Terms and Conditions of Etnavolcano.com
On this page (etnavolcano.com), you will find complete details regarding the services provided by our organization, including terms and conditions.
By booking, participants explicitly confirm their acceptance and understanding of the content presented here.
Health Requirements
To participate in our excursions, it is essential to be in excellent health, free from allergies, heart conditions, respiratory issues, high blood pressure, and bone or joint problems.
When booking, please inform us if you need to take medication, what medications you take, and if you have any illnesses, allergies, or intolerances.
Pregnant women beyond three months of gestation are not allowed to climb the volcano with Etnavolcano. Additionally, certain excursions have age limits for participation.
Guide Authority
The guide has the authority to determine whether a person is fit for the excursion, evaluating their physical and mental condition. If deemed unfit, the guide may decide not to accompany the participant on the excursion without any possibility of a refund.
Please bring the necessary equipment for the excursion. If you are not adequately equipped, the guide may decide to exclude you from the group without any possibility of a refund.
Schedule and Route Adjustments
The guide can modify departure and return times, the route, the maximum altitude, and the distance based on weather conditions, volcanic activity safety, and trail conditions.
We will evaluate the weather and volcanic conditions of Etna about 24 hours before the excursion. In case of unfavorable conditions, we may reschedule the tour to another available date. If you cannot change the date, the amount paid will be refunded.
Given that we are on an active volcano, the gases emitted by the craters can affect visibility, and this phenomenon is unpredictable. Weather forecasts are approximate, and we do not guarantee their 100% accuracy.
The final confirmation or cancellation of the excursion and the exact meeting time will be communicated about 24 hours before the excursion via email or WhatsApp message (if available). In case of cancellation by us, you will be refunded the amount paid.
Itinerary Modifications
Depending on volcanic activity, weather conditions, and snow presence, we may modify the schedule, duration, and length of the excursion, change the side of Etna to visit, and alter the entire itinerary.
The maximum accessible altitude can vary based on path conditions (such as snow or pyroclasts), weather conditions (like wind, fog, rain, and lightning or thunderstorm risks), and the geological dynamics of Etna on the day of the excursion, which may also change during the day.
The excursions and daily tours offered by Etnavolcano.com are subject to limited availability, especially tours in the Summit area and may be subject to changes or cancellations in the event of risky meteorological or volcanological conditions, as well as in the event that the minimum number of guests is not reached. six participants. In the event that the customer does not show up for the appointment within 20 minutes of the agreed time, the reservation will be considered a “no-show” and will not be refunded. The organizer may, at his discretion and until the start of the excursion, modify the itinerary or the duration of the excursion due to weather conditions or other factors that could influence the tour. However, the customer has the right to refuse such changes and obtain a refund of the price paid.
Group Excursions
In group excursions, the pace will be set by the slowest person, and consequently, reaching the maximum altitudes or distances described is not guaranteed.
Private Excursions
In a private excursion with a dedicated guide, you will have the flexibility to adjust the walking pace and timing according to your physical abilities. However, we will always respect the guide’s choices regarding safety, route, distance, and maximum accessible altitude.
Required Equipment
To participate in excursions, especially to the Summit areas above 3000m, you must have the following items: gaiters or mid-calf socks to prevent volcanic sand from entering your shoes, trekking pants, a sweater or fleece, a waterproof windbreaker jacket with a hood to protect against cold and rain, gloves, a hat or cap to shield from the sun, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
High trekking boots are mandatory for excursions on Etna. If you do not have them, you must procure or rent them locally. Some services bookable on the website (etnavolcano.com) include trekking shoes provided by the guide at no additional cost.
Responsibility and Liability Waiver
Participants in our excursions or other activities must follow the guides’ instructions, stay with the group, ensure their safety and that of others, and respect the surrounding environment, avoiding damage.
Guides will explain how the activity will proceed, the safety rules to follow, the difficulty level, and the recommended equipment. Etnavolcano.com guides and the Etna North Volcanological Guides Cooperative are not responsible for damages resulting from non-compliance with instructions or reckless behavior during the excursion or activity.
Authorized guides have the right to interrupt the activity if deemed necessary for the safety of themselves or others. Etnavolcano.com guides and the Etna North Volcanological Guides Cooperative cannot assess participants’ physical condition. Therefore, those who book and participate in the activity assume the responsibility of being adequately informed about the excursion’s characteristics and challenges and being equipped with the necessary gear.
Parents or legal guardians of minor participants must declare, assuming responsibility, that the minors can safely participate. Participants with allergies must bring their medications, while those undergoing therapy must have their personal medications and inform the guides of their health issues.
During the excursion, participants must behave in a disciplined and respectful manner, cooperating with guides, assistants, and other participants to ensure everyone’s safety. Participants acknowledge that outdoor activities involve risks and assume responsibility for any damage caused to others or property.
By accepting the terms of sale, participants release Etnavolcano.com guides and the Etna North Volcanological Guides Cooperative, organizers, and assistants from any liability for accidents that may occur during the activity. During off-road excursions, smoking and carrying dangerous goods, ammunition, or war weapons are prohibited.
