A Day in Nature's Palette

La Vallée des Couleurs in Mauritius is not just an artist's playfield, it is also a spot for serious adventure junkies

- Varsha Singh

How many colours can you identify? Most of us would struggle to get into the double digits and even those in the fashion or arts would be hard pressed to go beyond a dozen. So imagine a place which the nature has lavished with not 12 or 15 colours, but all of 23, each distinct enough from the other to be designated as such by scientists!

Welcome to the Vallée des Couleurs, an aptly-named natural wonder in southern Mauritius, that boasts of the uniqueness of being the only known place in the world where 23 colours, ranging from primary colours like red or blue to secondary colours like ochre or purple, can be found in one place.

The mystery behind this abundance of colours is rather simple for geologists, who point at the volcanic history of the area and numerous eruptions that led to a series of chemical reactions over tens of thousands of years between water, air and soil, leading to the creation of these colours. The colours have been recorded and certified as being distinct, making La Vallée des Couleurs the only spot in the world known to have so many colours in its soil.

Adventure & adrenaline, beyond art

It is not just this unique natural phenomenon that attracts visitors here, the Vallée des Couleurs is also the preferred spot for all those seeking adventure and a rush of adrenaline in Mauritius. For, this land comes with a bunch of adventure experiences that can keep the adrenaline flowing through the day.

Spread over 450 acres, or just under 2 sqkm, of forests, lakes and water falls, La Vallée Des Couleurs is a nature park that has been operational for the past 25 years. A complete range of adventure activities have been mounted here. These range from quad biking to zip lining and trekking to luge kart.

Ziplines