Physical requirements:
At least some experience with hiking on unpaved trails necessary.
Climbing up and down 300 m (ca. 1000 ft) at ca. 3000 m altitude.
Walking up and down on steep, loose sandy surfaces.
No fear of heights.
No breathing or serious respiratory problems.
Equipment:
 | Sturdy walking or mountain boots
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| Sufficiently warm functional clothes (especially during winter). On the summit regions of Etna, temperatures can quickly drop below freezing if the weather is unstable or if you stay into the evening.
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| Daypack
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| Flashlight (if you plan a longer excursion that might last into the evening/night)
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| Sun-, wind- and rain-protection
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| Snacks and water
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| Recommended: extra shirt to change, walking poles (recommended!), gaiters
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| For the approximate period Nov-April, when there is often a lot of snow and ice on the mountain, crampons and an ice-axe might be useful or necessary. If you don't bring your won, our guide can provide them for you, but please inform us. |
Arrival info:
The tours usually start at La Spaienza mountain hut at 1900 m elevation on Etna's south side. On request, we can include transfers (e.g. from Taormina or Catania) for you at additional cost.
Weather conditions (general)
It will always depend on the weather and volcanic activity on the chosen day if the excursion can be conducted as planned. In case of really bad weather and if you are flexible, you can shift the date in agreement with the guide. If you are not flexible and only have the one day you booked the tour, you are refunded the money you have paid so far (if you don't opt for payment on location option) minus the necessary 20% deposit, but you can apply the deposit to a future tour.
There is no guarantee that the summit craters can be reached on your tour. The weather can quickly change even while you are climbing. The best weather is usually in the morning, so we recommend starting your tour early, normally using the first cable cars starting at 9am.
Winter / snow conditions (Nov-April/May)
From Nov until April, or even May, snow is often present on the upper slopes of the volcano, in particular on its north side. The outlined excursions (1-3 only) might therefore be better done or even require the use of snow-shoes (provided). In case of much snow, the long itineraries (4 and 5) cannot be done unless you bring your ski. But then, they can turn into wonderful ski-hikes with a very good descend for almost 2000 m!
Arrival to La Sapienza (Etna south)
It is easy to get to La Sapienza from nearby areas if you have own transportation. Since there is only one public bus going up
Etna and back (that hardly leaves enough time for an excursion), we highly recommend hiring a rental car, which will probably also be the cheapest option to get around.
The most common access routes are from Catania or Taormina:
- From Catania airport or city centre, follow the signs to the motorway Palermo-Messina, then towards Messina, leave it where Nicolosi (and Etna Sud) are signposted on the exit, from there follow towards Nicolosi until the SP 92 that leads up all the way straight to La Sapienza (ca. 1.5 hrs)
- From Taormina, take the motorway direction Catania, leave at Giarre exit and follow the roads towards Zafferana and onto SP92 from the east.
- If you have no car, you can try a taxi (ca. 100 EUR from Catania/Taormina) or take the bus from Catania railway station, leaving each day at 8am, arriving at La Sapienza at around 10:30am and returning back to Catania from La Sapienza usually at around 4-5pm (please check).
- We can include transportation from nearby areas at additional cost, depending on distance and time of day. Usually, we are able to provide you with transport at lower rates than taxi.
