Mount Etna and Alcantara Gorges from Taormina

Sicily, Italy

10 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Mount Etna and the Alcantara Gorges are two of the top Sicilian sights, but the logistics of getting around can be tricky. Take the guesswork out of your transportation on this tour that takes you to the gorges by coach. Upgrade to include the ascent by cable car up to the authorized crater zones to explore safely with the assistance of licensed CAI (Italian Alpine Club) guides.

Mount Etna day trip from Taormina
Explore volcanic canyons and rock pools on a walk through Alcantara Gorges
Enjoy free time to hike around Mount Etna’s foothills at leisure
Optional upgrade to visit the upper craters of Mount Etna and walk around its craters in a safe area with an Alpine guide

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Tour escort/host
Professional multilingual guide

Food and drinks
Entrance fee to Alcantara Gorges
Wind jackets and boots rental

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Terminal Interbus Taormina
Via Luigi Pirandello, 98039 Taormina ME, Italy
Departure for all tours is from the main Bus Terminal in Via Pirandello. Pick up is also available along the coast at Taormina by the sea, Letojanni and Giardini Naxos. Customers are invited to contact us for information about pick up. The coach is silver with a SAT logo in red.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.7:30 am

Itinerary

After meeting your host in Taormina, travel via comfortable coach to Alcantara Gorges, where numerous deep ravines and cliffs surround the Alcantara River. Pay the admission and then let your guide take you to see the amazing waterfalls and gorges, all created by ancient volcanic eruptions.

Later head back to the coach and ride to the town of Randazzo. Hop on board and get ready for some great views while cruising around on the vintage train. Marvel at the sights of majestic Mount Etna. Drink in the views of a vineyard and olive grove-clad landscape. Enjoy fields of flowers.

Spend an hour riding on the train and then hop off, riding in the coach to Etna south station, which has an altitude of 6,234 feet (1,900 meters). Take some free time here to do some exploring, strolling along the trails. If all this hiking has built up an appetite, sit down at the station's cafe and indulge in a snack. Sturdy walking shoes are recommended.

Optional upgrade to ascend by cable car up to 2,500 meters and continuing on board jeeps up to the authorized crater zones at approximately 3,000 meters with the assistance of licensed guides of the CAI (Italian Alpine Club); stop to admire the eventual activity of the upper craters in a safety zones according to weather conditions

Gola Dell'Alcantara

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Mount Etna

3 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Most travelers can participate
The high-altitude ascents are not indicated for heart passengers, asthmatics and pregnant women.
This tour is operated in English, German, Italian. All 3 languages will be spoken during the tour.
During winter minimum of 12 people . There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
The cost of the excursion to Etna, ascent inclusive, has a special price valid only with advance reservation. When buying the ascent on board, the cost will be higher.
Please contact SAT Group at booking@satgroup.it for customized pick up
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 49 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Lawrence_T

Franco was an excellent guide. Very informative & made sure everyone who paid for extras was taken care of. Loved the train ride, the cable car/Jeep and guide at the top of the volcano. He was also excellent.

Reviews

4.2

based on 93 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Take layers and snacks...

JAN_B, Sep 2025

Take layers to wear as weather unpredictable on Etna. Take snacks and a drink as very little time to stop for a break. Quite rushed. Should not need to pay for entry to Alacantra gorges.

Unique experience

Sunila_P, May 2025

The trip was itself very good ,organized well and managed well The guide according to my adult daughters could do with talking a little less But the trip itself the transportation the gorge and the Mount Etna at the top itself was amazing It is an expensive experience to do the whole trip to the top but given the amount of time it takes to get there and also at the top the amount of transport and guide they provide on the Mount Etna peak itself the price makes sense The pick up and drop off was done in a timely fashion The trip for an hour on the Circumetna was just enough it’s a tiny train . I am glad we all did it My two adult daughters also enjoyed the experience itself Be prepared for the severe cold on the top and the coats they offer for rent are not warm enough You will need warm coats layers hat and mittens at least in May and earlier Have fun !

long good day out if you are tough

RAYMOND_W, Sep 2024

the train was warm the top of etna too cold to get to top guide was very helpful big effort to get to start pick up with many people not sure if they were in the correct place ray

Exploring Mt Etna Up Close and Personal

John_R, Aug 2024

We really enjoyed the trip to Mount Etna and Alcantara gorges from Taormina. Our guide and driver were both super knowledgeable and professional. It was a great experience to be able to go up Mount Etna via tram, truck, and foot to the 2920 mtr level. Alexandra made sure to get us where we needed to be on time and safely. Quite the impressive and enjoyable guide.

