Trekking craters Etna Nord 3000 m.
This excursion is the best alternative for the excursion to the summit craters, which are currently closed due to the activity of the volcano*. With this trekking you can learn about Mount Etna in a unique way, accompanied by a professional volcanological guide. During this excursion you will walk on different old craters, see lava fractures and you will have the most amazing panoramic views.
Trekking craters Etna Nord 3000 m. itinerary
This route is the alternative excursion for those who want to visit the summit craters on Mount Etna. The trekking craters Etna Nord 3000 excursion is the most complete and spectacular tour that you can do on Mount Etna. You walk along huge craters, visit lava caves and see fascinating fractures.
The tour starts from Piano Provenzana. With comfortable 4x4 buses you go up to 2860 meters to the volcanological observatory. From here we walk a little bit up, to the panoramic viewpoint Pizzi Deneri. From this viewpoint we have a great view on the coast from Taormina to Catania and we can also see the active North East crater from here.
After the stop at 2900 meters altitude, and the explanation of the volcano guide, we return to the 4x4 bus. The bus brings us to a high of 2500 meters more less, from where the trekking downhill starts. Along the way we pass by fascinating fractures, lava caves and see the solidified lava from several old eruptions, like the eruption of 1914, 1924, 1809, 1874, 1911, 1974, 1975 and of course the most recent eruption on the North side of Mount Etna of 2002.
After visiting the spectacular craters of the 2002 eruption, you will walk back to Piano Provenzana, the starting point of the hike.
Trekking crateri Etna Nord 3000 m. details:
- Starting time: around 8 hour in the morning
- Total time of the trekking: 4,5 hours
- Total distance in km: 6 km
- Finishing time: around 13.30 - 14.30 hour (depending on the group)
- Level of difficulty: **
If you are pregnant, have knee and/or back problems, you cannot do the Trekking craters Etna Nord 3000 m. excursion. Children can participate; a minimum age of 8 and good walking condition is recommended.
The excursion costs € 100,00 per person. Children from 8 to 12 years pay € 90,00 per person.
Inclusive is:
- Professional licensed volcanological guide
- One-way with the 4x4 bus from 1800 m. to 2900m
- One-way with the 4x4 bus from 2900m to 2500m
- Trekking poles
- Protective helmets
- Insurance in case of accidents
- Hiking shoes
- Wind jackets
Exclusive is:
- Food & drinks
- Parking at Piano Provenzana (€3,00 per day per car)
- K-way
Languages spoken by guides
English
French
Italian
FrenchReviews
The tour was very well organised. I didn't have hiking boots and a jacket with me, but I was able to borrow some from the guides. The rent was included in the price and the boots and the jacket were of good quality. Our guide Julia was just great! She was very kind and gave a lot of interesting background information. She knows Mount Etna inside out. Our group was mixed, some spoke English, others Italian. At all times she made sure that she passed on all the information in both languages. The tour passes many impressive places, the landscape is simply unique. I can highly recommend it!
We wanted to see Mount Etna during our vacation in Sicily in November 2024, but were a little unsure what kind of tour would suit us. The peak of Mount Etna was covered in snow at the time and the volcano was somewhat active. We received very friendly support when booking and decided to choose this tour at short notice. We were met at the parking lot by our guide Luca. He took a close look at each participant and handed out additional items of clothing and shoes if necessary so that everyone was dressed appropriately. We then took a 4x4 Taurus to the snow-covered plateau below the peak of Mount Etna. There we had some time to take photos and play in the snow. Afterwards, our guide told us about the views at various points and the history and characteristics of Mount Etna. We then took the bus down a little way below the snow line. From there, we walked downhill back to the parking lot - through wild lava landscapes, on crater rims from previous eruptions and through pure nature. One of the highlights was undoubtedly the visit to a cave that was formed during an eruption in early summer. Luca showed us videos that impressively documented its formation. In general, our guide during the tour was extremely nice, friendly, caring and helpful. He made sure that it was a safe tour for everyone, and in difficult places he showed everyone where to step in order to get over the difficult spot safely. He also told us a lot about Etna and nature at various points. He deserves a lot of praise for that! For us it was an absolutely fantastic experience that we can really recommend!