Cirque de Mafate
Réunion · Cirques · 1100 m
Description
Mafate is a collapsed volcanic caldera with no road into it at all, ringed by walls a thousand metres high and inhabited by around eight hundred people in scattered hamlets that can be reached only on foot or by helicopter. Supplies arrive slung under a rotor. The cirque is the core of the UNESCO World Heritage area covering the island's peaks and ramparts, and its network of paths is the finest multi-day walking in the Indian Ocean. Îlets like La Nouvelle and Marla have guesthouses, and the crossing from Maïdo takes a full day. Everything carried in has to be carried out again.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 7 days (optimal 3 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: May – November
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Multi-day trek between the îlets(Multi-day trip)
- La Nouvelle and Marla hamlets
- Maïdo crossing into the cirque
- UNESCO World Heritage peaks and ramparts
- Helicopter supply flights to the hamlets
- Trois Roches waterfall
- Col des Bœufs entry from Salazie
- Guesthouses and creole cooking in the îlets
- Night sky with no road lighting