Brand New!
Hike Mount Etna and Kayak the Sicilian Aeolian Islands
- Italy
- 4 nights
Explore volcanic peaks, black sand beaches, thermal springs and scale the most active volcano in Europe
What's Included?
- Maximum group size: 14Join small n’ sociable groups of like-minded, active and outdoorsy people – designed to be solo-friendly
From…excluding flights
Highlights
Trek the slopes and valleys of Mount Etna, a UNESCO World Heritage site, alive with geothermal activity
Paddle along rugged volcanic coastline, explore caves and tunnels carved from lava and swim off hidden beaches
Discover the island's rich history, sample local seafood and indulge in fresh pasta and Sicilian white wine
Itinerary
Day 1
First taste of Catania
Hiking3hrsHotelTwin shareDinner includedShow Day 1 detailHide detail
Arrive in the city of Catania, under the shadow of Mount Etna. You’ll meet your crew at the hotel before heading out to discover the city's alternative street food scene. Explore the backstreets, underground lava tunnels and graffiti squares whilst sampling some local delights.
Day 2
Hike the volcanic island of Vulcano
Hiking3hrs · 5mi · 1280ft up · 1280ft downHotelTwin shareAll meals includedShow Day 2 detailHide detail
Hopping on a speedy hydrofoil, you’ll make your way over to Vulcano, one of the seven pearls of the Aeolian archipelago. After settling into the hotel, it's time to lace up your boots and set off to hike Vulcano's crater rim to see the steaming fumaroles and watch the sunset over the entire archipelago.
Day 3
Take to the water
Kayaking4hrs · 5miHotelTwin shareAll meals includedShow Day 3 detailHide detail
Today you'll jump in a kayak onto the Tyrrhenian Sea where you'll paddle along the coastline and discover caves and tunnels carved from the lava of Vulcano. Swim in the bubbling thermal spa waters before returning to the hotel to unwind with a glass of vino and some pane cunzato - a traditional Sicilian dish.
Day 4
Sleep on Mt Etna
Hiking2-3hrsHotelTwin shareAll meals includedShow Day 4 detailHide detail
This morning you'll jump back on the hydrofoil to Sicily. En route to your refuge on Mt Etna, you'll make a pit stop at one of the region's famous wine cellars. Take a spin around the vineyards and get to know its winemakers and, of course, their wines! Arriving at Mt Etna, you'll enjoy an easy hike around the Silvestri Craters and grab your first glimpse of its lunar landscape of black sand and volcanic rocks before munching on another delicious dinner.
Day 5
Valle del Bove Etna
Hiking6hrs · 7mi · 984ft up · 2953ft downBreakfast and lunch includedShow Day 5 detailHide detail
First up is a ride on the cable car to the station at 2500m. From here you'll climb to the top of the Montagnola (2640m) where you'll hike among the massive lava dunes and soak in the views of the Ionian Coast. You’ll then hike along the foot of the valley, over lava fields and through leafy beech forest before a late afternoon transfer back to Catania for your flight home.
Practical Stuff
Getting There
- Nearest airport
- Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA)
- Pick up
- La Collegiata Hotel, Catania
15:00 on Day 1 - Drop off
- La Collegiata Hotel, Catania
17:00 on Day 5
What is and isn't Included?
What's included
Expert, English-speaking local guides
4 nights in 3-star hotels
Munch on traditional local cuisine throughout
Transfers to and from Catania, and everything in between
All your kayaking equipment
What's not included
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Where You'll Stay
Private room upgrades are not available on this trip due to the nature of the accommodation.
Catania
Mount Etna
Vulcano
What You'll Eat
The Aeolian cuisine from the famous Islands of Sicily originates from fishing traditions and ancient Greek influence. As a result, the flavours are strong and most dishes are dressed with aromatic herbs such as rosemary, oregano, basil and also garli…
Optional Extras
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room and tent can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price . Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
Ratings & Reviews
This trip is brand new!
So new, in fact, that it's not got any reviews yet. But rest assured, it's been designed with the same care, quality and attention to detail as all of our highly rated adventures.
4.8
Our average trip score5000+ reviews
Before You Travel
What to Pack
Know before you go! Some stuff we'll provide, other things you'll need to bring.
FAQs
Can I book on my own?
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Who is running the trip?
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
What is the official travel advice?
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).
If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.
For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.
What vaccinations do I need?
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
How are the trips priced?
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates daily, so prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
Why are your adventures only for adults?
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
Who else will be on my trip?
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
What's the carbon footprint for this trip?
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre program, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 131kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000 miles/1609km would be approximately 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person, if there were two of you in it).
- A return economy class flight between London and New York would be approximately 1619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approximately 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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