Etna Top Crater Tour

MEETING POINT

Cable car station
If you have decided to meet us in the square in front of the Sapienza Hut, you are already at 1900 m.a.s.l. in the UNESCO protected area “Etna Park”.
Our guide accompanies you by cable car to 2500 m altitude, where we start the tour.

We start climbing through this lunar landscape, encountering extinct craters and crossing the lava surfaces of the last eruptions. Between 2000 and 3000 m altitude we see the few plants that can withstand the extreme climatic conditions, in summer and winter, the drought and the strong wind.

TREKKING IN THE LAVA DESERT – ASCENT

Around us, craters and lava flows in various shades of black, grey and red; here the incessant activity of the volcano gives the plants no time to take hold. We can notice roundish stones that are different from all the others: the volcanic bombs.

CRATER VISIT

After the last trek you feel like you are at the top of the world. It is difficult to describe the sensations you feel here: You are thrilled by the majesty of the show, amazement and charm are enhanced by the awareness of the enormous energy that lies beneath our feet. Unique and varied scenario: the ground transitions from the greys that occur during trekking to the vivid and bright colours caused by the reverse sublimation of the minerals carried by the rising gas. Scenarios and climatic conditions that can also vary rapidly: Wind, fumes, vapours, degassing, all variable conditions that allow you to even look into the volcanic channels under optimal conditions. On clear days we enjoy excellent visibility, which allows us to admire much of Sicily with its mountains and lakes. After walking on the rim of the central crater, we start the descent.

LUNCH

We start the descent; after reaching a comfortable spot for the group, we stop for a picnic break.
The packed lunch is not included in the tour cost. There is the possibility to buy something from local traders at the beginning of the tour.

DESCENT – Lava tunnel

“On the trail we will encounter very different surfaces: we will walk on unstable, raw stones marked by fire and our shoes will sink into lava sand. We will go deeper and enjoy the lunar landscape, with the amazement of what we have experienced on this epic day still in our eyes and hearts. Forever will remain the memory of this unique experience: we walked on the summit of the most active volcano in Europe.”

RETURN – To the next adventure

After exploring Etna inside and out, we have reached the end of our day together.
Until the next adventure!