Description
If you would rather ride across a volcano than walk it, this quad bike tour on Mount Etna starts in Nicolosi and follows a guide over roughly 20 kilometres of paved and dirt roads. The terrain is lunar in feel, and the ride is meant for people who like a bit of adrenaline alongside the scenery.
The route goes up to 2,000 metres, which is the highest point of the excursion. Along the way you pass the kind of formations that past eruptions leave behind: eruptive fractures, lava tubes, lava fields and black sand. There is also a stop at a characteristic lava stone building, a pagghiaru-style home, and a ride through a broom forest where you can watch for local plants and animals.
- About 20 km of paved and dirt roads
- Lava tubes and eruptive fractures
- A lava stone building on the way
- The broom forest on the slopes
The ride lasts around an hour and a half, within a two-hour slot. A specialised guide assists you throughout, and the helmet and hair net are provided, plus a windproof jacket in summer, or a thermal jacket and snow gloves in winter.
You need a driving licence to ride. The tour is not for children under 5, pregnant women or drivers under 18.