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Why travelling with Randocheval ?

ITALY - SICILY : THE ETNA TRAIL...

Itinerary - Extensions - Horses and required riding level
Guiding - Accommodation - Dates and rates - More infos / booking

ITINERARY

Day 1
Welcome at Catania airport, and road transfer to Frutteto D’Efesto, located at 1400 metres above sea level, a lovely little farm in the Etna Park territory. Dinner and night in Agriturismo.

Day 2
After breakfast, you will meet your horse. Our ride starts in a sweetly smelling pine and beech wood as our horses enjoy walking over a soft carpet of pine needles. When we reach 1600 metres, popolars and pseudo-acacias grow, but quite soon the trees become sparse and suddenly the ride is out on the high mountain path with the summit area of the volcano dominating the view to the northeast. The ride goes through a lunar landscape made up of lava rocks. Few miles further on, we leave the high mountain and have lunch at the Contrada Difesa (1000 metres). We continue on the western slopes of Mount Etna to the ancient castle of Maniace, standing in the hollow of a vast mountain-surrounded plateau, covered with the immemorial lava of Etna, and watered by the Simeto river. We spend tonight in a charming hotel in the Maniace territory at the border between Etna and Nebrody Nature Parks.

Day 3
We continue on until we stop for lunch at the Mount La Nave refuge. The trek continues along the high mountain nature path; the scenery changes as Mt. Etna dons different colored robes. Our horses hooves clip-clop away the miles, taking us to the beautiful beech woods at Mount Spagnolo. Near here is the Saletti mountain refuge where, after a wash and brush-up, we sit down to our pasta, local produce and barbecue dinner. Then off to bed in real mountain-style bags on camp beds (provided).

Day 4
In the morning the group goes on horseback to visit the extinct craters formed during the eruption of 1980. We cross vast lava flows through which a nature path has been cut by the Forestry Corps. Along the way we pass the Lamponi (Raspberry) and the Palombe caves in a wooded area of pine and larch in the territory of Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slopes of the volcano. This pleasant route crosses fragrant woodlands and gives spectacular views of the Alcantara valley. At lunchtime we arrive at the Pirao refuge where a tasty hot lunch is ready for us. After a two-hour lunch break, we remount and ride through wooded areas towards the little mountain chalet hotel, Brunek (1370m.), which is well-equipped with modern comforts. We arrive at about six o’clock for dinner and for night.

Day 5
After breakfast we ride along a forest path leading to Piano Pernicara In the Ragabo pinewoods of the Commune of Linguaglossa. Crossing the Chiovazzi area we reach Mount Crisino (1345m.) and then Mount Stornello (1150). The track crosses immense lava flows from 1865, 1928 and 1971.From there a mule track of great anthropological importance takes us through chestnut woods to the Magazzeni area near the village of St. Alfio. We reach the rural tourism hotel, "Cirasella", a few kilometres from the Chestnut tree of a Hundred Horses at about 13.30. Here we have a complete hot lunch, and after a brief siesta we set out on our horses again to visit the pluri-millenary tree under whose breadth of foliage, as legend has it, one hundred horsemen took shelter from a storm. We get back to our cosy hotel about 18.00 for dinner and after which we can relax watching a folkloristic show and a good night’s sleep.

Day 6
We ride across the Felcerossa ( red fern) area and go through the Nicolosi wood, along a nature path that takes us to Piano dell’Acqua at 717 metres from where we can gaze with awe on the impressive lava flow that threatened the village of Zafferana from 1991 to 1993. Here and there, trees, patches of greenery and small country houses and lava shelters , encircled by the flow , bear witness to the past. We now enter a larch wood in the Ilice area and skirt Mount Arcimis (1284m.). Here the scenery changes again totally and we ride across the lunar landscape of the 1634 lava flow to reach Mount Serra Pizzuta Galvarina (1704m.). Our group now leaves the forestry park behind and goes along the quiet provincial country road, and can admire lava flows and extinct craters on either side, especially the Silvestri craters (2000m.).
These craters mark the beginning of the small Etna South tourist area. This area was partly covered by recent lava flows: The cablecar taking visitors almost up to the summit has now re-opened and starts from here. We stop here for lunch and can also buy souvenirs in the many little shops, admire the breathtaking view down to the Ionian Sea and the Plain of Catania. With saddlebags full of souvenirs, we now start our downhill ride back to the Frutteto di Efesto for our last memorable night on Mount Etna.

Day 7
In the morning after breakfast check out of the hotel and transfer to Catania Airport by minibus.

PLEASE NOTE : This itinerary is indicative, your guide, who perfectly knows the region, will be able to change it if the weather or the safety of the group requires it.

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

Continue your travel in Sicily!

Make the most of your stay in Sicily visiting the rest of the island: Agrigente, Raguse, Syracuse, stay in a seashore resort, the Aeolian Island…We will be in charge of all the logistics : rented vehicle, hotel and "cabins in the heart of the wood" reservation, on the basis of breakfast, half-board etc. For any quotation, please contact us.

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

Horses
Used to the hilly ground of their native region, they will know how to make you appreciate the isolation of those mountains and their feet are always sure, on the path as well as in the villages with tortuous alleys…
They are mainly Sicilian horses (barbs and Arab Purebreds arrived in Sicily with the Arab invasion), crosses of those oriental horses with Andalusian and Norman horses (one more time, traces of the successive invasions of the island).

Required riding level
It is necessary to be confident at all paces and to be able to stay in the saddle from 4 to 7 hours per day, several successive days.
It is recommended to be fit, because from time to time you have to dismount in the most delicate places.
Accompanied children over 6 years old are welcomed if their riding skills are good enough.

Non riders
This trail is also suitable for non riders, who can follow the trail with mountain bikes provided by us. Everybody will join for meals and accomodation.
Caution : no guide will lead the non-riders, but you will be precisely explained how, when and where you will have to meet riders (as horses and bike routes are not always the same).

YOUR GUIDES

ACCOMMODATION

Accomodation
We have selected nice accomodations for this trail. You will spend four nights in "agriturismo", these little family run hotels or guesthouses, usually quite charming.
The two remaining nights are spent in refugios, and will be more rustic (dormitory).
Showers are available every day, except one night.
Please note that single rooms are not available.

Meals
One of the highlight of this trail is certainly food !
First because Sicily has certainly the best Italian cuisine (and Italian cuisine is already at the world top !)
In the evening, you will enjoy the warm welcome and the nice table of the "Agriturismo". Lunch are not taken from saddle bags, but carried every day with the logistic vehicle. Water, winde and soft drinks are included.

DATES AND RATES

No single room available on this trail.

RATE INCLUDING

- The trail ride as it is described, on full board basis
- The transfers from and to Catania airport together with the other riders
- The financial guarantee of the deposits you send to Randocheval

RATE NOT INCLUDING

BOOKING - INFORMATION

Contact Claire, the specialist for this destination

PRATICAL INFORMATIONS

COUNTRY

Italy (Sicily island)

1. Tuscany

2. Abruzzi

3. Sicily - Etna Tour

LENGTH

LANGUAGE

GROUP SIZE

ACCESS

CLIMATE

A climate always tempered by a little breeze, or even the Sirocco that can blow pretty strongly. In spring, the island is all green; the oranges are still very small. In summer, everything becomes very dry, and it can be very hot, even if the heat is temperate by the altitude.

Formalities
Check with your local Embassy according to your nationality.

Vaccines-Health
No specific vaccination, we recommend you to be up to date concerning your usual vaccinations, in particular for the tetanus vaccine.
Remember that a repatriation travel insurrance is compulsory.

REFERENCE :

CH25-sicily