Réunion Helicopter Tour - Discover the Intense Island from Above

The three cirques: Mafate, Cilaos and Salazie

The cirques are vast natural amphitheatres carved by erosion into the flanks of the extinct Piton des Neiges, the highest summit of the Indian Ocean at about 3,070 metres. Mafate is the wildest, with no roads at all: its scattered hamlets are reached only on foot or by helicopter. Cilaos is ringed by sheer cliffs and famous for its winding mountain road, while Salazie, the greenest, is laced with waterfalls.

Together with the island's peaks and ramparts they form a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 2010. From the air you understand their scale in a way no viewpoint can show, and this is why every option of this Réunion helicopter flight includes all three. Is a helicopter tour in Réunion worth it? For seeing Mafate alone, most travellers say yes.

Trou de Fer and the Bébour and Bélouve forests

The Trou de Fer is one of the most spectacular sights on the island: a deep, narrow gorge hidden in the rainforest where several long waterfalls drop hundreds of metres into a misty pool. It is extremely hard to reach on foot, so the helicopter view is the classic way to see it, and your pilot positions the aircraft for the best angle.

On the 45 and 55-minute flights you continue over the Bébour and Bélouve forests, a high plateau of native woodland with tree ferns and mountain tamarind trees, often wrapped in cloud. The 55-minute route adds the Takamaka valley, with its tall waterfalls on steep green walls, and Grand Étang, a lake set in a forested valley on the east side of the island.

Piton de la Fournaise and the Wild South

Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, erupting on average about once a year. From the helicopter you see the summit craters, the wide caldera known as the Enclos and lava flows of different ages in shades of black, brown and rust, some running all the way down to the sea.

Beyond the volcano, the Wild South is a rugged coastline of black rock, lava fields and dense vegetation battered by ocean swell. Flying over it shows how young and active this island still is. The route then turns west along the coast toward the Saint-Pierre lagoon, protected by its reef, before landing back at Pierrefonds.

Pierrefonds helipad and planning your flight

Flights take off from the helipad at Pierrefonds airport, between Saint-Pierre and Saint-Louis in the south of Réunion Island. You come by car, follow the signs from the control tower to the helicopter base and use the parking provided. The 45 and 55-minute flights usually leave at 07:00 and the 35-minute flight at 10:00; the exact time is confirmed by phone the day before.

The best time for a helicopter flight in Réunion is early morning, before clouds build over the mountains, and the dry season from May to November often brings the clearest skies. Seats are allocated by the pilot according to passenger weight for safety and balance, and the maximum weight is 120 kg per person. Bring your ID and sunglasses.