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Etna Excursions from Catania

Name: Etna Excursions from Catania
Brand: Etna Excursions from Catania
SKU: 30640P3
Price: 76.87 USD
Rating: 4.5 (360 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceSicily, Italy

6 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Explore Mount Etna, the world's most active stratovolcano, on this small-group hiking tour from Catania. Moderate hike through Mount Etna's moon-like landscape in the Valley del Bove depression, including a lava tube exploration, and the Silvestri craters.

Hike through Mount Etna's Valle del Bove depression
Reach areas inaccessible to larger vehicles
Small group ensures an intimate atmosphere
Round-trip transportation from the meeting point in Catania

What's Included

Local, professional guide
Environmental guide hiking certified
Pickup and drop-off at the meeting point
Insurance
Use of helmet
Equipment (shoes, trekking poles, helmets, wind stoppers)

Food and drinks
Hotel pick-up

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

Type to search

Start time

08:30 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Mount Etna

5 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not wheelchair accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
The program of the excursion may be subject to changes. (Adverse weather conditions, as well as restrictions on access to the volcano by the competent authorities)
Stroller accessible

Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Non adatto a persone anziane non abituate alla camminata in montagna
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

John_N

This excursion was fantastic and I highly recommend it. The views during the hike were amazing, the food at the lunch was unbelievably delicious, and the lava tubes were really cool to experience. Ernesto was a great guide and took care of everything while we were out with him and made sure everyone's needs were met. About the hike. You will be on a hiking trail that is sometimes narrow with inclines and declines. In some sections there are step-ups/downs, uneven surfaces, exposed rocks and tree roots, and loose gravel. If you do this hike you should dress accordingly, bring a backpack to hold some additional clothing and water. During the tour through the lava tubes, you are provided hard hats with headlamps, you will definitely need the light to see in the tube. The lunch, which is not included in the price, was spectacular. It was on a beautiful farm located off the hiking trail. it was a wonderful experience and a great way to refuel after the hike.

Reviews

4.5

360 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 360 reviews

wonderful experience, great guide, safe, reasonable price

Jeannine_D, May 2024

Alessio was a great guide, passionate and with a lot of knowledge! On time, safe drive and we had great fun! Would definitely recommend!

Amazing hike

Amir_A, Apr 2024

The hike was amazing, beautiful views, The guides were so cool and kind and knowledgeable. Got all the equipment we needed and didn’t bring. Would recommend it to anyone !

Well organised and fun...

Quentin_A, Apr 2024

Well organised and fun hike! Julian is very knowledgable and has a ton of extra gear in case you need hiking shoes, poles, windbreaker, etc.

Great hike with super guides!

Ana_R, Apr 2024

Fantastic hike, both guides were extraordinary, professional and knowledgeable. Very thoughtful with all the kit they provided, highly recommend!

Book it you won’t regret it !

Marcia_H, Apr 2024

Was a great day with fantastic a guide Alexandro (possibly spelt wrong apologies) He was very patient and definitely a guide who loves the mountain and cares about the environment we were visiting. It was difficult but doable. I am just reminded I need to exercise more and it was really good to push myself. My whole group was lovely and I am so very glad I went out and pushed myself instead of sitting on the beach…the views and the satisfaction of the climb were well worth it !

Overall great trip! The...

Astrid_P, Apr 2024

Overall great trip! The hike was a bit shorter than anticipated (or our group was faster than the average), about 3.5 hours from when we got to the parking lot till we were back. Went at the beginning of April and it was surprisingly warm- made it up with trekking trousers and a thin but warm layer.

Alessandro was a great...

Kyle_G, Apr 2024

Alessandro was a great guide and the trip up the volcano was everything I expected. I particularly appreciate the pick-up in Catania city center.

Great guides

Scot_R, Mar 2024

The guides were excellent with loads of knowledge. They took the time to assist if needed and shared their knowledge throughout the hike.

Experience of a lifetime!

Joe_G, Mar 2024

First time mountain hiker, and it was an experience that I will never forget. Etna’s grandeur inspires fear and respect. Knowledgeable and experienced guides were crucial in making this an unforgettable adventure. Well worth the money.

Great hike up Etna with our great guide.

GEORGE_C, Feb 2024

Stunning views of Etna on our hike up the volcano. Our guide Juliano was very knowledgeable and informative and we learnt a lot from him. He was also considerate of our comfort and safety along the hike. Thank you Juliano!

