Mount Etna: Guided Summit Hiking Tour up to 3,400m
Hike to Mount Etna's summit craters with a certified volcanological guide, choosing between a 3,000m trek or the full 3,400m ascent.
- Choose between trekking to 3,000m or the full 3,400m summit route
- Guided by a certified volcanological guide throughout the hike
- Ascend by cable car to around 2,500m before trekking on foot
Choose Your Package
Choose your date
Passengers
Trekking Tour 3,000 m (10:30 AM)
Choose your date
September 2026
Change the date or party above
What's included
- Guided group trek to 3,000m
- Volcanological guide
- Cable car ticket (round trip)
About this ticket
Join your group and guide at the meeting point for a 10:30 start. After the cable car ride, your guided trek continues on foot to the Barbagallo Craters at 3,000 metres.
What's not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- 4x4 transfer
Practical info
This tour departs at 10:30. Meet your guide at 'Bar Monte Gebel' near Rifugio Sapienza. Age categories are Child (7–10) and Adult (11+).
How to redeem
Show the PDF voucher to your guide at the meeting point.
Important notes
- This ticket is non-refundable.
- This tour is not permitted for guests with asthma or heart conditions.
- The final route can be altered due to weather or volcanic activity.
A small-group tour to 3,000m with a volcanological guide, starting from Etna at 10:30.
Choose your date
September 2026
Change the date or party above
Trekking Tour 3,000 m (9:00 AM)
A small-group tour to 3,000m with a volcanological guide, starting from Etna at 9:00.
Guided group trek to 3,000m · Volcanological guide · Cable car ticket (round trip)
Non-refundable
Check dates for price
What's included
- Guided group trek to 3,000m
- Volcanological guide
- Cable car ticket (round trip)
About this ticket
Your tour starts at 9:00, meeting your guide and group at Rifugio Sapienza. You'll take the cable car up to 2,500m, then trek on foot across lava fields to the craters at 3,000m.
What's not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- 4x4 transfer
Practical info
The tour begins at 9:00. Meet your guide at 'Bar Monte Gebel' near Rifugio Sapienza. This ticket is for children aged 7–10 and adults aged 11 and over.
How to redeem
Display your PDF voucher to the guide at the designated meeting point.
Important notes
- Bookings for this tour are non-refundable.
- Not suitable for individuals with heart conditions or asthma.
- The itinerary may be modified based on current weather and volcanic conditions.
A small-group tour to 3,000m with a volcanological guide, starting from Etna at 9:00.
Trekking Summit 3,400 m (9:00 AM)
A group tour that combines a cable car, 4x4, and hike to reach Etna's 3,400m summit.
Guided group trek to 3,400m · Volcanological guide · Cable car ticket (round trip) · +1 more
Non-refundable
Check dates for price
What's included
- Guided group trek to 3,400m
- Volcanological guide
- Cable car ticket (round trip)
- 4x4 transfer to 2,850m
About this ticket
Your 9:00 tour begins with a cable car ride and an off-road 4x4 transfer up to 2,850m. From there, your guide leads the group on a two-hour hike to the summit craters for the highest available views.
What's not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Practical info
This tour starts at 9:00 from 'Bar Monte Gebel' near Rifugio Sapienza. Age categories are Child (7–10) and Adult (11+).
How to redeem
You will receive a PDF voucher to present to your guide at the meeting point.
Important notes
- This tour is non-refundable after booking.
- Guests with asthma or heart problems are not permitted.
- The guide may alter the route for safety reasons related to weather or volcanic activity.
A group tour that combines a cable car, 4x4, and hike to reach Etna's 3,400m summit.
Trekking Tour 3,000 m + Hotel Pickup from Catania (7:30 AM)
A 3,000m trek with round-trip transport included from your hotel in Catania.
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Catania · Guided group trek to 3,000m · Volcanological guide · +1 more
Non-refundable
Check dates for price
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Catania
- Guided group trek to 3,000m
- Volcanological guide
- Cable car ticket (round trip)
About this ticket
This ticket includes a 7:30 pickup from your Catania hotel and transport to Rifugio Sapienza. You'll join the guided group tour, taking the cable car before trekking on foot to the craters at 3,000m, with transport back to Catania included.
What's not included
- 4x4 transfer
Practical info
Pickup is at approximately 7:30 from hotels in Catania; the operator will contact you to confirm the exact time and location. The tour is for children (up to 17) and adults (18+).
How to redeem
A driver will collect you from your hotel; you do not need to go to a meeting point. The tour operator will contact you in advance to confirm your pickup details.
Important notes
- This tour with pickup is non-refundable.
- This trek is not suitable for people with asthma or heart problems.
- The final itinerary can change due to weather or volcanic conditions.
A 3,000m trek with round-trip transport included from your hotel in Catania.
Trekking Summit 3,400m + Hotel Pickup from Catania (7:30 AM)
The full 3,400m summit trek with round-trip transport included from your hotel in Catania.
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Catania · Guided group trek to 3,400m · Volcanological guide · +2 more
Non-refundable
Check dates for price
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Catania
- Guided group trek to 3,400m
- Volcanological guide
- Cable car ticket (round trip)
- 4x4 transfer to 2,850m
About this ticket
Your day starts with a 7:30 pickup from your Catania hotel. At Etna, you will join the tour for the cable car ride and 4x4 transfer, followed by the guided group hike to the 3,400m summit craters. Return transport to Catania is included.
