Etna Summit Craters Trek: Off-road and Hiking Experience for Experts
4.9
271 Ratings
Città metropolitana di Catania
Embark on an off-road and hiking adventure to the summit craters of Mount Etna. Trek in small groups, ascend by vehicle, and hike through volcanic scoria and bombs. Reach a max altitude of 3300 mt and experience the unique volcanic environment.
Duration: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Itinerario Crateri Sommitali - The starting point of this excursion is scheduled in Piano Provenzana at 8:00/8:15 AM, as a basis we have the: Kiosk Bar Mareneve.

This excursion allows you to admire and visit the side less frequented by the mass of tourists. The route includes an off-road climb up to an altitude of 2825 meters. From this point you walk up into a lunar landscape, made of lava flows, volcanic ashes and volcanic bombs. After a climb of 4,5 kilometers and 480 meters of elevation gain, we arrive at the edge of the great Central Crater of Etna. The descent is planned on foot from 3300 to 1800 meters for about 7 kilometers, passing through lunar plateaus and large gullies full of soft volcanic sand to the starting point of the excursion. The excursion includes a total of 11,5 kilometers of walking (round trip) for 5/6 hours, absolutely suitable for those who are used to walking regularly in the mountains, not recommended for those with vertigo, physical health or fatigue problems.

What's Included
  • Licensed Volcano Guide
  • Entry/Admission to Mount Etna
  • Trekking poles, trekking shoes, helmets, warm jacket, extra socks, extra backpack
  • Insurance in case of accidents
What's Not Included
  • Transport service from your accommodation
  • Hat and gloves (during autumn, winter and spring)
  • Parking ticket (3€ for the whole day) - You can pay it on the spot after the excursion
  • Off road vehicle (one way only) from1800m up to 2825m (50€per person to be paid on the spot)
Additional Information

Embark on a small group adventure!

Commence the journey in rugged all-terrain vehicles, climbing the scenic northern trail of the volcano up to an elevation of 2825 mt. From this location, we proceed on foot through a landscape scattered with volcanic scoria and bombs. After a positive vertical climb of 470mt, we will reach the rim of the Central Crater (the volcano’s core crater), situated at a height of 3300 mt. Here, we pause to appreciate the unique and ongoing volcanic processes. The return trip is set to be a foot journey from 3300 to 1800 meters, a distance of about 7 kilometers marked by large, soft sand-filled canyons leading back to our starting point.

Total distance (return journey):12 km
Maximum height achieved:3300 mt
Minimum height achieved:1800 mt
Total uphill climb:470 mt
Total downhill descent:1500 mt – Please note, the extended descent may prove more challenging than the climb as it involves negotiating 1500 meters of negative elevation.
Difficulty: Ideally suited for seasoned hikers.

