The authentic full GR20
15 days / 14 nights
Corsica - GR20 - full GR20 - Independent walking
Last updated: 22/11/2023
Our prices are calculated on the basis of two participants. For groups, please contact us for a quote.
Considered as the most difficult and technical long-distance walk of Europe, the GR20 attracts walkers from all over the world looking for a challenge. This self guided circuit will allow you to discover the most wild and most beautiful landscapes that Corsica has to offer.
The "traditional" GR20 route goes from refuge to refuge (i.e. bunk houses). We use Gites, which means that our trip is designed around the GR20 footpath, but inevitably, it diverges away from thr GR20 to reach the gites that we use. This by no means affects the quality of the trip; on the contrary, it increases the quality of the trip. We also propose the greatest number of luggage transfers (in option).
Your day by day program
Meet with your taxi driver in Calvi this morning for your transfer to Calenzana. This little village, surrounded by olive trees, is the official start of the GR20. You walk through up through the forest of Bonifatu, past magnificent viewpoints over the villages of this beautiful region of the Balagne.
About 11 km, 4h00, +700 m, -450 m.
Dinner and night at the gîte at Bonifatu, breakfast and picnic for tomorrow.
You leave Bonifatu for one of the longest stages along the GR20 (timewise). Crossing several rivers before reaching the famous Spasimata footbridge, you will arrive in the Valley of the Muvrella (mouflon) with its small lake. The viewpoints are numerous and simply superb. The GR20 continues down to the foot of the Monte Cinto, where you will spend the night in the ski resort of Haut Asco.
About 9.5 km, 8h00, +1300 m, -598 m.
Dinner and night at the gîte at Haut Asco (double room available at a supplement), breakfast and picnic for tomorrow.
To avoid the closed circle of solitude, you climb crossing the slopes of Monte Cintu and over the highest point on the GR20 the Pointe des Éboulis. You drop down to the small Melarie valley where you may have the chance to see mouflons. Your accommodation, the shepherds hut in Vallone, is in an ideal setting by a stream, with the backdrop of a starry sky for the night.
About 9 km, 8h00, +1200 m, -800 m.
Dinner and night in a tent at Vallone, breakfast and picnic for tomorrow
Today you walk into the beautifully traditional Niolu, located at the heart of the island. You pass below the Paglia Orba and the strange Capu Tafunatu. When the weather is good, you can get a stunning viewpoint over the gulf of Porto before plunging into the Golo Valley where you will find a series of natural pools before reaching Vergio.
About 14 km, 6h15, +975 m, -1020 m.
Dinner and night at the gîte at Vergio (double room available at a supplement), breakfast and picnic for tomorrow.
Verghio to the Campotile plateau
After an easy path you pass your first Col at Bocca San Pedru and then magic happens. The coastline stands out against the deep blue of the Mediterranean. On the other side, a glacial cirque is revealed which hides one of the jewels of the Corsican mountainq. Bordered by its pozzines, Lac de Nino is a welcome sight, complete with wild horses.
About 16 km, 6h00, +870 m, -689 m.
Night at the refuge at Manganu. Dinner, Breakfast and Picnic can be purchased locally.
Its a sharp climb and rocky up to the Capitellu Breche from where you have superb views of the lakes of Melu and Capitellu in the high Restonica. After some efforts to reach Bocca Muzella (2206m), you will descend to reach a small plateau where the Petra Piana refuge is located.
About 8.5 km, 6h00, +670 m, -465 m.
Night at the refuge at Petra Piana. Dinner, Breakfast and Picnic can be purchased locally.
A rather short, aerial and panoramic stage between the massifs of Monte Rotondo and Monte d'Oro. Be careful, some tricky passages when the wind blows (but a variant is possible)! On a clear day, you will have the chance to see the Gulf of Ajaccio.
About 7 km, 4h30, +560 m, -965 m.
Night in tents at the refuge at Onda, Dinner, Breakfast and Picnic breakfast and picnic can be purchased locally.
Last day on the northern part of the trail. A magnificent stage awaits you from the Onda refuge towards Vizzavona, passing through the magical Agnone valley at the foot of Monte d'Oro. After the Turtettu footbridge, you pass the Cascades des Anglais before arriving at Vizzavona.
