Grand Bassin
Ganga Talao: The Hindu Sacred Lake on the Plateau
A crater lake in the southern highlands, sacred to Mauritian Hindus as Ganga Talao, with temples to Shiva, Hanuman, Lakshmi and Ganesh on its banks and a 33 m statue of Shiva (Mangal Mahadev) at the entrance. At Maha Shivaratri (February or March) hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walk here from across the island, many carrying decorated kanwars, to take lake water home: the roads round it close to traffic and the site is packed for days (see the alerts). The rest of the year it is calm; dress modestly and remove shoes at the shrines. Entry is free. Few rooms nearby: it is a stop on the way between the south-east and the west, or from Curepipe.
Highlights
- Temples round Ganga Talao
- The 33 m Mangal Mahadev Shiva statue
- Maha Shivaratri pilgrimage
- Bois Chéri tea estate nearby
- Plateau views
Things to do
- Darshan at the Ganga Talao templesMorning · 1h 30m
- Mangal Mahadev statue and the lakesideMorning · 1h
- Bois Chéri tea estate tour and tastingAfternoon · 2h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: All year (Maha Shivaratri in February or March)
Worth knowing
Cyclone Season: Watch the Class Warnings
January to March is the height of the cyclone season. Most weeks pass with heat, humidity and short downpours, but when a cyclone nears, Mauritius Meteorological Services issue warnings from Class I to IV: from Class III everyone stays indoors, buses stop, shops and sights close and flights are often cancelled for a day or two. Keep a spare day before your flight home, take travel insurance that covers weather delays, and follow your hotel's advice.
Heads up
Cyclone Season
The cyclone season runs from November to April, with most storms from January to March. Early and late in the season a cyclone is less likely, but watch the forecast in the week before you fly.
Worth knowing
Maha Shivaratri: Pilgrim Crowds and Road Closures
Maha Shivaratri falls in February or March. For three or four days before it, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walk to Grand Bassin and the roads round the lake close to cars; the site is packed day and night. Join the pilgrimage if you mean to, dressed modestly; otherwise come another week, and check the date for your year.
- Maha Shivaratri at Grand Bassin — The biggest Hindu pilgrimage outside India: for three or four days before the night of Shiva, hundreds of thousands of Mauritians walk to Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao), many carrying kanwars, decorated arches of flowers and mirrors, to bring lake water home to their temples. Volunteers line the roads with free food and drink. The roads round the lake close to cars, and the plateau roads are full of walkers day and night; visit the lake another day unless you mean to join the pilgrimage, and drive with care across the island. A public holiday.
- Thaipoosam Cavadee — The Tamil festival of Murugan: after days of fasting, devotees carry the cavadee, a wooden arch with flowers and pots of milk, to the kovils (temples), many with their cheeks and tongues pierced. Processions in Port Louis and the towns from early morning. A public holiday.
- Ganesh Chaturthi — Ganesh's festival, kept mostly by Marathi-speaking Mauritians: home and temple prayers, then processions carrying the idols to the sea or rivers for immersion the next day. A public holiday.
- Divali — The festival of lights: houses and temples lit with clay lamps and fairy lights, sweets (gateaux) shared with neighbours, and fireworks after dark. A public holiday, and one of the busiest weeks for flights from India.