Over The Top

Arrival at Catania airport. On request (at an extra cost) we will arrange your pick-up from the airport to your first accommodation.

Departure from Scuderie Ardichetto at 08:00am. After passing through old roads and paths of woodlands you will reach “Val Calanna”, the valley that kept the lava from flowing towards the village of Zafferana during the 1992 eruption. You will reach the famous “Ilice du Carrinu”, a beautiful large and old tree about 700 years old and after a short photo stop you will ride towards “Etna Nord” where you will have lunch. After lunch you will visit craters “Sartorius” (approximately 1700a.s.l.) (1865) and you will reach your accommodation. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast you will ride up to “Piano Provenzana”, famous as Ski resort during wintertime, until reaching the famous volcanic cone “Monte Nero” (approximately 2049a.s.l.). Along your ride you will be able to admire some craters also called “Hornitos” and lava flows from different periods. You will ride in turns through forest and typical volcanic landscapes. You climb in direction “La Bottoniera” (approximately 2150a.s.l.) where you will see a succession of craters from the last great eruption of 2002. You will then ride down towards the picnic area in direction “Altomontana”, a wide path at an average height of 1700a.s.l. In the afternoon you will continue to descent across country paths towards Alcantara valley in direction Verzella where there you will find your accommodation. Dinner and overnight stay.

Today your ride will begin in the spectacular Valley of Alcantara: you will cross the Alcantara river until reaching the eastern propensity of the Nebrodi mountains. Here starts your climb of the Nebrodi mountains. You will ride through the impressive forest “Malabotta”, surrounded by marvelous ancient oak and beech forest, where under the shadow you will enjoy your picnic. After lunch you will ride on to the “Argimusco”, the so called “Sicilian Stonehenge”, following the megaliths with their suggestive shapes. During your ride, with the right weather and some luck, you will be able to admire the beautiful view of the Aeolian Islands. By early evening you will arrive at your accommodation in Montalbano Elicona, an ancient medieval village once summer residence of Federico II d’Aragona, awarded “Best village in Italy” in 2015. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast you will ride through valleys and hills where you can enjoy a typical landscape of Nebrodi mountains until reaching to Sicily highest town, called Floresta, located 1274a.s.l. After lunch you continue through impressive paths where, if you are lucky, you can admire the wild herd of horse with black coat, known as “Cavalli San Fratellani”. You continue through beautiful landscapes of beech, maple and oak trees, before you reach your accommodation in “Monte Colla”, located in an isolated area at 1400a.s.l. and 7km from the paved road. The structure is an old 17th century farmhouse which includes stables with an attached barn. Dinner and Overnight stay.

After breakfast your adventure continues: you will descent to the valley between Nebrodi mountains and Etna, leaving the Nebrodi’s landscape to reach again the completely different volcanic one. You will climb Etna to reach the “Altomontana” path towards the picnic area “Rifugio Monte Scavo”. After lunch your ride continues through the “Altamontana” where woods and lava flows will alternate until you reach your accommodation. Dinner and Overnight stay.

After breakfast you will begin with the main attraction of the day, the “Crateri Silvestri” craters (approximately 2000a.s.l.). You pass through the “Silvestri Craters” and ride along the border of the extinct volcano: on the days of good visibility, don’t miss the amazing view! You will then continue to descend through old lava flows to reach the lava desert, so called for the similarity with a real desert. You will then ride towards “Piano del Vescovo” near to which you will enjoy your picnic. After lunch your ride will continue to descend in the direction of the Ardichetto stables. You will reach your accommodation by car. Dinner and Overnight stay.

Departure after breakfast.

**    Luggage transport with support vehicle