Authorized guides under Framework Law 89’ operating for Etnavolcano.com and the Etna North Volcanological Guides Cooperative disclaim any responsibility for accidents or injuries resulting from the volcano’s explosive activity due to the unpredictability of certain volcanic phenomena or from irresponsible behavior of tourists who do not follow the guides’ safety directives.
All our excursions and activities are insured, but this does not cover damages caused by negligent or reckless behavior.
If participants are significantly late, the tour will still end at the planned time, and the original itinerary may need to be shortened. If the delay leads to a reduced itinerary and the client wishes to modify the route, the organization reserves the right to request additional payment to be agreed upon on-site.
Conduct Guidelines for Participants
During activities, it is essential to respect the provisions of these regulations and carefully follow the instructions provided by the guides during excursions. It is prohibited to leave the group without explicit authorization. Details about the technical level, required equipment, and difficulty of each tour are available on our website. It is the user’s responsibility to inform all group members about these guidelines. Those with special needs or medical conditions must inform the office and the guide before the tour begins. The guide declines any responsibility for damages resulting from violating these common-sense rules.
The organization disclaims any responsibility for items forgotten or lost on transport and will not provide their return.
Consent Information
The excursions we offer take place in natural environments, particularly mountainous areas, where it is impossible to eliminate all risks of injury. These risks include terrain variations, possible encounters with wild animals or poisonous plants, rock falls, volcanic eruptions, lava ash fallout, and pyroclastic material, terrain instability both above and below ground level, and other dangers not dependent on the organization. It is crucial to understand that the mountain naturally entails risks. However, responsible behavior based on the experience, competence, and caution of our guides can mitigate them. Our staff is highly qualified and trained to ensure safety during excursions. Participants are aware and accept that the organization cannot be held responsible for accidents caused by the intrinsic risks of the natural environment.
Insurance Coverage
The proposed activities are covered by Professional Civil Liability insurance provided by UNIPOL SAI, in addition to the personal policies of individual guides. The RCT policy provides coverage to participants in case of accidents caused by our organization’s staff or where the organization has direct responsibility for the incident.
However, exclusions include:
- a) Injuries or damages suffered by participants during the normal conduct of the excursion (e.g., an injury caused by a fall on rugged volcanic terrain).
- b) Services and activities provided by third parties and not directly by our staff, even if booked through our website (e.g., catering services, injuries during public transport like cable cars, 4×4 buses, etc.).
- c) Damages caused by members due to non-compliance with these regulations or failure to follow the guides’ instructions.
Payment of Booked Services
During booking, details about available payment methods will be provided, which may vary depending on the package or service selected. Options usually include cash, credit cards, debit cards, bank transfer, PayPal, and corporate vouchers if applicable.
Bookings
Bookings can be made online through the website, via email, or by phone at +39 345 5741330. Our activities do not necessarily require advance booking. However, prepayment of at least 50% of the total cost ensures the availability of requested spots and the complete provision of booked services, except for exceptional circumstances beyond the organization’s control. Unpaid bookings in advance will require full payment at the time of the excursion, which may vary from the advertised rate without prior notice. Prepaid bookings have priority over others. Booking confirmation depends on the availability of spots.
Refunds
Refunds are issued only in cases of force majeure, such as emergency weather or volcanic alerts preventing the scheduled activities or problems directly attributable to our organization, like a transport breakdown. Cancellations based on subjective weather assessments by participants, such as summer thunderstorms, do not entitle refunds.
Refunds are not granted in the following circumstances:
– If tourists stray from the group and get lost during the tour.
– If tourists choose to leave the tour before its conclusion without authorization.
Cancellations
No refunds are provided for last-minute cancellations or no-shows at the designated meeting point and time, as booked spots cannot be redistributed. Similarly, no refunds or vouchers are provided for significant delays, booking errors regarding the date or type of tour, or cancellations within 48 hours of the tour’s start time.
Delays
Participants are required to arrive at the scheduled time as detailed in the tour program, which will be sent via email or WhatsApp to the contact number provided at the time of booking and one day prior to the scheduled experience. The guide is not obligated to wait for latecomers beyond 15 minutes past the designated time to ensure consideration for other participants. If a participant arrives later than this, they forfeit their right to join the tour and will not be eligible for a refund.
For privately booked tours, the guide may allow a maximum waiting period of 60 minutes from the scheduled time, but the tour will still conclude at the predetermined end time.
Service Organizer’s Liability
The service organizer is liable for any damages incurred by the traveler due to the non-performance or partial performance of the services included in the booked package. This liability applies whether the services are provided directly by the organizer or by third parties. However, the organizer of Etnavolcano or the Etna North Volcano Guide Cooperative is not responsible if it can be demonstrated that the damages were caused by the traveler’s actions, unforeseen or unavoidable events caused by third parties, circumstances beyond the organizer’s control such as accidents or force majeure, or circumstances that the organizer could not reasonably foresee or prevent.