The great Etna hike via the summit

Etna3340 invites you to a sporty approach to the Etna volcano. The experience proposed here is an intense Trail Running of about 3/4 hours. This is the most complete and interesting private experience to do on the Etna volcano for the more athletic. You will benefit from the support of our trail instructor, a luxury VTC vehicle with a dedicated professional driver and a private guide. This ascent of Etna starts early in the morning. Our guide will accompany you for about 5 hours of immersion on the volcano to see the lunar landscapes of Etna!

To climb to the top of Etna (weather and geodynamic conditions permitting) you must be in perfect health, athletic and have no physical problems. The excursion takes place in an active volcanic area, on rough paths and at variable altitudes. The great crossing of the summit of Etna is an intense hiking route of about 15 km. In the private excursion, with the guide just for you, you can adapt the pace of the walk and the times to your sporting abilities (respecting the choice of the guide in terms of safety, route, km and distance, maximum altitude that can be reached).

Included with pick up/drop off in Gravina di Catania (Gasoline Company) or at your hotel (Catania/Taormina area).

Cable car tickets without waiting at the cash desk (only if climbing to the top is possible). Pickup in a luxury vehicle (Mercedes GL or extra long V-Class) with a dedicated driver. You will have the accompaniment of our private trail athlete/instructor for about 3/4 hours of running, on a maximum of 15 km. If the ascent to the top of Etna is possible, in addition to the athlete, you will be accompanied by a specialized volcanological guide.

If it is not possible to climb to the top of Etna, the athlete can accompany you (only running) up to a maximum of 2850 meters in altitude, for a maximum of 15 km (if weather/geodynamic/terrain conditions allow). After 3/4 hours of running, you will continue the visit of Etna with our guide (a classic excursion, without running), up to a maximum of 2850 meters above sea level. Hours: 8:00 am. Pick up at our meeting point in Gravina di Catania or at your hotel (Catania/Taormina areas). End of the excursion around 13:00.

How to participate in this exclusive excursion on Etna?

The private tour is limited to a maximum of 6 people. You must send us your sports medical certificate. As the excursion takes place on an active volcano, we cannot guarantee that we will reach the top of Etna. In case of limitations on the reachable altitude, due to the geodynamics of the volcano and weather conditions, or restrictions by the authorities on the day of the visit, the itinerary will be adapted on a case-by-case basis depending on these unforeseeable events.

Information for the Etna hiking trail

You must be in perfect health, without allergies of any kind, without heart, respiratory, blood pressure, bone and joint problems. We need to know in advance (at the time of enrollment) if you need to take any medications, what medications and if you have any medical conditions. The excursion on the volcano is forbidden for pregnant women.

The guide can vary the departure and return times, the entire itinerary, the side of Etna to visit, the maximum altitude and the number of km, depending on his assessments of the weather, the geodynamic situation of the volcano and the condition of the hiking trails on the day of the hike.

The maximum altitude that can be reached depends on the conditions of the route (snow cover, presence of pyroclasts), meteorological conditions (wind, fog, rain, risk of lightning or thunderstorms) and geodynamics of Etna on the day of the excursion (conditions which may also vary during the day).

Necessary equipment

Trail shoes, helmet, poles and backpack. I can lend for free: helmet, poles, k-way and backpack. Compulsory gaiters. Trekking/trail trousers, sweater/fleece, hat, gloves, hat to protect the head from the sun, sunscreen, sunglasses. Waterproof windproof warm jacket with hood, scarf/bandanna. Get your own food and water beforehand.

Who can do this sport excursion on Etna?

You must be athletic and used to trekking on difficult terrain. A "sports medical certificate for trail competitions" aged less than one year is required, certifying the non-contraindication to the practice of the sport of running, with the sentence: "... does not reveal any contraindication to the practice of running, trail or ultra-trail, mountain running in competition…”.

To participate in this excursion, Etna3340 asks you to provide in advance a sports medical certificate for the trail race, which certifies your eligibility to participate in a competing trail running race, in order to be covered in the event of an injury to one of the participants. whose physical conditions would be insufficient. You will also have to read and sign a document (which will be sent to you in advance) certifying that you are aware of the dangers, that you have the appropriate equipment for the excursion, that you are in perfect health, without allergies of any kind, that you have no heart problems , respiratory, pressure, bone and joint.

Geodynamic situation of the Etna volcano

Currently the area of ​​the summit craters of Etna is forbidden, by order of the civil protection, due to the eruptive risk. The hiking limit is currently 2850 meters above sea level. The geodynamic situation changes from day to day depending on the rapid, unpredictable and random activity of the Etna volcano. Also, the restrictions on the areas allowed for hiking change frequently.

Itinerary to climb to the top of Etna

On the way to the southern ski resort (Rifugio Sapienza), you will see the Monti Rossi crater (1669 eruption). Going up, the landscape becomes lunar. Near the Silvestri crater and the Sapienza refuge you will notice the recent lava flows and the effects on the buildings. To climb to the top of the largest and most active volcano in Europe, we will take the cable car (only if the summit area is open), and you will arrive directly at 2500 meters above sea level. Here begins the ascent on foot to the summit craters of the volcano (weather and geodynamic conditions permitting), in a lunar landscape. You can see the hot craters from the 2002-2003 eruption, 3000 meters above sea level.

During the 2002-2003 eruption numerous phenomena occurred on the southern and northern slopes. On October 27, 2002, cracks formed a few kilometers long which, with the intense explosive activity, created spectacular pyroclastic cones as well as various lava flows. Volcanic movements have caused seismic activity with many particularly destructive earthquakes. From a scientific point of view, it was a "perfect eruption". From above, the panorama between the Valle del Bove, Sicily and the Mediterranean offers a unique spectacle. The trekking-trail-running continues on a recent lava flow, towards the summit of Etna (if the summit is open). Currently there are 4 large mouths in the summit area.

Depending on the gas emission, the geodynamic conditions and the weather, the guide will accompany you (if the summit is open) safely to visit the active craters (Bocca Nuova, Central Crater, North-East and South-East). After visiting the summit, we will begin the descent on the north face. The descent is on volcanic sand up to the "Piano delle Concazze", a plateau of extraordinary beauty, then we will reach the Pizzi Deneri volcanological observatory at 2847 m above sea level, where we will have a lunch break. We will continue the descent crossing the ski slopes of the North side. The excursion ends in Piano Provenzana, on the lava flow of the 2002-2003 eruption.