Sporty pace
GR20 in 12 days: the complete itinerary, stage by stage
Twelve days is the reference split for a full GR20 traverse: sporty enough to fit in two weeks off, reasonable enough not to turn the trail into a race. It's also the format we followed on the ground.
The pace
Why 12 days?
It's the best compromise between duration, budget and enjoyment for a regular hiker. It forces a few big days, but leaves time to live the GR20. For the lived account of this split, day by day, see our GR20 in 12 days story.
What this split demands
Good fitness, consistency and accepting the chain: getting up early, walking long, managing heat and descents.
What this split gives
A complete, coherent traverse, with a real switch at Vizzavona and an arrival at Conca still full of energy. Sporty, but not inhuman.
On the trail
Twelve days on the trail, August 2025
This 12-day split isn't theory for me: it's exactly the schedule we followed in August 2025, from Calenzana to Conca. What stayed with me isn't any single stage — it's the accumulation: early starts, long hours of walking, heat, descents and the weight of the pack, morning after morning.
The hardest day remains the one that runs from Haut Asco to Ballone. We set off at 5:08 am, then worked through boulders and scree up to Pointe des Éboulis, at 2,607 m. Just past the top, one second of carelessness and I sprained my ankle — I honestly thought my GR20 ended right there. More fright than harm, but the lesson stuck: this terrain doesn't forgive distraction.
The real surprise came in the second half. My left knee was protesting after days of descents, so we changed the plan: Usciolu instead of pushing on to Croci. That wasn't giving up — it's what got us to Conca. Over 12 days, lasting matters as much as moving fast.
The stages
The detailed stage table
Distance, elevation gain, estimated walking time and difficulty for each day. This table is not a computed split: it is the one we actually walked in August 2025, from Calenzana to Conca. Distances and elevation gains are measured on the same OpenStreetMap track as the rest of the site, and the times are estimated by our planner for this split. Times here assume a sustained (sporty) pace and a moderate (~11 kg) pack — adjust to your own profile in the planner.
“Stage” or “day”? A stage is one of the 16 official ones set by the Corsica Regional Nature Park: it is the reference split, the one the GPX tracks and refuge pages follow. A day is one day of a split — ours, or the one the planner works out for you. The two do not line up: our fourth day covers stage 4 and the first half of stage 5.
| Day | Stage | Distance | D+ | D- | Time | Diff. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calenzana → Ortu di u Piobbu | 10.9 km | +1,380 m | -130 m | 5h08 | 5/5 |
| 2 | Ortu di u Piobbu → Carrozzu | 7.3 km | +620 m | -890 m | 3h08 | 3/5 |
| 3 | Carrozzu → Ascu Stagnu / Haut-Asco | 4.9 km | +760 m | -570 m | 2h47 | 3/5 |
| 4 | Ascu Stagnu / Haut-Asco → Bergeries d'U Vallone | 9.4 km | +1,160 m | -1,120 m | 4h46 | 5/5 |
| 5 | Bergeries d'U Vallone → Castel di Vergio | 13.6 km | +710 m | -750 m | 4h33 | 4/5 |
| 6 | Castel di Vergio → Petra Piana | 24.8 km | +1,440 m | -970 m | 8h27 | 5/5 |
| 7 | Petra Piana → Vizzavona | 20.0 km | +1,090 m | -2,010 m | 7h08 | 5/5 |
| 8 | Vizzavona → Bocca di Verde | 26.7 km | +1,220 m | -880 m | 8h21 | 5/5 |
| 9 | Bocca di Verde → Usciolu | 15.6 km | +1,190 m | -730 m | 5h57 | 5/5 |
| 10 | Usciolu → I Croci | 13.9 km | +380 m | -600 m | 3h53 | 3/5 |
| 11 | I Croci → I Paliri | 22.1 km | +940 m | -1,430 m | 7h02 | 5/5 |
| 12 | I Paliri → Conca | 13.1 km | +260 m | -1,050 m | 3h38 | 3/5 |
| Total | 12 stages | 182.4 km | +11,220 m | -11,250 m | 64h48 |
How to read these numbers? The time shown is an estimated walking time (excluding breaks) for an average pace; on the trail, add stops, meals and weather. The D+ / D- are rounded, smoothed GPS values: the total track distance stays 182.4 km.
Watch out
The demanding days
On this split, 2 days stand out for their length or elevation gain. Plan an early start, carry water and keep some margin for a rough patch.
Castel di Vergio → Petra Piana
24.8 km, +1,440 m of gain, ~8h27 walking. Start early, don't rush it.
Vizzavona → Bocca di Verde
26.7 km, +1,220 m of gain, ~8h21 walking. An early start is strongly advised.
Accommodation
Where to sleep on this route
The 11 nights of this split, from start to finish. Book the Park refuges early in season — details, contacts and prices on our GR20 accommodation page.
- Night 1 Ortu di u Piobbu 1540 m
- Night 2 Carrozzu 1262 m
- Night 3 Ascu Stagnu / Haut-Asco 1443 m
- Night 4 Bergeries d'U Vallone 1454 m
- Night 5 Castel di Vergio 1408 m
- Night 6 Petra Piana 1857 m
- Night 7 Vizzavona 941 m
- Night 8 Bocca di Verde 1291 m
- Night 9 Usciolu 1750 m
- Night 10 I Croci 1538 m
- Night 11 I Paliri 1053 m
Your way
Adapt this itinerary to your level
This split is a balanced starting point. In the planner you can change the duration, the direction (North-South or South-North), your pace and your pack: the stages, distances, times and difficulty recompute live, and you can download the GPX track for each day.
Level required
Who this pace is for
The right split depends above all on your mountain experience and your preparation. Here, honestly, is who this format suits.
Beginner
Too intense for a first long mountain experience.
Fit but no mountain experience
Possible but risky: better to keep more margin.
Regular, well-prepared hiker
The ideal profile for this complete, realistic format.
Experienced hiker
A coherent, efficient split with no dead time.
Methodology
How we calculate these numbers
Compare
Other durations and variants
This pace isn't for you? Compare it with the other GR20 splits — each page details its stages, elevation gain and difficulty.
Keep going