Chronicles Of The North- Debark Tour (Half Day)

OVERVIEW

Delve into the fascinating history of Mauritius and enjoy the breathtaking natural beauty of the island’s northern half. For centuries, sugar production fueled the economy and it still thrives today but to a lesser degree. You will gain insight into the colonists that operated the sugar plantations at Château Labourdonnais. One family lived in this 19th-century mansion until somewhat recently and the period furnishings reveal much about their lifestyle. A museum at yet another sugar plantation will reveal even more about the production and importance of sugar. The exhibits include original machinery used to process sugar and historical photographs that depict the challenges of harvesting the cane. Mauritius is also known for its extraordinary flora, which you will see by meandering through the botanical garden at Pamplemousses. Highlights include giant Victoria Amazonia water lilies and palm trees such as the talipot, which flowers once very 75 years or so and then dies.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit a 19th-century mansion that generations of the same family lived in for 150 years.
• Dine at a former sugar plantation and browse the sugar museum on the premises.
• Meander through a botanical garden named for the founding father of Mauritius.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.