Private helicopter tours to the underwater waterfall: the 45-minute charter
Every private charter I loaded on the apron fell into one of three groups: a family that filled the aircraft anyway, a photographer who wanted the front seat and a pilot willing to hold an orbit, or a couple with something to ask. All three had a good reason. Nobody else did, and I told them so. A private aircraft does not fly a different waterfall.
What the charter is
It is the same loop as the 40-minute airport flight, five minutes longer, with the aircraft to yourselves and a car sent for you. The route in order: Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao) crater lake, Kanaka crater, the Black River Gorges, the Flic en Flac beaches and the Black River coast, the underwater waterfall off Le Morne, Chamarel’s coloured earths and waterfall, and back. Up to five on board, weights disclosed at booking, a passport copy sent in advance. No drones, no smoking, meals not included, and the usual exclusions: not for pregnant women, back problems or anyone prone to motion sickness. Free cancellation to 24 hours before.
The extra five minutes are worth having. On a shared flight the pilot flies the published loop; with the aircraft to yourselves there is more room to ask for a second orbit over the sandfall or a longer look at the gorges, weather and airspace permitting. That is a request, not a promise, and I would not book on the strength of it. Book on the strength of the seat count.
PrivateWhole aircraft · up to 5Mauritius: Private Underwater Waterfall Helicopter Tour
Sees the waterfall40 min · 5 seatsMauritius: Underwater Waterfall by Helicopter Tour
When a private aircraft makes sense
Four or five of you. The charter is priced per aircraft, the shared flight per seat, so a full charter costs less per head than five separate seats only if you actually fill it. Two people in a five-seat charter are paying for three empty seats. Do the division before you decide, using the live rates in the widgets below.
Photographers. On a shared flight the seats go by weight, and the front seat is the pilot’s call. Charter it and it is yours. Plain dark clothing, a polarising filter, and a strap on everything: the checklist is on what to bring.
Special occasions. Proposals, anniversaries, a birthday with a number on it. Say so at booking. Nobody is going to strap a stranger in next to you, and the driver knows the way back to the hotel.
Anyone who cannot risk a scrub for numbers. The scenic flight needs four to operate; the charter flies with whoever you bring. Weather still grounds it, and I go through when on best time to see it.
| Mauritius: Underwater Waterfall by Helicopter Tour | PrivateMauritius: Private Underwater Waterfall Helicopter Tour | Mauritius: Scenic Helicopter Flight with Hotel Transfers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time in the air | 40 min | 45 min | 35 min |
| Aircraft | Shared, up to 5 | Yours, up to 5 | Shared, 4 or 6 |
| Priced | Per person | Per aircraft | Per person |
| Transfers | None — meet at Gate 3 | Hotel pickup + drop-off | Hotel pickup + drop-off |
| Route | Plateau loop | Plateau loop | West coast |
| Sees the waterfall | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum to fly | None stated | Your party | 4 |
| Rating | 5.0 (5 reviews) | No reviews yet | 4.6 (98 reviews) |
| View → | Book this → | View → |
No reviews yet, and what that means
The listing is new. Zero reviews is not a warning; it is a blank. The shared 40-minute flight over the same route stands at five reviews, all five stars, and the two share their loop and their exclusions. I would rather you read that than any adjectives from me. Full notes at the private charter review.
If there are two of you and the point is the waterfall, book two seats on the shared 40-minute flight and put the difference towards the hike. If there are five of you, the charter is the obvious buy. Three or four is where you get the calculator out.
Check charter dates
The first widget is the private 45-minute charter, priced per aircraft. The second is the shared 40-minute flight, priced per seat, for the comparison.
The full arithmetic of per-seat against per-aircraft is on what a flight costs.
Frequently asked questions
How many people fit in the private helicopter?
Up to five, seated by weight, with the weights disclosed at booking. It is priced per aircraft, so the per-head cost only beats the shared flight once you fill it. The shared 40-minute flight on the same loop is on the helicopter tours page.
Is the private tour a different route?
No. Grand Bassin, Kanaka crater, Black River Gorges, Flic en Flac and the Black River coast, the underwater waterfall off Le Morne, Chamarel and back — the same loop as the shared airport flight, five minutes longer, with hotel transfers. The loop minute by minute is on how to see the underwater waterfall.
Why are there no reviews?
The listing is new on GetYourGuide. The shared flight over the same route has five reviews at five stars. I say “none yet” rather than guess, and I keep the review page updated.
Can we ask for an extra pass over the waterfall?
You can ask, and with the aircraft to yourselves the pilot has more room to say yes than on a shared flight. Weather and airspace decide. Do not book on the promise of it.