Private Etna Tour
Yes — every excursion on this website is private. There is no group departure to join and no shared minibus: you book a date, and that date is yours. The volcanological guide is with your party alone, the pace is the one your group sets, and the price is for the group, not per head.
That also means there is nothing to negotiate before you can book. The four excursions below are the ones I guide, they run all year, and each one has its own calendar with live availability and online payment. Pick the one that matches how high you want to go and how much you want to walk.
Choose your excursion- Your group only, never mixed with strangers
- One price for the whole group
- Four itineraries, from 1,700 m to 3,300 m
- Online booking with instant confirmation
The four private excursions
Same guide, same private format — what changes is how high you go and how much you walk.
Etna Summit Craters Trek
Reach Etna's summit craters at 3,300m with a volcanological guide. 6-hour trek from Piano Provenzana on the north side.
€500private guide, per group
See dates
Etna Cable Car + 4x4
Reach 3,000m on Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 vehicle, then hike to the base of the active summit craters with a private volcanological guide.
€300private guide, per group
See dates
Etna 2002 Craters Hiking
Hike to the 1923 and 2002 eruption craters on Etna's north side. 3-hour guided trek through lava fields and beech forests.
€250private guide, per group
See dates
Monti Sartorius Family Craters Walk
Easy family-friendly loop through Etna's birch forest, 1865 lava fields and Sartorius craters. Perfect for families and a gentle volcano introduction.
€250private guide, per group
See datesWhat "private" means here
Only your own party comes along: family, friends, a couple, colleagues — nobody else is added to fill the vehicle. Groups are small by design (up to 6 people, 5 on the family walk at Monti Sartorius), so the guide can actually talk to you rather than shout at a crowd. Along the way you stop where the volcano is worth stopping for, and you leave when your group is ready.
Which one is right for you
The four excursions differ in altitude and effort, not in quality of the experience. The Summit Craters Trek is the demanding one, high on the volcano and the longest day. The Cable Car + 4x4 reaches 3,000 m on the south side with far less walking, which makes it the choice when time or legs are short. The 2002 Craters hike is the classic north-side walk through the eruption that reshaped Piano Provenzana. Monti Sartorius is the gentle one, easy enough for children and grandparents on the same day out.
How booking works
Open the excursion you want, choose a date on the calendar, enter how many you are, and pay online. Confirmation is immediate — no waiting for a quote, no email exchange. If you are unsure between two of them, book the one closer to your fitness level: the guide adjusts the day to your group anyway.
Can the excursion be customised?
The pace, the stops and the timing, yes — that is what the private format is for. The itineraries themselves are these four, and they do not change: they are the routes I guide, on the terrain I know season by season, with the safety margins that come with it. If you were hoping for a bespoke day built from scratch around a different idea, this is honestly not the right service.
The four at a glance
| Private Etna Tour | Altitude and effort | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Summit Craters Trek | ~3,300 m · 6 hours · the demanding one | Hikers in good shape who want the high volcano |
| Cable Car + 4x4 | 3,000 m · 3 hours · little walking | High altitude without the long climb, short days, mixed fitness |
| 2002 Craters | 1,800 → 2,000 m · 3 hours · moderate | The classic north-side walk through recent eruption ground |
| Monti Sartorius | ~1,700 → 1,800 m · 2.5 hours · easy | Families with children, grandparents, first time on a volcano |
All four are private and priced per group, so the cost per person goes down as your party grows. Prices and live availability are on each excursion page.
How to book, step by step
- 1
Pick your excursion
Choose by altitude and effort from the four above — each one has its own page with the full itinerary.
- 2
Choose a date
The calendar on that page shows the days that are actually free, updated live.
- 3
Book and pay online
Enter your group size and pay securely. Confirmation is immediate, with no quote to wait for.
- 4
Meet your guide
On the day you meet me at the meeting point of that excursion — your group and me, nobody else.
Essential Information
What's Included
- A certified volcanological guide for your group alone
- Small groups: up to 6 people (5 on the Monti Sartorius family walk)
- One price for the whole group, agreed before you pay
- Languages: Italian, English, French
What to Bring
- Trekking shoes or sturdy walking shoes
- Windproof jacket, warm layer even in summer
- Sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
- Water and a small snack
Kit needed varies by excursion: what is included and what to bring is listed on each excursion page.
Weather on the volcano decides the day: if conditions are unsafe, we move the date or refund you.
There is no enquiry form on this page on purpose — availability and prices are live on the four calendars.
Questions people ask
Are all your Etna tours private?
Yes. Every excursion on this website is private: you book a date and it belongs to your group alone, with the volcanological guide to yourselves. There are no shared departures and nobody is added to your booking to fill seats.
How much does a private Etna tour cost?
The price is per group, not per person, and it depends on which of the four excursions you choose. Each excursion page shows its price and live availability, so you can see the exact figure before booking — the more of you there are, the less it costs per person.
Can we build a custom itinerary?
The pace, the stops and the timing adapt to your group — that is what private means. The routes themselves are these four: they are the itineraries I guide, on terrain I know in every season, and they do not change. If you need a completely bespoke day, I am honestly not the right guide for it.
How many people can come on a private excursion?
Up to 6 people on the Summit Craters Trek, the Cable Car + 4x4 and the 2002 Craters hike, and up to 5 on the Monti Sartorius family walk. Small groups are a deliberate choice: on a volcano it is how the day stays safe and worth listening to.
How do I book, and how fast is confirmation?
Open the excursion you want, pick a date on its calendar, enter your group size and pay online. Confirmation arrives immediately — there is no quote to wait for and no email exchange before you can secure the date.
Which excursion should we choose?
Go by altitude and effort. Summit Craters if you are fit and want the high volcano, Cable Car + 4x4 to reach 3,000 m with little walking, the 2002 Craters for the classic north-side hike, Monti Sartorius if there are children or grandparents in the group.
What happens if the weather turns bad?
The volcano decides. If conditions are unsafe on your date we move the excursion to another day or refund you — I will never take a group up in weather that does not allow it.
What Clients Say
Real reviews from guests who hiked Mount Etna with Vincenzo.