Seven Coloured Earths

Seven Coloured Earths is a small area of multicolored sand dunes in Chamarel, Mauritius. Its colored layers reflect differences in mineral composition and weathering.

Connect

Laterite: Iron- and aluminum-rich soil formed through intense weathering in warm, wet climates. The dunes’ colors are associated with iron-rich materials produced by tropical weathering.
Mauritius: An island country in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. Chamarel and the Seven Coloured Earths lie on Mauritius.
Seven Coloured Earths Geopark: A protected geological attraction in Chamarel, Mauritius, centered on the Seven Coloured Earths dunes. It is the managed visitor site containing the colored-earth formation.
Geoconservation: The protection and sustainable management of geological features, landforms, and processes. Managing visitor access helps protect the dunes’ geological features.
Iron oxide: A compound of iron and oxygen, common in soils and responsible for many red, yellow, and brown pigments. Iron oxides help explain the red and brown tones in the sands.
Chamarel: A village and scenic district in southwestern Mauritius, known for waterfalls and colored-earth dunes. The dunes occupy a small area within this district.
Chamarel Waterfall: A waterfall on the Rivière du Cap in southwestern Mauritius, near Chamarel village. It is another prominent natural attraction in the same district.
Sustainable tourism: Tourism managed to reduce environmental harm while supporting local communities and economies. The attraction’s popularity makes environmental management relevant to its long-term care.
Weathering: The breakdown and alteration of rocks and minerals at or near Earth’s surface. Long-term weathering helps shape and chemically distinguish the colored materials.
Mauritius hotspot: A volcanic hotspot in the Indian Ocean associated with the formation of Mauritius and nearby islands. Hotspot volcanism formed the island’s volcanic rocks, the geological source material for the sands.