ETNA - ACCESS TO TOP CRATERS
– Etna 👉🏻 access to the summit craters, can you go up?
– How far can you go on your own and where with a guide?
Current risk level: ATTENTION
- Last lava fountain: 01/12/2023 produced by the South East Crater
- Last explosive activity with significant ash emissions from the Summit Craters: December 4, 2023
- [Current activity in these hours]: Explosive activity localized inside of the crater called Bocca Nuova, Strombolian explosive activity at the South East Crater – The volcanic tremor persists within the level of attention.
——————————————————
What does it mean?
Here are the rules that must be followed
👉🏻 A tourist-excursion visit is permitted within the YELLOW ZONE (see map below) only if accompanied by authorized personnel in accordance with the law (volcanological or alpine guides).👈🏻
What does the yellow zone include?
- Above the arrival of the Etna’s cableway altitude (2500 m.t.) to the South, above the Volcanological Observatory (2800 m.t.) to the North and above the Centenari Mountains (1740 m.t.) to the East within the Valle del Bove.
- Within the Yellow Zone, in compliance with the rules of the Etna Park Authority, excursions are permitted only if accompanied by Volcanological guides qualified in accordance with the law, in compliance with the Ordinances issued by the Mayors in their respective territories.
UPDATE: Starting from RIFUGIO SAPIENZA – Etna Sud – Given the Mayor ordinance N.9 published by the Mayor of Nicolosi on 01/06/2021 NOT ACCOMPANIED BY LOCAL GUIDES it will be possible to reach an altitude of 2500 m. ABOVE ALTITUDE 2500 M and up to a maximum altitude of 2750 m. on the southern side (see area highlighted in yellow on the map) ONLY if accompanied by Alpine or Volcanological Guides.
UPDATE: Starting from PIANO PROVENZANA – Etna Nord – Given the Mayor ordinance N.55 published by the Mayor of Linguaglossa on: 03/10/2022 NOT ACCOMPANIED BY LOCAL GUIDES it will be possible to reach the altitude of 2850 m. on the northern side of Etna (see the area highlighted in yellow on the map). ABOVE ALTITUDE 2850 M and in the summit areas (up to the top craters) ONLY if accompanied by Alpine and Volcanological Guides.
List of excursions available according to the current risk level ⚠️ that allow you to get closer to the summit craters:
- Excursion to the Summit Craters of Etna from the North with return by bus
- Excursion to the Summit Craters from the North with descent on foot
- Volcanological excursion from the North
- Excursion at an altitude of 3000 meters from the South
- Excursion at an altitude of 2500 meters from the North
- Excursion to the Volcanological Observatory from the North
PLEASE NOTE
If the phenomena in progress allow it, the supra-municipal authority, having heard the opinion of the experts of the I.N.G.V. with regard to the type and evolution of the phenomenon underway, it will be able to evaluate the possibility of allowing guided and planned touristic-excursion use within the summit area near the lava fields and eruptive vents, in safe conditions. In this case, the procedures for carrying out the visits will be established with specific measures, which will be allowed only if accompanied by personnel qualified in accordance with the law (GA-GV).
Access to the craters of Etna is regulated by: VOLCANIC RISK ALERT PROCEDURES AND RULES OF USE FOR THE SUMMIT AREA OF THE VOLCANO ETNA
Edited by: Vincenzo Greco GV