The weather was perfect last week for an excursion through the lava craters and tubes of Mt. Etna…read more My group booked a half-day excursion (this one: http://www.etnamoving.com/en/tours/etna-quote-2000-27.html) through Etna Moving, and we loved the whole experience! We were picked up by Fabrizio in a Jeep just a couple blocks from our hostel in downtown Catania. We made our way to a small village at the base of Monte Etna for refreshments before heading up the "back way" to see a whole different perspective of the mountain tourists traveling by bus will miss. I was SO not ready for the off-road experience and it was kinda scary at points, but the guides, Fabrizio and Marco, knew what they were doing! And that Jeep was durable. Phew. This tour itself was highly educational from a naturalist and geologist standpoint. We learned important historic information about this mountain, which is home to Europe's most active volcano. We saw plenty of lava rocks, but we didn't get near the top -- which is fine by me. The tour included a cave adventure -- in which they give you hard helmets with lights and you navigate the dark cave. Our group saw a sleeping bat! Pretty cool all-around, but be prepared: My shoes were not right for the cave, so one of the guides held my arm most of the time to keep me upright. Even so, I still hit my head several times over on the low-rising cave ceiling, sooooo just know what you're getting into! It's also very windy and chilly on the mountain, so don't forget a hair tie and jacket. At the end of the tour, after we stopped at the souvenir shop near Silvestri Crater (and got lava rock jewelry - yay!), the guides brought us to a little house and we ate a prepared picnic meal of fresh veggies, small sandwiches and red wine. If you're in this part of Sicily, you really shouldn't miss a trip to Mt. Etna. Etna Moving is a friendly, knowledgeable and trustworthy tour company. I'd consider them again for future trips to Sicily.

Daniela was a wonderful guide on the North side of Mt Etna. He was thorough, knowledgeable and…read morecaring . His tour had only 5 people and paced the trek according to our skill level. I highly recommend this tour as opposed to the crowded south side. The walk was 2 and a half hours long . During the walk we saw 3 volcanoes. Amazing once in a lifetime experience. !

From the owner: Le Guide Vulcanologiche Etna Nord sono una società di professionisti costituita da Guide…read moreVulcanologiche autorizzati alla conduzione e all’accompagnamento dei turisti nelle aree vulcaniche attive. Cresciuti ed educati al rispetto e alla conoscenza del vulcano, discendono da una generazione di uomini che hanno fatto della montagna la loro vita e che a partire dagli anni ’50 hanno gettato le basi per la nascita e lo sviluppo del turismo sul versante Nord dell’Etna.

I'm so happy we went with Go Etna while we were in Sicily! Easy to schedule and plan a pickup. They…read morepicked us up in Catania then drove us to a gas station a little up the mountain where we discussed and departed into groups based on language. We did the half day which involved a short hike, they had number of employees who either led or hung back with people who were not physically up for it. Since Etna was actively erupting we obviously didn't get to go to the top but we did a shorter hike on the craters. Our guide was very informative and was fun to chat with. Afterwards we went to a chalet area where you could use the restroom or grab a snack. They got us back to Catania in one piece at the same pick up spot. I would definitely give them a go and schedule with them again!

Avoid the "Summit Trekking Tour" with Go-Etna. We booked the tour weeks in advance of our trip, but…read morein the days leading up to the tour it became clear that volcanic activity (and forecast weather) were going to make a summit trek impossible. Rather than offering to rebook clients on a different date/tour, the company continued as if everything were normal and responded to all of our Whatsapp messages as if there was hope that the summit trek was still happening. The one bright spot was the guide, who was knowledgable and engaging. Our "summit" tour consisted of a drive up to the Observatory and then a walk along the lower elevation slopes. This is the exact same "Etna Nord Crater Tour" offered on their website for 90 euros but we were charged 130 euros (the company refused to refund the difference). My advice: Do not book tours in advance since Go-Etna is not an honest operator and offers no flexibility. Only make a reservation 24-48 hours before and confirm that a) the volcanic conditions are low b) the weather is forecast to be good and c) Go-Etna confirms via WhatsApp that other groups have recently completed actual summit treks to 3,300 meters in recent days. If any of these conditions are not met, save your money and park at the Piano Provenzana parking lot and just do your own independent hike!