Etna North: Guided trekking to Summit volcano craters

Beautiful experience, especially for those who want to spend half a day in the middle of nature, and just a step away from the lava. Thanks to our guide Max, he made everything more interesting!!!!!

Unforgettable experience on Mount Etna! Seeing the lava in person was exciting. Max is a super knowledgeable guide and provides many interesting facts about the local flora and fauna. The hike is challenging and requires several hours of walking, so it is recommended for those who are fit 🫶🏼

The trekking on mount Etna was absolutely amazing. Especially thanks to Giacomo and Massimo. And of course Mariagrazia (Mary)! On forehand we were really doubting if it was reasonable to join the trekking for my mom, who is 72. Mary provided all the important and correct information where we based our decisions on. Mary was always quick to respond and nothing was too much trouble for her. If it wasn’t for her, my mom would not went up there. But we are both really glad she did, as it allowed us to share this experience together. Many thanks also to Massimo, who drove us up the north side! The conversations during the drive were enjoyable and informative. We also felt very safe! The guides obviously have a lot of knowledge. We couldn't stay at the summit for long due to an approaching thunderstorm. But they knew exactly how long we could stay and when it was time to head back. And that was accurate to the minute. Giacomo was the absolute best. He helped my mom when she needed it, offering words of encouragement or sometimes physically lending a hand. Perfect balance in not making her feel like a burden, but a real guide with a helping hand. Unfortunately, the experience on Stromboli was very different. Massimo and Mary had told us we would meet Giuseppe as our guide there, but we ended up with someone else. He did not introduce himself to us, so I don’t know his name. He was walking far ahead of everyone and made us feel like a burden. It was a completely different experience from the one on Etna. Luckily Stromboli itself more than made up for it! We still highly recommend Ashara, but that is all because we are really thankful for how Mary and the guys on Etna treated us. We also assume that things usually go different on Stromboli. So we are still very grateful to the company Ashara and recommend it. Definitely on Etna!

The hike to the Etna crater was an unforgettable experience! The organization via WhatsApp was super uncomplicated, and we always received quick and friendly responses. Our guide Massimo was great. He explained the volcano with a lot of enthusiasm and knowledge and catered to every fitness level, so that everyone felt comfortable. The tour was exciting, varied, and a lot of fun. Highly recommended – especially if you want to go to the highest possible point of the crater. The view up there is simply breathtaking! We would do the tour again anytime.

A huge thank you to our tour guide Max! 🙌 He was funny, incredibly helpful, always kept us motivated, and taught us so many interesting things throughout the tour. We had an amazing experience thanks to his energy and professionalism. 10/10 ⭐️ Highly recommended! Thank you, Max! 😊

A must-do experience while visiting Sicily. Giovani, our guide, was the perfect person to introduce us to volcano hiking for the first time. He was knowledgeable, reassuring, and made sure everyone reached the summit safely, even though we faced very strong winds that day. All the necessary equipment was provided at the base, including proper hiking boots, poles, and sunglasses. I would still recommend bringing good-quality sunglasses with side protection, as volcanic ash can be brutal on the eyes. (as I learned that day) The entire team did an excellent job, and we hope to return one day to explore Stromboli with them.

An experience to live, competent guide who is passionate and who takes the time to comment on this excursion. Group limited to 10 people, unlike others, and the safety of the participants is the priority. Thank you for this unforgettable day.

Fantastic experience. A bus took us up to 2900 metres and from there it was a slow measured hike up to the north-east crater. Our guide Pepe was very good. He realised quickly that in a group of hikers in their twenties I, being 61 years old, was the weakest link and adapted speed and amount of breaks, which he used to impart his extensive knowledge about volcanoes and the geology, accordingly. I took a stop here at 3290 metres while Pepe took the rest of the group (including my husband who is also 60 but stupid fit) a little higher and along a ridge line. I enjoyed sitting near the edge of the crater listening to the low rumbles and deep explosions of Etna. An impressive and humbling experience. Our hike back took us a different route, part walking, part sliding down on loose volcanic coarse sand. It felt very much like traversing a lunar landscape. The whole experience was, while exhausting for me (the others seem to sail through) absolutely worth my while and unmissable. Thank you, Pepe and Ashàra.

Fantastic experience. The guide and the organizers were attentive and available, as well as truly kind. Highly recommended.

We ascended Etna guided by Max, a very knowledgeable, entertaining, and engaging guide. Unforgettable experience, the spectacle we witnessed (even in the absence of magma flow) was wonderful. Excursions that I recommend to everyone, but be careful!!! Not all guides and agencies are serious and respectful of the rules, which is why I highly recommend the Ashàra agency.