  • This type of itinerary, in relation to the type, is suited to people in good physical health, not suffering from particular diseases (breathing ones, or hypertension).
  • The excursion could be subjected to variations at the discretion of the Guides, or it could be interrupted in case of changes of the environmental, climatic or volcanic conditions, so as to undermine the safety of the entire group.
  • For the success of the excursion and for its correct carrying out, it’s good to know perfectly your health conditions and, if necessary, let the Guide know about them, in order to reduce the occurrence of any problems and to avoid any risks.
  • The excursion will be carried out according to the limits established by the ordinance in force published by the competent authorities in case of volcanic explosions, the volcano guides must respect it. In this case the guides must stop where it is still safe to arrive for the safety of the entire group.
  • The route consists of the ascent and the walking along the crater edges, this may cause dizziness to susceptible individuals.
  • We recommend not to use contact lens, because of the exhaled volcanic gases and of ash. This last one could easily cause problems, if pushed.
  • The trekking requires a discrete preparation on a physical level. Being a path that develops at high altitude, it will be easy to accuse symptoms of fatigue. It is required attention, since it is a volcanic active area, subjected to constant gaseous exhalations and composed by a soil constituted by inconsistent and unstable rocks.
  • Without adequate shoes you are not covered by insurance.
  • Pregnant women who have passed the third month of pregnancy are not allowed to take part to any excursion activity.
  • Because of the continuous and unpredictable evolution of the volcanic activity, the excursions could undergo variations, or, in extreme cases, be cancelled, at the discretion of the guide for safety reasons.
  • The excursion is not suitable for children under 12 years old
Location
CHIOSCO BAR MARENEVE DI FERRARO
Via Provenzana
The meeting point is located in the parking lot near the active chairlift at Eta Nord in winter. The bar is the second house of the 4 present in the parking lot. Please note that our meeting point is the "Chiosco Bar Mareneve" not the "Chiosco Bar Etna Nord".
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(271 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Heises
May 30, 2024
Etna excitement! - Astonishing scenery. Very professional operation. Poldo was a great guide / and prolific linguist. My wife was nervous through vertigo and was planning to pull out but Poldo gave her enough confidence to do it and checked up on her when we got to the really hairy bit - the caldera. Amazing moonscape scenery and really unforgettable experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jewadi
May 30, 2024
Best volcano trip ever!!! 😍 - The trip was in May 2023. Unfortunately, I couldn't adjust it anymore. THAT was the best trip to a volcano I've ever done!!! The guide was very nice and knew a lot. He also spoke English, Italian and French fluently (!) and thus told the whole tour three times. It was great. On the way up you felt like you were in Jurassic Park. Awesome! I can only highly recommend it!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sebre
May 27, 2024
Great experience with a great guide - Great tour with experienced guides. The guide explained everything in Italien, French, and English. Overall it was a fantastic experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K988eorogerk
May 4, 2024
Clear but stormy - The summit was completely cloud-free, which meant we had wind speeds of up to 95 km/h on the crater rim. At -5 degrees and so much wind, warm clothes are an absolute must. A down jacket with a hood, warm gloves, thermal underwear under the pants, and maybe ski goggles for the eyes are a plus. The trip was an absolute highlight for me; it was carried out very professionally and safely. The guides had radios, our guide had to go back to the vehicle with a woman, another guide took over our group until we were back. I would take part again at any time; I really enjoyed it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
W5509zjannal
Feb 23, 2024
Impressive hike on Mount Etna - We loved the tour! We did the winter tour on Mount Etna South and it was great fun! The mountain guide led us up and back down on an adventurous route. Through the snow and over lava, through a kind of grotto with a helmet until we reached the top. I would definitely do it again and recommend it to anyone who doesn't just want to drive up but also likes to hike. Thank you very much! The tour was great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
754lingliz
Dec 29, 2023
An excellent experience! - The routes were thoughtfully designed and the view was stunning. The provider is well equipped with gears and available for those who are not equipped. Guide Danielle is knowledgeable and professional. Fully recommend it for anyone who wants a bit (but not too much) of challenges and good fun!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
31ninaw
Dec 11, 2023
Amazing experience and a must-do when in Sicily! - We booked the hike to the main crater of the Etna (and back down to the parking lot at 1800m) and it was an amazing experience. We started the tour with a bigger group in the 4x4 and were then separated into smaller groups, each with their own guide. Our group had a size of 6 people which was really great. Our guide Luca was very experienced and explained a lot along the way. We always felt really safe. He lead us to different scenic viewpoints along the main crater and it was just an amazing, unforgettable experience! Even the hike down was a lot of fun. I cannot recommend this tour enough, definitely a must-do when you are in Sicily!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
499nejcs
Nov 2, 2023
Bad weather but the guides had a solution - On the day we arrived the weather was not great, strong winds. The guides proposed a new tour, not at the summit, so they proposed a refund and booking of a different cheaper tour that was ok due to the weather. They also provided any gear as necessary. We had great explanations and stories with our guide Daniele! He was great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
560danielat
Jun 3, 2024
Etna north - It was good and interesting, but for my opinion, a smaller group would be better, because in this group were 20 people. At the end, when we got down, it wouldn't be necessary to have a snack break, because after this, it seemed that we are in a rush.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vincent1030
May 2, 2024
CRAVING! - This trek is fabulous, our eyes are still full of wonderful images. To be regretted, however: we had warned that we are no longer young (67 and 68 years old)! And it was frankly VERY / TOO sporty, without any downtime for us who actually arrived last... We had barely caught up with them when the merry band started again. In short, we came home frankly defeated!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 10 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today