Seven Coloured Earths - Mauritius

by - maio 10, 2020

 

In this time we are passing trought where the raimbow means everything, let me show you a place where the raimbow painted the grownd. Probably one of the most colorful places in the planet, this place is an unique volcanic geological phenomenon and prominent tourist attraction found in the Chamarel plain of the Rivière Noire District in south-western Mauritius. It is a relatively small area of sand dunes comprising sand of seven distinct colours (red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow). Yeah guys, the pink lovers will not like this place xD This amazing phenomenon is said to be due to the slow decomposition of volcanic lava (or basalt) into clay minerals over millennia (it's said to be 600 million years old).


The main feature of the place is that since these differently coloured sands spontaneously settle in different layers, dunes acquire a surrealistic, striped colouring. Another interesting fact of this place is that the dunes seemingly never erode, in spite of Mauritius' torrential tropical rains. Since the earth was first exposed, rains have carved beautiful patterns into the hillside, creating an effect of earthen meringue. 


How to visit:

I would suggest a day trip to Chamarel (by your own or in a tour), and it's located in the Chamarel's Seven Coloured Earth Geopark. Nowadays, the dunes are protected by a wooden fence and visitors are not allowed to climb on them, although they can look at the scenery from observation outposts placed along the fence. The entrance fee is aprox. 7,50€
You have other worthy atractions in the geopark such as the waterfall. After visiting it, you can take a trip to the village to see the picturesque Church of St. Anne which was built in 1876 and is a sought after feature by visitors. This typical Mauritian village is well worth the detour for its family restaurants, and the drive back through the scenic Chamarel to Baie du Cap is magical.

Check out your tour options:

Happy journeys in Mauritius! 

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