Mauritius Mandir Darshan Yatra

Highlights & Route

Mauritius is the only country outside the subcontinent where Hinduism is the majority faith, and its story is India’s own: between 1834 and 1920 nearly half a million indentured labourers landed at the Aapravasi Ghat in Port Louis to work the sugar fields, and their descendants built the temples that dot every village today. For an Indian family this is a beach holiday with a difference: turquoise lagoons and a resort by the sea, but also a crater lake treated as the Ganga, a 33 m Shiva, and a heritage that will feel like a cousin’s house.

The spiritual heart of the island is Ganga Talao, the Grand Bassin, a crater lake at about 550 m in the southern hills. Water from the Ganga was poured into it in 1972, and each Maha Shivaratri several hundred thousand pilgrims walk here from across the island, making it the largest Shaiva gathering outside India. At its entrance stands the Mangal Mahadev, a 33 m statue of Shiva modelled on the one at Sursagar lake in Vadodara, with a matching Durga nearby. The same day continues to Chamarel’s Seven Coloured Earth and waterfall and the Trou aux Cerfs crater above Curepipe.

The other days are spread around the island so that you see its different faces: the capital Port Louis with its market, waterfront and the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Site; the Maheswarnath Mandir at Triolet in the north, the largest and one of the oldest temples on the island, built in 1888, with the Tamil Surya Oudaya Sangam temple nearby; and a free day on the east-coast beaches with the option of a speedboat to Ile aux Cerfs. You stay in one resort throughout, with breakfast and dinner included, so that between the outings the holiday is simply the sea.

Route

SSR International Airport → beach resort (5 nights) → Port Louis, Caudan waterfront, Aapravasi Ghat and Marie Reine de la Paix → Ganga Talao, Mangal Mahadev, Chamarel and Trou aux Cerfs → Belle Mare and the east coast (optional Ile aux Cerfs) → Triolet: Maheswarnath Mandir and Surya Oudaya Sangam → SSR International Airport

Good to know before you book

Indian passport holders do not need a visa for tourist visits to Mauritius (stays of up to 90 days are allowed on arrival). Immigration asks for a return ticket, hotel confirmation and proof of funds, so keep our booking voucher handy. All arriving passengers must complete the free Mauritius All-in-One Travel Digital Form at safemauritius.govmu.org before boarding.
Mauritius is small (about 65 km by 45 km) but roads are slow; expect one to one and a half hours from a north or east coast resort to Ganga Talao, and 45 minutes to Port Louis.
Ganga Talao is an open, active pilgrimage site; shoes are removed at the temples, and monkeys around the lake will take food. Maha Shivaratri (February or March) is extraordinary but roads are closed to vehicles for miles; tell us if you want to time your visit for it.
The pleasant, drier months are May to November (winter, 18 to 25 degrees). December to April is hot and humid with cyclone risk mainly in January to March. The east coast is windier in winter; the north and west are calmer.
International flights are not included. Many Indian families route via Air Mauritius or Indian carriers’ direct flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru, about six to seven hours. The Mauritian rupee is the currency; cards are widely accepted.

Yatra Highlights

Ganga Talao crater lake and the 33 m Mangal Mahadev Shiva statue
Aapravasi Ghat in Port Louis, where indentured Indian labourers first landed
Maheswarnath Mandir at Triolet, Chamarel's Seven Coloured Earth and a free beach day

Day 1 :

Arrival in Mauritius

Our representative welcomes you at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in the south-east of the island at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time. The drive to the resort is 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on its coast. Check in and spend the rest of the day at leisure: the beach, the pool, or simply watching the lagoon change colour towards evening. Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 2 :

Port Louis, Aapravasi Ghat and the Caudan waterfront

After breakfast drive to Port Louis, the capital, founded by the French in 1735. Begin at the Aapravasi Ghat, the immigration depot where indentured labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and elsewhere landed from 1834 onwards; the steps up from the harbour, the remaining buildings and the small interpretation centre tell a story many visitors recognise from their own family histories. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue to the Central Market for spices, vanilla and dholl puri, and the Caudan waterfront with its shops and umbrella street.

In the afternoon drive up to the Marie Reine de la Paix chapel on the hillside for a view over the city and harbour, and make a photo stop at the Citadel (Fort Adelaide). Return to the resort for dinner.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 3 :

Ganga Talao, Mangal Mahadev, Chamarel and Trou aux Cerfs

A full day in the south. Drive up through sugar fields and tea gardens to Ganga Talao, the Grand Bassin, a crater lake at about 550 m regarded as a form of the Ganga since water from Gomukh was mixed into it in 1972. Take darshan at the Shiva temple on the shore and the smaller shrines to Hanuman, Ganesha and Durga around the lake; priests are present and offerings can be made. At the entrance stand the 33 m Mangal Mahadev and the Durga Mata statue, the tallest in Mauritius.

Continue west into the Black River Gorges area to Chamarel: the Seven Coloured Earth, dunes of volcanic sand in bands of red, brown, violet and blue that never mix, and the 100 m Chamarel waterfall viewpoint nearby (tickets included). On the way back stop at Trou aux Cerfs, a dormant volcanic crater above Curepipe with a walkway around the rim and views across the island. Return to the resort for dinner.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 4 :

Belle Mare and the east coast; optional Ile aux Cerfs

A beach day. After breakfast drive to Belle Mare on the east coast, one of the longest and whitest beaches on the island, with a calm lagoon inside the reef. Spend the morning swimming or walking the shore. Those who wish can take an optional speedboat from Trou d'Eau Douce to Ile aux Cerfs, an island of beaches and shallow sandbanks with lunch available on the island and water sports on offer (boat and activities at your own cost; we book them for you).

