Itinerary Etna Cable car + Snowcat + guide up to 2900m

The Etna Cable car + snowcat excursion starts from the Piazzale Funivia dell’Etna – Etna South, at 1900 meters above sea level (with the booking you get the exact location + how to get there tips!). With the cable car you will reach an altitude of 2500 meters. While riding up on the cable car, you can already see several beautiful old craters, partially covered with snow. When you get off the cable car, you follow the signs outside and change to the Snowcat. This snow bus will take you from 2500 meters up to an altitude of 2900 meters. This is about another 5 -6 km ride up the Etna volcano. At around 2900 meters you get of the snowcat. Here you will meet the volcano/alpino guide for all the people of your snowcat. With the volcanological guide you do a hike of about 45 minutes to the Barbagallo crater. During this hike the guide will tell you about the eruptions, the summit craters and show you the power and heat of Mount Etna. You can also admire the active South-East summit crater from afar.

After this stop, you go back to the Snowcat to descent back to 2500 meters. Here you can take che cable car back to 1900 meters. You can decide when to take the cable car back down. The last cable car back down goes at 3:15 p.m. in winter!

Details

This Etna winter excursion starts from Rifugio Sapienza – Etna South. The Etna Cable car opens around 08.45 hour and the last cable car back down is around 15.15 hour in winter. We advise you to come between 08.45 and 13.00 hour, so you have enough time to do the complete excursion. It is not necessary to choose a specific starttime, since your booking is valid for the complete day! Just make sure you’re on time so you don’t miss the last snow bus going up! The last snow bus up leaves around 13.00 hour normally.

The total excursion takes around 2,5 hours. You’ll start with a scenic 12–15 minute cable car ride up the volcano, followed by a short 15–20 minute journey in a powerful snowcat. Between these transfers, there’s a bit of waiting time to take in the views and adjust to the altitude. Then, the real adventure begins: a guided 45-minute hike through snow and lava fields, leading you to the breathtaking edge of the Barbagallo Crater at around 2900 meters.

This excursion is suitable for anyone with a normal level of fitness. For children, we recommend an age of at least 3 years due to the altitude you will reach.

• Starting point Etna South - Rifugio Sapienza
• Departure time: from 08.45 to 13.00 hour
• Total Duration: 2,5 hours
• Total elevation gain: from 1900 to 3000m
• Time on the snowcat: Around 15/20 minutes
• Hiking: 45 minutes

Price and Availability

Price Etna Cable car + Snowcat + Volcano/Alpine guide

When you book online with Piano Provenzana, you get the advantage of skipping the line at the ticket-office. On busy days, this quickly means saving 30 minutes of your time! This are the prices for the Etna cable car + snowcat excursion:

• Adults: € 100,00 per person (€ 91,00 for the cable car and the bus + € 9,00 for the guide)
• Children: € 56,00 per person (€ 47,00 for cable car and bus + € 9,00 for the guide)
• Children 0-4 years: free, when they sit on the laps of their parents/caregivers*

* we suggest a minimum age of 2,5 – 3 years for children, because of the altitude!

Starttime and availability

The Etna cable car operates daily from 08:45 AM to approximately 4:10 PM.

• The last ascent is around 3:10 PM.

• The last descent is around 3:45 PM.

The last full excursion (Cable car + snowcat + hike with guide) usually departs around 1:00 PM, giving you plenty of time to reach the almost 3000-meter viewpoint safely and comfortably.

🚌 The snow buses (Snowcats) run approximately every 40 minutes, or more frequently when there are enough participants.
📈 During high season, they depart as often as every 5 minutes.

Your ticket is valid for the entire day, so there’s no need to choose a specific time in advance. You’re free to start your excursion whenever it suits you best.

☀️ Tip: We recommend going in the morning, as clouds often build up later in the day – and clear views are part of the magic!

* If you book with Piano Provenzana you get a priority voucher. With this voucher you can skip the line and go directly to the ticket-office “office – uffici” to get your passes and go up with the cable car!

Timeschedule

We recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before you plan to take the Etna cable car. This gives you enough time to find a parking spot (paid parking), use the restroom if needed, take some photos, and walk leisurely to the cable car station. Most importantly, it allows your body to adjust gradually to the altitude – especially if you’re heading up high.

The Etna Cable Car + Snowcat excursion takes more less 2,5 hours in total, depending on the group, de number of questions for the guide and the weather

Including and excluding

Clothing & Footwear Advise

In snowy conditions, temperatures on Etna can drop significantly – and it’s often the wind that makes it feel even colder. To stay comfortable, we recommend dressing in layers and wearing a windproof jacket. A hat, gloves, and scarf are highly recommended – or at least a hoodie if you don’t have a hat.

Make sure to wear closed-toe shoes with good grip, such as hiking boots or sturdy sports shoes. The terrain can be uneven and slippery in winter, so proper footwear is essential!

Rental jackets and shoes
It is also possible to rent a jacket and/or shoes. You can go to one of the souvenir shops for this rental service or rent a jacket at the office at 2500 meters after you leave the cable car. Prices may vary by rental shop! Prices listed are from the bar at 2500m altitude when you get off the cable car!

• Rental jacket: € 5,00
• Rental shoes: € 5,00
• Socks: € 3,50 (only for sale)

Gloves are not available for rent, but can be purchased in the souvenir stores before you take the cable car up.

Food and drinks
If you want to bring food and drinks on the tour you can buy something in one of the restaurants and bars at Etna South. Or you can buy something at the bar at 2500 meters after you leave the cable car.

• Windproof jacket
• Long pants
• Sweater
• Hiking or snowboots
• Thermal clothing
• Gloves
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Powerbank
• Phone
• Water

FAQ