Bathed in the vivid colours of the lagoon, this small,

unique islet welcomes
you! Transported out of time, away from the bustle of the

modern world, you
can discover the magic of Ile aux Aigrettes, home to the

last remnants of an
ecosystem once abundant in the coastal regions of

Mauritius, but almost lost to us today.

This coastal forest, rich in ebonies and other endemic

species of plants, as well as bird and reptile species,

was once the home of the Dodo, and is facing a similar fate.

Since 1985 the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) has been restoring Ile aux Aigrettes by weeding out introduced plants, replanting with native plants produced on the island, and reintroducing endemic birds and reptiles that once lived there. Ultimately, the forest will be restored as closely as possible to what it was like more than 400 years ago: a sanctuary for flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world.

Ile aux Aigrettes is open to the public for guided tours, lasting between 1½ and 2 hours. All tours are accompanied by our enthusiastic and knowledgeable rangers, who will share facts, stories and colourful local anecdotes with you.

You will have the unique opportunity of encountering the flora and fauna in their natural environment, with beautiful and unusual Pink Pigeons, distant cousins of the Dodo, gazing down at you from above, or perhaps the very rare Olive White-eye and Mauritius Fody flying from branch to branch of the native bois de boeuf, bois chandelle, or bois de pipe. The lively and colourful Ornate Day Geckos are easily spotted basking in the sun, but you will have to look a little harder to see the well-camouflaged Telfair’s Skink and Guenther’s Gecko, until recently so rare that they were only found on Round Island. The endangered Mauritius Fruit Bat has now returned to the islet and you will be able to enjoy this attractive animal at close quarters.

Two tortoise species once existed in Mauritius but their use as a food source by passing sailors rapidly pushed them to extinction. To fill the missing role that these herbivores played, Aldabra Giant Tortoises have been introduced to Ile
aux Aigrettes. These free-roaming giants are a close relative of our lost tortoise species and you are likely to meet them on the paths during your tour.

At the end of your visit, you will be able to rediscover some of the extinct species of the Mascarene islands in our museum, in the form of impressive lifesize bronzes. You will also have the opportunity to purchase some attractive and unusual souvenirs in our shop.

We invite you to experience this unique and fascinating conservation project for yourselves, or to send your staff or friends, knowing that at the same time you will be offering vital support to our work, since all revenue from the tours is
invested directly into our projects.

(Please note that we recommend our visitors to wear good walking shoes and to bring mosquito repellent, a hat, a bottle of water, suncream, a camera, and money for the shop.)

 

Departure times

Tours start at the old Sand Jetty, Pointe Jérôme, Mahébourg, and operate on a daily basis. Departure times are as follows:
Monday to Saturday 09.30 10.00 10.30 13.30 14.00 14.30
Sunday 09.30 10.00 10.30

Tailor-made tours

We are pleased to be able to offer interested groups or individuals the chance to have a private tour, tailored to specific requirements or interests, such as bird watching, flora or photography. In addition to concentrating on your specific areas of interest, a highlight of these tours is the opportunity to meet one of our conservation biologists, who can share their first-hand experiences of the project with you and answer any specific questions that you might have.

 

Please contact us if you would like to arrange your own private tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 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.