Into the cirques of Reunion Island

For being such a small landmass, Reunion Island towers impressively far above the Indian Ocean. At its widest point, the island measures only 40 miles, but it boasts an elevation of over 10,000 feet. The result is an interior web of mountain ecosystems that rival the beauty of the island’s tropical shore.

The most iconic of Reunion’s geographic features are its three cirques that flank the island’s highest peak, Piton de Neige. A cirque is an amphitheater bowl-shaped depression formed by millions of years of erosion.

Reunion’s three cirques — Mafate, Cilaos, and Salazie — are all unique in their own right. Mafate is the most remote, with no roads that enter. The only way in is by the steep foot trails. Surprisingly, some people live in these remote parts of the island. In order to preserve these mountain villages, the French government provides helicopter service to deliver supplies and remove trash, making it much more economically feasible and sustainable to live in Mafate.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Evan Quarnstrom (@evanquarnstrom)

For my first excursion into the mountains, I entered the cirque of Cilaos and climbed the valley ridge to drop down into the cirque of Mafate.

The first thing you notice when climbing up into the mountains of Reunion is the fresh air. The stifling humidity and ubiquitous heat of the austral summer can get a bit uncomfortable down on the coast, but up in the mountains fresh air and cool temperatures provide relief.

The views and geography are stunning, looking like a scene out of Jurassic Park. Water tumbles over ledges everywhere you look and lush vegetation clings to the sides of the impossibly steep lava cliffs.

Dropping into a cirque on Reunion Island is like entering a different world — the geography, the climate, and the people who call this area home are all so unique.

This was my first venture into the island’s interior, but it certainly won’t be my last.