About 10 km, 5h30, +630 m, -1140 m.
Dinner and night at the gîte at Vizzavona (double room available at a supplement), Breakfast tomorrow.
Today’s hike begins in a beech forest at Vizzavona before climbing to Bocca Palmente where you will have a stunning viewpoint over the lagoons of Diana and Urbino. The next part of the trail takes you to the Bergeries d'Alzeta and you then walk along an ancient mule-track to reach the gîte at Capanelle.
About 14 km, 5h00, +1155 m, -715 m.
Dinner and night at the gîte at Capanelle, breakfast and picnic for tomorrow.
From Capanelle, you make your way to the picturesque sheepfolds of Traghjete before trekking on towards the Plateau of Ghialgone. You then cross the footbridge of I Spiazzi and the forest of Marmano, before reaching the Col de Verde.
About 14 km, 5h00, +600 m, -900 m.
Dinner and night at the gîte at Col de Verde. Breakfast and picnic for tomorrow.
You climb up to the Bocca del Orro and walk across the Prato plateau with its alpine fields. As you follow the ridge line, you have spectacular views of the Taravo valley to the west and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the east. You then drop down the St Antoine forest to reach the delightful village of Cozzano.
About 14 km, 8h00, +750 m, -1300 m.
Dinner and night at the gîte. Breakfast and Picnic for tomorrow.
After an early morning departure, you climb the Bocca di l’Usciolu and walk along the mountain ridge with its dreamlike rocky landscape, sculpted by the wind. The path descends through an ancient alder forest. The lush vegetation becomes more dense and exposed, and you soon reach the plateau de Cuscione and the shepherd’s hut where you will spend tonight.
About 16 km, 8h00, +1300 m, -650 m.
Dinner and night at a Shepherds hut on the plateau de Coscione. Breakfast and Picnic for tomorrow.
The plateau de Cuscione offers a gentler terrain with its green grazing lands and pozzines (a type of peat bogs). You then climb the rocky slopes of Mount Incudine (over 2000m high and the highest peak in the south) before dropping down to the Asinao Valley. From here, the path climbs to the spectacular granite peaks that are the famous Needles of Bavella.
About 15 km, 8h00, +985 m, -1100 m.
Dinner and night at the gîte at Bavella. Breakfast and Picnic for tomorrow.
Bavella to Conca: the last stage!
The start of the day is an easy path through the forest to the refuge at Paliri. You will then attack the descent, accompanied by the scented essences of the warm maquis. The end of this great adventure is approaching ... On your arrival in Conca, you have finished the GR20!
About 16 km, 7h00, +450 m, -1400 m.
Dinner and night at the gîte in Conca. Breakfast for tomorrow.
End of services after breakfast. From Conca, you can easily take a shuttle to Porto Vecchio, then a bus to Bastia or Ajaccio.
Contact us if you need a transfer.
Departure board
Everyday from mid June until mid september
Technical information
- Calvi
- Conca
- In gîtes d’étape (dormitory style), 4 night in tent. 4 nights can be in rooms of two (upon to availability).
- Minimum 2.
- You need to be used to trekking in the mountains and be able to read and follow map instructions. From 4h30 to 9h of hiking per day on sometimes difficult trails.
- Possibility of luggage transfers 10 days out of 14 (see prices in the options).
- Extra cost for luggage transfer (10 days out of 14). Per person, for a group of two hikers. : 920€
- Extra cost for luggage transfer (10 days out of 14). Per person, for a group of four hikers. : 460€
- 4 nights in double room instead of dorms (price per person) : 150€
- Nights in gîtes, bergeries and tent.
- 11 breakfasts, 11 dinners, 10 pic nic lunches.
- Transfer from Calvi to Calenzana.
- Information package with GPS tracks and route notes on app (a smartphone is required)
- Local hotline
- Transfer from Conca at the end of the trip
- Luggage transfers
- Transfers not included in the itinerary (including in times of bad weather or physicial ailments)
- Everything not mentionned on the "included" section
- Beverages and holiday insurance
Map
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