How to get on Etna?

How to climb Etna to the top? Useful information on bans, ordinances

• It is always difficult to find enough information on the web about the possibility of hiking on the highest active volcano in Europe.

How it works then…

There are many hikers who wish to reach the summit, we always invite you to be careful and to inform yourself well before tackling the ascent, in fact the volcanic conditions are extremely variable. The main problem lies in the fact that often the Ordinances of the six Etna Municipalities: Nicolosi, Biancavilla, Bronte, Maletto, Castiglione di Sicilia, Sant’Alfio whose territories share the summit of the volcano, sometimes not allow access or forbid it totally for safety reasons, to avoid exposure to any risks attributable to persistent or high volcanic activity.

To clarify …

If the volcanic risk persists or remains at the level of: “Attention” it is normally possible to access the summit area (up to the Central Crater 3300mt) only if accompanied by Alpine or Volcanological Guides regularly registered in the register , as soon as the degree of risk rises to “Pre-alarm” access is forbidden and it is no longer possible to accompany tourists to high altitudes, unless they are authorized personnel (such as researchers, guides , journalists, etc.). Unfortunately, on an active volcano like Etna, there are rare cases in which the risk is at the “Green” level of facts, we always recommend that you inquire well if you intend to tackle the excursion up to summit or to use an authorized guide to be able to tackle the excursion with the support of a professional qualified to lead individuals or groups on active volcanoes.

Updated information within everyone’s reach!

The modern communication systems allow an active and immediate dialogue between those who work on the volcano and those involved in monitoring, ensuring a quick exchange of information for greater safety for anyone wishing to approach the volcano. If you would like more detailed information, please visit our section dedicated to news where we publish the Ordinances in force of the various Municipalities mentioned above, or write to us and we will not hesitate to clarify your ideas. Obviously, these restrictions also apply in the winter period, where it is usually more difficult to approach the top, and it is good to have mountaineering equipment, due to the not always optimal environmental conditions and persistent often inconsistent snow cover (mixed snow).

What can you do on the volcano in winter?

As a group of Alpine and Volcanological Guides we organize winter ascents with snowshoes or ski mountaineering (with ice ax, crampons and possibly rampant). Climbing with snowshoes (snowshoes) to the top is not recommended, especially for those who do not have the habit of using the tool, among other things the timing would go well beyond the 8 hours of excursion (round trip) – ( all this starting as planned from an altitude of 1800 meters up to an altitude of 3300 meters).

What excursions do you recommend in winter?

For this reason, less demanding walks of 5 km (round trip) of about 3h are organized (on request) to visit the great eruptive fracture of the 2002 eruption, or the various shelters on the north side of Etna. Night excursions are also scheduled in collaboration with the CAI Section of Linguaglossa, the Ski School (cross-country and downhill) and the Pro Loco.

Contacts and useful links

To find out more or to book directly the excursion to the top of the volcano, we invite you to open this link . If you would like more information write to our email address or connect to this page and fill out the contact form.