Reunion Island, France
Steep light-green cliffs rose high on both sides of the trail. Thick white clouds moved inwards equally nosotros trudged into the wilderness of Reunion Island.
Cirque de Mafate is a volcanic caldera, formed long agone when business office of volcano Piton des Neiges collapsed. It’s i of 3 cirques on Reunion Island, a remote French territory located inwards the Indian Ocean.
Today nosotros were hiking to the oculus of the island. But starting fourth dimension vi of us climbed on the dorsum of a 4×4 pickup truck, addition a few to a greater extent than inside, for an off-road drive through the River des Galets inwards a makeshift taxi.
From in that location it’s a 2-3 threescore minutes hike into the mountains to attain the remote villages of Mafate, originally built when the interior of the isle was colonized yesteryear escaped slaves during the 19th century.
Cirque De Mafate
There are no roads inwards Mafate, withal 800 people alive inwards a handful of communities built within the caldera. The but means to attain the surface area is on hiking trails or yesteryear helicopter.
Our guide Ludo led the way, in addition to instantly nosotros were forced to wade across the river several times hiking into the valley. The path became steeper alongside switchbacks in addition to a few high bridges spanning long drops to the rocks below.
A small-scale mangy domestic dog joined the grouping in addition to hiked alongside us for a while. Low-flying helicopters buzzed overhead every thirty minutes or so, shuttling nutrient & supplies to the villagers.
More Cats Than People
Our goal was Cayenne village, where a local menage unit of measurement was hosting us for lunch. Cayenne is completely cutting off from the grid. They role solar panels in addition to a few diesel fuel generators for power.
If residents desire to take in the supermarket, they must hike out of the mountains for 2 hours, in addition to hence jump inwards a 4×4 taxi. The local schoolhouse instructor makes this journeying every Monday, staying overnight during the calendar week earlier heading dorsum to her dwelling on the weekends.
It takes a exceptional sort of individual to alive hence far out inwards the wilderness!
We arrived to notice the hamlet completely overrun yesteryear cats. Big cats, piddling cats, dingy cats, funny cats. It was my sort of place.
Homes hither are small, colorful, in addition to simple. They fifty-fifty receive got a piddling church.
Local Creol Lunch
Our hosts Jeff & Cathy were already preparing a traditional Creole repast cooked over an opened upward fire. We wandered unopen to the town taking photos or playing soccer alongside kids on a grass-covered helipad.
When luncheon was ready nosotros sat downwards to a peaceful in addition to relaxing repast surrounded yesteryear the tall light-green cliffs, banana trees, in addition to colorful flowers. Shoveling delicious steamed rice in addition to Rougail Saucisse (sausages alongside tomatoes, light-green mango, in addition to ginger) into our faces piece simultaneously fending off an onset of hungry cats.
Washing it all downwards alongside local Dodo beer, shots of Orchid blossom infused Charrette Rum, in addition to potent coffee.
Flying Out Of The Mountains
Instead of hiking dorsum the means nosotros arrived, nosotros were treated to a scenic flying out of the hamlet in addition to over the isle alongside Helilagon Helicopters.
Because in that location are no roads upward here, helicopters are an of import cast of transportation. The chopper flew inwards from the valley below, touching downwards on the border of a cliff. Suddenly a sec helicopter showed upward attempting to driblet off supplies — creating a heaven traffic jam!
We chop-chop walked nether the spinning blades in addition to climbed inwards to receive got off hence the other i could land.
Our adept airplane pilot weaved through Mafate’s narrow canyons inwards the pelting to the coast inwards nigh xv minutes. Passing over waterfalls in addition to other villages on the flight. This was truly my really starting fourth dimension helicopter ride, in addition to I loved it.
Hiking Reunion Island
You could pass days hiking the network of beautiful trails roofing Reunion isle — experiencing rainforests, volcanoes, in addition to waterfalls piece camping ground out or staying alongside local villagers inwards mount gites (small cabins).
But in that location are enough of brusk 24-hour interval hikes for families too. The isle is a hiker’s paradise.
Reunion is also host to the annual Grand Raid, an extreme ultramarathon inwards the mountains that attracts hundreds of runners from all over the world.
They run 100 miles over crude oil mount trails non-stop for 1 or 2 days. ★
Accommodation: Cases Couleurs
Company: Tours Reunion & Ludo Marconnot
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#GoToReunion is made possible inwards partnership alongside iAmbassador in addition to Reunion Island Tourism. As always, the content & opinions expressed hither are solely my own.
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