Want to discover the culture of Mauritius, an island with a rich past, tempting gastronomy and captivating traditions? Travel the tea route, a must on the island, from Curepipe to the village of Souillac. You will discover three colonial estates, the cultivation of tea, sugar cane and vanilla, the stages of rum distillation and how these estates operated at the time.
Feel free to devote a day to discovering the tea route. The visit will be in 3 stages, each one dedicated to a domain: first the Abineaux domain, then the Bois Chéri domain and finally the Saint-Aubin domain.
You can visit large colonial houses, a tea factory, an old sugar plantation and a rum distillery.
To make this journey, several options are available to you:
Do the tour by your own means, with a rental car. The advantage of this option is that it gives you all your independence and freedom, if you want to spend more time on a site for example.
Booking a daily taxi can be a good compromise if you want to be free without having to experience the stress of driving on the left. Rates vary from 60 to 75€ per day.
Choose a tour organized by a local tourist agency: for a visit without worrying about logistics, choose this option. The tour will cost you about 165€, all included (transport, meals and visits).
First step: the Aubineaux estate
A colonial residence built in 1872, the estate will welcome you and make you travel back to the 19th century. Indeed, the furniture and paintings are from the time and you can admire them by visiting the house.
The tour includes a visit to the house and stables, which have since been transformed into meeting rooms, shops and essential oil distilleries. You can take a short break and enjoy a tea in the garden at the end of the visit. Also take a moment to visit the estate's park, which is worth a visit.
The estate is open from 9am to 5pm and its visit takes about 1 hour, not including the tea break.
Second step: the Bois Chéri estate
The Domaine du Bois Joli makes you take a little detour to get there but it is worth it!
You can visit a tea factory founded in 1892 that is still active today, part of which has been transformed into a cultural centre. In the factory, you will discover all the secrets of tea, from production to packaging: cutting, fermentation, drying, etc. A guide will show you how the place works and will take you through the machines and tea services of the time, displayed on site.
We advise you to come in the morning, when the tea leaves arrive at the factory to witness the whole process, and be aware that between April and September, the tea is only crushed 2 days a week. If you want to see the scene, remember to call.
The best part: you can enjoy tea in a chalet on a hill, with a panoramic view of the tea plantations and a lake.
If you want to enjoy local dishes with a special dimension, go to the estate's restaurant. The place serves local dishes, flavoured with tea, such as chicken with green tea or shrimps with exotic tea.
Last step: the Saint Aubin estate
Like the others, the Domaine Saint-Aubin is a 19th century colonial house, but it has an original structure. Indeed, its staircase is built around a boat mast, and the structure of the attic is that of an old hull.
The house was once inhabited by the plantation administrators. Today, the estate has transformed it into a restaurant where you can discover and enjoy the local cuisine. The cooked products are fresh and come from the market or the vegetable garden of the estate.
On the estate, there is also the agricultural rum distillery of the Saint-Aubin 1819 brand. You will learn the difference between agricultural and industrial rum, and you will have the chance to see the stills of the estate in operation.
Thus, the tea route is an almost necessary step in understanding the island's culture. Don't hesitate any longer and book your trip!
Looking for a comfortable rental to recharge the batteries after a day of visit? Look at our villas on site.
