Cirque de Mafate

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Pour les amoureux de la nature et du silence...

Details

n°9847
Creation:
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–
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 18.05 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3 days 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 8,386 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 5,741 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 6,821 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,644 ft

Photos

départ du GR, le brulé
Réunion
Direction Cilaos
Col du Taïbit

Stages of the route

This route needs several days, find the details below:

  1. S

    Sans-Souci - Roche Plate

    ↔10.39 mi ↗4,117 ft ↘2,087 ft
    Quel randonneur n'a pas rêvé de faire le cirque de Mafate à la Réunion? Cette randonnée est réputée difficile, avec pas mal de dénivelé. Mais le paysage est grandiose! Attention : le dénivelé présenté est surévalué il n'est que d'environ 1200 m de montée pour 800 de descente
    View the route
  2. 2
    Roche Plate - Marla

    Roche Plate - Marla

    ↔5.01 mi ↗2,680 ft ↘968 ft
    Second day of the hike in the Cirque de Mafate.
    View the route
  3. E
    Marla - Cilaos

    Marla - Cilaos

    ↔2.65 mi ↗1,588 ft ↘2,687 ft
    Third and final day in the Cirque de Mafate, heading back to Cilaos.
    View the route

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

Reviews and comments

Other walks in the area

Walking Îlet des Orangers via the canal

Visorando Member
L'Îlet des Orangers par la canalisation
↔17.14 mi ↗+4,409 ft ↘-4,409 ft ◔8 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Paul (La Réunion) (Réunion)
One way to access the Cirque de Mafate is from Sans Souci. The pipeline path may seem long, but the landscape overlooking the Rivière des Galets from a height of 500 m is breathtaking. From above, you can see Deux Bras and the narrow gorge through which the Rivière des Galets flows out of the Cirque de Mafate. The canal path has a gentle slope. After the water catchment, access to Îlet des Orangers is via a narrow gorge after a steep climb. Estimated elevation gain: approximately 700 metres.

Walking Bottle Rock

Tourist office
Roche Verre Bouteille
↔2.08 mi ↗+1,024 ft ↘-1,017 ft ◔1h 50 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from La Possession (Réunion)
This short hike offers magnificent views of the Mafate cirque on one side and the coast of La Possession on the other, with the Dos-d'Àne islet in the foreground. This is the easiest place to get a spectacular, unobstructed view of Mafate.

Walking La Roche Écrite via Dos d'Âne

Tourist office
↔13.58 mi ↗+4,436 ft ↘-4,416 ft ◔5 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from La Possession (Réunion)
La Roche Écrite rises to 2,276 metres and is accessible from several points. The route via Dos d'Ane is one of the longest, but also one of the most beautiful, with frequent views of the Cirque de Mafate in the first section. Some sections along the ridge are vertiginous and offer unique views. The detour via the Mare aux Cerfs and the Caverne Soldat adds an extra dimension to this long, challenging route.

Walking La Possession – Grande Chaloupe

Visorando Member
↔4.76 mi ↗+1,122 ft ↘-1,135 ft ◔3h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Réunion
Eighth stage of the island tour, following the railway line as closely as possible. After the long flat stretch of the previous stages, this short stage sees a return to uphill terrain. As access to the tunnel is officially prohibited, you must go via the Chemin des Anglais, which includes sections with steep gradients. This is a very old paved path that is now a must-do hike on the island.

Walking Cayenne - Roche Plate

Visorando Member
↔4.34 mi ↗+3,583 ft ↘-1,683 ft ◔5h 05 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from La Possession (Réunion)
The passage near the Ravine Grand Mère caldera is breathtaking.

Walking Piton des Orangers and return via the Omega Forest Road

Visorando Member
↔4.61 mi ↗+932 ft ↘-906 ft ◔2h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Saint-Paul (La Réunion) (Réunion)
An easy hike to see all the islets of the Cirque de Mafate. It is best to set off no later than 10:00 a.m. to enjoy the magnificent views along the edge of the rampart. The start and end of the route are on forest roads. It is possible to picnic along these roads on the way back.

Walking The tour of the Plaine d'Affouche via Îlet à Guillaume

Visorando Member
Le tour de la Plaine d'Affouche par l’Îlet à Guillaume
↔16.08 mi ↗+5,591 ft ↘-5,591 ft ◔12h 15 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Denis (La Réunion) (Réunion)
Located at an altitude of around 1,400 metres, the Plaine d’Affouche overlooks Îlet à Guillaume and forms an integral part of the Roche Écrite Reserve. Keep your ears and eyes peeled, as you may spot or hear the tuit-tuit, a bird found only on Réunion and exclusively in this part of the island. Please note: this hike can be completed in under 8 hours. The elevation gain is overestimated: there is approximately 1,500 metres of ascent and descent, not 2,375.

Walking Roche Écrite from Camp Mamode

Visorando Member
Roche Écrite depuis Camp Mamode
↔11.69 mi ↗+3,553 ft ↘-3,553 ft ◔8h 30 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Denis (La Réunion) (Réunion)
Roche Écrite offers a beautiful view of the Cirque de Salazie, Gros Morne, Piton des Neiges, Col des Boeufs (access to Mafate) and beautiful views of the Cirque de Mafate, Grand Bénare and Maido. From Camp Mamode, access is less difficult than from Grand Ilet and shorter than from Dos d'Âne.

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