Mount Etna Adventurous Hiking Tour with Equipment
Description
We propose to spend a day with us in a small friendly group to discover a beautiful nature, endemic flora and fauna and the amazing environment of Mount Etna. We will pick you up in the morning in the certain meeting point (8.30 piazza Stesicoro 32, Catania or 9.15 piazza S.Alfio in Trecastagni - PLEASE SPECIFY WHERE). On the way to Etna we will stop on a village for a coffee break and to buy food for the lunch time. We will drive to reach the altitude of 2.000 above sea level. At this altitude we will start our moderate hike off the beaten tracks (approx. 3 hours) to admire the fascinating landscape of the Valle del Bove, the biggest caldera of Mount Etna and its moon like deserts. From there we will enjoy breathtaking views of the summit craters and the surrounding landscapes facing the Ionian Sea. We provide for shoes, trekking poles, wind stoppers Tour available all year long.
Tour Options
Itinerary
To admire the fascinating landscape of the Valle del Bove depression and it's moon like desert from where we will have a breathtaking view of the smoking craters of Mount Etna and the surrounding landscapes facing the lonian sea.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- The program of the excursion may be subject to changes. (Adverse weather conditions, as well as restrictions on access to the volcano by the competent authorities)
- Not suitable for elderly people not used to walking in the mountains
Reviews(456)
Really enjoyed the hike and Ernesto was a great guide. Was grateful to be lent a pair of hiking boots and overall a wonderful experience.
Our guide was super informative and looked after us so well!!! Readily available equipments and pick-up from Catania also made my life much easier. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone who would like to visit Etna :)))
What a fabulous day. Hiked to 2340 metres. Fabulous views that were worth the effort. Ernesto was a great guide making sure we were capable of the trek and giving us breaks to ensure we were coping with the altitude. Would recommend to anyone with moderate fitness
Beautiful trekking on Etna with views of stunning landscapes. Some parts are a bit challenging for those who are not well-trained or suffer from vertigo. Our guide, Dario, was very friendly and helpful.
What a great experience hiking Mt Etna with our guide, Ernesto! Tour operator provided hiking boots (definitely required!). Nice cool morning was welcome for our challenging hike. Took some breaks along the way, and made it up to 2,300 meters (started at 900). Ernesto was an awesome guide. This is a strenuous hike (thought I was going to need to sit down a few times, but trekked on). You need to be in somewhat of good shape for this climb.
If you want a relaxed styled 3 hour trek to Mt Etna this is the one. Fantastic small group experience with an amazing guide with knowledge and passion. On a very busy mountain climb he was able to see all the sights but avoid the crowds.
Very interesting route. Erneso, our guide was very nice and kind. Experience to be highly recommended.
Great trip, trekked up the side of Etna round to the edge of valle del bove, with a great view of the peak. The trek up took a couple hours and was steep in several places, we also tracked over the snow, coming back down was very fun and quick, make sure to empty your shoes of rocks by the bottom! Ernesto and Zella were very friendly and great guides. We made use of the provided hiking shoes - very much needed - and borrowed some windbreaker jackets, which luckily we didn't need at was a very still day, but if it had been windy at all you would definitely need them.
What was supposed to be an “adventurous” hike turned into a poorly managed and genuinely unsafe experience. In extreme wind and deep snow, our group was left to fend for itself while the guide walked far ahead, never checking if everyone was okay. There was zero safety briefing, no instructions, and almost no communication — we didn’t know where we were going, how long we would walk, or when we could rest. The equipment was unacceptable: everyone’s boots were completely soaked, with water inside. In these conditions, that’s not just . it’s dangerous. Worst of all, the guide seemed completely disengaged, as if the group was a burden. By the end, he argued with participants, which ruined the experience entirely. This was not just disappointing, it felt careless and inhumane. Definitely not what was promised.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, and we take your concerns very seriously. Safety is always our top priority, and we regret that you felt unsupported during the hike. The weather conditions on that day were indeed challenging, and while our guides are trained to assess and manage such situations, it’s clear that communication and group coordination did not meet the standard we strive for. We sincerely apologize if you felt left behind or unsure at any point. Regarding the equipment, we understand how important proper gear is in extreme conditions. We will be reviewing this aspect carefully to ensure that all future participants are adequately equipped and comfortable throughout the experience. We are also sorry to hear about the interaction with the guide at the end of the hike. This is not reflective of the level of professionalism we expect, and we will address this internally. Your feedback is very important to us and will be used to improve both our safety procedures and overall guest experience. We appreciate you bringing these issues to our attention and hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a much better experience in the future.
In our case the experience was pretty bad. We booked directly by mail the excursion with the Albergo di Sapienza for an excursion that combined Funicular up to 2500m + mini bus 4x4 up to 2850m + 50 mins walk up to 2920m. Although they tell you not to worry about the kit, they do not have enough warm clothes to climb with snow, nor do they have canes. When it comes to paying, they tell us that this is the broken dataphone and that we do it in cash. As the tour was 95€ per person and we were 4 people, telling them that we could only pay in cash 2 people, we are offered to pay the rest by card, we are going a very ugly gesture. We went up a huge group, which was divided into 2 groups per language, resulting in ours of about 30 people. As we leave Funivia, we are told that 4x4 buses cannot operate, and that we have to do both the ascent and the descent on foot through the snow. We started with a fog that reached the feet even though when we asked we were told the weather was good. We were many people, with very different physical conditions, very little visibility and 1 guide that went first. In the end, some people lagged behind in the end who got a little overwhelmed... the climb looked like an Easter procession with groups everywhere... The stops couldn’t be very long because the wind was cold, so you’d break some nuts standing up, on a slope to retrieve the bellows. Although the guide was very friendly, it had too large a group and the excursion in addition to not including 4x4 transport to reduce the climb, it also did not include the visit to lava flows and other points of interest that puts in the description of the email.
It’s posted to the wrong business, we don’t offer the product mentioned!
