beautiful north of the island.

Operator response

Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re delighted that you enjoyed exploring the north of Mauritius and visiting the church, temple, Botanic Garden, Port Louis, and the Citadel. Radhika will be thrilled to hear your kind words—her friendliness and knowledge make such a difference. We appreciate your feedback about the timing and are glad that, overall, you had a memorable day discovering the beauty of the island 🌴

2
290awab
October 8, 2025
Northern tour of the island

Our driver and guide Abishek really was great with us. Available, kind, amazing 🤩 Thank you all 🫶🏾🙏🏾

Operator response

Merci beaucoup pour votre superbe retour ! 🌴🤩 Nous sommes ravis qu’Abishek ait rendu votre expérience si agréable avec sa disponibilité, sa gentillesse et son incroyable accompagnement. Nous lui transmettrons vos chaleureux remerciements — il sera très touché ! 🙏🏾🫶🏾 Nous espérons vous accueillir à nouveau pour une autre belle aventure à Maurice !

P
pjhols2020
September 5, 2025
Saw lots but could have done with a guide in the places

We had two tours with this company. One to the North (full day) and one to the South (full day). Firstly, we had the same driver, Anil, for both trips. We couldn’t fault him, he was friendly, knowledgeable and went above and beyond. 5/5 Secondly, I’ve given both tours 3.5/4 stars as many of the experiences did not include a guide, which I was not really aware of. I’ve booked similar tours in other countries before and we’ve had both a private guide and driver. With the guide accompanying us on visits to places and giving us detailed information in the actual place. This did not happen here. We were simply dropped off at, for example, the tea factory, given our entry tickets and left to our own devices (pretty much like a taxi). Some places like the Pamplemousse Gardens would have been much better with a guide. You can organise and pay for a guide there I believe, but I thought that’s what I’d already paid for when you read the tour itinerary, and as we were tight on time by that point, we didn’t have time for one anyway. Another niggle was that one of our trips was on a Saturday. So both the tea factory and the rum factory were not open to go around. Yes, at the tea factory there was a small museum, but we couldn’t go inside the actual factory and didn’t get to speak to anyone. It would have been useful to alert us to this and we would have chosen a different day. Anil did accompany us to the rum place but it was just tasting and a shop due to being a weekend. Also, on the Chamarel tour to coloured earth. It was really not made clear that the walk to the coloured earth took 1.5 hours each way (so 3 hour total). Given we only had about an hour there, we felt we had to pay an extortionate amount for a jeep to take us (around £45/50 but the cheapest way for 4 to see it). Again, this should have been made clearer before we arrived/booked the tour. We are happy we saw the places we did, and the lunch was good both days (a set meal with a few choices), but the second tour to the North felt particularly rushed due to the amount to see. Overall, we are pleased we did them but did feel that they were a little expensive for no guide in the actual places. So overall I’d give 3.5/4 out of 5 for tours and 5/5 for Anil who was really kind and helpful.

Operator response

Thank you very much for your detailed and thoughtful feedback. We’re delighted to hear that Anil made such a positive impression — his friendliness, knowledge, and dedication clearly enhanced both of your tours, and we’ll be sure to pass on your kind words to him. He truly sounds like he went above and beyond! We also appreciate your honest observations regarding the tours themselves. We sincerely apologize for any confusion regarding the inclusion of a guide, the opening hours of certain attractions on weekends, and the timing/effort required for visits such as the Chamarel walk. Your comments highlight areas where our communication and itinerary details could be clearer, and we will use this feedback to improve how we present these tours and manage expectations. It’s good to hear that, despite these challenges, you still enjoyed the experiences and the lunches. We truly value your insights, as they help us enhance future tours, and we hope to provide an even smoother and more informative experience next time. Thank you again for your honesty and for highlighting Anil’s exceptional service!

M
Michael_B
November 15, 2024
Very good

Had a lovely trip around the North of the island and our driver/guide Jeev was excellent. And good company

S
Siphiwosethu_N
November 3, 2024
Disappointed

My trip was cancelled by the provider and no compensation or refund has been offered. Mu email to them has been ignored. Very disappointed in the service.

M
michellerG7065WP
October 6, 2024
Beautiful day trip to the North, Mauritius

We had a great day in northern Mauritius. Our driver Kevin is super friendly and informed us very well. We enjoyed the day and can highly recommend the trip.

U
U6417NZjoanneh
September 13, 2024
Great day!

We had a fantastic day on this tour. Our driver, Sahil, was friendly and knowledgeable. Would not hesitate to recommend!

S
sepersadr
March 29, 2024
Great Seafood bbq

we had a great time visiting the north.. our guide ashley is a very friendly person, always pay attention to us. what i love the most is the food. we had a seafood bbq which was very very delicious. it was on the beach at gbay.. Great day!!

N
Nicky_S
January 10, 2024
Worst of the worst

Terrible service. The driver came to pick us up and did not know that he had to provide water, lunch or that all admissions we included in the tour. It was just the worst experience ever. The driver had to call Freshverde Holidays to try and assist us. Bad service, I would not recommend this tour to anyone.

S
S2858FYfran_oisel
November 19, 2023
To recommend.

Very interesting and informative private visit thanks to our very kind and attentive driver/guide Mevin who we recommend without any hesitation. Thanks also to Freshverde Holidays for this offer. Françoise and Bernard.

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