The Piton Maïdo is one of Réunion's most economical activities. The indicative budget of €50/day/person covers a half-day excursion from your west coast accommodation: round-trip petrol (€10-15 from Saint-Gilles or Saint-Paul), Creole breakfast at a Hauts Forêts farm-inn on return (€10-15), possible equipment rental (fleece, poles if you hike: €10-20/day).
The only mandatory expenses are petrol (the forest road is long: 40 km round trip from Saint-Paul) and the picnic or breakfast. Everything else is free: free parking, no paid entry at the belvedere, free hikes (tamarin forest, Grand Bénare, Trois Salazes).
Equipment to bring or rent: if you do not have a warm fleece, windbreaker and hat (imperatives before dawn), rental possible in Saint-Pierre or Saint-Denis (€10-25/day). Well-equipped sports shops (Décathlon, Intersport). Hiking shoes are not necessary if you stay at the belvedere (closed shoes sufficient), but essential for the descent to Mafate or the ascent of the Grand Bénare.
For those who want to sleep near Maïdo to leave even earlier (and without the switchback road at night), some guesthouses and rural gîtes in the Hauts Forêts (10-15 min by car from the parking): €60-90/night for 2, authentic altitude atmosphere. But the majority option remains to sleep in Saint-Gilles or Saint-Paul and climb in the middle of the night.
Read also
- Mafate, the cirque without roads — The cirque accessible only on foot or by helicopter, whose classic descent begins at Maïdo.
- The Cirques of Réunion — Mafate, Cilaos and Salazie: the UNESCO heart of the island, its vertiginous ramparts and îlets.
- Saint-Gilles - L'Hermitage — The turquoise lagoon of the west coast, 1h30 of road from Maïdo (ideal base camp).
- Réunion — Complete guide of the intense island: formalities, budget, climate, regions to discover.