Private tour of Réunion's wild south with driver guide

The church at Anse des Cascades survived a lava flow in 1977 and still stands.

A private full-day tour of Réunion Island's wild south coast with a driver guide who speaks English, French or Chinese. You visit Langevin Waterfall, Cap Méchant (where you have lunch), the lava road and its UNESCO-listed flows, the Church of Our Lady of Lavas, and end at Anse des Cascades. The tour includes private transportation, water and WiFi. You choose your guide's language at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore the Wild South of Réunion Island

• Visit Langevin Waterfall
• Arrive at Cap Méchant and have lunch
• Drive along the Lava Route
• See the Church of Our Lady of Lavas
• Walk at Anse des Cascades

The experience

How much of Réunion's volcanic landscape can you see in one day without renting a car or joining a group? This private tour answers that: you pick up a driver guide who speaks your language, and spend roughly nine to ten hours moving through the island's most dramatic geology. The day starts at Langevin Waterfall, one of the largest on the island, then moves to Cap Méchant, where black lava rock meets the ocean and the waves hit cliffs with visible force. You have lunch at Cap Méchant (not included in the tour price), then drive the lava road itself: rivers of solidified black rock that flowed down the volcano's slopes and into the sea, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After the lava flows, you stop at the Church of Our Lady of Lavas, a stone structure that stood through a lava flow in 1977 when the molten rock parted around it. The day ends at Anse des Cascades, a bay lined with waterfalls and coconut palms where you can walk along the shore. The vehicle is air-conditioned, stocked with bottled water, and equipped with WiFi. You spend about four to five hours in transit between stops, so the pace is steady but not rushed.

You choose between a standard car (up to four passengers) or a minibus (five to eight), both with the same driver guide. The guide provides commentary throughout the day and handles all the driving, so you're free to look out the window or ask questions as you move between sites. Specialized infant seats are available if you're traveling with small children, and the tour suits all fitness levels since most of the day is spent in the vehicle or on short walks at each stop.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle (standard car for up to four passengers or minibus for five to eight).
• a driver guide who speaks your chosen language and provides commentary throughout the day.
• bottled water.
• WiFi on board.

Options for this experience

3 options

Driver/French Guide08:00Includes pickup

English speaking driver/guide08:00Includes pickup

Driver with a Chinese-speaking guide08:00Includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to2d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by 5A Transports Reunion

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the wild south coast without driving yourself or joining other travelers. The private vehicle and guide mean you set the pace at each stop and ask questions as they come up, and the full day covers enough ground (from waterfalls to lava flows to a bay lined with palms) that you don't need a second trip to the region.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Chinese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included. You eat at Cap Méchant and pay separately for your meal.

How much time do you actually spend driving versus walking at the stops?

You spend about four to five hours in the vehicle moving between the five stops, and the rest of the day at each site: the waterfall, the cliffs at Cap Méchant, the lava road, the church and Anse des Cascades.

What is the Church of Our Lady of Lavas?

It is a religious building that survived a lava flow in 1977. The molten rock flowed around it and left the structure standing, making it a remarkable landmark on the island.

Can you fit a family of five in one vehicle?

Yes. The minibus seats five to eight passengers, so a family of five travels together in a single booking with one driver guide.

What is the lava road?

The lava road crosses the old cooled lava flows from past volcanic eruptions. The black rock now forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site and preserves the shapes of the molten magma as it flowed down the volcano's slopes toward the ocean.