Wild Sicily – Madonie to Etna

8 Days | From £1655pp

Italy ( Best airport: Palermo / Catania)

Experience this epic trail which crosses the greenest and wildest parts of Sicily, setting off from the eastern Madonie Mountains and crossing the wooded Nebrodi Mountains to arrive at Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanoes.

The Riding

Ride to the crater of Mount Etna, a mix of fast and mountain riding. Riders should be confident at all paces riding a forward going and responsive horse outdoors on the trail. The pace is varied and there are opportunities for long trots and canters where the terrain allows. Its important that everyone is riding fit because the usual day includes six to eight hours of riding. There is a varied mix of breeds and all are picked for their good temperaments. The horses are mostly ridden in good quality English saddles and on a loose rein. They are well trained, well-mannered and sure-footed.

Level of Riding and Fitness

This trail is suitable for upper intermediate and experienced riders. All participants should be confident and comfortable at all three paces riding over varied and rough terrain and they should have experience in hacking out in the open. Good level of fitness is required as there may be long trots and gallops along the way, riding between 6 and 8 hours each day.

Weight limit: 85 kg / 13.5 stone

Guides and Group Size

You will be guided by Alex who is a true expert of Sicilian culture, history, biodiversity and natural wonders. He has guided trails through the island for more than ten years and will guide you safely through the most remote parts of Sicily.

Maximum number of riders in a group is 10.

Any questions?

The Horses

The horses are Sicilian native breeds crossed with Arabs. All bred in Sicily. They live out all year round in a herd environment and are hardy and sure footed on the rough terrain. All horses are trained to be obedient, well-behaved, energetic and forward going.

Tack and Riding Equipment

The saddles used are light weight and English style with a sheepskin cover to add some extra comfort. Bridles are special trail riding bridles. Small saddlebags are provided for items such as water bottles, sun cream and extra layers.

Guests are not required to groom and tack up the horses.

Accommodation and Dining

Accommodation during the trail will be in Agriturismi, B&B or good quality hotels. The first night is spent at the beautifully renovated home of your hosts; Lizzie and Alex. Other accommodation used on the trail is usually:

Converted monestry: Al Convento;
Farm hotel: Monte Soprano;
New and modern stone lodge: Relais Villa Miraglia;
Once a stately home: Monte Colla;
Charming village hotel: B&B Arco dei Sogni;
Mountain chalet: Chalet Clan dei Ragazzi

All meals are included from dinner on the day of arrival to breakfast on the day of departure. Evening meals consist of authentic Sicilian cuisine prepared with local produce. A typical evening meal will include a variety of starters, a pasta course, a meat/main course, dessert, wine, water and a digestif. Picnic lunches are provided by support vehicle and include fresh bread, salads, cheeses, olives, charcuterie, Sicilian specialities, wine or other drinks on request, coffee or tea.

Special diets and allergies can be catered for with advance notice. Luggage is transferred by car between the overnight stops.

Get a free Wild Sicily – Madonie to Etna mini-brochure in PDF format.

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Gallery

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at Palermo airport and get transferred to Casa "Il Bosco", a charming restored nineteenth century country house, immersed in the wild countryside of the Madonie Park, with breathtaking views of the island's north coast and the Aeolian Islands. You will enjoy a dinner prepared with local produce and spend the night here.

Day 2: After breakfast you will be assigned your horse and set off from Casa "Il Bosco" at around 8.30. You will begin the day riding through dense mediterranean vegetation with beautiful views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. You 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, between the territories of Castelbuono, San Mauro Castelverde and Geraci Siculo. You will ride along enchanting and forgotten pathways to reach Agriturismo Casalvecchio. You will spend the night here and enjoy a delicious dinner prepared with produce straight from the farm. Total length: (Hours of riding: 7 - 30km)

Day 3: After breakfast you will set off at around 9.00 in the morning. You will ride along 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. You will then descend into the forests of the Sambughetti-Campanito reserve, where you will stop for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, you 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 you will have dinner and spend the night. Total length: (Hours of riding: 6 - 32km)

Day 4: On this day of the trail you 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. You 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. You will stop for a picnic lunch in a shaded spot beneath centuries-old trees. In the afternoon, you will arrive at the Relais Villa Miraglia, where you will have a delicious dinner made with local Nebrodi products and spend the night. Total length: (Hours of riding: 7 - 38km)

Day 5: On this day of the trail you will ride for more than 40 kilometres along the "Dorsale" through mountains, woods and lakes, in the midst of a strikingly beautiful landscape. First you 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. You will then reach the famous lake Biviere di Cesarò, which is a resting place for migrating birds. You 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 you 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 you will enjoy a delicious dinner prepared with local produce and spend the night. Total length: (Hours of riding: 8 - 42km)

Day 6: After breakfast, you will set off at about 8.00 in the morning. After leaving the hotel and its cherry orchards, you will enter the surrounding woods once again and descend the valley where the source of the Alcantara River is found. You will then climb up towards the town of Floresta (the highest commune on the island at 1273m), before following the crest of the nearby mountains to reach the megalithic site of Argimusco (recently added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites), where you will stop for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, you will ride down through the centuries old wood of Malabotta to reach the typical village of Malvagna, which looks out towards Etna. You will have dinner and spend the night at the B&B Arco dei Sogni. Total length: (Hours of riding: 7 - 36km)

Day 7: This morning you will set off at 8.00 and ride through the village of Malvagna before descending into the valley of the Alcantara River, which you cross near the little gorges of Malvagna, before beginning the climb up the northern slopes of Mount Etna. You will stop for a picnic lunch on Mount Etna and continue to climb up through woods and lava flows until you reach the Rifugio Timpa Rossa (at 1844m). Depending on the season and the conditions, you will continue to climb up to the craters from the last major eruption of 2002. You will have dinner and spend the night at Rifugio Ragabo, immersed in a majestic forest of larix pines. Total length: (Hours of riding: 7 - 35km)

Day 8: Departure After breakfast you will be transferred to Catania airport.