Alternatively stay at the resort and use its own beach and facilities. Return by late afternoon; dinner at the resort.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 5 :

Triolet: Maheswarnath Mandir and Surya Oudaya Sangam

Drive north to Triolet, the longest village on the island and the heart of the Hindu north. The Maheswarnath Mandir, begun in 1888 by Pandit Sajiwon, is the largest temple in Mauritius: a complex of shrines to Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Brahma, Ganesha and Hanuman in a walled compound, busy with local worshippers on any morning. Take darshan and sit a while in the courtyard.

Nearby, the Surya Oudaya Sangam is a Tamil temple of the South Indian style, with a painted gopuram and shrines to Murugan and Mariamman; it illustrates how the Tamil community kept its own forms alongside the Bhojpuri north. Time permitting, visit the Grand Baie bazaar or the Pamplemousses botanical garden (optional ticket) with its giant water lilies on the way back. Farewell dinner at the resort.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 6 :

Departure

Breakfast and check-out (usually by 11 am; a late check-out can be requested from the resort at its charge if your flight is late). Transfer to SSR International Airport at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel), allowing for an hour to an hour and a half of driving, three hours before departure.

Overnight: not included (departure)

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
1	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
2	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
3	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
4	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
5	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

Do Indians need a visa for Mauritius?

No. Indian passport holders are given entry on arrival for tourist stays (up to 90 days). You need a passport valid for the length of your stay, a return ticket, our hotel confirmation and evidence of funds such as a card or bank statement, which the officer may ask to see. Before boarding, complete the free Mauritius All-in-One Travel Digital Form at safemauritius.govmu.org and keep the QR code; airlines check it. We send you a checklist with the link.

Is the whole stay in one hotel?

Yes. All five nights are at one beach resort with breakfast and dinner, and every day visit returns there in the evening. This suits families with children and elderly members far better than changing hotels, and the island is small enough for it. We can split the stay between two coasts if you prefer.

What is Ganga Talao and can we do puja there?

Ganga Talao is a crater lake in the southern hills that Mauritian Hindus hold sacred as a form of the Ganga; in 1972 water from the Ganga was poured into it. There are temples to Shiva, Hanuman, Ganesha and Durga on the shore, with resident priests, and visitors may offer prayers, flowers and lamps freely. The 33 m Shiva (Mangal Mahadev) stands at the entrance. On Maha Shivaratri the lake draws several hundred thousand pilgrims.

Will we get Indian vegetarian food?

Easily. Mauritian cuisine is heavily Indian: dholl puri, gateaux piments, briani and curries are everyday street food, and most resorts have an Indian section at the buffet or an Indian chef. We confirm vegetarian and Jain requirements with the resort before arrival, and the driver knows pure-vegetarian restaurants in Port Louis, Triolet and Grand Baie for lunches.

Which coast should we stay on?

The north (Grand Baie, Trou aux Biches, Mont Choisy) has calm water year-round, the most restaurants and shops, and is nearest the Triolet temples. The east (Belle Mare) has the widest beaches but is windier from June to September. The west (Flic en Flac) has the best sunsets and is closest to Ganga Talao and Chamarel. All work with this itinerary; we quote for your preference.

When is the best time to go?

May to November is the Mauritian winter: dry, 18 to 25 degrees, ideal for touring. December to April is hot and humid, with cyclone risk mainly in January to March, but it is also the season of Maha Shivaratri and the Indian school holidays in May bring many families. Avoid the Christmas and New Year fortnight unless you are prepared for peak prices.

Are flights included and how long is the journey?

Flights are not included. Direct flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru take six to seven hours; connections via Dubai or Nairobi are also common. Mauritius is one and a half hours ahead of India. We advise an arrival by afternoon so the first evening is at the beach, and we can help source fares.

How far is Ganga Talao from our Mauritius resort?

Roughly one to one and a half hours by road from a north or east coast resort; the west coast is closer. Ganga Talao is visited on Day 3, a full day in the south that also covers the 33 m Mangal Mahadev, Chamarel’s Seven Coloured Earth and waterfall, and the Trou aux Cerfs crater. Chamarel entry is included. Shoes are removed at the lake temples.

Yatra	Duration	Starts from	Price
Mauritius Mandir Darshan Yatra (this page)	6 days / 5 nights	Mauritius (SSR International Airport)	From ₹65,000
Amazing Bhutan	8 days / 7 nights	Paro	From ₹62,000
Amazing Bhutan Tour	7 days / 6 nights	Bagdogra	On request
Authentic Bhutan	6 days / 5 nights	Bagdogra	On request
Bali Spiritual & Temple Retreat	6 days / 5 nights	Denpasar (Bali)	On request
Bali Spiritual Journey	4 days / 3 nights	Denpasar (Bali)	On request
Cambodia Angkor Mandir Yatra	6 days / 5 nights	Siem Reap	From ₹50,000
Divine Sri Lanka: Ramayana Circuit with Leisure	8 days / 7 nights	Colombo	From ₹60,000

Mauritius Mandir Darshan Yatra

Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Not included

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

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