Mount Etna Excursions
The best excursions and tours on mount Etna
Filter by type
Questions & Answers
Visit mount Etna: tips and useful information to choose the activity that best suits your needs
To get the most beautiful views of Mount Etna can consider these amazing locations: Volcanological Observatory you can take in the stunning panorama of the summit craters, the Valle del Leone, and the Bay of Taormina, which you can admire by joining the Etna 3K Tour. The Northeast Crater offers the chance to look right into the immense active crater while enjoying a breathtaking 360-degree view of the whole of Sicily, an experience included in the Etna Summit Tour. Then there’s the vast caldera of the Valle del Bove, which can be admired from the Schiena dell’Asino trail or from the Torre del Filosofo, both reached during the Etna Trekking. Finally, the impressive eruptive fracture of Monte Nunziata with views of the Aeolian Islands and the Sicilian Apennines, can be explored on the Etna Altomontana Trail by eBike.
The North and West slopes of Etna are the most beautiful and untouched, where a great variety of landscapes has been preserved. This is quite different from the South and East sides, where human development has unfortunately damaged much of the volcano’s natural heritage. On the North and West you’ll find rich forests of conifers and beech trees, old and new lava flows kingdom of native vegetations, and fascinating lava tubes of geological interest such as the Raspberry Cave and the Ice Cave. These slopes offer a sustainable tourism where you will get the chance to explore the most beautiful areas of mount Etna on foot, on horseback, or by eBike.
To visit Etna an half-day or full-day excursion is usually enough to see some of its most famous natural sites. But if you really want to get to know the volcano in depth, you’d need at least three days to explore all the most interesting areas.
The best way to visit Etna is by choosing a trekking or mountain biking experience. Both activities let you truly explore the volcano and discover its most fascinating and unique environments, such as volcanic caves, single tracks across the lava, forests, endemic plants, lava fields, and craters. If you’d rather take a more tourist-friendly approach, you can go for a 4x4 tour. These are shorter, require minimal effort, and give you a general overview of the volcano’s features.
Visiting Etna is actually very easy, you don’t need to be a climber or an experienced hiker. Even if you’re not a fan of physical effort, you can still reach the summit areas with the Etna 3K Tour and enjoy some of the volcano’s most spectacular landscapes. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something more active and dynamic, you can choose an eBike tour along the volcano’s single tracks or a trekking experience through its volcanic environments and forests.
To reach Etna’s central crater you can start either from the North or the South side, but always with an authorized guide. From the North, the Summit Excursion takes you up to 3,340 meters, using 4x4 vehicles to reach 2,800 meters before continuing on foot to the crater’s edge. From the South, you take the cable car up to 2,500 meters, then switch to 4x4 Unimog vehicles to reach 2,900 meters, before hiking the final stretch to the top. The ascent from the South side is not always available, as recent eruptions have damaged parts of the route. Reaching the central crater on your own is strictly forbidden due to volcanic activity risks.
The best excursion on Etna is the Summit tour, a guided tour that combines 4x4 vehicles ascent with trekking, and takes you all the way up to 3,340 meters. That said, there are other excursions have to be mentioned, such as the Trekking of the Dammusi Lava Flows and the Raspberry Cave, which mixes hiking with a bit of speleology, or the Serracozzo trail that runs along the crest of Valle del Bove. If you prefer two wheels—or want to try a mountain biking adventure—the eBike tour along the Altomontana Trail is definitely one of the most complete and exciting experiences on Etna, taking you through single tracks, forests, lava flows, craters, and lava tubes.
For excursions above 2,500 meters, it is mandatory to be accompanied by a guide. If you’d like to visit Etna on your own, you can stay on the trails below this altitude. However, the authorities always recommend using a guide even for lower routes, mainly for safety reasons and because of the volcano’s unique terrain and trails, which can suddenly become challenging due by very hard passes or for volcanic activity.
If you’d like to see Etna without walking or physical effort, you can choose experiences like the Etna 3000 Tour by 4x4 or the Etna Jeep Tour. On board off-road vehicles you’ll explore the volcano in complete comfort, with short walks across volcanic deserts and panoramic viewpoints along the way.
To reach the summit of Etna on foot from the Etna Nord station takes about seven hours, covering around 10 kilometers one way and facing an elevation gain of over 1,500 meters. It is not possible to reach the summit on your own, being accompanied by an authorized guide is mandatory. This hike is suitable only for people who are very fit and experienced with high-altitude trekking. Today, however, there are easier ways to get to the top, such as the Etna Summit Tour, which from the North side takes you up to 2,800 meters by 4x4 and then continues on foot with a guide for the final stretch.
To hike on Etna, it’s essential to wear trekking shoes and always have a windproof jacket on hand. It’s also recommended to wear long pants and dress in layers according to the season. For high-altitude routes, bring a pair of gaiters to use when crossing the volcanic ash fields.
To visit Etna with children, you can choose guided and easy treks like the Etna Family tour, or 4x4 excursions such as the Etna 3000, which reaches the Volcanological Observatory. If you’re looking for a more traditional experience, you can try the Etna Donkey Trekking, a ride on donkey back along the slopes of the volcano. Alternatively, for a quick self-guided visit, you can take the cable car from the South side.
To reach Etna from Catania by public transport, you can use the AST bus company, which goes from Catania to the Rifugio Sapienza on the South side. A round-trip ticket costs €6.60. However, the service has limited departures, and the schedule doesn’t always align with the timing needed for an Etna hiking activity. For this reason, there are Etna excursions from Catania with pick-up included, such as the Etna Jeep Tour.
The round-trip ticket for the Etna Cable Car costs €30 for children and €52 for adults. The cable car operates daily from 8:30 AM to 3:50 PM (last descent).
The difference is clear
We have always had a dream: a planet where people are not forced to migrate, where they can live from their own land with love and respect — that is who we are. A world where travelers are seen as people, not numbers — and that is you, when you choose us.
Ethical business
We are an idea born and made in Sicily with two ingredients, passion for nature and love for this country.
Local guides
We are a team of guides and outdoor experts with the mission to enhance Sicily.
Green mind
We are deeply aware of environmental challenges and fully dedicated to driving impactful sustainability initiatives.
Valuable experiences
We only select activities with high naturalistic and experiential value.