The Piton de la Fournaise is an almost free activity once on site. The indicative budget of €70/day/person covers a day's excursion from your accommodation: round-trip petrol (€15-25), picnic (€8-12), Maison du Volcan (€9), drinks (€3-5).
The only mandatory expenses are petrol (the forest road is long: 50-60 km round trip from Saint-Pierre) and the picnic (no supplies in the Enclos). The Maison du Volcan in Bourg-Murat (€9) is strongly recommended as a complementary stop.
Equipment to bring or rent: if you do not have the right equipment (hiking shoes, fleece, windbreaker, headlamp), count €50-100 in purchase or €15-25 in rental per day (Maison du Volcan, sports shops in Saint-Pierre).
For nearby accommodation: the Plaine des Cafres and Bourg-Murat offer rural gîtes and altitude guesthouses (€65-100/night for 2), ideal to leave early for the volcano. The Plaine des Palmistes and Saint-Pierre are the other nearby options.
The helicopter overflight is the extra to consider if the budget allows: €250-400/person for 30-45 min of panoramic flight. Particularly spectacular in case of ongoing eruption.
Read also
- The Wild South — The territory of Piton de la Fournaise: Saint-Joseph, Saint-Philippe, lava flows and Bourbon vanilla.
- The Cirques of Réunion — Mafate, Cilaos and Salazie: the other volcanic side of the island, UNESCO-listed.
- Réunion — Complete guide of the intense island: formalities, budget, climate, regions to discover.
- Cilaos — The cirque accessible by car via the 400-bend road, starting point of Piton des Neiges.