• Piano Provenzana - Located on the north side of Mount Etna, Piano Provenzana is easily accessible by private or rental car via fully paved public roads. This area, surrounded by pine forests and dramatic lava fields, was transformed by the October 2002 eruption, which destroyed the original facilities and created a striking volcanic landscape of historical significance. Visitors can find souvenir shops, cafés, and bars for breakfast, lunch, or coffee, as well as places to refill water bottles. In winter, it operates as a ski resort, while in summer, it serves as the starting point for guided hikes and excursions. Blue-lined parking areas accommodate cars and camper vans. If a tour is booked, visitors can meet their volcanological guide at designated on-site meeting points. Piano Provenzana, less crowded than other Etna stations, offers a peaceful and authentic way to experience Europe’s highest active volcano.
• Mount Etna - This guided hike takes adventurers to the wild, less-touristic north side of Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano. Participants will traverse the expansive 7.2 km lava flow from the 27 October 2002 eruption, where hotels, shops, restaurants, and a large car park are now buried—only the roof of one hotel remains visible. The journey continues through forests to the 1911 and 1923 lava flows and a series of 1911 craters with shafts ranging from 7 to 40 meters deep. Hikers will then ascend the crest of the massive 2002 eruptive fracture, a canyon scattered with volcanic bombs, reaching the vent that produced the destructive flow and other large explosive mouths up to 2,100 meters. The descent follows soft ash channels through beech forests and ski slopes back to the starting point. The hike is approximately 5 km round trip, with an ascent/descent of about 300 meters, and lasts around 2.5 to 3 hours.

• Accident insurance included.
• Expert volcanological guide authorized by law.

• Bottled water
• Trekking shoes (to be rented on site at authorized rentals at a cost of € 5 per pair)
• Hat and gloves (especially in winter, spring and autumn)
• Parking ticket (€ 3 for the whole day)
• Snowshoe rental (winter period) at a cost of €15 per person to be paid on the spot (in winter)
• Trekking poles
• Pickup service from your accommodation

The 2002 Craters tour is a highly desired and selected destination by travelers on Etna’s northern side, away from the crowded touristy spots. The trip delivers a genuine experience of Etna’s volcanic milieu in full serenity. Guides escort our guests on a walk through the remnants of the tourist facilities ruined by the magma discharges during the major 2002 eruption, passing forests, alien-like terrains, and ultimately to the brims of explosive craters, covering a total distance of slightly over 4.5 km roundtrip.

Equipment (boots + jacket) is available for rental on-site.

Itinerary:
Assembly at Piano Provenzana (North Etna) at 9:45 a.m.
Commencement of journey from Piano Provenzana at an elevation of 1800 meters at 10:00.
Initial orientation.
Trek initiation.
Exploration of the volcanic fractures up to a peak elevation of 2100 meters.
Trekking descent back to the origin.
Entire duration: 3h
Difficulty level: T (Tourist).
Recommended for kids accustomed to walking

• Trekking is not recommended for those who usually do little motor activity.
• Without adequate shoes you are not covered by accident insurance.
• Trekking does not require large preparations on a physical level, it is easy and absent of particularly difficult passages, however attention must be paid when treating volcanic soil, which is often incoherent and unstable.
• The total duration of the trek will depend on the gait.
• The route foresees the ascent and the passage along the crater edges, this could cause problems of vertigo to the sensitive subjects.
• This itinerary, in relation to the type, is suitable for people in a state of good physical health, who do not suffer from particular pathologies (cardio vascular, respiratory or hypertension).
• The excursion may be changed at the discretion of the Guides or be interrupted should the environmental, atmospheric or volcanic conditions change, such as to compromise the safety of the entire group.
• To ensure the success of the excursion and the correct performance of the activity, it is good practice to know your health conditions perfectly and to have them present at the Guide, to reduce the occurrence of any problems and avoid risks.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.