2002 Crater Excursion - Northern Etna
Overview
The tour to the craters of 2002 is one of the most sought after destinations and chosen by tourists on the northern side of Etna, far from the large mass of visitors. This tour allows you to savor the authenticity of the Etna volcanic environment in total tranquility. Our guests accompanied by guides will be accompanied on a visit to the remains of the tourist infrastructures destroyed by the lava flows of the great eruption of 2002, through woods, lunar landscapes and finally on the edges of explosive craters, all in a path of just over 4.5 km roundtrip.
Possibility to rent boots + jacket on site.
Program:
Meeting scheduled at Piano Provenzana (Etna Nord) at 9:45 am.
Departure from Piano Provenzana at an altitude of 1800 meters at 10:00.
Initial briefing.
Beginning of the trek.
Visit to the eruptive fractures up to a maximum altitude of 2100 meters.
Trekking descent to the starting point.
Total duration: 3h
Difficulty: T (Tourist).
Also suitable for children used to walking
Gallery
What's Included
✓ Included
- Accident insurance
- Volcanological guide authorized in accordance with the law
✗ Not Included
- Bottled water
- Hiking shoes (to rent on site at authorized rentals at a cost of 5 - 7€ per pair)
- Hat and gloves (especially in winter, spring and autumn)
- Trekking poles
- Pickup service from your accommodation
- Parking ticket (€5 for the entire day on weekdays and €8 on Sundays and public holidays.)
- Snowshoe rental (winter period) at a cost of 15 € per person to be paid on the spot
Itinerary
1
Stop 1
Piano Provenzana, on Mount Etna’s north side, is easy to reach by private or rental car along fully paved public roads. Surrounded by pine forest and dramatic lava fields, the area was reshaped by the October 2002 eruption, which destroyed the original facilities and left a striking volcanic landscape of historic interest. You’ll find souvenir shops, cafés and bars for breakfast, lunch or coffee, plus spots to refill water bottles. In winter it serves as a Ski Resort; in summer it becomes the starting point for guided hikes and excursions. Blue-lined parking areas welcome cars and camper vans. If you’ve booked a tour, meet your volcanological guide directly on-site meeting points. Less crowded than other Etna stations, Piano Provenzana offers a quiet, authentic way to experience Europe’s highest active volcano.
2
Stop 2
This guided hike explores the wild, less-touristic north side of Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano. Walk across the vast 7.2 km lava flow of the 27 Oct 2002 eruption, where hotels, shops, restaurants and a large car park now lie buried—only the roof of one hotel remains visible. Continue through forest to the 1911 and 1923 flows and a chain of 1911 craters with shafts 7–40 m deep, then climb the crest of the huge 2002 eruptive fracture, a canyon strewn with volcanic bombs, reaching the vent that produced the destructive flow and other large explosive mouths up to 2,100 m. Descend via soft ash channels through beech forest and ski slopes back to the start. The hike is ≈5 km round trip, with ≈300 m ascent/descent, lasting about 2.5–3 hours.
3
Stop 3
Piano Provenzana, on Mount Etna’s north side, is easy to reach by private or rental car along fully paved public roads. Surrounded by pine forest and dramatic lava fields, the area was reshaped by the October 2002 eruption, which destroyed the original facilities and left a striking volcanic landscape of historic interest. You’ll find souvenir shops, cafés and bars for breakfast, lunch or coffee, plus spots to refill water bottles. In winter it serves as a Ski Resort; in summer it becomes the starting point for guided hikes and excursions. Blue-lined parking areas welcome cars and camper vans. If you’ve booked a tour, meet your volcanological guide directly on-site meeting points. Less crowded than other Etna stations, Piano Provenzana offers a quiet, authentic way to experience Europe’s highest active volcano.
Meeting & End Point
📍
Meeting Point
The meeting point is located in the car park near the chairlift active at Eta Nord in winter. The bar is the second house of the 4 in the parking lot. Please note that our meeting point is the "Chiosco Bar Mareneve" not the "Chiosco Bar Etna Nord".
🏁
End Point
The meeting point is located in the car park near the chairlift active at Eta Nord in winter. The bar is the second house of the 4 in the parking lot. Please note that our meeting point is the "Chiosco Bar Mareneve" not the "Chiosco Bar Etna Nord".
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Good to Know
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 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.
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