Mt Etna Snowshoeing Long Weekend - Sicily, Italy Winter Holiday

Essential Information

Trip Profile

2 days of guided snowshoeing; no previous experience necessary but a good level of fitness is required.

Price Includes

Return flights to Catania, airport transfers (for group flights only)
3 nights accommodation
3 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 3 dinners
2 guided snowshoe walks
Snowshoes and poles
Tour leader throughout

Optional activities:
Excursion to the summit of Mt Etna

Accommodation

We spend the first night at Gresi Hotel, in the heart of Catania's historic centre. All bedrooms have en suite facilities, TV and Wi-Fi.

Our accommodation for the following 2 nights is Rifugio Sapienza, a comfortable mountain hut, set at 1920m on Mt Etna's south flank, offering incredible views of the eastern coast of Sicily. All twin and triple rooms have en suite facilities.

Departure starting on 29th December 2012

We spend the first night at Gresi Hotel, in the heart of Catania's historic centre. All bedrooms have en suite facilities, TV and Wi-Fi.

Our accommodation for the final 2 nights is a comfortable B&B in the village of Nicolosi (700m). All twin and triple rooms have en suite facilities. Bigger groups might be split into two different B&Bs not far from each other. Evening meals will be taken in the same restaurant.

Food

3 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 3 dinners included.

Reality Check

Activity details We have chosen to categorise this holiday as 'Mountain Snowshoeing', which is described as mountainous terrain, but where we restrict travel to areas considered to have very low or non-existent avalanche risk. In certain extreme conditions avalanches may become a risk in areas generally considered to be safe, and standard walks may have to be re-routed, replaced or cancelled.

There will be steep and dangerous terrain in the region, but this can be easily avoided in the choice of walks. Due to the unpredictable nature of volcanoes, each day the leader will carefully assess the situation and choose the route according to current conditions and those forecast, with the over-riding priority being group safety.

Our leaders are required not to proceed with any proposed route (including those mentioned in brochure or trip notes) if they believe the risk to be unacceptable. In case of lack of snow, we will follow the same itinerary as described in the program without snowshoes.

Snowshoeing is offered at Grade B. This is one of our harder grade B winter holidays, as daywalks will last between 5 to 6 hours on hilly-to-steep terrain and some previous trekking experience is required.

Snowshoes are adaptable to fit most trekking boot sizes, however if you wear larger than UK size 12 (US13 or EU47) boots please let us know at the time of booking. We will then be able to confirm if we can provide suitable snowshoes for you.

Please note in winter time the weather conditions on Etna could be very changeable, from sunny and warm days to very cold and windy days.

Your Safety All active winter holidays involve some element of risk; from something as normal as slipping on icy pavements, to the possibility of injuries sustained as a result of the activities themselves. While we do all we can to minimize any dangers, participants must be prepared to accept some risk as part of the holiday. Please refer to the 'risk of injury' section section at the back of the Winter Activities brochure, or our FAQs page (tab above/link below) for this trip for further information.

Normal group size and age

Normally 6 to 15. Minimum age 16.

Icons explained

The vast majority of Exodus adventures are adult group holidays. Groups are always small in size. We strongly believe that this adherence to small groups means a better experience for all; more time with your guide, less waiting around and a reduced impact on the communities and environments visited.
Each group is generally made up of like-minded travellers - with singles, couples and friends all joining in together. All these trips are suitable for single travellers, but if you prefer to travel with clients booking individually, please see our Solo Departures page.

Relatively full days, with 3-4 hours of physical activity, although occasional longer or harder days may be involved. Previous experience is not necessary, but you should be confident of your fitness level.

Walking & Trekking: Trips are wholly trekking-focused or simply include a significant number of walking days during the itinerary.

Winter Activities: It's about seeking out alternative ways to have fun in unspoilt locations, you won't find standard skiing or snowboarding breaks here.