Reliable but communication can improve

Jan_M, Jan 2024

I will skip the part that is mentioned times over; YES the etna hike is a wonderful experience unlike any other, regardless of the choice of guide. From a meeting point (8:30 catania) we traveled into a small village for some sandwiches and espresso this was very welcome, yet not communicated, (we took our own food, since we didn't know). Borrowing the equipment was without a problem and everything was ready for us in the next spot we stopped. Next stop was carpark on the mountain and we started the tour. Worth mentioning this was at 11am. The tour itself went pretty smooth, although I noticed that since half of the group were italian, there was mostly italian going on and now and then an english explanation + stuff we actually asked about. This I find probably 1 of 2 downsides of the tour. While I understand italian people talk italian amongs themselves, the rest of us payed for "english tour" therefore there is some expectation set for this, I believe. Otherwise, there were some interesting information on volcanos and etna on the way. Although I noticed some reviews mentioning lots of stories guides have on the volcano. I cannot say much to this end. As a conclusion. The guide is definitely fine to take, there were no big issues. On the side of possible improvements: there is very little communication towards: - how long / how much hiking is there (expected whole day, in reality we started at 11am, ended around 3pm) - it is not ENGLISH only, it is ENGLISH friendly, I believe when picking which guide you want is pretty crucial (since they all cost pretty much the same) - the actual program (there was no lava exploration even though mentioned), also there's generally not too much information which makes it pretty hard when picking between different guides

Incredible hike for great views of Mount Etna

George_H, Dec 2023

This was an incredible tour to Mount Etna. The guide showed us the best hiking trails for gorgeous views of Mount Etna. He was kind, knowledgeable and told us fascinating stories of Mount Etna. Would 100% recommend for those looking to hike parts of Mount Etna and hear great stories.

Amazing trek in the snow on Etna.

Francesca_P, Nov 2023

I went on a cold rainy day in November and on the summit of Etna it was snowing quite heavily. It was a great adventure to be on the mountain and the guide was brilliant. Full of passion for the mountain and very knowledgable. Two days before it had been sunny and warm, but being in the snow felt very special! The walk is moderate and the company has some equipment to borrow, but it’s best to bring your own in this weather if you want to be comfortable. Its not jeans weather!

Really nice trip with...

Gergely_J, Oct 2023

Really nice trip with local tour guides from Catania, speaking really good english. Always looked after the group, and raised the ambient with some good jokes. Thank you guys it was a pleasure!

Excellent tour provided by Etnarock and Alessandro

Mark_O, Oct 2023

Fantastic, professional experience provided by the excellent Allessandro.the tour tour leaves from the crew of Catania and makes a stop for Sandwiches/ lunch along the way. Alessandro was a fantastic guide. He’s passionate about Etna and Sicilian Geology. The tour does involve a good amount of exercise and isn’t for the faint hearted. We ascended about 700 metres from 1900 metres and walked about 10k in total. Also provided was essential kit such as waterproof jackets, walking poles and also walking boots (if you need them). I would highly recommend using the walking poles as the ground on Etna is made of loose basalt stone, so it’s almost like walking on sand or gravel. One person in our party didn’t take the poles and really struggled.

enriching experience

Simona_R, Oct 2023

The hike was guided by Alessio, who is a very knowledgeable guide. He introduced us to plants and rocks abundant around Etna. It was a rich experience, highly recommended for those who are interested in exploring the volcano more in-depth.

This is a great excursion...

Vittoria_L, Sep 2023

This is a great excursion for doing a moderately difficult hike on Etna. The views were beautiful and the guide took some time to stop at some panoramic views so we could take pictures. The guide graciously had jackets and shoes if needed. I gave this 4 stars because we ended a little early and I would have liked the extra 30min of hiking. Also, our guide offered some information but did not mention some things he said he would talk about.

Great hiking tour

Megan_W, Sep 2023

The guides were excellent sharing their vast knowledge of my Etna and the flora as d fauna of the area and volcanos generally . The hike was well paced with lots of rest stops to catch our breath and admire the stunning views . It was exactly what we wanted in a mt Etna experience .

Excellent way to experience Etna

Simon_R, Sep 2023

Excellent day out. Our guide (Alessandro) was full of enthusiasm and made sure we had an interesting and fun day trekking around the Silvestri craters and the Valle de Bove. Definitely recommend.

Amazing experience

Nicole_M, Sep 2023

Amazing experience being on top of an active volcano! We had a small group of 3, the other couple booked a different tour and so the guide gave me the choice to either do this tour or add on the cable car and go to the summit. I wasn't sure at first however very glad I chose to go to the summit. Experience of being up at 3000m was amazing. Just be aware that it is an additional 78Euro so is an expensive add on. I think some more explanation on the Viator page would be helpful so you are aware this is extra. We had a short stop at the Silvestri craters and a Lava cave as well.

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