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A circular horseback riding tour around the Etna, the highest and most active volcano in Europe. You will enjoy the Mediterranean landscapes, food and the Italian tradition.
THIS RIDE IS NO MORE OFFERED
SEE OUR EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDES IN ITALY & SICILY :
ITALY SICILY HORSEBACK TRAIL RIDE
INDICATIVE ITINERARY *
Day 1: Meeting at your first accommodation in Castiglione di Sicilia. Dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Castiglione di Sicilia - A Barunissa - About 5 hours on horseback. Breakfast and departure from the farmhouse at about 9 am in the direction of the river Alcantara, to the small Castiglione gorges, passing by the Byzantine Cuba (worship place of the seventh century), and you will follow the valley through the parco fluviale dell'Alcantara until the surroundings of Randazzo, for the picnic. The afternoon, you will ride in the direction of Monte la Guardia, where is your second accommodation: a beautiful property surrounded by greenery. Dinner and overnight.
Day 3: A Barunissa - La Fucina di Vulcano - About 5 hours on horseback. Breakfast and departure around 9 am in direction of the Alcantara river of Castiglione Gorge, passing by the Cuba Bizantina (7th century worship place). You follow the valley through the Fluvial Park to the surroundings of Mojo Alcantara, picnic, then you continue to your accommodation, A Barunissa, a former aristocratic residence, surrounded by woods. Dinner and night.
Day 4: La Fucina di Vulcano - Villa Dorata) - About 5 hours on horseback. Breakfast and departure from your hotel at about 8:30 am and you will ride uphill from west to the Pista Altomontana that is reached near Monte Scavo, then, you will follow a succession of beech and connifere forests with more recent lava flows, and you will enjoy durin good visibility days breathtaking views of half of the Sicily, and on the high western slope of Etna, and where you can make nice gallops. Picnic near the Galvarina refuge and arrival in the afternoon at your fourth accommodation, Villa Dorata, beautiful villa overlooking the Gulf of Catania. Dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Villa Dorata - Sant'Alfio - About 5 hours on horseback. Breakfast and departure from Villa Dorata at about 7:30 am. You will cross the Rifuggio Sapienza area and visit the Silvestri Craters (lateral craters born during a late 19th century major eruption) before starting the descent through the Etna Desert, so called because of the absence of trails that run through it and for the harshness of the territory. Then, you will reach oak and chestnut forests, to the village of Zafferana Etnea, famous for its honey production. Dinner and overnight in a beautiful sea view hotel.
Day 6: Sant'Alfio - Chalet Clan dei Ragazzi - About 6 hours on horseback. Breakfast and departure from the hotel at about 9 am. Ascent from the Etna East side through oak forests anf famous Ilici du Carrinnu, centuries-old specimen of enormous size. You will ride on the edge of the Valle del Bove, famous depression where the lava was channeled. After picnic, you will ride uphill to the Sartorius Craters, beautiful buttonhole of craters born during a great flank eruption in 1865. Then, you will ride down through forests to finally arrive at your accommodation in the Pineta Ragabo, with its umbrella pine trees of considerable size. Dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Chalet Clan dei Ragazzi - Castiglione di Sicilia. About 6 hours on horseback. Breakfast and departure from the Chalet at about 9 am. Ascent through the pine forest until Piano Provenzana, renowned ski resort where you will start to ride in a lunar landscape, the scene of the last 2002 major eruption . You will ride on the craters, then around Monte Nero. Picnic stop near the Timpa Rossa refuge, immersed in one of the most southern beech forests of the hemisphere. The afternoon, the trail descents from the North side through forests, up vineyards near Solicchiata, to arrive finally at the farmhouse. Dinner and overnight.
Day 8: End after breakfast.
MEETING:
Free transfer from Catania airport at the end of afternoon.
DEPARTURE:
Free transfer to Catania airport after breakfast.
FLIGHTS:
Flights are not included in our prices because it is generally more interesting to book your flights yourself, an inclusive flight package is generally more expensive with agency commissions. However, we are at your disposal to help you find the best rates or to offer you a trip including transport on request: free service.
Low-cost flights to Catane::
Easyjet from Bordeaux, Lyon, Nice, Paris-Roissy, Bâle-Mulhouse, Genève.
Ryanair from Marseille.
Transavia from Lyon, Nantes, Paris-Orly.
Vueling from Lyon, Paris-Orly.
Volotea from Toulouse.
RIDING LEVEL: 
You must be able to walk, trot, canter and galop outdoor on open spaces.
5 to 6 hours riding per day.
HORSES:
Sicilian or crossbred, well trained, accustomed to the region, live in breeding. The guides clean, dress and saddle the horses.
TACK:
Comfortable English Saddles coated on request of sheepskin, and / or on request western, with hunting collar and croupiere.
GUIDE:
The qualified guide speaks English, French, Italian, Spanish and Sicilian.
NUMBER OF RIDERS:
8 riders maximum.
PUBLIC:
From 16 years old. Maximum weight: 90 kg.
ACCOMMODATION:
In comfortable hotels and guesthouses (Agriturismi). Single bedroom available with supplement.
MEALS: 
An assistant prepares nice buffets at picnic places or in restaurants:
Picnic lunch, typical Sicilian dinner in the evening (minimum four litters).
Refined sicilian cuisine based on local products. Evening meals include: starter, pasta, meat, dessert, wine, water and digestif (liqueur, grappa, limoncello or any other choice), coffee or tea. Continental or American-style breakfasts on request. Picnics: fresh bread, salad, cheeses, olives, charcuterie, Sicilian specialties, wines or other drinks on request, coffee or tea. (Meals brought by the stewardship car). Tables, chairs, cutlery are provided.
LUGGAGE TRANSFERS:
Provided by the assistant with a vehicle.
THIS RIDE IS NO MORE OFFERED
SEE OUR EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDES IN ITALY & SICILY :
THIS RIDE IS NO MORE OFFERED
SEE OUR EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDES IN ITALY & SICILY :
The staff was : More than excellent !
Horses generally and your horse specifically was: Excellent - Nice and safe, in good condition
Tack generally and your tack specifically was: Excellent
The accommodation(s) was / were: Excellent
Your stay was : Excellent. Very good, it was a perfect riding holiday
Cap services were General feeling : Excellent. I booked the trail from Sweden and I thougt it would be
difficult - but it was not !
Cap Rando booking confirmation & informations
Provided documents were : Excellent