Where to go canyoning on Reunion Island

Discover the best places for canyoning on Reunion Island and drink in the thrills!

Reunion Island is an island of many facets. It’s just as much a place for idleness as for extraordinary adventures. Indeed, with its incredible natural wealth, Reunion Island is an infinite source of happiness.

If you’re looking for a thrill, you’ll find it in one of the many canyons. Discover with us the best places for canyoning on Reunion Island.

Ready to hurtle down the natural toboggans and abseil into the heart of Reunion’s marvellous natural environment? Come on, let’s go down!

Best activity: Fleur Jaune Canyon

Photo credit: Shutterstock – sumikophoto

Information you need to know

If you want to go canyoning on Reunion Island, there are a few important details to bear in mind. Indeed, beyond being a fascinating activity, full of twists and splashes, canyoning requires a certain physical and mental rigor. First of all, you need to be able to cope with stress and the feeling of emptiness. Canyoning is not an activity recommended for people prone to vertigo, for example. Aerial descents and abseiling are an integral part of canyoning. So if you find yourself tetchy on the edge of a precipice, it’s not ideal.

Secondly, you need to be in good physical shape to be able to handle certain sections of the routes. Climbing, clinging and scrambling will require strength throughout. All the more so as some explorations last more than 2 hours, and even up to 7 hours for the most intense. But the effort is not constant. Moments of rest and contemplation allow you to catch your breath, recover your energy and, of course, enjoy the whole experience.

Last but not least, you need to be able to swim. You’ll be immersed in water on a regular basis, and will have to cross pools of varying depths. Although you’ll be safe because you’ll be accompanied, swimming is obviously essential!

The course of the activity

Photo credit: Shutterstock – Paulo Resende

You too can explore the Fleur Jaune canyon in Cilaos. This popular canyon is renowned for the variety and beauty of its scenery. Abseiling, slides, turquoise pools and weather-beaten walls await you for a stimulating excursion! But above all, the whole of the cirque de Cilaos awaits you! Between two cliffs and through wild vegetation, remember to observe your surroundings.

You’ll start your escapade with a short ten-minute walk before entering the heart of the matter. This means that you’ll soon be approaching the gorges, where you can slide down (toboggans) and splash around in the clear water pools. You’ll then continue your progress between vertical cliffs, hanging on by a rope as you abseil down.

Finally, the ascent begins. After a lunch break (meal not included), you’ll head back up the mountain along a number of slightly steep paths. These include some rope-climbing passages that will put your whole body to the test… especially your arms! Then, to conclude your adventure, you’ll admire the scenery from the mountain crest, embracing the cirque de Cilaos and breathing in all its pure air.

Canyoning on Reunion Island can be impressive, as it’s still a wild and natural island. And while it’s a strenuous activity, it’s well worth the effort. Aside from a few aches and pains, you’ll come away with plenty of memories. Finally, a little anecdote: the Fleur Jaune canyon owes its name to a St. John’s wort native to the island, which is often found at high altitude. You’re likely to see a few bushes along the way!

The alternative: Trou Blanc Canyon

Photo credit: Shutterstock – PHILIPIMAGE

The course of the activity

Unlike the Fleur Jaune canyon in Cilaos, the Trou Blanc canyon runs through the Salazie cirque. This is the most densely populated of Reunion’s three cirques, and has even been home to thermal springs that are no longer in use. And yet, nature still dominates, occupying a very important place.

So, as you travel through this breathtaking natural landscape, alternating dense vegetation and skin-deep basaltic rock, you’ll find yourself in a league of your own as you begin your adventure. You begin at Piton d’Anchaing, the focal point of the Salazie cirque. From the mount, take in the Salazie panorama graciously offered by Mother Nature. Then delve into the depths of the site and gradually leave civilization behind. Then enter the canyon’s gorges, where the hard work begins.

Abseiling and sliding down a natural toboggan will get you in the mood: you’re canyoning on Reunion Island. Continue your progress by alternating descents and slides, punctuated by a few points of observation of the environment. And as after every effort comes comfort, take advantage of your lunch break with your feet in the water to recover a little energy.

The rest of the course is full of surprises, including jumps of up to 8 metres! Fortunately, these are not compulsory and can be bypassed for those who don’t feel up to it. You’ll also have fond memories of the slide known as the « Particle Accelerator », for obvious etymological reasons. After so much sporting spirit, a 35-metre zip-line takes you back to a river branch, where a final swim takes you back to the start.

Generation Voyage’s other alternatives

• Langevin Family Canyon

• Bras Rouge Canyon

• Canyon Sainte Suzanne

Our tips for canyoning

For a successful canyoning session, there are certain prerequisites. Nothing major, but essential information for a memorable experience.