Practical info
Pickup is at approximately 7:30 from hotels in Catania. The tour operator will contact you in advance to confirm your exact pickup time and location. Age categories are Child (7–10) and Adult (11+).
How to redeem
A driver will collect you from your hotel. The tour operator will contact you to arrange pickup after you book.
Important notes
- This booking is non-refundable.
- The tour is prohibited for guests with asthma or heart conditions.
- The route is subject to change at the guide's discretion due to weather or volcanic activity.
The full 3,400m summit trek with round-trip transport included from your hotel in Catania.
Private tour: Trekking at 3,000 m
A private guided tour for your group on the less strenuous trek to Etna's 3,000m craters.
Private volcanological guide · Cable car ticket (round trip)
Non-refundable
No Adult ticket for this option
From
£0.00
per person
What's included
- Private volcanological guide
- Cable car ticket (round trip)
About this ticket
Your private guide leads your group from the top cable car station at 2,500m. You'll trek across recent lava flows to the Barbagallo Craters at 3,000m, with views over the Valle del Bove. Your guide will contact you the day before the tour with final arrangements.
What's not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- 4x4 transfer
Practical info
Meet your guide at Bar Monte Gebel, on the right side of Rifugio Sapienza. This ticket is valid for your selected date and time slot only.
How to redeem
Present your PDF voucher to the guide at the meeting point. The guide will be in touch the day before your tour with practical details.
Important notes
- Bookings are non-refundable.
- The tour is not suitable for people with asthma or heart conditions.
- The itinerary is subject to change based on weather and volcanic conditions.
A private guided tour for your group on the less strenuous trek to Etna's 3,000m craters.
Private tour: Trekking to the Summit Craters 3,400 m
A private tour for your group with a volcanological guide to Etna's 3,400m summit craters.
Private volcanological guide · Cable car ticket (round trip) · 4x4 transfer to 2,850m
Non-refundable
No Adult ticket for this option
From
£0.00
per person
What's included
- Private volcanological guide
- Cable car ticket (round trip)
- 4x4 transfer to 2,850m
About this ticket
Your private guide will meet you at Rifugio Sapienza for your ascent. After the cable car and a 4x4 vehicle transfer, you'll hike for roughly two hours across lava fields to the summit craters for views across Sicily's Ionian coast. Your guide will contact you the day before the tour with full details.
What's not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Practical info
Meet your guide at 'Bar Monte Gebel', located on the right side of Rifugio Sapienza. This ticket is for a specific date and time slot.
How to redeem
You will receive a PDF voucher to show your guide at the meeting point. The guide will contact you the day before your tour with final instructions.
Important notes
- This tour is non-refundable once booked.
- This experience is not suitable for people with asthma or heart conditions.
- The route may be changed due to weather, volcanic, or seismic activity.
A private tour for your group with a volcanological guide to Etna's 3,400m summit craters.
About this experience
Mount Etna dominates the skyline above Catania, and this guided hike takes you onto the slopes of Europe's highest active volcano. Starting from Rifugio Sapienza at around 1,900m, a cable car carries you up to approximately 2,500m before the trekking begins across lava flows, volcanic sand, and terrain shaped by some of Etna's most significant recent eruptions. A certified volcanological guide leads the way, pointing out lava tunnels and volcanic features while explaining how the landscape around the Valle del Bove has formed.
Two route options let you choose the level of challenge. The 3,000m trek continues on foot from the cable car to the Barbagallo Craters, offering views over the summit area and a moderate pace suited to a lighter trekking experience. The 3,400m summit route adds an off-road 4x4 transfer to 2,850m, followed by roughly two hours of hiking across recent lava flows and volcanic sand to reach the rim between La Voragine and Bocca Nuova, with views stretching toward the Southeast Crater and Sicily's Ionian coast.
Both options depart from Rifugio Sapienza on Etna's southern side, and hotel pickup from Catania is available for either route. Whichever altitude you choose, you'll be walking across genuinely active volcanic terrain, with the descent following ash and sand slopes back down before the return cable car ride.
What to expect
Your hike begins at Rifugio Sapienza, on Etna's southern side at about 1,900m, where a cable car takes you up to roughly 2,500m. From here, the two routes diverge. On the 3,000m trek, you continue on foot across lava flows from recent eruptions, passing volcanic points of interest before reaching the Barbagallo Craters, where you can observe volcanic activity safely and take in views over the summit area. The 3,400m route instead continues by 4x4 to around 2,850m, where roughly two hours of hiking across lava and volcanic sand leads to the rim near La Voragine and Bocca Nuova, close to the maximum altitude of the tour.
On both routes, the descent follows sandy, ash-covered slopes rather than retracing the ascent, passing a viewpoint over the Valle del Bove on the 3,000m option before the cable car brings you back down to Rifugio Sapienza. If you've booked hotel pickup, a driver will collect you from your accommodation in Catania beforehand and confirm arrangements in advance.
Things to note
- Wear sturdy, comfortable trekking or hiking shoes suitable for volcanic terrain
- Bring weather-appropriate clothing, including layers for wind and temperature drops at altitude
- Temperatures on the summit can be significantly colder than at Rifugio Sapienza, even in summer
- The 3,400m route involves around two hours of hiking and is more physically demanding than the 3,000m option
- Conditions and accessible altitude can vary depending on weather and volcanic activity on the day
- Guides share practical details ahead of the excursion, so keep an eye out for pre-trip communication



