GRR1 Tour des Cirques (Multi-Day)

The GRR1 Tour des Cirques is a long multi-day circuit linking the three great cirques of Réunion: Cilaos, Mafate and Salazie. This listing takes Cilaos village as its starting point, reached by the RD241 road from Saint-Louis, which takes about 1 hour 15 minutes by car, or by Car Jaune bus line 4. Depending on the variant chosen, hikers finish back in Cilaos, or at La Possession or Saint-Denis. The circuit covers roughly 176 km with around 8,000 m of cumulative ascent and typically takes eight to twelve days, with the highest point at Piton des Neiges (3,069 m). Terrain varies widely: stepped stone paths, steep forested ridges, exposed rock ledges, ladders and chains in places, and long descents into deep ravines. Shade is plentiful in the lower forest but absent on the high ridges, and weather in the mountains changes quickly, with cloud and rain common in the afternoon. Mafate has no road access, so supplies come in on foot or by helicopter, and most hikers sleep in the village gîtes of places such as La Nouvelle and Marla, or in refuges such as Caverne Dufour near the summit. Gîtes serve meals and sell some water, but reservations are essential in the dry season and gear for camping is only practical where permitted. Stage turn-around points are the road-accessible villages, including Cilaos, Hell-Bourg in Salazie and Sans Souci near La Possession, where hikers can end or exit the trek. Water is available at gîtes and some villages, but between settlements it is limited, so purification tablets or a filter are worth carrying. Food for at least three days should be carried between resupply points. The route is waymarked in red and white as a Grande Randonnée, but mist can hide marks, so a GPS or offline maps are advisable. Because of its length, exposure and remoteness, the trek is rated expert and demands solid fitness and careful planning.