EXCURSION TO THE SUMMIT CRATERS
on the way
The tour proposed below starts from the Rifugio Sapienza area (altitude 1900 meters) where you will meet your guide;
After the briefing and accommodation, we will first take the cable car up to an altitude of 2500 meters. Subsequently, by off-road minibuses, we will arrive at about 2800 meters where we will begin our trek towards the places of the most recent eruptions.
We will walk first across the lava flow of the eruption of February 21, 2022 and then we will continue on a terrain mainly composed of sand, lapilli and volcanic slag; we will begin the ascent to the top up to the central crater at 3300 meters which will welcome you with its magnificent colours and its incessant fumaroles of water vapour and gas.
on the way BACK
After a twenty minutes stop in the summit area and having enjoyed the uniqueness of the place, we will begin to descend along a predominantly sandy slope, and we will reach the base of the craters, here we will take a break to eat something (sandwich, snack, fruit),
After stop we will continue in the direction of the lateral craters formed during the great eruption of 2002/2003, we will enter a lava flow channel and continue the descent in an easterly direction and we will reach the viewpoint of the spectacular “Valle del Bove” (the ancient caldera of Etna which originated from the collapse of the old eruptive centers)
You will then continue in a southerly direction until you reach the cable car again to return to the starting point.
DETAILS:
APPOINTMENT around 9.00 am on the south side of Etna (Rifugio Sapienza)
DURATION: the round trip is around 4/5 hours (but it depends on various factors, such as pace, stops, etc.)
DIFFICULTY: medium physical effort, but you need to have a minimum aptitude for walking on uneven ground (such as volcanic sand) with an uphill slope in certain sections
But the pace will be slow and there will be many breaks to recover from looking at the surrounding landscapes.
PRICE: 120 euros per person
The price includes the following:
Cable car ticket (round trip)
Off-road van ticket (one way)
Alpine / volcanological guide (compulsory to exceed an altitude of 2800 meters)
Any necessary equipment (trekking shoes, windbreaker, etc.)
Protective helmet (mandatory)
Insurance.
warnings
Note that the excursion itinerary described below takes into account the civil protection ordinances which sometimes limit access to higher altitudes for safety reasons.
Consequently, the excursion could change based on the volcanic risk detected by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
Any changes will be communicated the day before the excursion.
NOT RECOMMENDED: for those suffering from vertigo, for those who lead a purely sedentary life
FORBIDDEN: to anyone suffering from cardiovascular problems.
FORBIDDEN: to Pregnant women.
FORBIDDEN: to Children under ten years old