At the meeting point we will have a briefing to meet your volcanological guide, to check the equipment and for the last details before leaving. We recommend maximum punctuality because transport carriers must leave at the scheduled times. Otherwise you may miss the excursion.

After the briefing we will reach altitude 2900 with the use of special 4×4 vehicles. The trek will start here and will take us in about 1.30/2 hours to the edge of the summit craters where we will be able to observe the sun descending to the west, coloring the central mountains of the Sicilian island yellow and orange. Here, at 3260 meters above sea level, you will admire the surreal panorama inside the summit craters, in particular the Bocca Nuova characterized by the colorful colors of the sulfur concretions and other minerals, by the fumaroles and if possible by the eruptive activity. All even more evocative thanks to the twilight colors and the probable absence of other hikers. Unique landscapes that make this experience on the most active and largest volcano in Europe special. You will also find yourself on the highest point of the island and will therefore be able to enjoy a breathtaking view over a good part of Sicily: the Ionian Sea, Taormina and then beyond the mountains surrounding Etna, the Nebrodi and the Madonie, the archipelago of Aeolian Islands.

We will descend from the craters using head torches towards the Piano delle Concazze at approximately 2850 metres, where you will find the “base camp” set up in the meantime by our staff. Then it will be time for dinner. A rich refreshment will be offered based on Etna specialties based on cured meats, cheeses, typical focaccias accompanied by good wine produced on the slopes of the volcano and finally Sicilian desserts and homemade Donnavita liqueur, the recipe of which has been expertly kept and reproduced from our guides. In case of dietary needs, we recommend communicating them in advance.

Bivouac takes place in alpinism/hiking tents. Sleeping bags suitable for the temperatures of the period (sanitized after each use) and inflatable mattresses will be provided. Base camp is set up by a member of our staff. You just have to enjoy the experience and rest.

Sunrise. It will be possible to set the alarm before dawn to observe the birth of the new day. The sun here rises from the Ionian Sea and illuminates Taormina, the Aeolian islands, Calabria and then the woods and the numerous lateral craters of the volcano. A show that few people are lucky enough to see.
Breakfast. While you admire the sunrise, the coffee pot will be turned on by our staff who in the meantime will have prepared breakfast to face the descent on foot with adequate energy.

After breakfast we will set off to face the second part of this adventure on the volcano. Not a simple return to base, but a real excursion. In fact, we will descend into the sandy Valle del Leone which then joins towards the famous Valle del Bove. A fun descent on the volcanic sand surrounded by surreal landscapes, you will be able to admire up close the steep walls of this natural amphitheater caused by geological upheavals that occurred in the recent past, the magmatic dykes laid bare by the erosion of landslides and then again we will skirt the recent flows lava flows that descend by gravity into the Valle del Bove. If conditions permit, you can visit a lava flow cave and learn about this further natural phenomenon of great interest. Expected return to Piano Provenzana before lunch time.