Etna Trekking with a Private Guide: Half Day, or Full Day for Experts Only

Two versions, and the difference is not only length. The half-day itineraries suit anyone in good health. The full-day ones are for experienced walkers only, and the operator states that up front rather than leaving it to be discovered on the climb. The guide is private, and the routes deliberately avoid the busier parts of the Etna park. What a walk here gives you beyond the views: the smell of the forests and the endemic plants, and the sound of the mountain, which on the right day includes the roars of an eruption in progress. There are three meeting points, chosen by which side of the volcano suits you. Piano Provenzana on the north, convenient from Taormina, Giardini Naxos, Castiglione, Randazzo or Bronte. The Schiena dell'Asino path at Zafferana on the south, convenient from Catania, Syracuse or Acireale. And MontataGrande at Trecastagni, reachable by car, with free parking, bathrooms, coffee, and boots and jackets to rent. Pick-up from Catania or elsewhere can be requested: up to 4 people it is 80 € in total to split between you, from 5 to 8 it is 20 € each.