37.809532861574, 14.50604715
Horseback trail ride that allows you to cross the whole north-eastern Sicily (the famus Val Demone) through the four parks of Madonie, Nebrodi, Alcantara up to the Etna. A trail in the greenest and wildest part of Sicily.
SICILY HORSEBACK TRAIL RIDE
INDICATIVE ITINERARY *
Day 1: Arrival in Sicily. Free transfer from Palermo airport or arrive directly at your accommodation: a charming restored 19th century house surrounded by the wild nature of the Madonie Park, with spectacular views over the north coast of the island and the Aeolian Islands. Dinner based on local products and overnight. 
Day 2: Casa "Il Bosco" – Al Convento (hours of riding: 6)
After breakfast we will assign your horse and set off from Casa "Il Bosco" at around 8.30. We will begin the day riding through dense mediterranean vegetation with beautiful views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. We will pass close to the town of Castelbuono and stop for a picnic lunch, before riding up the valley of the River Pollina, one of the most fascinating, wild, panoramic and least known areas of Sicily. We will then climb towards San Mauro Castelverde, a medieval mountain village at more than 1000m altitude, riding along enchanting and forgotten pathways, to reach Al Convento, a former monastery dating from the 16th century and transformed into a quality hotel. Our guests will spend the night here and enjoy a delicious dinner prepared with local produce.
Day 3: Al Convento – Monte Soprano (hours of riding: 7)
After breakfast we will set off at around 8.30 in the morning. We will ride through the village of San Mauro Castelverde before following a very panoramic ancient pathway (a "trazzera"), which passes the boundary between the three provinces of Palermo, Enna and Messina, reaching an altitude of about 1200m, before passing below the great turbines of a wind farm. We then descend into the forests of the Sambughetti-Campanito reserve, where we will stop for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, we will continue on to the territory of Nicosia, followed by Cerami, before arriving at the agriturismo Monte Soprano, a working farm with a swimming pool set on the slopes of the Nebrodi Mountains, where we will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 4: Monte Soprano – Villa Miraglia (hours of riding: 7)
On this day of the trail we will ride through the heart of the Nebrodi Natural Park, along the famous "Dorsale" (the Nebrodi Ridge), a long dirt track (about 100 kilometres long) which passes through forests and high mountain pastures. This is a place full of charm, with extraordinary views: the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Aeolian Islands to the north, and the island's hinterland to the south – Enna, Caltanissetta, Agrigento, Siracusa, Catania, and Etna towering above everything else. We will enter the Nebrodi Natural Park through beech woods in the territory of San Fratello, famous for its sanfratellani horses, a native breed which is very strong and hardy, with a very large head, and which you may catch a glimpse of grazing in the wild. We will stop for a picnic lunch in a shaded spot beneath centuries-old trees. In the afternoon, we will arrive at the Relais Villa Miraglia, where we will have a delicious dinner made with local Nebrodi products and spend the night. 
Day 5: Villa Miraglia – Monte Colla (hours of riding: 8)
On this day of the trail we will ride for more than 40 kilometres along the "Dorsale" through mountains, woods and lakes, in the midst of a strikingly beautiful landscape. First we will come to the Maulazzo Lake, dominated by Monte Soro, the highest peak in the Nebrodi mountain range (at 1847 metres) and covered in magnificent beech woods. We will then reach the famous lake Biviere di Cesarò, which is a resting place for migrating birds. We will continue along the "Dorsale", with lush forests giving way to clearings with panoramic views, with the Aeolian Islands to the north and the majestic peak of Mount Etna to the south. In the evening we will arrive tired but satisfied at Monte Colla, the most isolated hotel on the island, housed in an eighteenth century aristocratic home at around 1400 metres above sea level in the territory of Randazzo. Here we will enjoy a delicious dinner prepared with local produce and spend the night.
Day 6: Monte Colla – Arco dei Sogni (hours of riding: 6)
After breakfast, we will set off at about 9.00 in the morning. After leaving the hotel and its cherry orchards, we will enter the surrounding woods once again and descend the valley where the source of the Alcantara River is found. We will continue through beautiful woodland to reach the village of Santa Domenica di Vittoria, where we will stop for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, we will descend once again into the Alcantara Valley, riding through fields, vines and fruit orchards, to reach the typical village of Malvagna, perched on the slopes opposite Mount Etna. We will have dinner and spend the night at the B&B Arco dei Sogni.
Day 7: Arco dei Sogni – Chalet Clan dei Ragazzi (hours of riding: 7)
We will set off at 8.00 and ride through the village of Malvagna before descending into the valley of the Alcantara River, which we cross near the little gorges of Malvagna, before beginning the climb up the northern slopes of Mount Etna. We will stop for a picnic lunch on Mount Etna and continue to climb up through woods and lava flows until we reach the Rifugio Timpa Rossa (at 1844m). Depending on the season and the conditions, we will continue to climb up to the craters from the last major eruption of 2002. We will have dinner and spend the night at Chalet Clan dei Ragazzi, immersed in a majestic forest of larix pines.
Day 8: Departure
After breakfast, free transfer to Catana airport.
* Indicative itinerary: may be changed if necessary. Riding times are indicative.
