Visit and Tour of Ile aux Aigrettes Island.
Enjoy a visit and a 1.5 hours tour of the animal sanctuary of Ile aux Aigrettes Island.
The boat trip to Ile aux Aigrettes departs from Pointe Jerome (near Mahebourg) and operated on daily basis.
Ile aux Aigrettes is a tiny coral island (25 hectares) just off the coast of the town of Mahebourg. The island has been declared a nature conservation site and today is being preserved by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.
The tour on Ile aux Aigrettes takes about one and half hours with an additional 10 minutes each way for the boat trip. As part of this tour you will discover Ile aux Aigrettes and enjoy original Mauritian nature with an expert guide alongside leading the way. You will discover plants and animals, unique to Mauritius and found nowhere else in the world. Some of them have come close to extinction like the pink pigeon, a bird that was in danger of extinction for many years.
You will also visit the indigenous plant nursery. There you should look out for the rare pink pigeon, the Mauritius Kestrel, endangered skinks and of course, the giant tortoises.
When visiting Ile aux Aigrettes you will get to see breath-taking scenery of the South East of Mauritius, and will be given a glimpse of the early history of Mauritius.
You will also get to see beautiful trees with strange names like Ox wood, Pipe wood, Rat wood and Bottle palm. There is also the chance to see a rare orchid in full bloom.
At the end of the tour, you will get to purchase souvenirs at the gift shop at the Visitors’ Centre.
All revenues from the tour on the islands and from the gift shop are reinvested in the restoration and preservations of Ile aux Aigrettes.
Following the tour to Ile aux Aigrettes, you will travel by motor boat back to Pointe Jerome.
Tours Times:
- Monday – Saturday: 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 13:30, 14:00
- Sunday: 09:30, 10:00
Comments:
- The price includes the boat trip from Pointe Jerome to Ile aux Aigrettes Island (takes about 10 minutes), the entrance to the island reserve, and a 1.5 hours tour of the island
More information about Ile aux Aigrettes
Ile Aux Aigrettes is an internationally important conservation site that was declared a Nature Reserve in 1965. Ile aux Aigrettes got its name from a colony of Egrets, which inhabited the island during the 1600’s. Egrets are graceful white fishing birds with long legs.
Some of the plants found in Ile aux Aigrettes grow nowhere else in the world and they form the last remnant of a coastal forest that once surrounded much of Mauritius. 18 Mauritian plant species which grow on the island are classified as endangered or very rare.
Ile aux Aigrettes - Island’s history
During the Second World War Ile aux Aigrettes was used by the British as a military base and at this time much of the native forest was cleared.
There are some remains of over twenty buildings on the island which date from this period. Following this period Ile aux Aigrettes was privately leased and was used for the breeding of goats.
In 1985 the Mauritian Wildlife Appeal Fund (MWAF) established a habitat rehabilitation and management project on Ile aux Aigrettes to restore the vegetation and fauna of the island to its original state. MWAF continues the restoration while offering the public to visit the island and enjoy this unique place of original Mauritian nature.
Prices:
- Price per adult: 26 Euro
- Price per child (ages 3-12): 18 Euro
- Price per baby (ages 0-3): Free of charge
