Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth, Rivière Noire District, Mauritius

The Seven Coloured Earths are a geological formation and prominent tourist attraction found in the Chamarel plain of the Rivière Noire District in south-western Mauritius. It is a relatively small area of sand dunes comprising sand of seven distinct colours (approximately red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow). The main feature of the place is that since these differently coloured sands spontaneously settle in different layers, dunes acquire a surrealistic, striped colouring. Another interesting feature of Chamarel's Coloured Earths is that the dunes seemingly never erode, in spite of Mauritius' torrential tropical rains.

The “seven-coloured earth” of Chamarel is a geological curiosity and a major tourist attraction of Mauritius. This is a small (7500 m2) area of strikingly bare landscape located within a large, dense forest. The earth is particularly unusual; created by volcanic rocks that cooled at different temperatures, the earth form beautiful patterns of colour in the exposed hillsides. The rocks were pulverized into sands with various shades of red, brown, grey, and purple. Since the earth was first exposed, rains had carved beautiful patterns of many colours into the hillside. When visiting the park, you will be able to walk between the many sand dunes, along trails and see this unique sight. Also, there is a small petting farm where you can see and pet Giant Turtles which found their home at the park.

Since the earth was first exposed, rains had carved beautiful patterns into the hillside, creating an effect of earthen meringue. At first you'll notice shadows on the hills, creating the illusion of different colours, but soon you realise that the colours are real and the shadows were the illusion.

Sunrise is the best time to see the Coloured Earths. Geologists are still intrigued by the rolling dunes of multi-coloured lunar-like landscape. The colours, red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow never erode in spite of torrential downpours and adverse climatic conditions.

The Colored Earth of Chamarel has become one of Mauritius' main tourist attractions since the 1960s. Nowadays, the dunes are protected by a wooden fence and visitors are not allowed to climb on them, although they can look at the scenery from observation outposts placed along the fence. Curio shops in the area sell small test-tubes filled up with the coloured earths.