Adventure through the Gullies and Valle del Bove - Etna

September 13th, 2020
Departure from Rifugio Sapienza (1880 m) via cable car (one-way cable car ticket € 24.00) or on foot. We will reach the Piano del Lago crater (2670 m), formed in 2001. From here, our journey begins, surrounded by landscapes reshaped by recent eruptions. After skirting the Montagnola and keeping to the ridge while admiring the magnificent view of the entire Valle del Bove from above, we begin the most spectacular and fun part: the descent along the sandy gully of the Montagnola—steep but soft, made of fine volcanic sand. In just over an hour, we descend 700 m in altitude with the sensation of losing all sense of gravity. Once inside the valley, we cross a stretch of the spectacular volcanic stone slabs from the 1991/1993 eruption. Exiting the valley, we climb back up through the beech gully forest and then continue downhill, amidst broom, beech, oak, and chestnut trees, until we reach the Zappini spring. From here, we finally descend along a path to Piano del Vescovo, our destination for the day.

Fee: € 20.00 - Includes guide service, RCT insurance, and organization.
Additional costs: € 24.00 for the optional cable car ride.
Meeting point: Sunday, September 13th at 09:00 AM at Rifugio Sapienza, on the stairs in front of the cable car entrance.
End of excursion: 05:00 PM at Rifugio Sapienza.
Travel: own car.
Lunch: packed lunch.
Route: track, marked and unmarked trails. Walking time: 6 hours - Elevation gain: 200 m uphill, 1150 m downhill. Without cable car – walking time: 7 hours - Elevation gain: 780 m uphill, 1150 m downhill
Difficulty: Challenging.
Required equipment: trekking clothing, hiking boots, waterproof jacket, sweater, gloves, 2.5 liters of water, a spare t-shirt.
N.B. Upon registration for the excursion, we will send you an email with two attachments: one containing the program and the other detailing the safety regulations to be followed during the excursion due to Covid-19. The excursion may be subject to changes due to unpredictable natural events; in such cases, an alternative route will be taken if possible.
Guide: Salvatore Marletta: contact 3334987946 - Email: [email protected]
www.ciaotrekking.com