Essential Reunion
Duration : 10 days
Route : Saint-Denis (1 night) → Cilaos (2 nights) → Plaine des Cafres / Piton de la Fournaise (2 nights) → Saint-Pierre (1 night) → Saint-Gilles & L'Hermitage lagoon (3 nights) → Saint-Denis (1 night)
Custom travel to Reunion Island
Reunion Island is one of the world's most intense destinations — a 2,500 km² French overseas department that condenses into a single day's drive landscapes of an entire planet. Primary forests, UNESCO-listed cirques, an active volcano, turquoise lagoons, basaltic cliffs, sugarcane and vanilla plantations: everything is outsized, vertical, wild. Creole culture, a unique blend of Africans, Indians, Chinese, Malagasy, and Europeans, infuses cuisine, language, and lively festivals. Here, you come to hike (1,000 km of GR trails), to climb, to dive in the lagoons, and above all, to breathe a rare intensity.
Highlights
- UNESCO cirques of Mafate, Cilaos, and Salazie
- Piton de la Fournaise: accessible active volcano
- L'Hermitage and Saint-Pierre lagoons
- GR R1 and R2 trails: legendary hiking
- Creole cuisine: carry, rougail, cabri massalé
- Saint-Denis and its colonial heritage
Sample itineraries
Mafate trek and island tour
Duration : 14 days
Route : Saint-Denis (1 night) → Salazie (1 night) → walking trek in Mafate with mountain guide (4 nights in gîtes) → Cilaos (2 nights) → Volcano (2 nights) → Saint-Pierre / Saint-Gilles (3 nights) → Saint-Denis (1 night)
Reunion + Mauritius
Duration : 14 days
Route : Saint-Denis (1 night) → Cilaos (2 nights) → Volcano (2 nights) → Saint-Gilles (2 nights) → flight to Mauritius (40 min) → east coast Belle Mare (3 nights) → west coast Le Morne (3 nights) → departure
When to go
Reunion is ideally visited April to November: it's the dry season ('austral winter'), with pleasant temperatures (20-25 °C on the coast, 10-15 °C in the heights), little rain, clear skies, ideal for hiking. May-October is optimal. The wet season (December-March) is the 'austral summer', warmer (28-32 °C on the coast) but rainier and windier, with cyclone risk (especially January-March). From June to October, it's also humpback whale season (observation trips from Saint-Gilles). Piton des Neiges is more accessible April-November (often snowy in July-August despite the southern hemisphere).
- Cool dry season (austral winter) (May – September) — All cirques, volcano, Piton des Neiges, whales
- Dry shoulder season (April, October, November) — Still-perfect hiking, lagoons
- Hot wet season (December – February) — Lagoons (water at 28 °C), Creole festivals, low prices
- Cyclone season (January – March) — South lagoons, sometimes inaccessible heights
Practical information
Reunion is a French overseas department: ID card or passport sufficient, no visa, euro currency, French social security coverage. Island generally very safe. Main risks are hiking (technical terrain, changing altitude weather — essential equipment, mountain guide recommended for Mafate and Piton des Neiges) and sharks (swimming and surfing prohibited outside protected lagoons since 2011 — respect signs). Dengue vaccine recommended. No malaria mosquitoes. A few Creole words (kossa = what; nou artrouv = see you again) always appreciated. Victoria pineapples, lychees (Dec-Jan season), and José mangoes are absolute musts.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time for a Reunion trip?
April to November (dry season, austral winter): ideal for hiking, clear sky. May-October is optimal. Wet season (December-March) with cyclone risk should be avoided. From June to October, it's also humpback whale season.
How long for a Reunion trip?
Minimum 10 days for a classic island tour (cirques + volcano + west coast). 14 days to add a Mafate trek. 14-16 days to combine Reunion + Mauritius (the winning combination).
What budget for a custom Reunion trip?
As a guideline, €1,600-€2,200 per person for 10-12 days in comfort, excluding flights. For an upscale trip: €3,500-€6,500. Paris-Saint-Denis flights: €700-€1,400.
Do I need a visa for Reunion?
None. Reunion is a French overseas department: ID card or passport sufficient for French citizens. For other European nationalities: ID card or passport depending on country. No visa for EU citizens.
Do I need to be athletic to travel to Reunion?
No, there are itineraries accessible to all (lagoons, panoramic heights road, Creole market, short walks). But to fully enjoy (cirques, volcano), good fitness is appreciable. Mafate and Piton des Neiges require good shape.
How do I get around in Reunion?
Rental car essential (the island is only discovered by self-drive). No reliable public transport outside cities. For Mafate, it's walking (gîtes) or helicopter. Winding roads: allow 50 km/h average, 2-3 h to cross the island.
Can I combine Reunion and Mauritius?
Yes, it's even the winning Mascarene combination: 7 days in Reunion (adventure, cirques, volcano) + 7 days in Mauritius (beaches, lagoons, 5★ hotels). Direct flight Saint-Denis-Mauritius 40 min. Very complementary.
Is Piton de la Fournaise dangerous?
No, it's an effusive volcano (flowing lava, not explosive), accessible and well supervised. The descent to Dolomieu crater is marked. In case of eruption, trails are closed and secured observation points are set up. The experience is striking.
Can I swim in Reunion?
Yes, but only in lagoons protected by the coral barrier (L'Hermitage in Saint-Gilles, Étang-Salé, Saint-Pierre, Saint-Leu). Swimming and surfing outside lagoons have been prohibited since 2011 due to shark risk. Respect signs. Natural pools (Saint-Pierre, Anse des Cascades) are also secured.
Is Reunion suitable for a family trip?
Absolutely. Safety, warm welcome, L'Hermitage lagoon perfect for children, many family walks (Anse des Cascades, northern coastal trail), accessible volcano. Favor Saint-Gilles + Cilaos cirque + wild south for a first family trip.