The Seven Coloured Earths of Chamarel is a geological formation of weathered basalt in the Black River District of southwest Mauritius, where the soil displays seven distinct colour bands: red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple, and yellow. The colours come from iron and aluminium left behind as basalt weathered into soil in the warm, humid climate of Mauritius. A popular claim that mixed samples settle back into layers has no scientific explanation that we could find, so treat it as local lore.
Key Takeaways
- The Seven Coloured Earths of Chamarel is a geological formation in the Black River District, southwest Mauritius, where weathered basaltic soil appears in seven distinct colour bands.
- Iron and aluminium, the two main elements left in the weathered basalt soil, produce the colours: iron for the reds and aluminium for the blues and purples.
- A popular claim that mixed samples settle back into layers has no scientific explanation that we could find, so treat it as local lore.
- The Chamarel Waterfall is part of the same Geopark, and the ticket typically covers both. However, confirm what is included and the current fees on the official site, as they are subject to change.
- Mobile coverage can be unreliable in the hills around Chamarel, so download offline maps and audio content before leaving your accommodation.
- The site also pairs well with the Chamarel Waterfall, the Rhumerie de Chamarel, and Black River Gorges National Park as a half-day or full-day southwest Mauritius itinerary.
What Are the Seven Coloured Earths of Chamarel?
The Seven Coloured Earths is a natural geological site on a plateau in Chamarel village, overlooking the Chamarel plain in the Black River District. Seven clearly differentiated colour bands are visible from a raised viewing platform at the site’s edge. The Geopark notes that the landscape is natural and subject to weather and seasonal changes, so the colours can look different from one visit to the next.
Current prices and opening hours are on the official site and are subject to change. In addition, the Chamarel Waterfall is part of the same Geopark, and the ticket typically includes access to both. The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority also features the Seven Coloured Earths among its visitor experiences.
What Causes the Seven Different Colours at Chamarel?
First, the colours originate from volcanic basalt, the rock that forms the bedrock of Mauritius. Then, over a very long time, the warm, humid climate weathered the basalt into a deep, clay-like soil called ferralitic soil. As a result, water washed out most of the soluble elements.
Iron and aluminium, the two main elements left behind, are responsible for the colours:
- Iron is responsible for the red tones.
- Aluminium is responsible for the blue and purple tones.
Sheth, Johnson and Ollier studied the site in a 2010 paper in the Journal of African Earth Sciences, which puts the coloured area at about 7,500 square metres.
Why Do the Seven Coloured Earths Not Mix?
The colours stay in distinct bands across the dunes. Many travel sources add that mixed handfuls of the different earths settle back into separate layers over time. This is widely repeated, but we could not find a scientific explanation for it.
Treat it as a popular claim rather than established science. The 2010 study instead explains that the colours come from weathered basalt and secondary iron oxides and hydroxides, and that deforestation and sheet erosion carved the rills. It also corrects the common belief that a volcanic eruption or volcanic ash formed the landscape.
How Do You Visit the Seven Coloured Earths?
The site is in Chamarel village, Black River District, southwest Mauritius. From Flic en Flac, for example, the drive takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Allow around 90 minutes from Grand Baie. From Port Louis, approximately one hour via the M1 motorway and the Case Noyale junction.
The entrance ticket lists access to the waterfall viewpoint, the dunes, the endemic garden and the Aldabra tortoise park, so allow time for the full Geopark rather than the dunes alone.
Mobile coverage can be unreliable in the hills around Chamarel. Download offline maps and audio content before leaving your accommodation, because navigation apps that rely on streaming may lose connection on the approach road. The Geopark’s own app also includes offline maps and audio content.
The west Mauritius guide also covers the full self-drive route from Flic en Flac and Tamarin through the Black River valley toward the Chamarel plateau.
What Else Is There to See Near the Seven Coloured Earths?
Chamarel suits a half-day or full-day visit rather than a single stop.
The Chamarel Waterfall is Mauritius’s tallest single-drop waterfall, at nearly 100 metres, and is typically combined with the Seven Coloured Earths on the same visit. The ticket typically includes the waterfall viewpoint as well.
The Rhumerie de Chamarel is a single-estate rum distillery. It also offers guided tours and tastings, with views over the surrounding sugar cane fields.
The Ebony Forest Reserve is a non-profit conservation reserve dedicated to restoring native Mauritian ebony forest. It also has endemic bird species and views across the gorges.
Black River Gorges National Park covers over 6,500 hectares of upland forest. In addition, its main entrance and the Alexandra Falls viewpoint are accessible from the Chamarel area.
What Makes the Seven Coloured Earths Worth the Drive to Chamarel?
The Seven Coloured Earths is best approached as part of a half-day southwest itinerary. This pairs the coloured earths with the waterfall and, if time allows, the Rhumerie de Chamarel and a drive through the gorges. Overall, the weathering science behind the colours makes the site worth visiting for more than the photograph alone.
Hear the Story of Chamarel as You Drive
Download Island Route before your trip and get the geology and the local context of the Seven Coloured Earths narrated offline as you arrive. No data connection is required once the West region tour is downloaded. See how to use the Island Route app to set up your route before departure.
