Hiking in Cilaos: The Chapel
Duration : 1 day
Réunion Island
Level : intermediate
from 50 € / p. from 1 to 12 persons
Infos & Booking
Description
Every Thursday, I propose you to follow the paths of the "marronnage" to the heart of a crystallized magma chamber, witness of the primitive volcanic activity of the Reunion Island.
The hike starts in the heart of the village of Cilaos and quickly goes into a forest of filaos offering a magnificent view on the village of îlet à Cordes and the canyon dug by the Bras Rouge river. The arrival on the monolith of more than 100 meters high, classified world heritage of UNESCO, is a unique moment.
Leaving Cilaos, we will make our way down through the town's agricultural districts to the start of the Chapel trail. From here, we can admire views of the Piton des Neiges, Gros Morne, Taïbit, Grand Bénare and the îlet à Cordes at its foot.
The out-and-back route begins with a steep downhill path that takes us to the bottom of a gully, through a forest of filaos. We walk through this refreshing atmosphere, crossing many small streams. After a short climb, we discover the Bras Rouge river and the narrow crack it has carved into the rocky monolith that is the goal of our hike. We then descend into the river, which we climb back up through the boulders to the foot of the cliff. There, if the river's water level permits, we will plunge into the rift to experience the unique ambience of this mineral corridor, a veritable natural cathedral.
After a riverside picnic, we will take the same route back.
This hike in the heart of the cirque of Cilaos lasts about 5 hours for a distance of 8 kilometers and a positive and negative difference in altitude of 550 meters.
Be careful, this hike often requires participants to walk in water! (water height under the knees)
Children: During the hike, we make several ford crossings and the 550 meters of altitude difference may be too much for some children.
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 hikes, follow me to discover the Belouve forest and the Trou de Fer, on the trails of Mafate's cirque or off-trail on the Piton de la Fournaise (also possible on the trails of the volcano).
Program
- Departure every Thursday.
- Departure is confirmed from the first registered person.
- Meet at 7am at the parking lot of Cilaos ville town hall.
- Discovery hike of an exceptional site classified as a UNESCO world heritage site.
- Discovery of the fauna, the flora, the geology and the local traditions.
- Back to the parking lot around 1pm.
- This itinerary presents some rather steep slopes and a relatively important length for children. The minimum age recommended is 8 years old.
The price includes
- Supervision by the mountain leader.
- A snack with local drinks.
The price does not include
- Transport to and from Cilaos (we endeavour to carpool when possible).
- Picnic lunch.
- Drinks.
- Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".