L'Heure du Voyage
🇲🇺 Itinerary · Mauritius · 7 days

1-week Mauritius itinerary 2026: the island loop

North, west, south and central plateau of Mauritius in 7 days. Day-by-day itinerary with costed budget, transport and tips by season.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

7 days

Stops

6 places

Average budget

€1,400-2,200

Total distance

~300 km

Profile

Beach and nature

Season

Year-round

Grand Baie 2d · Port Louis 1d · Flic en Flac 1d · Chamarel 1d · Le Morne 1d · Mahébourg 1d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Map of the 1-week Mauritius itinerary: Grand Baie, Port Louis, Flic en Flac, Chamarel, Le Morne, Mahébourg

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

7 days, day by day

1

~€90/person

North · Arrival and Grand Baie

  • Morning Arrive at SSR airport (MRU), in the south-east. Rent a car, drive north (1h).
  • Afternoon Settle in Grand Baie, swim in the lagoon, La Cuvette beach.
  • Evening Dinner and the Grand Baie market.
🛌 🛌 Grand Baie · e.g. Veranda Grand Baie (2 nights)·🚗 Rental car (drive on the left)·Mauritius guide →
2

~€70

North · Cap Malheureux and islets

  • Morning Cap Malheureux and its red-roofed chapel, view over Coin de Mire.
  • Afternoon Catamaran trip to Île aux Cerfs or the northern islets, snorkelling.
  • Evening Sunset on Mont Choisy beach.
3

~€55

Port Louis · Capital and market

  • Morning Port Louis: central market, Caudan Waterfront, Aapravasi Ghat (UNESCO).
  • Afternoon Pamplemousses botanical garden, giant water lilies and spices.
  • Evening Drive to the west coast.
🛌 🛌 Flic en Flac · e.g. Sands Suites Resort (1 night)·🚗 Car, M1 motorway
4

~€75

West · Flic en Flac and Tamarin

  • Morning Boat trip at Tamarin to watch dolphins (early morning).
  • Afternoon Flic en Flac beach, turquoise lagoon, or Black River Gorges national park.
  • Evening Sunset on the west coast.
5

~€65

South-west · Chamarel and Seven Coloured Earth

  • Morning Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth, coloured mineral dunes, and Chamarel waterfall.
  • Afternoon Ganga Talao plateau (sacred lake) and the scenic road to the south-west.
  • Evening Settle near Le Morne.
🛌 🛌 Le Morne · e.g. LUX Le Morne (1 night)·🚗 Winding mountain road
6

~€80

South-west · Le Morne and wild south

  • Morning Hike at the foot of Le Morne Brabant (UNESCO), La Prairie beach.
  • Afternoon Wild south: Gris Gris, ocean-battered cliffs, Le Souffleur.
  • Evening Drive to Mahébourg.
🛌 🛌 Mahébourg · e.g. Shandrani Beachcomber (1 night)·🚗 Southern coastal road
7

Flight

South-east · Mahébourg → home

  • Morning Mahébourg, market and naval museum, last swim at Blue Bay (marine park).
  • Afternoon SSR airport (MRU), very close. International flight home to Paris.
🚗 Road then ✈️ return flight

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,400

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €750
  • 🏨 Guesthouse: €45/night
  • 🍲 Street food: €12/day
  • 🚗 Economy car: €30/day
  • 🎫 Catamaran and sites: €120
Recommended

Comfort

€1,850

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €800
  • 🏨 3-4★ hotel: €90/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed restaurants: €25/day
  • 🚗 Comfort car: €40/day
  • 🎫 Excursions and dolphins: €180

Premium

€3,800

per person

  • ✈️ Comfort flight: €1,400
  • 🏨 5★ resort: €320/night
  • 🍽️ Refined dining: €60/day
  • 🚖 Private driver
  • 🎫 Private boat trips: €400

Shorter, longer

Other durations

You're here

1 week

1 week

The island loop, north, west, south and central plateau.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Mauritius and Réunion combined, beach and volcano.

1 month

1 month

Mauritius in depth, Réunion and the island of Rodrigues.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

One week is done with a rental car to loop the island, plus a catamaran trip in the north and a dolphin trip in the west. Budget ~€250 of transport over 7 days.

🚗

Rental car

~€35/day · drive on the left · essential to loop the island

🛥️

Île aux Cerfs catamaran

~€50 · full day · snorkelling and the north-east lagoon

🐬

Dolphin trip at Tamarin

~€40 · early morning · bottlenose dolphins and whales in season

🚌

Local bus (alternative)

€1-2 · slow but very cheap between towns

Adapt by season

Austral winter for comfort, summer for swimming

Mauritius can be visited year-round. The austral winter (May to October) is drier and milder (22 to 26 °C), ideal for exploring and hiking, with a cooler sea and a little swell on the south. The austral summer (November to April) is hot and humid (28 to 33 °C), perfect for swimming and the lagoon, but from mid-December to late February a cyclone risk exists. The north and west coasts are sunnier; the south gets more rain, which explains its lush vegetation.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In August 2025 I took the Tamarin dolphin trip at 6:30am: the sea was glassy, a pod of bottlenose dolphins stayed ten minutes around the boat, and we were back before the other boats arrived. Go out at dawn, never mid-morning.
  • • Loop the island north then west then south: you finish near the airport, no stress on flight day.
  • • Chamarel's Seven Coloured Earth early, before the tour coaches.
  • • Keep the last night in Mahébourg, 15 min from the airport.

⚠️ Would change

  • • An extra night in Flic en Flac if you love diving.
  • • In austral summer, plan sea trips in the morning before the afternoon showers.
  • • Do not try to do it all by car in one day: the mountain roads are slow.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Do I need a visa for Mauritius? +
No for French and EU citizens: a free tourist permit is issued on arrival for stays up to 90 days, on proof of a return ticket and booked accommodation. Passport valid 6 months.
Is one week enough for Mauritius? +
Yes for a loop of the island: north, west, south and central plateau fit into 7 days. To add Réunion and its volcano, allow 2 weeks.
Do you drive on the left? +
Yes, a British legacy. Driving is on the left, the roads are decent but the roundabouts and buses need attention. A national licence is enough for tourist stays.
When is the best time? +
May to October (austral winter) to explore and hike, drier and milder. November to April for swimming and the lagoon, but a cyclone risk from mid-December to February.
What budget should I plan? +
Allow €1,400 to €2,200 per person including flights for 7 days. Mauritius offers every level, from a €45 guesthouse to a 5★ resort over €300.
Is Mauritius family-friendly? +
Yes, ideal: calm lagoons, water parks, Île aux Cerfs, a small time difference. Distances are short and safety is good. Perfect for a first family trip.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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