• SSR Botanic Garden - The Pamplemousse Garden is located in the district of the same name in the northwest of Mauritius. Covering an area of 37 hectares, this tropical botanical garden will shamelessly reveal its many species from the 4 corners of the world that will amaze you with their bewitching essences and their sumptuous colors. It is the most famous excursion of Mauritius.

From its creation by Pierre Poivre in the 18th century to the present day, where it took the name of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the garden has grown to become this sublime paradise teeming with species, known all over the world and welcoming many personalities.
In 1770, Pierre Poivre, steward of the Isle of France, as Maurice was then called, bought the property Mon Plaisir de La Bourdonnais, where he created the current Pamplemousse garden, introducing plant species from around the world.

To the nutmeg and clove trees, he will add camphor, laurel, trees and spices from the West Indies, India, Africa, China… constantly enriching his collections, developing the garden more and more. This one, bought by the king of France, will continue to be embellished thanks to other botanists who will continue the work of Pierre Poivre, making the site a renowned place. Over the years, flowers, ferns, araucarias, orchids, bougainvilleas and especially many palm trees have been added, all making the garden a true multicolored paradise, whose sweet scent will pursue you throughout your visit.

The paradise of the senses
Visiting the garden is like entering another dimension: here plant species abound that come to surround you on all sides, touch you at times, caress you with their scents. Some are very impressive, like the entrance baobab first, then the victoria amazonica, a species of giant water lily sleeping in its basin (one of the famous photos that illustrate Mauritius), or the talipot, a variety of palm, also very large, which has the distinction of dying after its only flowering.

You will admire the 95 species of palm trees originating from all over the world, but also araucarias, vacoas, ravenalas, guava trees. You will be dazzled by the flaming scarlet, bewitched by the smell of jasmine, mango and many spices like cinnamon.

This area, representative of the island’s biodiversity, conserves many species from the four corners of the planet, as well as certain endemic species of the island (such as ebony) and the Mascarenes. Surprising by its flora, it is also thanks to the animals evolving in complete freedom, sometimes coming to greet you or accompany you in your discovery: birds like the martin or the cardinal thus haunt places with butterflies; reptiles, fish, tenrecs, mongooses and other equally fascinating creatures are regularly present.

An internationally renowned garden
The world famous Grapefruit Garden is visited by the most illustrious people, some of whom have left their mark by planting their trees there, such as François Mitterrand, Nelson Mandela and Indira Gandhi… These personalities most often stay at the “ castle “, as the house rebuilt on the former residence of Mon Plaisir is called.

The garden retains the name of famous botanists and naturalists, most of whom collaborated in its development. In addition, guardian of the fauna and flora of the Mascarene Islands, he is also one of the island’s legends. So wander among alleys named after La Bourdonnais, Pierre Poivre, Darwin and others of their colleagues, but also the writer Bernardin de Saint-Pierre and the heroes he created, Paul and Virginie. In this heavenly setting, you can even go to the fictitious tombs of these legendary lovers.

You will not be surprised, in this fantastic setting, to discover yet a park of giant turtles and Java deer, appearing as if by magic.

Some practical information
The site is open daily from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. The complete visit lasts approximately 1 hour. You will be asked 200 rupees per person (around 5 euros), and 50 more if you want to be accompanied by a guide. Finally, the rental of a cart to explore the garden is also possible. Note however that for Mauritians, entry costs 25 rupees, it is free for children under 5, for adults over 60 as well as on Sundays and holidays. Located on Independence Street, north of Port Louis, the location is easy to locate, the route well indicated.

• Private transportation

• Entry ticket