Essential Sites In Réunion Tour

Day 1: Arrival at Saint-Denis and settling in at Saint Gilles

Morning: Arrive at Réunion airport, welcome, then drive west of the island towards Saint-Gilles. Check-in at the Le Boucan Canot 4* hotel in Boucan Canot. Lunch at the hotel.

Afternoon: relaxation on the beach at Boucan Canot.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Piton Maïdo

Morning: early departure after breakfast to discover the Piton Maïdo. The road climbs through the heart of the superb upper Tamarind forest to finally reach the highest point on the West Coast: Piton Maïdo. Spectacular views over the entire Cirque de Mafate! At 1,200 meters, the relief of this cirque takes shape beneath your feet: pitons, gullies, and islets. Hike back down to the seaside resort of St-Gilles les Bains.

Lunch at Les Balançoires restaurant.

Afternoon: stroll around the town of Saint-Gilles, then head for the Saint-Gilles marina for a sunset cruise to see the dolphins!

Overnight at Le Boucan Canot 4* hotel.

Day 3: Saint Leu and the Road to Cilaos

Morning: Discover the Jardin d'Eden de l'Hermitage (a botanical garden covering almost 3 hectares, with a variety of plant species grouped by theme): a moment of relaxation punctuated, if you're lucky, by an encounter with a few "sleepers": the chameleons of Réunion Island. Continue to St-Leu, famous for its surf spot but also for its former Compagnie des Indes buildings (the post office on the seafront, the town hall, etc.). Scuba diving in Saint-Leu Bay or snorkeling on the beach.

Lunch at the Villa Vanille restaurant in Saint-Leu.

Afternoon: Head for Saint-Louis to take the picturesque Cilaos road from "La Rivière": 30 km and some 420 bends to reach the heart of the cirque.

Check-in and overnight at the Hôtel Le Vieux Cep, in Cilaos.

Day 4: Cilaos between Water and Mountains

Morning: After breakfast in a magnificent mountain setting, you will discover the heritage of Cilaos: a spa town since the beginning of the last century, Cilaos is now a dynamic resort. After a tour of the town, the Maison de la Broderie, and the thermal baths, a walk will take you to the Roche Merveilleuse, accessible after a short walk through the undergrowth, from where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the town. Then stop off at La Cave for a tasting of local produce!

Afternoon: continuation of the tour of the cirque and its other islets, in particular Bras Sec and its vineyards, but also the village of îlet à cordes, isolated on a small rocky promontory, but a major centers for lentil cultivation, one of the best in the world.

Overnight at the Hôtel Le Vieux Cep.

Day 5: L'Entre Deux: Garden Village and Creole Huts

Morning: After breakfast, head for the little village of L'Entre Deux, between the Bras de la Plaine and the Bras de Cilaos: this small green resort with its temperate climate has long been the island's "market gardener" with its many fruit and vegetable crops, as well as coffee, an endemic species of which has been found in L'Entre Deux.

Lunch at the restaurant.

Afternoon: Visit the "Cases et Jardins" tour, where you will discover typical Creole houses, still surrounded by well-kept gardens, and learn about the history of one of the island's oldest villages while enjoying a tasting of "Bourbon points", a specialty of the island.

Overnight in a guest room at l'Entre Deux.

Day 6: From Bourg Murat to the Volcano Gates

Morning: Early departure for the discovery of the Volcano, taking the Bourg Murat forest road, which rises rapidly through the pastures to reveal a breathtaking panorama of Réunion's main peaks: the Piton des Neiges, the Grand Bénare, the Roche Ecrite, and the Cimendef. The first stop, at Nez de Bœuf, offers a breathtaking view of the Remparts River canyon and the village of Roche Plate below. Then, gradually, the green meadows give way to a mineral and lunar landscape such as the striking Plaine des Sables.

Creole lunch.

Afternoon: Transfer to Pas de Bellecombe, where the majestic Piton de La Fournaise and its enclosure await you. Several walks are possible: along the edges of the enclosure, up to the Formica Leo crater (1h30 walk), or up to the Dolomieu crater (5h walk).

At Bois-Court, you can discover the hydraulic clock (with a beautiful view of the village of Grand Bassin and its waterfall, isolated at the bottom of the canyon).

Overnight at the Hôtel Le Géranium.

Day 7: Saint Philippe Perfume of Basalt

Morning: Departure for a day in this southern region, with its pretty Creole huts and gardens. This is the region where sea spray and perfumes combine to create the beauty of the "Wild South". In Saint-Philippe, you can visit the Jardin des Parfums et des Epices, a botanical garden where endemic plants and tropical flora mingle with lava flows.

Continuing along the coast, you will discover a region marked by the raging Piton de la Fournaise, the "Grand Brulé", crossed by numerous lava flows, as far as the Piton Sainte Rose and its church, renamed "Notre Dame des laves" because it was miraculously spared by the lava. L'Anse des Cascades, a typical little fishing port, will be a very interesting stop-off.

Lunch at the Anse des Cascades restaurant.

Afternoon: Continue eastwards towards Saint-Benoît. Then head north, before St-André, towards the Salazie Cirque: Salazie Village then Hellbourg (a short hour's drive from Saint-Benoît). Check-in and overnight at the Relais Des Cimes (2*) in Hellbourg.

Day 8: Visit Hell Bourg and Vanilla of Saint Suzanne

Morning: After breakfast, we discover the Cirque de Salazie, the greenest circus on the island of Reunion: a real vegetable paradise. Stroll through the charming village of Hell Bourg, now listed among the "most beautiful villages in France", and discover its pretty Creole-style huts. The "Villa Folio", one of these 19th-century residences, surrounded by camellias and orchids, tells a recent story to give you a taste of the "Creole art of living".

Creole lunch.

Afternoon: Return to the coast, then stop at Ste-Susanne, at the Vanilleraie, to discover the secrets of the production of the famous "Vanilla of Bourbon", as part of a beautiful colonial residence.

Finally, we take the direction of Saint-Denis for your return flight.

Depending on how much time we have left, we visit the city of Saint-Denis and some of its museums.

What the Price Includes :

- Return airport/hotel transfers and domestic transport, according to the program
- Hotel accommodation
- Full board and picnics
- Drinks (mineral water)
- Excursions mentioned in the program
- Services of local English-speaking guides during excursions

What the Price Does Not Include:

- Optional Activities
- Flight tickets
- Personal expenses
- Formalities
- Insurance