Great variety of experiences in this trip.

Marian_S, May 2023

The train ride from randozza was very enjoyable. Fantastic scenery. Our guide was excellent. The opportunity to circumnavigate Mt Etna was terrific.

Response from Host, May 2023

That's exactly the idea: to circumnavigate Mt Etna and to see the dimension of this huge volcano. Thanks for sharing. Regards. SAT Group Customer Care Manager

Recommended and a well planned itinerary

Greg_H, May 2023

Enjoyed the train journey through a surprisingly barren landscape and up steep gradients. In hindsight, it would have been better to have spread the group into the second carriages. After the 4WD ride, my wife was pleased that we were not climbing up to the steep path to the rim of one of the craters but instead walked on the level to overlook the ancient caldera. Beforehand we read reviews mentioning a lack of time for toilet breaks and food; however, there was plenty of time for both on this trip.

Amazing journey to Etna

Daniel_C, Apr 2023

Good value for money, the vintage train going through the picturesque hills was one of the highlights and it was quite efficient. We had time to roam around on our own in Alcantara Gorges and Etna.

Good value

Eric_D, Oct 2022

The train journey was very good and our guide was helpful and explained things well. Was disappointed with Mount Etna but that was due to the weather which can’t be helped.

Tegenvaller

Diana, Sep 2020

Total trip duration 11 hours, mainly sitting in the bus for 7 hours!! While the sights were actually not far from Taormina, where I stayed, less then half an hour by car. The trip on the old train had been canceled. We were not informed about this canceling before. After some research I noticed the train was already not driving at the moment of booking. Very bad that they offer it anyway and make you pay for it. Even now they are still offering it!! But the train does not run! Now Viator asks for a meaning about the trip: how was the train trip? So wrong this. Instead of the train, we visited a place called Bronte to taste the real pistachio. We only got 20 minutes to visit the toilet, eat ice cream, for which you first had to wait in line for 15 minutes. So taste in a hurry. The visit to Alcantara gorge was also rushed, quick some pictures and away again. Such a big pity. Why not stay there for a longer time, now we had time, because train trip was canceled? Then visit Etna. I asked to the guide the price to go up with cable car. He gave a bizarre high price, so we did not take the cable car. Later it turned out that he told is total price of cable car and jeep. So very sorry. We would have loved to go with the cable car. Guide should speak English. He spoke more Italian, every 10 words italian, he spoke 1 word in english. sentence English after every 10 sentences. Furthermore, no attention was paid to Corona. Many people only wore masks when they got on the bus, then in the bus they put it off or only half. The guide said nothing about this. Disinfection was also missing from the bus. Well, now I tried to come in contact with Viator to explain everything and to ask some cashback. But I cannot reach them at all. I still hope they answer me, otherwise I tell you, never book a trip nu Viator!!!

Response from Host, Sep 2020

Dear Diana, first of all we are sorry to read your review although you have been refunded of Euro 25,00 by Viator and us. It is not fair to write a bad review before being refunded. Secondly, we do believe that you would have preferred the basic tour to Etna instead of the Etna Round that is longer and much tiring since we explore the whole foot of the volcano before getting to the top. Regarding the Circumetnea train, its operativity has been suspended due to Covid-19. In normal times for our standard tour, the Circumetnea train’s ride covers only 33 km (1 hour time) and the rest is operated by coach. Since the Circumenea train company, our supplier, has communicated the stop for Covid-19, we cover the same kilometres by coach adding some stops on the way. We can assure that the tour has been accomplished and that the stop of Circumetnea train operativity for safety reason is not depending on our will. Besides that SAT Group, as per our general conditions of all tours, is allowed to change or modify the itinerary whenever it is deemed necessary or for reasons of force majeure.We are sorry if that change has been a discomfort for you. In addition, English and Italian are both spoken on board. It is well known that Italian has longer sentences compared to English. We hope you have the chance to try a different tour and enjoy it more. Regards, Customer Care Manager SAT Group

Family trip to Etna

Victoria_F, Nov 2019

We travelled late Oct on this trip and it was a great family day out. Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is the train on the CircumEtnea part of trip was much new than expected and we were looking forward to the older train as per pics on Viator website. Guide & driver were great.

