2002 Crater Excursion: A Tranquil Exploration of Etna's Northern Side
4.9
306 Ratings
Città metropolitana di Catania

Embark on a tranquil exploration of Etna’s northern side with the 2002 Crater Excursion. Discover the remains of the 2002 eruption, lunar landscapes, and explosive craters in total tranquility. Suitable for all ages.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Piano Provenzana - Located on the north side of Mount Etna, Piano Provenzana is easily accessible by private or rental car via fully paved public roads. This area, surrounded by pine forests and dramatic lava fields, was transformed by the October 2002 eruption, which destroyed the original facilities and created a remarkable volcanic landscape of…
What's Included
  • Accident insurance included.
  • Expert volcanological guide authorized by law.
What's 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 fees
  • Snowshoe rental (winter period) at a cost of 15 € per person to be paid on the spot
Additional Information

The 2002 Craters tour is a highly desired and selected destination by travelers on Etna’s northern side, away from the crowded touristy spots. The trip delivers a genuine experience of Etna’s volcanic milieu in full serenity. Guides escort our guests on a walk through the remnants of the tourist facilities ruined by the magma discharges during the major…

Location
Guide Vulcanologiche Etna Nord
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".
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(306 Ratings)
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Shewoolf
Jan 29, 2026
Great alternative trek after road closure from too much snow! - I came to the Etna Team after Cyclone Harry dropped 2 new meters of snow on Mt Etna because I wanted to show shoe with them. Because of the uncertainty of road conditions and snow removal, the team was fast to organize and communicate an alternative trekking route for the group I joined. Though it was not the original trekking route to the 2002 craters, it was still an amazing trek with wonderful views and wonderful information from our guide Daniele. Thank you for a great experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sondra_o
Dec 31, 2025
Amazing tour and guide! - Our Italian/English tour guide was fantastic! He was a comedian and tour guide combination, which made it very fun! He also interjected facts and pictures along the way for a break and to learn more about the 2002 volcano eruption and the currently erupting volcano. This was one of our favorite tours in Sicily! You can’t go to Sicily and not trek Mt Etna! This was well worth the time and effort!!
Review provided by Viator
Adrien_g
Oct 20, 2025
A very special moment... - A very special moment that I shared with my two boys. Luca, our guide, was quite awesome, smiling, considerate. He taught us more about ETNA without overdoing it. Special mention for the fun little race at the end of the course.
Review provided by Viator
Flyer54494914529
Sep 16, 2025
Hiking at the top - Very nice walking excursion to have the feeling of being as close as possible to the flows and the crater of 2002.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elena_z
Sep 3, 2025
Highly recommended to enjoy nature and the surroundings................................................................... - This option to visit the northern area has been a success because it is less crowded, does not require much physical effort and is very interesting thanks to the guide who accompanied us.
Review provided by Viator
Mariellaa207
Aug 27, 2025
Magic places - Very exciting experience, with Davide, a very prepared and engaging guide. The walk is not very easy, but it is definitely worth it! Davide has always made everything very easy, with stops and precise descriptions... Highly recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sophfs18
Aug 27, 2025
Beautiful & active way to explore Mount Etna - Highly recommend this experienced guide company to explore Mount Etna from the North side. Due to volcanic activity we were not allowed to trek to the summit today but we went as high we we could to 2900+ with a guide and 4x4 to start with, and was able to see the volcanic gas coming out of the top of Mount Etna just under 3000+ mètres which was do impressive. Our guide Santé is awesome, he is very knowmedgeable and knows all the history of the craters and Mount Etna. After viewing the volcanic gas from the top (normally it would be from the summit but today we weren’t allowed so we were just under the summit), we then hiked down about 3-3.5 hours pass various craters of different size which was very interesting. We even went under and through an old magma tunnel which was very cool. Santé knows the craters history well and answered all our questions, he also takes very good pictures. Highly recommend him! The hike is medium difficulty, it is all downhill but you need hiking boots (which the guide will lend to you) and at some parts quite steep. It is quite cold at the top, so do bring a windbreaker and definitely wear a hat & sunglasses. We had such a lovely experience thank you and would recommend to everyone. If you have bad knees this isn’t recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stefania
Aug 22, 2025
Crater experience of 2002 - Beautiful experience that I recommend to those who want to see Etna from a didactic point of view. Our guide, Giuseppe, with great competence and enthusiasm, taught us many curiosities about Etna, about the history, vegetation and structure of the craters. It made the route already unique and spectacular, absolutely enjoyable for both adults and children! Thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
940klevisab
Aug 21, 2025
Wooow - The beautiful experience and especially detailed I would say that it is worth spending them especially for the landscapes you see, for clothing it would be better to put hiking shoes as the path to the end makes you dirty your shoes and socks
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Corinne_c
Aug 18, 2025
Great guide very... - Excellent guide very friendly. Our outing ended in hail but despite this one , we enjoyed this walk .
Review provided by Viator
From $42
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).