THE VOLCANIC CIRQUE OF SALAZIE AND THE WATERFALLS (Half Day)

Description

Two natural wonders that will leave you speechless: a collapsed volcanic caldera, the Cirque de Salazie, with its lush vegetation and stirring views, and the awe-inspiring waterfalls of Voile de la Mariée that weave a tapestry of pretty rivulets across a steep wall of rock. Throw in some picturesque villages and a vanilla plantation: what more could you ask for?

What we will see

• The north coast of Réunion
• The waterfalls of Voile de la Mariée
• Vanilla-plantation tour
• Shopping in Saint Denis

What we will do

• Aboard our coach, we follow a scenic route through the capital, Saint-Denis, and two small towns of Sainte-Marie and Sainte-Suzanne, to the north coast of Réunion.
• The journey offers reveals some typical inland landscapes, with stretches of sugar-cane, vanilla and lychee plantations punctuated with Creole-style houses and Tamil temples that reflect the size of the island’s Indian community.
• We reach Saint-André then head inland towards the Cirque de Salazie, a huge, awe-inspiring, natural amphitheatre that surrounds the island’s highest peak, the imposing Piton de Neiges. Along with the Cilaos and Mafate cirques, the enormous Cirque de Salazie is all that remains of the ancient ring of volcanoes that once encircled the mountain.
• Easily accessible, and covered with lush vegetation, the Cirque de Salazie draws countless tourists with its mild climate, spectacular views and natural beauty.
• Behind the village of Salazie are the waterfalls of Voile de la Mariée, which tumble in multiple rivulets down hundreds of metres of plant-covered rock face, to splash into a mirror of deep-blue water.
• The next leg of our journey brings us back to the coast and a vanilla plantation where we learn about the cultivation of a plant that first came to the island some time after the process of manual pollination was discovered in 1841.
• Finally, on our way back to the port, we break our journey in Saint-Denis, where we have some free time to do some shopping.

What you need to know

• The road has a good number of sharp curves and hairpin bends. 
• The itinerary will take us up over 1,000m above sea level, so please bring suitable attire. 
• Space is limited, so please reserve early. 
  
• The means of transportation will have different seizes.
• There is a limited number of English speaking guides; should no guides be available excursions will be led in French. 
• This excursion is reserved for passengers who don't disembark in Reunion.