Chamarel to Black River Gorges road trip guide

Forested ridges of the Black River Gorges National Park
Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Quick practical guide for a road trip covering Chamarel geopark (Seven Coloured Earth + waterfall viewpoints), Ebony Forest Reserve, and access to Black River Gorges National Park; facts below are drawn from the official sites and park documents cited.

Quick verdict

This route groups Chamarel geopark (Seven Coloured Earth + waterfall viewpoints), the Ebony Forest Reserve, and approaches to Black River Gorges National Park into a coherent half‑day or full‑day visit, based on the listed site visits and trails.

Chamarel geopark tickets grant access to viewpoints for the waterfall and to the Seven Coloured Earth attraction, plus on‑site facilities such as the tortoise park, coffee shop and souvenir shop; Ebony Forest offers hourly guided walks and several hike options.

Practical map & distances

Chamarel geopark is located at 7 Coloured Earth Road, Chamarel, Rivière Noire District; use that address for GPS and mapping.

Driving distance Port Louis → Chamarel is reported as 42 km, approximately 45 minutes by road according to the routing page used.

Check live traffic and road conditions before departure; routing pages and maps give up‑to‑date travel time estimates.

What you can see and do (on‑site facts)

Chamarel 7 Coloured Earth: the official ticket includes access to the Seven Coloured Earth geopark, the Chamarel waterfall viewpoints, the tortoise park, a coffee shop and a souvenir shop.

Chamarel opening hours are given seasonally on the official FAQs: October–May 08:30–17:30 (last ticket 17:00); June–September 08:30–17:00.

Chamarel admission rates published on the official site list non‑resident and resident categories (examples: Non‑resident adult Rs 800; Non‑resident child (5–11) Rs 400; Resident adult Rs 400; Resident child (5–11) Rs 200; free for under‑5s is noted). These figures come from the site’s ticketing FAQ.

Note that the Chamarel geopark ticket does not include access to Ebony Forest or Lavilleon; those are separate.

Ebony Forest Reserve offers guided walks on a raised walkway and hiking options; published trail options range from 2.3 km to 6.1 km depending on the chosen route, and guided walks are scheduled hourly. Opening hours are 09:00–17:00 daily. Resident / non‑resident ticket rates and children’s rates are published on the reserve’s visit page.

Black River Gorges National Park is a protected area proclaimed 15 June 1994 and covers approximately 6,574 hectares; it is managed by the National Parks and Conservation Service (NPCS) and features multiple marked entrances and a trail network. Named entrances include Black River, La Marie, Case‑Noyale and Chamouny.

NPCS park documents discuss management arrangements and list entrances and trails; for current access rules and any closures, consult NPCS directly.

How to get there (driving / public transport / tours)

Driving: Port Louis → Chamarel is shown as 42 km and about 45 minutes driving on the routing page referenced. Use that routing page or a live map app for precise directions and time estimates.

Main road references used by tour information point to the local road network serving Chamarel; official tour brochures use B104 routes in describing access (see operator brochure for route references).

Public transport: organized day tours commonly combine Chamarel and Black River viewpoints; sample tour brochures illustrate typical combinations. The brochure cited shows combined Chamarel visits among operator itineraries.

Car hire: do not infer specific providers or prices here. Verify local driving rules and insurance when hiring a vehicle; this page does not endorse any company.

Sample road‑trip timings

Example timing — derived from sourced visit durations: Chamarel’s self‑guided visit is listed as approximately 1 hour on the site’s FAQs, and Ebony Forest publishes guided walk and hike durations of 1–4 hours depending on route. These are the source numbers used to build the example below.

  • Half‑day example (sourced components): 1 hour at Chamarel geopark (self‑guided) + travel time between sites (use live routing for exact time) + 1 hour guided Ebony Forest walk (hourly start times noted by Ebony Forest).
  • Full‑day example (sourced components): 1 hour at Chamarel geopark + 2–4 hours in Ebony Forest if choosing longer hikes (Ebony Forest lists 1–4 hour options) + travel time and short breaks. Clearly identify each duration from its cited page when planning.

These sample itineraries combine sourced visit durations; they are illustrative only and not guarantees of experience or timing.

Practical information & tips (safety, accessibility, payments)

Payment methods at Chamarel include Mauritian Rupees in cash and card payments; the FAQ lists accepted card types and mobile payments (exclusions apply for some card brands). Consult the site’s ticketing FAQ for the exact list.

Accessibility: Chamarel notes ongoing site works and describes the geopark as self‑guided; Ebony Forest states limited wheelchair access on the raised walkway and recommends contacting them for access arrangements. Use the contact pages before visiting if mobility needs apply.

Weather and closures: Chamarel publishes seasonal opening hours (Oct–May vs Jun–Sep); for other weather impacts or trail closures in Black River Gorges NP, check NPCS or Ebony Forest before travel.

Conservation rules and trail management for Black River Gorges are covered in NPCS documents; follow NPCS guidance for trail use and closures.

Practical services nearby

On‑site services at Chamarel include a coffee shop and a souvenir shop as part of the geopark facilities listed on the site.

Ebony Forest maintains a visitor centre and a museum space and provides booking contact details on its contact page; use those contacts to reserve guided walks or ask about accessibility.

Links & where to check for updates

Check these official pages for the latest hours, prices and booking information (last checked 07/09/2026):

Check those links for live updates before travel; the page above records the consultation date 07/09/2026 for each listed source.

What we don’t know

Whether Black River Gorges National Park currently charges an entrance fee for non‑residents: NPCS documents mention past fee proposals but no definitive public tariff page was found as of 07/09/2026; obtain an official NPCS statement before publishing any fee figure.

Any changes to Chamarel or Ebony Forest opening hours, ticket prices, temporary closures or renovations occurring after 07/09/2026 are not recorded here; verify on the official pages cited above before travel.

Legal / editorial note

This page provides editorial information only, drawn from the official pages and documents cited (all consulted 07/09/2026). It does not offer booking, medical, legal or financial advice. For up‑to‑date opening hours, ticketing and access rules, consult the official pages listed above.

Did you know?Driving is on the left in Mauritius: take a few minutes to get used to the car in a car park before you join the road.

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