Southern half
GR20 South in 6 days: from Vizzavona to Conca
The GR20 South, from Vizzavona to Conca, is reputedly less technical than the north, but don't be fooled: the stages are long and wearing, with fine passages like the Incudine and the Bavella needles. In 6 days, it's a beautiful traverse in its own right.
The pace
Why hike the South?
It's the most technically accessible half, ideal for a first long experience or to finish a GR20 begun the previous year. The scenery changes: grassy ridges, forests, and the grand finale of Bavella.
What the south demands
Endurance above all: the days are long. The ground is less technical, but fatigue sets in differently, especially in the heat.
What the south gives
A more rolling traverse, with gentler scenery before the Bavella showpiece, and an arrival at Conca full of emotion.
On the trail
Bavella, the storm, Conca: my final days
The south felt like a change of air. From the top of Monte Incudine the view opens wide: Bavella stands there as the next big rendezvous, and you can feel the end of the traverse taking shape. The Needles pull your gaze, the ridges grow sharper. But the south makes you earn it in its own way. At the Col de Bavella — where the crowds suddenly clash with days of near-solitude — I realised there were still about five kilometres to go to Paliri. On a map, it looks like nothing. In my legs, on day eleven, it was enormous.
At Paliri, the calm didn't last: a storm of rare violence, gusts around 120 km/h, tents swaying in the wind. Thanks to a few resourceful hikers helping each other out, we eventually got water boiling for the pasta. That plain meal suddenly counted for a lot — that, too, is the GR20.
The next morning we left at 5:30 with one fixed idea: not missing the midday apéritif. When the bay of Porto-Vecchio appeared around a bend, I stopped — not for long, just long enough to understand. At 10:29, Conca. No grand soundtrack, just that simple, immense feeling: we had made it. I tell that final day in full in the day-by-day account.
The stages
The detailed stage table
Distance, elevation gain, estimated walking time and difficulty for each day. These are exactly the figures our planner computes, from the OpenStreetMap track of the GR20. Times here assume a sustained (sporty) pace and a moderate (~11 kg) pack — adjust to your own profile in the planner.
| Day | Stage | Distance | D+ | D- | Time | Diff. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vizzavona → E Capannelle | 13.8 km | +940 m | -270 m | 4h53 | 4/5 |
| 2 | E Capannelle → Prati | 17.6 km | +840 m | -640 m | 5h36 | 5/5 |
| 3 | Prati → Usciolu | 10.9 km | +640 m | -700 m | 3h49 | 4/5 |
| 4 | Usciolu → I Croci | 13.9 km | +380 m | -600 m | 3h53 | 3/5 |
| 5 | I Croci → Foce di Bavedda / Col de Bavella | 17.5 km | +770 m | -1,090 m | 5h36 | 5/5 |
| 6 | Foce di Bavedda / Col de Bavella → Conca | 17.7 km | +430 m | -1,390 m | 5h04 | 4/5 |
| Total | 6 stages | 91.4 km | +4,000 m | -4,700 m | 28h54 |
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 91.4 km.
Watch out
A pace with no extreme day
Good news: on this split, no stage crosses the "very hard" threshold. The days stay mountainous, but the effort is better spread out, which limits the risk of dropping out from fatigue.
Accommodation
Where to sleep on this route
The 5 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 E Capannelle 1617 m
- Night 2 Prati 1811 m
- Night 3 Usciolu 1750 m
- Night 4 I Croci 1538 m
- Night 5 Foce di Bavedda / Col de Bavella 1218 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.
Prepared beginner
The south is the best entry point, with good preparation.
Regular hiker
Endurance more than technique: an accessible, beautiful format.
First long traverse
Fewer exposed passages than the north, ideal to start.
Finishing the GR20
The logical next step for those who've already done the north.
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.
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