Mauritius women only tour

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This journey is designed to minimise carbon emissions by incorporating multiple days of human-powered exploration. Across four activity days, guests actively engage with nature through low-impact experiences:

- A full-day guided hike in the Ebony Forest, exploring one of the island’s last remaining endemic ebony tree habitats, while learning about conservation efforts.
- A half-day kayaking adventure through calm lagoon waters and mangrove ecosystems.
- A half-day hike in Black River Gorges National Park.
- A half-day visit to the botanical garden, explored on foot.

When it comes to food, the trip prioritises 100% locally sourced and seasonal Mauritian cuisine. Our beachfront accommodation partners with local fishermen and small-scale suppliers, ensuring meals are made using fresh, local ingredients. Their restaurant embraces the island’s fusion heritage (Creole, Indian, African, Chinese, French) and always offers vegetarian and vegan options.

During external dining experiences, meals are also firmly rooted in local culture. For example, in Port Louis we embark on a guided street food tour, tasting authentic dishes at local stalls and markets, supporting micro-entrepreneurs and reducing supply-chain impacts linked to imported food.


ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE

We carefully select our accommodation and experiences to ensure they actively contribute to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.
Responsible accommodation practices
Our hotel partner is committed to reducing its environmental footprint, particularly through:
- A strong move toward becoming “as plastic-free as possible,” including eliminating single-use plastics and encouraging refillable water practices.
- Preference for local suppliers to minimise transport emissions and support low-impact production chains.

Direct contribution to conservation and reforestation
- One of the core nature-based elements of this trip is a full-day immersion in Ebony Forest, a private conservation reserve dedicated to restoring Mauritius’ endemic ecosystems. Guests take part in a native tree planting activity, making a tangible contribution to the island’s reforestation efforts and long-term habitat restoration. This hands-on experience is framed by expert interpretation about endemic wildlife, habitat loss, and regeneration projects.

Supporting protected areas
By visiting protected natural spaces, the trip channels financial support directly into conservation. Entry fees include:
- Ebony Forest Reserve (reforestation and conservation project – part of day programme)
- Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden (Pamplemousses): approx. €5.50 per person
- Black River Gorges National Park, no entry fee, but visited with a registered local nature guide

Expert local nature guides
All hikes are led by qualified, locally based guides, who are trained in ecology, native biodiversity, and safety. Their deep understanding of Mauritian endemic flora and fauna helps guests gain a richer understanding of the island’s fragile ecosystems. This not only ensures expert interpretation but also supports local employment and capacity building in nature-based tourism.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

This trip has been intentionally designed to ensure that travel spending remains within Mauritius, directly benefitting local people, creatives, conservationists, and food producers.

Locally owned accommodation
100% of the accommodation used on this trip is locally owned and operated. By staying in a Mauritian-managed boutique hotel rather than an international chain, we support local employment, supply chains, and community-rooted tourism businesses.

Local guides, chefs and hosts throughout the journey
Across the itinerary, we work exclusively with Mauritian guides, cooks, artisans and nature experts, creating a network of local economic benefits. This approach ensures that travelers engage directly with the people who shape the cultural and environmental identity of the island. Key experiences include:

- A culinary immersion hosted by Rosemonde, a local home-cook who shares traditional family recipes and cultural traditions through a participatory cooking experience.
- A guided hike in Ebony Forest Reserve with local conservation guides, whose earnings support habitat restoration efforts.
- A street food exploration in Port Louis, led by a local guide who introduces us to family-owned stalls, traditional snacks and market vendors.
- A pandanus weaving workshop with local women, Shivani and Fabiola, which revives traditional Mauritian crafts and supports small-scale female entrepreneurship.
- A local beachside lunch prepared by a Mauritian chef following our sea kayaking adventure.

Community-centerd experiences
Choosing activities such as cooking with locals, crafting with women artisans, and visiting local conservation projects ensures that guest spending circulates through community-based initiatives rather than multi-national operators. These slow, small-group interactions empower individuals and encourage sustainable local livelihoods.

By partnering with small-scale, community-rooted suppliers, this trip actively supports Mauritius’ circular economy and helps preserve cultural skills, local gastronomy, and nature-based livelihoods for future generations.


EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY – Empowering Local Women & Supporting Inclusive Opportunities

Locally led employment and fair labour conditions
100% of the people involved in delivering this trip—including accommodation staff, guides, chefs, artisans, and activity facilitators—are Mauritian. Our accommodation partner, La Mariposa, is a locally owned family business employing around 30 staff members, all of whom come from nearby communities. This ensures that wages and benefits directly support local households. We work only with operators who comply with national labour regulations and pay at or above the Mauritian minimum wage.

Creating income-generating opportunities for women and underrepresented groups
A key focus of this trip is supporting women-led entrepreneurship and safeguarding traditional knowledge. Many of the itineraries’ immersive experiences are hosted by women, providing fair and dignified income streams:

- Rosemonde, who hosts our cultural cooking experience in her home, sharing family traditions and generating direct income through cultural exchange.
- Shivani and Fabiola, local artisans who lead a pandanus weaving workshop, preserving indigenous craftsmanship and generating livelihoods through small-scale creative work.
- Market stall holders, street food vendors, and independent chefs involved in our food-based activities are often women or operate within family-run businesses.

By choosing to work with community-based tourism providers and female-led initiatives, we help diversify local income opportunities beyond large-scale tourism and contribute to women’s economic empowerment in Mauritius.

A trip rooted in inclusivity
This journey is designed as a women-focused experience, open to anyone who identifies as a woman, including trans women and non-binary individuals who feel comfortable in a women-centerd space. We aim to foster a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment for all participants, regardless of age, ethnicity, body type, background, or life journey.

Cultural sensitivity & mutual respect
All local partners are briefed on responsible hosting practices. Cultural exchange is grounded in respect, equality, and shared human experience—not spectacle or exploitation.