Etna Tribe | Escursioni sull'Etna e la Sicilia Orientale — Attraction in Catania

We had a fantastic day on our tour to the foothills of the towering Mt Etna and the amazing Alcantra Gorge.

We were picked up in the bus station on top of beautiful Taormina at 9am by our most helpful and knowledgeable guide Francesco who drove our group toward about 1 hour down the coast toward Cantina. We then left the motorway and onto the ash covered mountain roads that wound there way through sleepy villages that were all covered in the volcanic ash that had spewed from the latest eruption which had just occurred a few days previous. Villagers were busy out sweeping and clearing the ash from their houses but as Fracesco explained, it is a futile effort as the ash just keeps coming with every eruption 🌋 and the clean up is repeated over and over. In places the road is totally covered in black ash and rainfall can make the assent difficult in places with slippy conditions and many hairpin bends to navigate.

Once we got to “base camp” or Rifugio Sapienza, the scale of this mini hill top camp becomes visible and it resembles a ski resort with ash as opposed to snow. Our guide and also amazing chef Francesco brought us some wonderful samples of locally produced olive oil, honey, pesto, jams, stunning wine and nibbles from the myetna range of products which was a great treat and insight into these local produce that is helped by the fertile soils around Mt Etna. We got to see some amazing craters and lava flow formations as well as some really cool caves that have been formed over the years from the many eruptions and lava flows.

After some lunch we made our way from Sapienza on the slopes of Mt Etna an hour into the hills and valleys to the amazing Alcantra Gorge and geological park. The Alcantara Valley and the gorge form at the intersection between the fertile north-west flank of Mount Etna, an active volcano, and the lush south east side of the Nebrodi mountains range, the Sicilian Apennine. The waters are notably cold as 70% of the river runs in underground caves and formations keeping it really cold and incredibly clean. You can walk through the gorges along the river bed to a waterfall all carved out of the cooling lava rock in incredible visual display that is like something from a Jurassic park movie set. There is a nice little cafe at the bottom of the 200 steps down to the gorge basin but importantly no toilet so remember to go at the top near the small stalls.

After a spending time bathing in the cool waters and relaxing by the cafe our guide Francesco drove us back about 40 min drive to Taormina which we got to at about 5pm, and the town was absolutely buzzing at that time with tourists and site seeing enthusiasts all trying to squeeze there way through the narrow streets as we climbed our way to the top of Belvedere Di Perandello to take in the stunning views over Isola Bella island, a wonderful way to end a memorable day.

Many thanks to our very knowledgeable and interesting guide Francesco who made the whole experience so meaningful, his love of the Etna area and passion for local produce was a pleasure to experience and we could not recommend him highly enough to future visitors.

Many thanks and the luck of the Irish ☘️ to Francesco and all at Etna Tribe crew from Paul &...

I recently had the pleasure of going on two tours with Etna Tribe Tours, and both experiences were simply amazing. However, our guide, Salvatore, truly went above and beyond to make our Etna Half Day Sunset tour unforgettable. From the moment we met, Salvatore's knowledge and passion for the area were evident.

Salvatore was not only highly informative but also incredibly engaging. He made it a point to learn and address each of our names, creating a warm and personalized atmosphere throughout the tours. What impressed me even more was his ability to speak at least four different languages fluently. This made the experience accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their native tongue.

One of the highlights of our time with Salvatore was his talent for storytelling. He shared personal anecdotes and local tales that added a unique and captivating element to the tours. It was evident that Salvatore lived in the area and had a deep connection with the land, which further enhanced our understanding and appreciation of the surroundings.

Salvatore's sunset tour to Mount Etna was a particular highlight. The breathtaking views combined with his wealth of knowledge made for a truly unforgettable experience. The way he conveyed information was so impactful that even days later, I found myself effortlessly sharing the educational tidbits with other tourists, who were astonished by my newfound expertise.

Salvatore's ability to make us feel like family throughout the tours was truly remarkable. His warmth, humor, and genuine care for each person in the group created an atmosphere of camaraderie and joy. I can confidently say that no matter what type of tour Salvatore leads, it would be worth every penny. His passion and dedication shine through in every aspect of his work.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Etna Tribe Tours and specifically commend Salvatore for his exceptional guiding skills. If you're looking for an unforgettable experience, rich with information, personal stories, and a feeling of kinship, look no further. Etna Tribe Tours, with Salvatore as your guide, will undoubtedly leave a...

I usually visit sites on my own but knew I wanted a guide for visiting Mt. Etna. I chose this Etna Tribe trip b/c it had good reviews and was a full day tour. I was not disappointed. Carmelo was a great tour guide. I was impressed with his language skills (we had both English and Spanish speaking people in our group). And he had a solid working knowledge of the history of Etna and the surrounding countryside, which developed in the shadow of Etna. I should mention that I arrived at the meeting point and saw a tour guide explaining the day trip to Etna. I left with that group till they realized I wasn't part of the group. Note: Hotel Principe is the meeting place for a lot of tour groups. I thought I had missed my tour but got a call from Carmelo who said not a problem he would head back to the meeting spot to pick me up. It was my error and I was grateful that Carmelo was persistent in finding me. I was pleased to discover that our group was only 6 people. When we arrived at the area where we couldn't go any further with our van, we transferred to a funivia and then a hummer like bus to ascend the volcano further up. Finally it was a short hike up the rest of the volcano (not the top) where other guides explained how the volcano and surrounding area were formed and keep changing. On the way down Carmelo took us to a lava tube where we descended into the cave area. Carmelo did a great job of explaining how it was formed. The second part of the trip was a few hours devoted to walking around Taormina. Worth visiting just for the views. In summary it was a memorable day, Carmelo was a great guide and Etna Tribe is a good...