Activity Snapshot
Activity description
Discover one of the most beautiful sites on Reunion Island, the Cirque de Mafate, during a 5 to 6 hours guided walk!
In the north-west of Reunion Island, at the foot of the Piton Maïdo, the Cirque de Mafate is one of the three large natural cirques of the Piton des Neiges massif in the center of the island. It is located in the heart of Reunion's National Park and is one of the "Pitons, cirques and remparts" listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Cirque de Mafate is a real wilderness setting and is one of the best places for hiking on Reunion Island, as it is only accessible on foot or by helicopter and has significant differences in altitude. There are no roads in this cirque, which makes it even more authentic and unique! It is therefore a hiker's delight and reveals an impressive mineral and vegetal environment that you will discover during this 5 to 6 hours hike in the Cirque de Mafate. 550 meters of positive and negative difference in altitude await you, with a high point at 560 meters.
The walk in the Cirque de Mafate is of medium difficulty with a step-by-step ascent to the islet of Cayenne. You will be accompanied by a state-qualified guide who will be happy to inform you about life in the Cirque de Mafate: its history, its fauna and flora, but also the marronage, as it was the refuge of runaway slaves at that time. On this historical land, people still live today on small plateaus or islets.
Come and discover a wild and authentic environment on Reunion Island by taking part in this guided hike in the Cirque de Mafate!
- Meeting with the guide at the meeting point
- 20 to 30 minutes 4×4 trip up the Galets river bed for 12 km (trip to be paid on the spot - 32€ per person)
- Continuation of the activity on foot in the Cirque de Mafate: you will cross the river 4 times, and depending on the season, will have to walk with your feet in the water. You will then take a path that will lead you to the small islet of Cayenne
- Once in Cayenne, you will have a picnic in the heart of this magnificent, isolated and very flowery islet
- Once lunch is over, you will go down and walk in the river bed which you will cross about 12 times. Depending on the season and weather conditions, you can swim in one of the river's basins
- Finally, return outside the Cirque de Mafate by 4×4 to finish the activity
Activity requirements
You will have to pay 32€ per person on the spot for the transfer to and from the "rivière des Galets".
Special terms
There is a lot of traffic in the morning; if you leave from Saint-Gilles, leaving 1 hour in advance is preferable, as well as passing by Boucan Canot and not by the Tamarins road.
- Guide
- Lunch
- Transfer to and from in the "rivière des Galets" (32€ per person to pay on site)
- Hiking shoes or good trainers
- Depending on the season, a pair of shoes that can go in the water
- Comfortable clothes (shorts or trousers for the bottom)
- Swimsuit
- Towel
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Walking stick if needed
- Small backpack
- Bottle of water (2L min.)
- Snacks
- Picnic lunch
