Etna Half Day in Jeep

When you visit the eastern coast of Sicily, Mount Etna (3,340m.) is a must-see.
Mount Etna is the most active stratovolcano in the world.
A stratovolcano is a conical volcano built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava, rock fragments, pumice, and volcanic ash. The eruptive history of this volcano goes back 500,000 years. In June 2013 Etna has become a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Mount Etna offers the visitor a unique experience. When you go on top of its stunning peak you will realize why the volcano is one of Sicily’s most popular tourist destinations.

Lava front 1923
We will make our first stop on the Northern slope of Mount Etna for a compelling look at the old lava flow from 1923, which reached the town of Linguaglossa (550 meters above sea level) and destroyed part of the village of Catena. We will then proceed along a long, winding dirt road until we arrive at Etna’s Regional Park. There we will able to observe multiple species of Mount Etna’s plants such as the “ginestra”(genista aetnensis/broom), the ruins of small rural settlements, and in particular a “palmento”, a structure used in the past for making wine.

Lava front 2002
We will then make a brief stop at the 2002 lava flow reachable by jeep through a winding dirt road surrounded by chestnut and oak forests. The 2002 eruption lasted from October 27th to January 29th 2003 and it is considered one of the most explosive eruptions of the past one hundred years

Corruccio’s cave.
Continuing our excursion we will reach the Ragabo pine forest where hidden among pines and brooms, we will discover the cave of Corruccio (1350 meters above sea level) a cave formed by flowing lava.

Monti Sartorius
Our tour continues with a short walk to some of the side craters, the Sartorius Mountains (1700 meters above sea level), formed in the year 1865 and characterized by seven small, aligned eruptive cones (or “buttonholes”). This area holds great geological and botanical treasures, and our tour winds along clearings rich in endemic species, large volcanic “bombs” and woodlands dominated by birch trees (Betula Aetnensis). Halfway down from the top of one of the craters, one can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Ionian coast, from Riposto to Taormina, the Calabrian coast, the North-East Crater (3350 meters above sea level), the impressive dark lava formations of 2002 and the eruptive mouths (2000 meters above sea level), near the tourist resort of Piano Provenzana.

Piano Provenzana
Later, driving up along the Mareneve road we will reach Piano Provenzana (1800 meters above sea level), a ski resort, theater of the great eruption of 2002. After enjoying an excellent espresso, we will take a short walk to visit the ruins of the hotel Le Betulle destroyed by a molten lava flow.

Tour description

Duration: 5 hours – Easy Excursion
Equipment: Hiking boots or hiking shoes
Type: private tour or collettive in jeep with air conditioning
Driver: speaks English
Length: 5 hours
Starting time: upon request
Meeting point: at your hotel reception or any other point
Meeting point for people on cruise ships: outside the port.
The guide and/or driver will be holding a sign with the client’s name.

The tour includes:
Jeep, Mineral water, Insurance.

The tour does not include:
Entrance tickets to theatres, museums, lunches, cable car for go to the top, etc.
Local guides: tips are at the discretion of the client.

Please note:
All excursions are private and personalized upon request.

Categories: Tours e Escursioni