Hiking in Mafate: Cayenne hamlet

Description

Every Tuesday and Saturday, I propose you to go hiking in the heart of the rugged relief of the magnificent cirque of Mafate, to immerse yourself in the historic magic of the area.

Mafate is one of the three big natural cirques of the Reunion Island, as well as Salazie and Cilaos. Surrounded by a particularly steep relief, Mafate is difficult to reach. Thus, no road serves the interior of the cirque that can be visited only on foot, which makes it a world apart. Here there is no hotel, no infrastructure, and the largest village ("La Nouvelle") has only one school and a few shops. All this makes this place different, far from the agitation of the world, where nature is king and offers exceptional landscapes, made of ravines, waterfalls, forests, peaks, etc. A dense network of trails allows life in the cirque and makes it a Mecca for hiking in Reunion.

Our hike of the day begins at a place called "Deux Bras" after a 30-minute 4×4 drive along the Galets River bed. The loop trail takes us to Cayenne îlet, which can be reached either via the GRR2 or a path that winds along the riverbed. The loop can be done in either direction, depending on the heat and your preferences. The river section requires walking through water (knee-deep) on numerous occasions. A refreshing break awaits us at the magnificent Oussy basin! The trail along the hillside offers superb views of the valley, and a footbridge allows us to cross the Oussy basin above the pool. At the end of the trail, we will reach Cayenne îlet, the "lower district" of Grand Place îlet. After a lunch break, we will begin the descent to the 4WD vehicle, which will take us back to the Galets River parking lot.

This route in the mountains of Reunion Island lasts about 6 hours for a distance of 10 kilometers and a positive and negative difference in altitude of 500 meters.

A good understanding of French is required to take part in this group hike.

If I am not available, a colleague from the Bureau Montagne Réunion will be in charge of the supervision.

 

If you want to continue to discover Reunion Island during beautiful day outings, I propose you to hike in the cirque of Cilaos, in the heart of Belouve forest and Trou de Fer, on the trails of the Piton de la Fournaise but also in off-trail version on this volcano or in the Plaine des Sables, to the Pitons des Orangers, or exploring the islet of La Nouvelle in Mafate.

Program

• Departure every Tuesday and Saturday.
• Departure is confirmed from the first registered person.
• Meet at 6.30am, 7.30am or 8.30am at the parking lot of the Galets river.
• After 30 minutes of 4WD vehicle track in the bed of the "rivière des Galets", the trail starts with a succession of fords and then quickly rises to reach the Cayenne islet.
• Return via the footbridge which offers a 360 degree panorama overlooking waterfalls and pools.
• Be careful, this hike often requires participants to walk in the water! (water height under the knees)
• Back to the parking lot at 3.30pm, 4.30pm ou 5.30pm.
• This route has a few fords and has a quite important difference in altitude for children. The minimum age recommended is 12 years.
• NOTE: in case of closure of the 4WD track, I will propose an alternative hike around Mafate.

The price includes

• Supervision by the mountain leader.
• A snack with local drinks.

The price does not include

• Return transport to the parking lot of the Galets river.
• Tranfer with the 4WD taxi: 26€ per person.
• Picnic lunch.
• Drinks.
• Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".

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