Mt. Etna Hiking Tour in Sicily

This is part of a series of interviews with inspiring travelers. Today I’m interviewing Tamara about her Mt. Etna hiking tour in Sicily. See more about traveling with tours here. All photos provided by Tamara except Pinterest image.

Tell us about yourself and your travel experience.

I’m Tamara, a 22-years old Dutch travel lover who is co-founder and author of the travel blog Girlswanderlust. With Girlswanderlust, I can combine my passion for travelling together with my passion for writing and photographing.

I love to meet new places and cultures. In my daily life I work as a travel consultant at a travel agency in the Netherlands. Giving advice to people who would like to go on a trip, I love it!

Where did you go on your tour and how long was it?

In July this year, I spent my holidays on the Italian island of Sicily.

One of the best days during that trip, was my hiking and off road tour on Mt. Etna, the active volcano on the island. It was a one-day tour: around 9 in the morning we started and the tour was finished around 6 in the evening.

What tour company did you use and why?

We did the tour via Legendary Sicily. We booked it via this tour company because the travel organization we booked our trip at was offering this tour company.

Besides, Legendary Sicily offered an off road and hiking excursion with an extra of visiting Alcantara as well. So it was not just a normal hiking tour or excursion, we got to see and experience a lot more.

Why did you choose a tour of Mt. Etna instead of traveling independently?

I think reason one is because it felt just a little more safe. Going on your own on Mt. Etna is not dangerous and there are many people who do it, but for me, walking with a tour guide made me feel more safe. In this way, I could not get lost or whatever.

Another reason is the fact that we got to see so much more than when we would’ve went by ourselves. We went to places on the volcano which are not that touristic, so you wouldn’t know about it if there is no guide with you.

What did you like about the Mt. Etna hiking tour? What was your favorite part?

I guess that would be the last part: visiting Alcantara. After having an afternoon full of walking, new experiences, and work outs, we went to Alcantara regional river park. Here we could see the famous Alcantara gorges with basalt column formations.

Furthermore, you can swim here or just chill during the day. Visiting Alcantara was a great way of ending the excursion. It was nice to wash off our feet after a long afternoon hiking. The cold water helped for the blood circulation.

Check out How to Plan One Week in Italy

What was the most memorable or eventful part of your hiking tour?

I know it was a lot of hiking and it was quite difficult, but at the same time it was so worth the hike! On our ways we got to see some impressive views that I will never forget. The day we did the tour, the sky was clear blue and the sun was shining, so the views were even more breath taking.

Was there anything you didn’t like about the Mt. Etna hiking tour?

Actually, not really. I enjoyed every single minute of it.

Did you eat anything amazing on your trip?

We did eat something typical Sicilian, namely maccheroni Ragabo. It was self-made pasta with some tasteful sauce. Definitely worth the try; I loved it.

What inspired you to take the Mt. Etna hiking tour?

I’ve always said to myself: if I’m going to Sicily one time, I’m not leaving without having walked on Mt. Etna. The volcano is a must visit when travelling to the Italian island.

Would you recommend this Mt. Etna hiking tour? Would you change anything about it?

I can definitely recommend doing this off road and hiking tour instead of a normal, afternoon excursion to Mt. Etna. It costs a little bit more, but at the same time you get to see and do a lot more as well.

The tour guide had much knowledge and was very enthusiastic, which made the excursion even better. If you’re planning a day trip to Mt. Etna, you should definitely consider doing it via Legendary Sicily.

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Do you think this tour would be good for a new traveler? Why or why not?

For sure! For every traveler who’s planning to go to Sicily, this is a must do, whether you’re a new traveler or an experienced traveler. Something you do have to take into account is that you’re hiking a lot, so you have to prepare for that.

Author bio: Tamara is a travel consultant at a travel agency in the Netherlands. She is the co-founder and co-author of the site Girlswanderlust where she can combine her passion for travelling together with her passion for writing and photographing. Follow her and the co-founder of Girlswanderlust Daphne also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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