Routes · Africa

Lima to Mauritius: Port Louis and Le Morne

Lima → Mauritius (Port Louis) → Le Morne

Lagoons & dolphins Best season (general guide): May–Dec (avoid Jan–Mar cyclones)

Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, combines lagoons and beaches with a mix of Indian, African, French and Chinese cultures. From Lima it's a very long trip, usually via Europe or Johannesburg. The itinerary spends three nights in Mauritius (Port Louis) and four nights in Le Morne.

How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Mauritius (Port Louis): day one, Caudan Waterfront; day two, Port Louis market and Aapravasi Ghat; day three, Pamplemousses garden. Then spend days four to seven in Le Morne: day four, move south-west, then lagoon; day five, Le Morne Brabant guided climb; day six, Black River Gorges and Chamarel; day seven, lagoon day.

Port Louis is worth a few days for its covered market, colonial buildings and the Aapravasi Ghat, where indentured labourers arrived in the 19th century, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Pamplemousses botanical garden is nearby. Le Morne is the quieter, more scenic end of the trip. The mountain, also a UNESCO site, is linked to the history of escaped slaves and can be climbed with a guide. The lagoon below is good for swimming and kitesurfing, and the Black River Gorges National Park and the multicoloured earth of Chamarel are a short drive away.

June to September is the cooler winter, with steady trade winds that kitesurfers like.

Driving is on the left. Public beaches are open to everyone, and many resorts have their own stretches of sand. Bring reef shoes for lagoon walking.

Lagoon trips from the west coast often include dolphin-watching boats, which you'll find advertised in the villages around Tamarin and Black River. Mauritius regulates these trips: operators need a licence, and boats must keep their distance and must not chase or circle the dolphins, so choose a licensed operator and consider watching from the boat.

Practical notes: Once you land, the island is small enough to explore by car from two bases: the capital area in the north-west and the Le Morne peninsula in the south-west. From about May to December the weather is generally drier and cyclone risk is low. Cyclone season peaks from roughly January to March, when rain is heavier and storms can disrupt plans.

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