Etna Summit by Cable Car and Foot: 2,500 m Lift, 5 Hours of Walking

The summit craters sit at around 3,000 metres, and this is the version that reaches them on foot from where the cable car stops. The lift runs from the Rifugio Sapienza at Nicolosi up to 2,500 metres. The height above that is walked, and the walking totals about five hours, which is the figure to check before booking: this is a full day of effort rather than a viewpoint you drive to. The guide is certified for both alpine and volcanic terrain, which on this mountain are two different skills. Two conditions the operator states plainly. Bad weather can cancel the tour outright. And the route above 2,500 metres can be adjusted according to what the volcano is doing, for safety, so the exact line is settled on the day. The meeting point is the Bar Monte Gebel, beside the Rifugio Sapienza, on the south side of Etna.