Response from Host, Dec 2019

Hello, regarding the CircumEtnea train, we must specify that old and new ones are used in a random solution. Most people prefer the new ones because they are more equipped. It is really a matter of tastes and parameters. We hope next time you can enjoy a ride on the old train. Meanwhile, we send you our best regards. Guest Relations Manager SAT Group

etna and railway

Michael_G, Oct 2019

We had a double decker bus, and we felt there were too many people on this trip. That was not so important at Etna, but at the Alcantara Gorge the visit was rushed, there was a delay getting tickets and it was slow moving around the narrow paths because of the numbers. We couldn't hear the guide, either as we were too far away. The train ride was excellent- we were fortunate with the weather and the views of Etna, the countryside and the lava fields were stunning. I would have liked more detailed information on the geology of the area. The visit to Etna was interesting. We didn't go to the top however, as it's very expensive and the clouds had descended. We were disappointed with the quality at the Refugio- staff were pleasant, but the toilets were very dirty. The restaurant at the far end of the car park is much nicer, and less expensive, with clean toilets! Back to Taormina by 5.30. An enjoyable day.

Response from Host, Oct 2019

Hello, thank you for your feedback. You have travelled during the peak of the season and it is normal to find huge crowds during this tour. We have forwarded your note regarding the toilets to the owners of the restaurant in order to improve the quality. We send you our warmest regards. Guest Relations Manager SAT Group

Amazing trip

Lawrence_T, Oct 2019

Response from Host, Oct 2019

Hello, we are so happy to receive your feedback. We have forwarded to our tour guide Franco who thanks you and is very grateful for the appreciation. His job is made of that: make our dear customers happy! See you again in Taormina in the future. Guest Relations Manager SAT Group

Amazing tour

N9487APpeterm, Jun 2019

Went on this tour with high expectations and after a slow start it really delivered. A long day out but the trip up Mt Etna on the cable car and 4x4 with a guide at the crater truly is bucket list material. Being on an active volcano in Sicily is something you will never forget and so this is the one tour you must do (and is actually great value also) Great tour and the whole family thought the same (not always easy!)

Response from Host, Aug 2019

Hi N9487, happy to have been an important part of your unforgettable experience! We send you our warmest regards from Sicily. Guest Relations Manager SAT Group

A really enjoyable day

Cathie_O, May 2019

I thoroughly enjoyed the day and overall good value. but the guide wasn't very good at all. He gave us about 10 seconds notice to get off the train. The 6 euro charge for Alcantara Gorge should be on the mentioned on the description and also what it includes. This seems to have suddenly gone up from 1.50. The guide made it sound as though it was just for the lift down to the gorge whereas it was actually the entrance to the beautiful gorge and the walk round the gardens. It should also be made clearer that the walk is difficult for the less able. I needed some assistance in places. It should also be made clearer that if you just choose the foothills on Etna, most of the 3 hours is spent not very productively in overpriced cafes. You can see two craters and it is worth the walk up there and also for the view but it is is very cold up there so chances are you will spend time in the cafes. It should also be made clearer that if choosing the higher altitude one, it is substantially cheaper to prebook this rather than adding it in resort (£42 v 60 euros)

Etna Time Great - The Rest Not So Much

Alexis_C, Jul 2018

We absolutely loved the opportunity to climb to the highest accessible point of Etna - what an experience! This tour made for an easy and enjoyable visit to the volcano with younger children, but the morning program was not really worth it. The Alacantra Gorge was moderately interesting, but the Circumetnea train is a waste of time - perhaps SAT could simply cut this portion of the tour? Particularly in the summer? It was a hot and miserable unventilated hour on a train that seemingly got us nowhere. And because of these distractions, our time at Etna was rushed unnecessarily. Long story short: everyone who takes this tour wants Etna, so please give it to them: cut out at the very minimum the train and perhaps the Gorge as well. If SAT could offer a Etna only tour with max ascent option that would be much better, but I don't believe they do.

The time on Mt. Etna was about...

Kenalyn C, Jun 2018

The time on Mt. Etna was about right, but we had to keep moving to get everything in and did not have lunch. The guide really didn't do much for us. The railroad was okay, but we were all confused about where to get off. The Gorges were a huge disappointment. You aren't given a map or shown one about the options of where to go to see the gorge. I ran up and down and saw at the end that there was a way to go to the bottom pool, but without directions at the beginning, there was not enough time to do it. There were too many people stuffed on the bus...then at the few gorge viewings to really see anything. if you do this, and I recommend that you look for another tour, perhaps another company...take a sack lunch to eat on the bus.

