Etna and Alcantara River Tour - Pickup Time 08:30 from your Hotel
Description
In the first part of this tour, you will visit some of the flank craters, which are dormant , at 2000 m. The landscape is amazing, surrounded by craters, lava flows, volcanic ash and lots of different plants, most of them are native to the area. An environment protected by a vast natural park, the Etna Natural Park, which since 2013 is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the second part , you will visit Alcantara river where is possible to relax a bit admiring the beauty of nature: a small sandy shore, clean and freezing water and huge basalt columns caused by past eruptions. All our tour guides and drivers are certificated according to the Italian law. Due to COVID-19 pandemic we follow all guidelines from WHO and Italian Government to guarantee your safety. • Pickup and Transfer service, departing from Catania at 8:30 • Guided tour from 1900m to 2000m a.s.l. • Visit Alcantara river • Arrival time in Catania around 17:30
Tour Options
Itinerary
on the way you will see the village of Nicolosi which is situated at the feet of the Volcano Etna. It's from here that in 1669 started a huge eruption which destroyed villages and in part the city of Catania. From Nicolosi to Rifugio Sapienza (1900m a.s.l.) you will see an amazing lunar landscape surrounded by lateral craters, lava flows and a huge basalt mine, everything mixed with a native vegetation
Crateri Silvestri are the most popular lateral craters we have around Mt. Etna. This eruption started in 1892
The best moment to have relax admiring the beautiful of nature: a small sandy shore, clean and freezing water, huge basalt columns (which looks like a canyon) as a result of ancient volcanic eruption . Everything surrounded by an amazing spontaneous vegetation and wildlife.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pickup time 8:30 in front of your accommodation or at a meeting place arranged in advance. The time depends on the traffic jam , our driver may be a little late.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(21)
I highly recommend the LemonTour guided tour in Catania! In the morning we visited the Alcantara Gorges, a volcanic canyon that frames the river of the same name with icy water, characterized by a landscape so unusual and particular that it leaves you speechless; then we stopped in Zafferana where we tasted a series of recommended local products such as oil, honey and wine; we ventured into a volcanic tunnel with helmets and torches and finally after lunch in one of the refuges we walked towards the main craters visited up to a height of about 2000 meters. Rating 10 and praise to our Guide and driver Janet, not only very nice and company but very prepared and exhaustive in explanations and answers to our many questions. Thank you for the great experience, it stuck with us 🫶🏻
What an amazing experience to scale the slopes of Mount Etna, tour the Lava tube caves, Olive oil and wine tasting and waiting in the Alcantara river and exploring the gorges. Everything was absolutely breathtaking
Our day on Etna and in the Alcantara Gorges was my favorite day of the trip by far. Our host Constanza was phenomenal. A true Sicilian who was very knowledgable and funny.
Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and kind- she knew loads about the history of the area! The views were amazing and just the right amount of time for a nice day out. I’d make sure to bring a waterproof backpack or a waterproof case for a phone for the water part plus some waterproof/ aqua shoes (I wore sliders and they were fine). Definitely a trip I’d suggest doing if you have a free day.
We went to Mt Etna and it was nice. Constance had alot to talk about on the way to the mountain. She showed us around some old flows, old cones and a cave. Then we went to Alcantara with Giuseppe. He was easy to talk with on the ride to the river. He left us for a couple hours to go play on the water. It was a small, scenic gorge. Bring a waterproof bag, because if you wanna go further up the river the water is deeper than your pockets and you need to use your hands for balance.
Poor vehicle safety: The passenger seats in the font were not firmly bolted in place. The backrest for accessing the rear rows of seats could not be fixed. There were exhaust fumes inside the vehicle, there was no air conditioning, which is why the windows were permanently open. We had booked a trip with a German-speaking tour guide. As no German-speaking tour guide was available, we were promised a compensation of €30, which we don‘t received. The guide was very friendly and competent.
It has been an unforgettable and unique experience! To repeat without a doubt. After seeing Etna and Alcantara I have been left at peace inside.
I have never spent such a beautiful day with such a wonderful and cultured person. Janet is the best guide ever. His English is impeccable, so much so that we Italians understood perfectly what he was explaining, even though it was not our native language. Compliments!
The day on Etna spent in Janet's company was the most memorable of our tour of Eastern Sicily. We were a group of 8 friends, Janet picked us up in her minivan from our accommodation and then took us to the volcano which had surprised us with an eruption the previous evening. Janet is a volcanologist and an intrepid adventurer, with her mini speaker our walks on the craters had worthy soundtracks! after lunch at the refuge (excellent food recommended) we crossed a volcanic cave (overcoming our claustrophobia), then tasted wine and honey at a local farm and finally immersed ourselves in the freezing waters of the Alcantara Gorges. All perfect!
Highly recommended and the guide Janet was fantastic. She immediately created an atmosphere. Etna on foot was also very impressive and Janet knew a lot about the valcano/lava/mountains/history. For the river tour, it is best to bring a waterproof backpack or leave everything except swimwear and water shoes* (*can also be purchased there for €10) in the car. We did it with a backpack and therefore missed the last part. Very beautiful locations, we are glad we went.
