Mafate, a lonely and wild circus
To access the Mafate circus do not look for a road, there is none, everything is only trails, nature and exceptional landscapes. Locked between the Crête de la Marianne and the Calumets straddling the towns of the possession and of St.Paul north-west of Piton des Neiges, Mafate, the most isolated caldera in the Reunion Island has about 700 inhabitants spread over 9 islets. It is part of the heart zone of the Réunion national park which is listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
To get to the Mafate circus, you have two solutions, on foot or by helicopter. Each islet has its own airstrip, the only way for the Mafatais to get supplies. Despite everything, the inhabitants remain faithful to the traditions by cultivating fruits, vegetables, grains and raising animals. This is what makes this place unique, a preserved nature sheltered from concrete and modern technologies.
The circus of Mafate did not steal its reputation as a hiker's paradise on intense island. You will find no less than 140 km of marked trails and many lodgings to rest there. Take the opportunity to discover the Trois Roches waterfall between Marla and Roche Plate where the Galets river ends its course in a huge fault. You can access it by hike from Col des Boeufs.
Rendez-vous à l’îlet de la Plaine aux Sables de Mafate, différente de la Plaine des Sables du Piton de la Fournaise et laissez-vous envoûter par le panorama des sommets et remparts de la caldeira.
For more than visits to Reunion consult our interactive map of Réunion.