We loved this experience but the bus...

Jacquie M, Nov 2017

We loved this experience but the bus ride was just too long for my husband and I to sit through. We did venture up to the summit of Mount Edna and we're prepared that the temperature would drop at the top so we dressed warm. Unfortunately we were very surprised by the strong gusts of wind...I could not catch my breath at all so we had to turn around and head back down.

I did this trip on my own as my...

Rosemary H, Oct 2017

I did this trip on my own as my friend wasn't well . This was no problem at all - a fantastic trip really well organised . The views from mount Etna were amazing every aspect of this trip was really well organised . I'm glad I chose to do the extra trip up the cable car and in the jeeps around the cratorsv . The guides were very knowledgeable and helpful . A very early start but a wonderful day .

Guide was knowledgeable and...

Victoria_S, Oct 2017

Guide was knowledgeable and engaging. Time at each site was sufficient so didn't feel rushed.

Great trip, informative...

Gail_P, Oct 2017

Great trip, informative, professional guide. We also signed up for the upper ascent, and the alpine guide was superb.

TO be honest this was a...

Davd H, Jul 2017

TO be honest this was a disappointing tour. Firstly Alcantara Gorge was not very scenic and the gardens we walked through were very poor. Then the train ride around Etna was a complete waste of time. They seem as if they want to give you something else to do instead of being on the coach for longer. Views nothing special. Going up the Chair Lift and the 4 wheel coach were very good and the 30 min walk around the crater were interesting. All round a bit did appointing.

Up close and personal with an active...

Linda Q, Jul 2017

Up close and personal with an active volcano. Mt Etna was spewing some smoke when we got to the top. Truly an amazing sight to see. The tour guides were knowledgeable. The bus was air conditioned, absolutely necessary in July. The vintage train was not.

This tour was absolutely breath...

Lorena F, May 2017

This tour was absolutely breath taking. The tour guide was amazing as well, unfortunately I don't remember her name. She helped me when I was having a trasportation issue, she went above and beyond to help me.

The Gorges are unique and very...

Manette_M, Dec 2016

The Gorges are unique and very accessible. The site on Mount Etna last erupted from Oct 15-Jan 16 - and the earth is still steaming. The alpine guides are knowledgeable and engaging. Highly recommend.

This was a very nice tour of Mt...

MelodyJ_M, Nov 2016

This was a very nice tour of Mt Etna. Unfortunately, we could not reach the summit due to inclement weather, but it was still very interesting to visit. Even at the altitude we were at, it was very windy and cold I went in October, so if you go outside of the summer months be sure to dress warmly. I thought the Alcantara Gorges was an unnecessary stop and not very interesting, but that is just my opinion. The train ride was very nice. Alfreddo was our guide and he kept us very well informed during the day trip. I would recommend it and would go again if I have the opportunity in the future.

This tour was really exciting. The...

BettyJ_F, Oct 2016

This tour was really exciting. The ride on the Circumetna train gave us a real chance to see the countryside and Mt. Etna. Unfortunately as we arrived at the mountain, the weather had changed for the worse and the gondola was shut down due to high winds. We were transported up the mountain in an all terrain 28 passenger bus, which was quite a ride. It was very foggy, windy, and started to rain so we chose not to continue on to the top of the crater. There was about a 45 minute wait for the bus to take everyone back down, but we made it safely.

The Alcantara Gorges were stunning...

Susan R, Sep 2016

The Alcantara Gorges were stunning and Mount Etna was impressive. Although it was a warm day, we got caught in a sleet storm at the summit, so the walking tour of the craters was cancelled. Luckily they hire ski jackets for 3 euros which came in handy as we were wearing summer clothing. Still worthwhile doing, but best come prepared for all weather conditions.

Enjoyable trip a long day traveling...

Tracey F, Sep 2016

Enjoyable trip a long day traveling if your not a good traveller. We enjoyed the trip and the scenery well worth the cable car journey. The food in the store at the base was very tasty.

Paid 8 euros visiting Alcantara...

ChiaJung_Y, Sep 2016

Paid 8 euros visiting Alcantara Gorge but ended up spending only 1 hour inside. If you could, please cut off the train tour part. Don't see any point of taking the train tour since we simply just sat on the train for an hour and went back to the same train station.