Itinerary Details
MT Sobek: France Island of Corsica Hiking
Day 1 Arrive in Ajaccio, Corsica
Start the adventure in Ajaccio, the island's capital, and the birthplace of Napoleon. Transfer from the Ajaccio airport to the hotel, secluded along the untamed coastline. Have a briefing at 6pm, followed by a festive welcome dinner.
Accommodation: Cala di Sole
(D)
Day 2 Discover the Calanches de Piana
2.5-hour private van transfer
3 hours/5 miles hiking with 1,530' elevation gain & loss
Meet the guides in the morning and transfer to the Calanches de Piana (about 90 minutes by car) for the first hike. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these blood red pinnacles soar out of the jagged coastline, creating improbable inlets and shapes. The hiking trail meanders through the red rock, rising high above the plunging cliffs, with jaw-dropping viewpoints over the sea. Spot your home for the next three nights, the tiny port village of Porto nestled below the granite cliffs. Enjoy dinner together this evening.
Accommodation: Les Flots Bleus
(B, L, D)
Day 3 Explore the Village of Evisa & the Spelunca Gorge
1.5-hour private van transfer
4 hours/5 miles hiking with 492' elevation gain & 1,968' elevation loss
Head into the hills and enter the village of Evisa, perched high above the sea, surrounded by vast forests of chestnut and pine. Follow the deeply encased Spelunca Gorge on a centuries-old mule track, which still has remnants of its cobbled path and stone walls. Enjoy a riverside picnic and an opportunity to swim. Take in Genoese bridges, 200-year-old marvels of stone architecture, and end in the equally charming village of Ota before returning to Porto. Enjoy dinner on your own at one of the restaurants on the port.
Accommodation: Les Flots Bleus
(B, L)
Day 4 Reach the Spectacular Girolata Village
30-minute private van transfer & 2.5-hour boat ride
2 hours/3 miles hiking with 350' elevation gain & 1,150' elevation loss
Just north of Porto follow the Mare e Monti path that links the sea to the mountains. Take in the maquis vegetation of heather, boxwood, and Corsican pine, and descend to a secluded beach for a dip and a picnic. Continue along the Sentier du Facteur — "the mailman's path" — the one path a mailman took for 30 years to deliver the mail to the village of Girolata. Marvel at the handful of golden-stone homes huddled on a promontory above the bay. Return to Porto by boat and enjoy dinner together.
(B, L, D)
Day 5 Hike on the Famous GR20 to Corte
2-hour private van transfer
5.5-6 hours/12 miles hiking with 2,624' elevation gain & loss
Get an early start and transfer to the Col de Vergio pass (60 minutes by minibus). Tackle the famous GR20 hiking path, the toughest and arguably most spectacular trail in all of Europe. Cover one of its most majestic sections, along switchbacks up to a grassy crestline with dazzling views to the sea below, and to the fairy-tale Lac de Nino Lake surrounded by deep-green grassy bogs with the backdrop of serrated summits. Continue by vehicle through canyon roads to reach the town of Corte, home for the next three nights.
Accommodation: Dominique Colonna
(B, L, D)
Day 6 Follow the Manganello River to a Shepherd's Hut
1.5-hour private van transfer
3 hours/6 miles hiking with 985' elevation gain & loss
Today, begin the hike in the lost village of Canaglia, along the leisurely Mare a Mare route through the center of the island, following alongside the Manganello River. Reach a remote shepherd's hut on a clearing with views of high summits, and savor a picnic lunch featuring local cheeses and charcuterie. Hike back and return to Corte by minivan. Take the time to meander through the streets of the island's historic capital, before having dinner together in the center.
Accommodation: Dominique Colonna
(B, L, D)
Day 7 Hike to Lac Melo
1-hour private van transfer
4 hours/5 miles hiking with 1,804' elevation gain & loss
Wake up before sunrise and take the minibus on a 30-minute ascent up the Restonica Valley. Hike up a rocky path to one of Corsica's most emblematic glacial lakes, Lac Melo, at 5,576 feet surrounded by imposing cliffs. Interested in some easy scrambling (with chains and ladders to assist)? Opt to continue up to Lac di Capitello, some 650-feet higher. Head back down and enjoy a picnic lunch before returning to the hotel for a free afternoon. Enjoy dinner together in town.
(B, L, D)
Day 8 Depart from Ajaccio
Your trip ends after breakfast with a transfer from the hotel to the airport in Ajaccio.
(B)
