The hike was wonderful—magnificent views both upward and down to the sea. The terrain thrilling and exotic. At one point, the black rock we were walking on was still warm and venting steam. The guide said the rock had been molten just 4 months before! Our guide was clearly knowledgeable, but his inability to communicate well in English was disappointing. Also, there must be a million fascinating stories about Etna that I am sure he could have shared but didn’t. That was a missed opportunity. Still, it was an unforgettable experience.

Great experience with stunning scenery. Our guide Fabio, also a geologist and volcanologist, was charming and gave us lots of explanations about Etna and volcanoes in general, the pace of the hike was accessible to the whole group. We were very lucky because the visibility was at the top (November 1).

Interessante Wanderung mit fachkundigem Guide von 2.500 auf 3.000m Höhe (Danke Pepe!)! Wir konnten leider nicht bis zum Gipfel, da das - täglich aktualisierte - Ampelwarnsystem zu starke vulkanische Aktivitäten anzeigte, aber die Tour lohnt sich trotzdem absolut. Ja, man kann auch selbst mit der Seilbahn hochfahren und dort herumlaufen, aber der Guide führt auch abseits der Pfade durch Lavatunnel und es läuft sich dort deutlich besser in den ausgeliehenen hohen Wanderschuhen als in normalen sneakers.