Fleur Jaune Canyoning, Cilaos: 4 options compared, 2026 prices

This is the one to choose if you've come to Cilaos for the real canyon experience. You meet Fabrice and the CilaosAventure team outside the Tourist Office at 8am for a briefing and kitting up, then walk 30 minutes to the top of the canyon. And there it all opens up: you're in the heart of the cirque, in a gash carved by water into the south face, and all you can hear is the rushing water.

The route links seven abseils, including a 55-metre one (the highlight), with natural slides and crystal-clear pools in between. The rock face is draped in greenery, the waterfalls plunge down in full sunlight, and each abseil ends in a new pool where you can catch your breath. The descent itself takes 3 to 4 hours depending on the group; for the whole day, allow around seven hours including the walk in, the briefing and the walk out.

To be honest, this isn't a beginner's canyon. The company rates it 'athletic', and 55 metres on the end of a rope down a rock face isn't something you improvise. If you've never abseiled before and you're afraid of heights, you'll spend part of it managing your nerves. For experienced canyoners, though, it's arguably the most beautiful canyon in Reunion Island.

The €75 Manawa price includes a state-qualified canyoning instructor, technical equipment (harness, helmet, descender, wetsuit), insurance and photos taken by the guide on the way down. You meet outside the Cilaos Tourist Office, with free parking nearby on Rue Mac Auliffe.

Mini Fleur Jaune is the little sibling of the big canyon, using its upper section, where the river has carved a series of smaller waterfalls. It's the right choice if you've never been canyoning, if you're bringing children aged 12 or over, or if you want a taste before tackling the 55-metre version one day.

The walk in is shorter (20 minutes from the Tourist Office meeting point), and you enter the canyon via a 40-metre via ferrata. Then come four abseils of 12 to 32 metres, two optional jumps of up to 8 metres and several natural slides down polished rock. Nothing is compulsory: for every jump, the guide offers a climb-down or an abseil instead.

This gradual progression makes all the difference: you learn to trust the rope, jump into a pool and read the current, without pressure. By the end, you've done real canyoning, not just 'tried something'. Children aged 12 and over, weighing more than 30kg and at least 1.40m tall, can take part as long as they can swim and are comfortable in water.

One thing to note: this isn't the one for you if you're after the raw thrill of the big abseil. The Mini is more fun than technical, a first big adventure rather than a challenge. Manawa price €65, with equipment and the guide's photos included.

This trip descends exactly the same canyon as the CilaosAventure classic, but it's run by a different local operator with a different meeting point: the Anciens Thermes car park on Rue des Thermes, a 5-minute drive from the centre of Cilaos. Handier if you're staying in an out-of-the-way gîte or want to avoid the town centre.

It follows the same series of abseils, up to 55 metres, down the same green rock face. There are two notable differences from the CilaosAventure trip: the minimum age is 14 (not 12), and the cancellation policy is 'moderate' rather than 'flexible', so you have less leeway to cancel at the last minute.

The same descent costs €77 on Manawa and €80 on Funbooker. The €3 difference isn't huge: if flexible cancellation matters most, go with Funbooker; if you want the lowest price, choose Manawa. Both affiliate links are below, at no extra cost to you either way.

This is typically the one to choose if you're 14 or over, already comfortable abseiling, and CilaosAventure is fully booked on your date. The descent is exactly the same; only the operator and meeting point change.

The full route is for enthusiasts who want to do Fleur Jaune from top to bottom. Where the classic trip enters the canyon halfway down, the full route starts right at the top and descends the whole canyon, from the first trickle to the last pools before you come out on the river. It takes the whole day: 6 to 7 hours depending on the group's pace, including the walk in, the descent, the walk out and a lunch break.

It's more demanding than the classic trip. There are more abseils, some over slabs polished smooth by water with nothing to hold on to. The water sections are longer, the water is colder at altitude, and you need to stay focused for several hours. For fit, experienced canyoners with a few canyons behind them who are comfortable abseiling, it's an exceptional playground.

It's for ages 14 and over and demands real fitness: at the end of the day you still have to walk back up to Cilaos, tired. If you're torn between the classic and the full route, the classic is more than enough for the big abseil and the Fleur Jaune experience; the full route is a step up for those who want to complete the whole canyon.

Funbooker price: €110 per person, with a state-qualified canyoning instructor based in Cilaos and full technical equipment. Flexible cancellation: you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours ahead if the weather is bad. Book on Funbooker via the link below.