Etna tramonto 3000m + pick-up
With the Etna sunset 3000m + pick-up excursion you will be picked up in Letojanni, Taormina or Giardini Naxos at one of the pick-up points. The transfer service will take you to Piano Provenzana for the excursion on the Etna volcano with sunset. You will first visit the volcano in daylight, discovering the 2002 craters or the 1809 crater. Then the 4x4 off-road bus will take you to almost 3000 meters to enjoy the view AND the setting sun.
Would you like to do this excursion with your own transport? The hike is the same, but without a pick-up:
What you will see during the excursion:
The Etna sunset excursion 3000m + pick-up starts from Piano Provenzana - Etna Nord at 1800m altitude. The pick-up service will bring you there from Letojanni, Taormina or Giardini Naxos.
The 4x4 off-road bus departs from Piano Provenzana and travels along the unpaved lava road to the 2002 craters. This is the last major eruption of the northern slope of the Etna volcano that devastated Piano Provenzana. After visiting these craters, walking through the mouth of the crater (small trek of about 20 minutes) with the volcano guide, the excursion continues by 4x4 bus to the observatory. It is also possible to replace this stop with one at crater 1809. This depends on the weather and the activity of the volcano. If the volcano is erupting, we always go up as early as possible so that we can experience the eruption up close!
The off-road 4x4 bus drops you off at an altitude of about 2900 metres at the observatory, from where you walk to the viewpoint (about a 5-minute walk, 30 metres uphill). From here you have a splendid view of the active, steaming summit crater of Etna volcano, the Bove Valley, the moonscape of Etna volcano and you can even see Taormina and Catania and the blue sea!
At this point, we will wait for the sun to set. Depending on the time of year, you may see a play of light from the setting sun, or a real 'ball' setting in the moonscape of Mount Etna.
Once the sun has set, the 4x4 bus goes back down, assuming the volcano is erupting. If there is an eruption and lava can be seen, we often stay an extra 30 minutes. Because it is precisely (and only) in the dark that the red of the hot lava can be clearly seen.
Guides and languages
The excursion is accompanied by official, trained volcano guides. These guides speak Italian, English and sometimes French. On the bus they will tell already you something about the volcano.
Features
- Starting height: 1800 metres - Piano Provenzana
- Highest point: 2950 metres - above the observatory
- Difficulty: Easy
- Departure time: 5 pm - 6 pm
- End time: 8 pm - 9 pm approx.
- Duration of excursion: approx. 3 hours
Departure time and availability
Sunset excursions to Mount Etna start every day at 5pm-6pm (depending on the sunset time). Excursions normally start in April/May and are usually possible until mid/end of October. In winter, the excursion is not possible as Mount Etna is snow-capped and buses cannot go up.
Places are limited and the excursion is by reservation only. The excursion will take place with a minimum participation of 8 persons. We recommend always arriving at least 20 to 30 minutes in advance. This gives you time to get used to the altitude, park, take some photos and pay for the excursion.
Parking
You can park your car at Piano Provenzana. This is a paid car park. A parking attendant drives around. The cost is € 3.00 per day. In the evening, however, parking is often free because the parking attendant is no longer there =).
Price Etna sunset excursion 3000m + pick-up
The excursion costs € 105.00 per person. Children are charged € 90.00 up to the age of 12. Children up to 3 years of age are free of charge, provided they sit on their parents/caretakers' lap. You can pay on the day of the excursion at the ticket office by presenting your voucher. There is no seat without a reservation! You can pay for the excursion in cash, by debit card or credit card.
Includes:
✓ Pick-up from Giardini Naxos / Taormina (roundtrip)
✓ 4x4 Bus up to an altitude of 2950 metres (roundtrip)
✓ Accompanied by a professional volcanological guide (English and Italian)
✓ Excursion of approx. 20 to 30 minutes to the 2002 craters
✓ Sunset at an altitude of 2950 metres
✓ Observatory at 2900 metres altitude
✓ 5-minute Hike to the viewpoint at 2950 metres altitude
✓ Entrance to Mount Etna Parc
Excludes:
X Water/ beverages
X Food
X Coat rent (€ 5.00 per coat)
Requirements Etna Sunset 3000m + pick-up
This hike is not suitable for pregnant women and children under the age of 9 months. If you suffer from heart problems, we also advise against participating in this hike.
This hike is suitable for those who do not want to do a lot of trekking, but do want to experience the volcano to the full. The stops and excursions are within everyone's reach (young and old)!
Clothing
It is always recommended to wear long trousers, even in summer, as the climate cools down. Especially when the sun goes down. Also, there is always a bit of wind on Etna, so keep that in mind. We always recommend carrying a jacket or sweatshirt, so that you can also cover your ears with a hood or hat.
Shoes
The hike can be done with good sports shoes (with high socks). It is therefore not really necessary to wear hiking boots, but if you have them, we recommend wearing them. Note that shoes can get dirty due to dust from the lava rocks.
Frequently asked questions
I have my own car, can I still join?!
Yes! If you have your own car, you can drive up to the startpoint by yourself. It is a normal (mountain)road to the startpoint (Piano Provenzana). Everyday busses, campers and cars go up and down without any problem. If you have a car, you don't pay for the pick-up service. This is the same excursion, but without the pick-up service: https://pianoprovenzana.com/excursions/etna-sunset-tour/
I am pregnant and I feel fit, why can't I participate?
The hike really is not recommended for pregnant women. This is because you pass over lava from 1850 metres to 2900 metres via a dirt road. This means that there are a lot of unevenness and humps on the road. This ''roughness'' is not good for the little one in the belly.
My baby is 8 months old, can't he come with us at all?
Yes, he can come with you, but he is your responsibility. Be aware that you are going to an altitude of 2900 metres. We ourselves are not used to this, but a child certainly is not. For a child it can mean ear problems. For this reason, the advice is for the child to be at least 9 months old.
What is the difference between this excursion and a jeep tour with a pick-up truck?
On a jeep tour with a pick-up truck, you only go up to a maximum altitude of 1850 (Etna Nord) or 1900 (Etna Sud) metres on the Etna volcano. This is in fact the limit to which you can go by car. With the Etna 3000m excursion you really do climb the volcano, see the craters and get as high as possible: a true bargain!
Is a pick-up from Catania also possible?
If your group consists of at least 10 people, we can also organise a pick-up in Catania (and the surrounding area) (a supplement may be required). Otherwise, we currently only have the option of a pick-up in Giardini Naxos, Taormina or Letojanni. However, we can possibly pick you up at some point along the route. For example, Piedimonte Etnea or Linguaglossa.
Another solution might be to take the train to the train station of Giardini Naxos where we can pick-you-up!
I have luggage, where can I store it?
You can leave your luggage in the pick-up bus. In fact, this bus will also take you back after the excursion. So if you have luggage, no problem!
Languages spoken by guides
English
Italian
