Is a Private Five-Island Tour in Mauritius Worth €685?
5 min read
For one to four travellers, book the Trou d’Eau Douce Five-Island Adventure with BBQ and Snorkelling. It costs €85 per person, runs 6 to 7 hours and has 4.7 stars from 1,451 reviews. The Private Five-Island Tour with Île aux Cerfs costs €685 per group of up to four for six hours. Even with four people, the shared trip totals €340, so privacy costs at least €161.
Check prices for the shared five-island adventure
The three useful comparisons
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trou d’Eau Douce Five-Island Adventure with BBQ and Snorkelling | 6–7 hours | €85 per person | 4.7 · 1,451 | most couples and families |
| Private Five-Island Tour with Île aux Cerfs | 6 hours | €685 per group up to 4 | 4.9 · 40 | a group paying for its own boat |
| Five-Island Private Speedboat Tour with BBQ | 7 hours | €550 per group up to 4 | 4.9 · 5 | private groups that specifically want BBQ and snorkelling |
Where the private price goes
The €501 listing promises a private speedboat, the south-east’s five-island circuit, possible wild-dolphin spotting, island history and time for swimming or sunbathing. Its advantage is a boat for your own group, not a longer day: it is shorter than the shared trip’s upper duration.
At two people it works out at €250.50 each, against €170 together on the shared boat. At four, it is €125.25 each against €85. Privacy gets cheaper per head, but it never reaches the shared price within the stated group limit.
See availability for the private five-island tour
The €550 alternative
The other private boat names Île aux Phares, Île de la Passe, Île aux Flamants, Île aux Aigrettes and Île aux Cerfs, plus BBQ lunch and snorkelling. The extra €49 buys a seventh hour and clearer inclusions, but only 5 reviews sit behind its rating. Choose it for the named route and meal, not for a star average built on five opinions.
Check the private speedboat with BBQ
When private is genuinely better
Private makes sense when your group values having the boat to itself at no less than €161 extra. It does not make sense as a “better value” shortcut: lunch and snorkelling are already in the leading shared offer, which also has vastly more reviews.
None of the available descriptions states a minimum age. Families should check the operator’s current conditions before paying; “private” does not automatically mean suitable for a baby or for reduced mobility.
Recommendation
Book the shared Trou d’Eau Douce trip. Four people still save €161, and its 1,327-review record is far stronger. Pay for the €501 private boat only when having the vessel to yourselves is worth that exact premium.
