GRR2 - The Great Crossing of Réunion

You land at Saint-Denis airport in the morning, after your overnight flight. Your Horizon Réunion representative welcomes you upon arrival and arranges your private transfer with driver to your hotel, located in the city center of Saint-Denis.

Embark on your Trek on the legendary GRR2 with a first stage that takes you to the Roche Écrite lodge, passing through the village of Brûlé and a forest of Cryptomeria trees. To reach your destination, with 2 possible starting points: depart from the Providence forest for a 6 to 7 hour hike, or start at the Mamode Camp parking area for a shorter route of 2.5 hours of walking, with 600 meters of positive elevation gain.

+ 600 or +1820 m

- 32 m

We recommend you choose the variant that allows you to reach the summit of Roche Écrite, at 2,277 meters altitude. This ascent will offer you magnificent panoramas of the surrounding landscapes. After picking up your picnic at the Roche Écrite gîte, resume the GR® R2 trail towards the Affouches plain. The path crosses a forest of colorwood trees and tamarinds of the Hauts. Along the way, you will enjoy beautiful views of the Mafate cirque before reaching the center of the village of Dos d'Âne.

+ 453 m

- 1303 m

Starting from Deux-Bras, follow the course of the Galets river which you will cross four times by ford. Continue then with a climb around Piton Cabris, passing through Bord-Bazar, before reaching the îlet d'Aurère, at 926 metres altitude, where you will spend the night.

+ 743 m

- 822 m

Continue your trek by passing through the charming îlet à Malheur, then reach Grand-Place-Les-Hauts, in the heart of the Cirque de Mafate. You will end your day there and spend the night enjoying a beautiful view of the Heart of Mafate and Piton Cabris.

+ 375 m

- 456 m

Continue your trek through the Cirque de Mafate by reaching a new islet: Roche-Plate. Your itinerary will take you through Piton Tortue and the islet of Orangers, before fording the ravine of Maïdo and that of Grand-Mère. You will then reach Roche-Plate, located at 1,132 meters altitude, at the foot of the famous Piton Maïdo.

+ 1041 m

- 753 m

For this stage, we recommend taking a variant rather than following the GRR2, whose route passes through Piton Bronchard and includes technical passages and tricky descents. Instead, opt for the GRR3 heading towards Marla, passing through the Trois-Roches geological site, renowned for its impressive waterfall. This natural setting is perfect for a picnic break.

+ 739 m

- 232 m

Begin this new stage with the ascent of Taïbit Pass. Along the way, admire the spectacular landscapes of Cilaos, between imposing peaks, steep cliffs and canyons dotted with numerous pools and waterfalls. A natural setting that has made Cilaos famous among canyoning enthusiasts.

Upon arrival in Cilaos, meet your Horizon Réunion driver at your guesthouse, where he will hand over your support luggage. You can then retrieve your personal belongings and reorganize your hiking backpack for the rest of your journey.

+ 766 m

- 1193 m

This particularly demanding stage will take you from Cilaos to Dufour Cave, where the Piton des Neiges refuge is located. On the agenda: a sustained climb of 1,400 meters of elevation gain, punctuated by numerous staircase sections.

You can take the local bus from Cilaos town center to the "Le Bloc" stop to reduce hiking time to 3h00-3h30 instead of the planned 5h00.

+ 1395 m

- 131 m

Weather permitting, set off early in the morning from the Caverne Dufour lodge to reach the summit of Piton des Neiges, the highest point in the Indian Ocean at 3,070 meters above sea level. This 1.5 to 2-hour climb (600 meters of positive elevation gain) will allow you to admire the sunrise from the island's highest peak.

After joining the GRR2, begin a long descent towards Bourg-Murat. You will cross through landscapes of green plains, dotted with pastures where cows graze, until you arrive at Bourg-Murat.

Your hike begins in the midst of plains and pastures before leading you through a forest of cryptomerias. You will then reach the viewpoint of Nez de Bœuf, which overlooks the canyon of the Remparts river, then skirt several ancient craters covered with vegetation until Piton Textor. To conclude this stage, you will cross the volcanic and lunar landscapes of the Plaine des Sables before reaching the lodge of Piton de la Fournaise, located at 2,250 meters altitude.

+ 961 m

- 306 m

This day will be dedicated to climbing the Dolomieu crater (2631 meters altitude), the main crater located within the enclosure of the Piton de la Fournaise, one of the most active volcanoes in the world!

Before starting your hike, pick up your packed lunch at the Volcano lodge.

+ 510 m

- 510 m

Before departing, collect your picnic from the Volcano lodge. For this final stage, we propose a variant of the GRR2, whose route is more technical and less attractive until Basse-Vallée. You will first cross volcanic landscapes with lunar features, then reach the magnificent Langevin canyon by taking the Cap Blanc trail to the perched village of Grand-Galet. Upon arrival, enjoy one last memory of this adventure with a photo in front of the magnificent Grand Galet waterfall, to celebrate your efforts and complete this superb Human and sporting Adventure!

At the end of your hike, your Horizon Réunion driver will greet you at the end of the Trek. You will retrieve your luggage before heading to your next destination, to be determined together according to the rest of your stay.

+ 156 m

- 1881 m