GR R3

GR R3 is an Extra Difficult multi-day route. It covers 39.31 km with 3,077 m of elevation gain, which makes it a serious mountain hike rather than a casual walk. In Mafate, that usually means long climbs and descents on rugged volcanic terrain with committing sections between isolated hamlets.

GR R3 can be done in 2 days, but it is a very demanding schedule for most hikers. Covering 39.31 km with 3,077 m of ascent means two long mountain days with sustained climbing and descending in the Cirque de Mafate. For many parties, a slower pace over more days is more realistic.

A 3-day plan is a more balanced way to hike GR R3 than trying to force the full route into 2 days. Spreading 39.31 km and 3,077 m of climbing across three stages leaves more margin for steep terrain, heat, and the slower pace that is common on Mafate trails. It is still a strenuous route and remains firmly in the difficult backpacking category.

Yes, 4 days is a reasonable pace for GR R3. With 39.31 km total, that averages under 10 km per day, which can make sense on a route with 3,077 m of elevation gain and repeated steep ascents and descents. A 4-day schedule also gives more flexibility for weather, rest stops, and overnight stays in Mafate.

GR R3 is one of the marked long-distance hiking routes linked to the Cirque de Mafate on La Réunion. Official tourism information for the Col des Boeufs to La Nouvelle trail notes that an early section follows the GRR3 before the route toward La Nouvelle continues on GRR1, showing that GR R3 forms part of the Mafate trail network rather than a simple out-and-back path. The hike page places this route in Saint-Paul, on the western side of the island.

Both descriptions are correct. GR R3 is listed in Saint-Paul, and it is part of the wider Mafate hiking area on La Réunion. Mafate is the island’s remote cirque that is reached on foot, and Saint-Paul is one of the communes associated with access to that side of the trail network.

The main reasons are the combination of distance and climbing: 39.31 km with 3,077 m of ascent. That is a heavy workload on steep mountain trails, and the route is officially classified Extra Difficult. In Mafate, the challenge is amplified by isolated terrain, repeated elevation changes, and slower progress than the raw mileage suggests.