Cirque de Mafate

Cirque de Mafate is the most isolated of the three volcanic cirques of Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean. No road reaches its floor, so the only ways in are on foot along steep mountain trails or by helicopter from Saint-Pierre. A dozen or so small hamlets, including La Nouvelle, Marla, Roche Plate and Îlet à Cordes, are scattered across the terraced interior, linked by ridge-and-valley paths that multi-day trekkers use to move between gîtes, the simple guesthouses that serve half-board meals. Residents carry supplies in on foot or receive them by air, and the absence of vehicles preserves a rare quiet inside the amphitheatre of cliffs. The most popular route starts at Col des Bœufs near La Plaine des Palmistes and descends to La Nouvelle in about two and a half hours, the trail switching back down a cliff face before the hamlet's grazing land opens up below, ringed by sheer walls. From there, paths continue to other hamlets and to viewpoints on the cirque rim. Visitors see vegetable plots, chayote vines, lentil fields and creole houses with corrugated roofs set against dramatic ridgelines. A visit can last a single day for a round trip to La Nouvelle, though most walkers stay one or more nights to appreciate the setting and to avoid the strenuous climb out the same afternoon. Mornings give the clearest views, since cloud usually fills the cirque by mid-morning. Crowds are heaviest in the dry season from May to November, particularly July and August, when gîte beds fill quickly and advance booking is needed. The cirque can also be viewed from Le Maïdo lookout on its western rim. Hikers should carry water, rain protection and cash, as there are no cash machines inside, and should allow extra time for the climb out, which is considerably harder than the descent.