General
This is a wonderful trail for riders who wants to admire the rough nature and the stunning landscapes in the Etna area. You will ride from north to south (approximately 2000 a.s.l.) through woodland and Lava deserts, extinct crater and Lava caves and you will enjoy the beautiful view over the landscapes
Day 1:
Arrival at Catania airport. On request (at an extra cost) we will arrange your pick up from the airport to your first accommodation
Day 2:
Breakfast and departure around 8:30, through old roads and paths of woodlands until you reach the summit of “Monte Ilice” an old extinct crater approximately 700m a.s.l. and you will ride along the border of the extinct volcano and don’t miss the amazing view over the coast. From here you can see some more volcanic cones, like “Monte S. Nicolò” a small old volcanic cone, greened with orchards and vegetation. Behind it you can find “Monte Gorna” probably from prehistoric time (7th century BC). You ride towards “Piano del Vescovo” near to which you will enjoy your pic nic before your ride up to 1400 m hight a.s.l. to reach the lava cave “Grotta Cassone” a 277 meters long tunnel of old lava flow from 1792. Inside reside bats. With a torch you will discover the completely darkness of the earth. You will then continue to ascend to the “Silvestri Krater” an extinct volcano from the eruption of 1892. On the days of good visibility, don’t miss the amazing view. You will reach a hight of 1900 a.s.l. Your ride will continue towards your accommodation. Dinner and overnight.
Day 3:
After breakfast, at around 08:30 you ride up to “Altomontana” a wide path at an average height of 1700m a.s.l., drawing a half circle around Mt Etna, where you can explore on horseback the characteristics of the volcan: old craters, stone forests, woodland, old lava flows. After your pic nic you descend on the east site and you will reach the village Maletto, famous for its delicious strawberries, before you will reach your accommodation in the surroundings of Bronte, the italian capital of the pistachio. Dinner and Overnight.
Day 4:
Breakfast and departure at around 08:30 o’clock. You will ride towards the path “Altomontana” through woodland, extinct lava flow, caves and amazing views over the landscapes. You will reach “Monte Spagnolo” where you will enjoy your pic nic before you ride to the lava cave “Grotta delle Palombe” a vertical cave about 200m high. You will ride by the village Solicchiata, famous for its select wines, before you will reach your accommodation. Dinner and Overnight
Day 5:
After breakfast at around 08.30 you will start your ride passing the byzantine “Cube” chapel dating back to around 9th AD to reach the small Alcantara gorge “Piccole Gole dell’Alcantara” formed by the river that run among the basalt rocks. You will stop and admire this spectacle of nature. Afterwards you will ride along the channel, before you reach the “Gurne” (small lakes), where you will have your pic nic. In Summer time you have the possibility to take a bath into the cold water. In the late afternoon you will ride by the Castiglione village, named “the most beautiful village of Italy” before you will reach your accommodation. Dinner and overnight.
Day 6:
Breakfast and departure at around 08.30 and you will embark on a ride through narrow paths, fragrant furies and beautiful woodlands until you reach “Caserma Pitarrone”. After your pic nic you will ride towards the lava cave “Grotta delle Femmine” and the most spectacular and biggest lava cave on the Etna “Grotta dei Lamponi” which has different size of rooms connected togheter. The lava cave is 800mt length and has a height difference of 75 mt. During winter time the snow remains in the mouth of the cave and until spring, you can find there still snow even at surface the first ferns still grow. Also impressive are the icicles, that are to admire until the beginning of spring. You ride towards forest “Timparossa” until you reach Etna most famous volcanic cone “Monte Nero”. You descend by Piano Provenzana, famous as ski resort during winter and you will reach by a beautiful woodland and small paths your accommodation. Dinner and overnight.
Day 7:
After breakfast your ride will lead you towards “Piano Provenzana” passing by the “Silvestri Crater” in direction “la bottoniera” (approximately 2150 a.s.l.) where you will see a succession of craters from the last great eruption of 2002. You will reach the famous “ Ilice di Carrinu”, a beautiful large and old tree about 700 years old. You will then continue to descend passing by the village Zafferana, famous for its sweet honey, before your ride continue towards your accommodation. Dinner and Overnight.
Day 8:
Breakfast and departure to airport
The Tour includes:
- 6 days in the saddle
- 6 days of guided riding
- 7 nights accommodation in double room
- luggage transport with support veichle
- 6 picnic lunches
- 2 liter bottle of water per day
- Assurance
- Rent of helmet and Chaps
The Tour does not include:
- Transfer from/to Airport (Catania/Palermo)
- The single room is on request
- Additional nights
- Everything not mentioned under “the tour includes”
Cancellation / Prepayment
- Before 60 days upon arrival: 0%
- From 59 to 40 days before arrival: 10%
- From 39 to 30 days before arrival: 20%
- From 29 to 20 days before arrival: 40%
- From 19 to 10 days before arrival: 55%
- 9 days before arrival: 75%
- No show: 80%
