Etna Excursions

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Accompanied by expert local guides, you will be able to choose the excursion that is right for you; in fact, we offer various routes and hikes on Etna, listed according to their degree of difficulty and duration, so that everyone can discover Etna.

The highest active volcano in Europe and a Unesco World Heritage Site, Etna is considered “la mamma” by the inhabitants of our part of Sicily. With its many microclimates, habitats and landscapes, it is undoubtedly the most interesting place on the island! 

From its slopes to the summit, a variety of landscapes open up: from citrus fields to groves of oak and chestnut trees, from birch trees to gigantic expanses of lava! At the top, a lunar landscape opens up, offering one of the most beautiful shows in the world and giving the opportunity to admire a fascinating, sometimes almost disturbing, landscape where the devastating power of nature is manifested.

DETAILS


– ITINERARY 1: Etna 3,350 meters, the summit craters – level: difficult

Led by a certified vulcanologist guide, working for an agency of enthusiasts with whom we have collaborated since the beginning, you will spend a unique and unforgettable day:

– Meeting with the guides at the Sapienza refuge at 9 am, altitude 1.900m;

– Departure with the cable car to reach 2.500m ;

– Continuation by Jeep to 2.900m;

– Hike up to the summit! 3.350 m ;

– Walk down to the cable car;

Since March 2021 and during the whole 2022, the top craters are no longer accessible because of the intense activity. The excursion is therefore modified, and if it takes place lower down, the guides take you to see the most recent traces of Etna’s activity. This is still an unforgettable day in the middle of the still smouldering lava flows or newly opened craters. The price is then lower.

Recommended equipment

Walking shoes, walking sticks, backpack;

Windbreaker;

Water, cap, sunglasses and sun cream (depending on the weather, gloves and hat may also be useful).

PRICE: 90€ /person

DURATION: full day (9am-4pm)

PERIOD: from May to October

DIFFICULTY: high

INCLUDES: certified vulcanologist guide – loan of hiking equipment – cable car + jeep

*It is necessary to reach the Sapienza Refuge by car by your own means: it takes about 40 minutes on a beautiful panoramic road.

– ITINERARY 2: Etna 2,000 meters, Etna in a different way – level: medium

For families and hikers who do not want to spend too much time on a difficult trail, we suggest this family hike.

Starting from the B&B with the guide, you will reach, after 40 minutes of panoramic and spectacular drive, 1.822 meters of altitude, starting point of the hike. 

On the edge of the tourist trails, on an old mule track, the hike goes through the undergrowth before offering you a succession of breathtaking views on the coastline, the summit craters and the Valle del Bove.

You will discover the endemic vegetation of the volcano, the history of the formation and evolution of Etna, the extraordinary variety of lava flows, secondary craters and lava caves.

The tour ends with a rundown the volcanic sand and a visit to a cave.

Eva herself is a certified AIGAE guide – Italian Association of Ecological Tour Guides – and we sometimes have to carry you on the tour ourselves. Don’t hesitate to ask!

Recommended equipment

Walking shoes, walking sticks, backpack;

Windbreaker;

Water, cap, sunglasses and sun cream (depending on the weather, gloves and a hat can also be used).

PRICE: 60 € /person (min.2);

DURATION: ½ day – 3h trek there and back;

TIME: March to November depending on the weather;

DIFFICULTY: easy

INCLUDES: guide, picnic or quick meal (tavola calda).

*Transport is not systematically included, it depends on the guide. It may be necessary to meet the guide at a meeting point.

ITINERARY 3 : Etna 1.900 meters, discover Etna by jeep on the north side – level: easy

Accompanied by a passionate and multilingual guide, you leave from the B&B and climb the northern slopes of Mount Etna around Linguaglossa.

You will make a few short stops, for walking tours accessible to all. In the middle of the particular vegetation typical of this slope, made up of woods and forests, you first go to discover a cave of lavic flow.

Still in the company of the guide and after another 4×4 journey, you walk (max 30 min) to discover the buttonhole, a row of craters opened during the spectacular eruption of 2022, and experience the magic of an active volcano.

Recommended equipment

Walking shoes, sticks, backpack;

Windbreaker;

Water, cap, sunglasses and sun cream (depending on the weather, gloves and hat may also be useful).

PRICE: 65 € /person;

DURATION: ½ day;

PERIOD: May to October;

DIFFICULTY: easy.

INCLUDES: guide, transport.

*Transport is included, but pick up at the B&B may be subject to availability. The meeting point may be a little further away, 10 minutes by car.

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