Private Etna express: guided half-day trek on the Volcano from Taormina

Discover the majestic volcano with a personalized private tour

Description

Your journey begins with a relaxing drive from Taormina (or Giardini di Naxos) to the base of Mount Etna. Comfortably transported in a private minivan, you will meet your expert guide, who will accompany you as you hike along the volcanic paths. The excursion takes you through the seven lateral craters, formed by the 1865 eruption. Etna’s distinction as the highest active volcano in Europe is accentuated by its awe-inspiring landscape, notably the Bottoniera, a series of cones created by the eruption and collectively known as the Sartorius Mountains. These unique formations, named after scholar Sartorius von Waltershausen, form a captivating chain of volcanic “buttons.”

Mount Etna’s diverse ecosystem is home to several rare plant species found only on the volcano. One of the most fascinating is the birch, which typically grows in northern latitudes like Scandinavia but here thrives in the volcanic environment. These trees, with their white bark and delicate branches, stand in stark contrast against the black lava that covers the slopes of the Sartorius Mountains. The juxtaposition of colors will surely leave you mesmerized!

Your private half-day tour of Mount Etna will transport you to a surreal, almost lunar-like landscape. As you walk along the volcano’s trails, you’ll be enveloped by the stark beauty and eerie atmosphere of this active geological wonder. From the summit, you’ll have sweeping views of Catania below, and on a clear day, you might even catch a glimpse of the distant island of Stromboli. Don’t forget to snap plenty of photos as you take in one of Italy’s most breathtaking vistas, before returning to Taormina with unforgettable memories.

Inclusions

• Private tour: personalized attention
  
• Professional Monolingual speaking trained guide
  
• Round-trip transportation from Taormina/Giardini Naxos by luxury A/C Mercedes Minivan or Minibus
  
• Free rental of equipment if needed (wind jacket/kway, walking sticks, helmet for cave visit)
  
• Guided easy hike on the volcano
  
• Guided visit of a volcanic cave
  
• Bottle of water

Meeting Point

TAORMINA

Via Pirandello, lease meet our tour guide inside the parking of the the Bus Terminal, near the Rico Caffè.
SEE ON MAPS

GIARDINI DI NAXOS 

Viale Dionisio, 12. Please meet our tour guide inside the Recanati Terminal Bus, at the corner with Roulotte House.

SEE ON MAPS

Notes

Required: hiking shoes or good walking/sport shoes (no flip-flops!).

Strongly suggested hat and sunscreen.

We regret to inform that this tour is not suitable for guests with wheelchairs or with impaired mobility.

Please inform us of any food intolerance or allergy in advance.

Rain Policy

Provided that we will do our best to proceed with the tours, avoiding the rain and thus possibly carrying out the tour with our vehicle until and if the rain should stop and road conditions will guarantee a safe tour. If it does not stop raining, the entire tour will be conducted in the safety and comfort of the vehicle.

Since we are aware that the experience running today, might not be the one you had wished for, we are hereby giving you the following choices, to be communicated to our Staff DURING THE CHECK-IN PROCEDURE:

1) Proceed with the tour hoping for clearing weather – PARTIAL activities or NO activities due to heavy RAIN Customers can decide to proceed with the tour hoping for clearing weather with the understanding that It will NOT be granted any refund or discount. We will do our best to accommodate you, weather permitting.

2) Reschedule the tour for another day, subject to availability. Please contact our Booking office in order to ask for availability and rescheduling the experience. If no suitable date / time is available for the reschedule, you will be able to choose any other experience available, upon availability, with an equal or less value, or eventually an experience with a higher value, paying only the difference.

3) A credit, called Rain Check, (of the same amount clients paid) to be used the following days or at any other time, subject to availability. The Rain check is a voucher given to the client. The voucher is transferable and may be sold or given to others to use at a future date and lasts up to 1 year from date. It has a value that can be possibly used in any other tour provided by our company. Please note that clients' safety and comfort are of utmost priority, and proper rain gear is mandatory for guests choosing to "ride in the rain". We ask clients to be at the meeting point 15 minutes before the tour departure, to check the weather conditions and choose accordingly. No-shows will not be refunded.