Practical budget
GR20 budget: how much does a full traverse cost?
A GR20 budget depends enormously on how well-equipped you are to begin with, how you choose to sleep, the way you eat and how you get to Corsica. Here is a realistic estimate to help you plan a full traverse with no nasty surprises.
Ballpark ranges
Estimated total budget
I prefer to talk in scenarios rather than fixed prices. Costs can vary with the season, your bookings, transport, the gear you already own and the way you travel.
For someone who is already equipped, tends to sleep in a tent or keeps spending down, eats simply and accepts reduced comfort.
- Gear already available.
- Nights and meals optimised.
- Limited extras.
The most realistic scenario: a few gear purchases, huts or tents depending on the stages, simple meals but a minimum of comfort.
- A few items to round out.
- Bookings made in advance.
- A margin for the unexpected.
For someone who has to buy more gear, eats more meals on the trail, favours the huts or pays for pricier transport.
- Gear to round out.
- More meals bought along the way.
- More comfortable logistics.
Keep in mind: these figures are indicative and should be adjusted to your starting gear, the time of year, your bookings and how you travel.
Logistics
Transport
Transport can vary a great deal: plane or ferry, train, bus, shuttle, taxi, arrival in Calenzana, return from Conca or Porto-Vecchio depending on your plans.
What to plan for
- Getting to Corsica: plane or ferry depending on where you start from.
- Transfer to the start of the GR20.
- Return from Conca, most often by taxi to Porto-Vecchio (the hikers' shuttle no longer runs).
- A possible night before departure or after arrival.
My advice
The earlier you book, the more you can keep this item down. Conversely, improvising your logistics in peak season can quickly get expensive, especially if you have to combine several modes of transport.
Price markers — transport (highly variable depending on the season and how far ahead you plan):
| Journey | Indicative price |
|---|---|
| Foot-passenger ferry return (Toulon or Nice → Corsica) | ~60-130 € |
| Low-cost return flight off-peak (up to ~300 € in August) | ~70-160 € |
| Taxi Calvi → Calenzana (per trip) | ~30-45 € |
| Taxi Conca → Porto-Vecchio (per trip) | ~50-65 € |
| Bus Porto-Vecchio → Ajaccio | 19,20 € |
Nights
Accommodation
Nights make up a big share of the budget if you're not bivouacking. Huts, rented tents, bivouac within the rules: the choice changes the price, the comfort and the weight you carry all at once.
| Option | Budget impact | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Bivouac or your own tent | Often the cheapest. | Extra weight, regulations, weather, recovery comfort. |
| Rented tent | A practical compromise. | Booking, availability, quality that varies from place to place. |
| Hut or more comfortable accommodation | A higher budget. | Planning ahead, limited beds, sleep not always guaranteed. |
Price markers — nights (2026 PNRC rates), booking on pnr-resa.corsica:
| Night | Rate per night |
|---|---|
| Bivouac pitch (your own tent, per person) | 12 € |
| Dormitory / hut bed (per person) | 20 € |
| Fully-equipped rental tent — 1 person | 27 € |
| Fully-equipped rental tent — 2 people | 39 € |
Keep in mind: booking ahead saves a lot of stress. I wouldn't build a GR20 budget on the assumption that everything will be available at the last minute.
Resupply
Food
Food is a constant trade-off between price, weight and comfort. Carrying more costs less, but it's more tiring. Buying at a hut or a shepherd's hut makes the day easier, but the budget climbs fast.
Hut meals
More convenient, often pricier, handy when you want to lighten the pack or recover without cooking.
Carried food
Cheaper, but heavier. You need to plan for breakfasts, simple meals, snacks and reserves for the day.
Extras
Drinks, sandwiches, coffees, small top-up purchases: nothing dramatic on its own, but it adds up quickly.
Price markers — on the trail (set by the shepherds' huts, often payable in cash):
| On the spot | Indicative price |
|---|---|
| Full dinner (hut or shepherd's hut) | ~18-25 € |
| Half board (bed + dinner + breakfast) | ~40-50 € |
| Breakfast | ~8-13 € |
| Pietra beer / coffee | ~5-7 € / ~2-3 € |
Keep in mind: don't just count the evening meals. Daytime snacks, breakfast, drinks and safety margins are all part of the real budget.
Equipment
Gear
If you already own the gear, the budget drops enormously. If you have to buy everything, it's often the heaviest item of all, ahead of even some of your spending on the trail.
The priorities
- Shoes you've already broken in.
- A comfortable pack suited to the weight you carry.
- Sleeping setup matched to the season.
- A reliable waterproof jacket.
- A simple, sturdy hydration system.
Where I wouldn't cut corners
I'd rather buy gradually and seriously than chase the cheapest option on the critical items. A bad shoe, a weak rain jacket or a poorly fitting pack can cost you dearly in fatigue.
Margin
Extras
Extras aren't necessarily pointless: sometimes they improve recovery or solve a problem. The risk is forgetting them in the estimate.
Health and hygiene
First-aid kit, sunscreen, lip balm, plasters, anti-chafe balm, soap, small replacements.
Energy and tech
Gas or stove if used, batteries or recharging your headlamp, a cable, a power bank, maps or an app depending on your choice.
Life on the trail
Possible insurance, drinks, restaurants, showers, laundry, last-minute purchases and a contingency margin.
Sensitive items
What costs the most
The big gaps rarely come from one isolated purchase. They come instead from several decisions made too late: expensive transport, missing gear, meals bought often, accommodation not planned ahead.
Transport
Highly variable depending on the time of year, how far ahead you plan and your departure city.
Accommodation
The more you avoid the bivouac, the bigger this item becomes.
Missing gear
Shoes, pack, sleeping setup and rainwear can push the budget up fast.
Meals bought along the way
Convenient, but to be factored in from the start if you want a realistic budget.
Last-minute purchases
Often pricier, less considered and sometimes too heavy.
The unexpected
A taxi, an extra night, a gear replacement: best to keep a margin.
Without putting yourself at risk
Where to save without putting yourself at risk
Save money, yes, but not just anywhere. The GR20 is demanding enough to justify being serious about anything touching your feet, the weather, water, load-carrying and safety.
Smart savings
- Book transport early.
- Avoid pointless or duplicate purchases.
- Borrow non-critical gear.
- Test before buying expensive items.
- Compare weight, price and real usefulness.
- Prepare some of your snacks.
Where I'd stay serious
I wouldn't cut corners too much on shoes, the rain jacket, hydration, the headlamp, the basic first-aid kit and load-carrying. These items directly protect your comfort, your safety and your ability to string together day after day.
Classic traps
Budget mistakes to avoid
Too tight a budget can make the traverse stressful. The goal isn't to account for every cent, but to avoid discovering the big-ticket items when it's too late.
Forgotten logistics
- Forgetting the cost of the return.
- Not planning a margin.
- Counting on fixed prices.
Underestimated food
- Forgetting snacks.
- Buying meal after meal without budgeting for them.
- Not planning for the small purchases that add up.
Poorly anticipated gear
- Buying too late.
- Buying too heavy.
- Cutting corners on the critical items.
My take
My final advice
The right budget isn't necessarily the lowest one. On the GR20, some savings can cost you dearly in comfort, fatigue or safety. I prefer to save on the non-essentials, but stay serious about shoes, load-carrying, hydration, weather protection and recovery.