MEETING:
Free transfer from Palermo airport (flights must arrive between 11am and 5 pm), or directly at the first accommodation.
DEPARTURE:
Free transfer to Catania airport after breakfast. (Flights must be after 11 am)
FLIGHTS:
Note: arrival at Pelermo airport, departure from Catania airport !
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: 
Be comfortable at all three gaits outdoors. It is imperative for this ride to have a good experience of progressive Inn to Inn riding, to be trained to ride long days: between 7 and 8 hours in the saddle per day on average on this ride !
RHYTHM:
Between 7 and 8 hours in the saddle 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 bedrooms: in farmhouses (agriturismos), quality hotels, and simpler mountain refuges.
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. le midi, diner typique sicilien complet le soir (minimum quatres services).
LUGGAGE TRANSFERS:
By a assistance vehicle.
2025 PRICE / PER PERSON:
In 2-3 person bedrooms: 1990 €
Single bedromm supplement *: 270 €
Booking fees: 15 €
* If you book in shared bedrooms and there is no one to share, the single bedroom supplement will be charged, refunded if a person wishing to share, subsequently registers.
THE PRICE INCLUDES:
Horse and tack rental, guide, assistant preparing meals and transfering luggage, full board accommodation, free transfers from Palermo ariport (arrival) and to Catania airport (departure) at fixed times, the financial guarantee of your payments by our travel operator deposit.
THE PRICE DOESN'T INCLUDE:
Individual insurance, tips, personal expenses, drinks out of meals, lunch if you arrive in the morning, any visits and optional activities, travel to / from Sicily, anything not indicated in "the price includes".
INSURANCE (if you don’t already have one):
We offer to European citizens (only) Chapka insurances:
Cap Security: full insurance with cancellation. Cap Cancellation: cancellation only.
See prices & information
FLIGHTS :
Flights are not included because it is more interesting to book directly your ticket: a transport package included is generally more expensive with agency commissions. However, we are at your disposal to help you find the best prices or to offer you a flight included package on request (free service).
| Dates | From | Infos | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | 1990€ | AVAILABLE | Information request |
| - | 1990€ | SOLD OUT | Information request |
| - | 1990€ | AVAILABLE | Information request |
| - | 1990€ | SOLD OUT | Information request |
Efficient pick up at airport . Lovely welcome at our first night accommodation which was the base for Wild Sicily. The food was delicious. The owners were first class ride guides. They established our riding requirements and matched us with our horses.
I cannot speak too highly of the quality and nature of all of the horses. They were forward going and their stamina was incredible. They were sure footed and an absolute pleasure to ride. The terrain was incredibly challenging in parts, but the horses coped easily. This trek provided me with riding opportunities I had never encountered before, however, I trusted my horse, Elena, implicitly with my and her safety. As a group we were all located within the ride to suit the nature of each horse, which meant they were very content.
They were well looked after and their health was as important as our own.
The staff were very attentive to our requirements. They had great attention to detail to ensure we all had a memorable holiday. I would say that it is very important to do as the guide instructs, never overtake the front guide a, or any horse in front. Each evening, when we arrived at our accommodation, we were taken by one of our guides who stayed with us until we were allocated our rooms.
Again, they ensured that we were happy with our accommodation and had what we needed. Every day we were given a briefing on our next days trail.
By the very nature of the trail ride, some accommodation was quite remote and much more simple than other hotels we stayed in. Overall , the accommodation was good, clean and the food was excellent. Huge portions at meal times.
I hadn't expected this holiday to be as physically challenging as it was and the long distance covered. I did have a few aches, however, I felt the experience had increased my rider confidence. Our lunch time meal was provide by Giovanni, who did a great job. He also transported our luggage for us. The scenery was interesting, varied and, in parts, spectacular. The ride around the crater on Etna, was a once in a lifetime experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday, the other guests were great company and our guides, the staff were first class.
Cap Rando services: Didier, was very efficient and ensured that we had all the necessary documentation. He kept us fully informed to the rapidly changing regulations during the covid crisis and spoke with us and the owner to ensure we had arrived safely.
The team were very welcoming and addressed all questions with patience
Everything was arranged with great attention to detail.
When I asked for a fast horse I did not realise that Viola had at least three "go faster" stripes ! Her energy and fitness levels were amazing and she always had something left in her tank even after a very long day.
Tack: This was all fine and in good order.
Great care and consideration was shown towards each rider. Requests to stop for a break were always accommodated.
Accommodation: one of the places was not as good as the others, though I quite understand why it was used as there was literally nowhere else that we could have stayed en route. The room was not clean and the bathroom smelled really badly. Three of the stops were absolutely excellent and the food was so good everywhere we stayed !
This was an excellent holiday for someone who is really fit and enjoys contrasting countryside and the sense of seeing a hidden part of the island. Some of the views were amazing. I loved the WhatsApp group that was set up so we could share photos.
I did not deal directly with Cap Rando myslef but Elaine felt that we were kept in the loop at this difficult time. I do feel that there could have been more information as to just how fit you needed to be for this holiday and of the need for more warm and waterproof clothing.
This riding holiday takes you through amazing contrasting terrain on extremely fit horses with knowledgeable and considerate guides who attend carefully to your needs.
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