Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud is an Italian cooperative of licensed Alpine and Volcanological Guides offering guided volcano excursions on Mount Etna for individual tourists, families, and school groups, with distribution via its website and travel marketplaces.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1804
- HeadquartersNicolosi, Italy
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud does
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud is an Italian cooperative (Soc. Coop.) registered in Nicolosi, Catania, that provides guided excursions on Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano. The company is staffed by licensed Alpine and Volcanological Guides who operate under Italy's Framework Law 2 January 1989 No. 6 and Regional Law 6 April 1996, which designate this profession as the only one legally authorized to lead groups on active volcanoes and across Sicily's territory. Operations are anchored at the Baita delle Guide meeting point at Rifugio Sapienza (1,910 m elevation) on Etna's south side, with administrative offices in Nicolosi.
The product portfolio spans entry-level cable-car-plus-jeep tours at €82 per person, mid-tier 3,000 m treks at €95, premium summit crater excursions at €130, multi-day packages covering Etna plus Aeolian volcanoes (Stromboli, Vulcano) and Pantalica, a 30-minute helicopter tour, family and sunset itineraries, and curriculum-aligned school programs. All-inclusive pricing typically bundles transport (cable car, jeep), equipment rental (boots, helmets, jackets), and guide services; multi-day packages add accommodation, meals, and inter-island transfers. The company traces its origins to Mario Gemmellaro's 1804 organization of guides and mule drivers, and markets itself as "serving travelers since 1804."
Commercial activity runs through a direct-to-consumer website (etnaguide.eu) with online booking in Italian, English, French, and German, supplemented by listings on GetYourGuide and TripAdvisor, plus phone and email reservations. Marketing assets include a live Etna webcam, eruption news, and educational content on Etna's geology and ecology. The customer base is primarily individual leisure tourists, families, and educational groups; 258 Google reviews carry an "ECCELLENTE" rating. The cooperative is led by President Giuseppe Mazzaglia and has no external investors or parent company.
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud
- Legal name
- Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud Soc. Coop.
- Website
- https://etnaguide.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1804
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud is an Italian cooperative of licensed Alpine and Volcanological Guides offering guided volcano excursions on Mount Etna for individual tourists, families, and school groups, with distribution via its website and travel marketplaces.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mountain and Volcano Guiding Services
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hiking, Trekking & Mountain Guiding (THAJABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Rock Climbing, Via Ferrata & Mountaineering (THAJABAE), Mountain, Glacier & Alpine Nature Tours (THAJAIAF)
Keywords
Where Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nicolosi
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Guided Excursion Fees: Per-person fees for various Mount Etna excursions including summit crater visits, 3000m altitude treks, cable car + off-road vehicle tours, helicopter tours, Bove Valley exploration, sunset excursions, and multi-day volcano trekking programs. Pricing varies by excursion type, duration, and inclusions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Summit Craters Excursion - 5-6 hours, difficulty 5/5 stars, reaches 3340m altitude |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3000m Altitude Excursion - 4-5 hours, difficulty 3/5 stars |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cable Car and Off-road Vehicles - 3 hours, difficulty 2/5 stars, reaches 2900m altitude |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bove Valley Excursion - 6 hours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Crossing of Etna (South to North via Summit Craters) - 6-7 hours, difficulty 5/5 stars |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sunset Excursion - special Wednesday departure in July, 5-6 hours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Helicopter Tour - 30 minutes, minimum 4 people |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | 5-Day Volcano Trekking (Etna, Pantalica, Acitrezza) |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | 7-Day Sicily Volcano Trekking (Etna, Stromboli, Vulcano) - October only |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud is a cooperative of licensed Alpine and Volcanological Guides that organizes and leads guided excursions on Mount Etna. Its portfolio spans daily summit crater treks (up to 3,340 m), 3,000 m altitude hikes, cable car and off-road vehicle tours, helicopter flights, Bove Valley treks, sunset excursions, multi-day volcano trekking programs across Sicily's volcanic islands, school educational programs, and private personal guide services. Each excursion is led by certified guides, includes safety equipment and transportation, and is offered as an all-inclusive, per-person paid service to tourists.
Product overview
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud is an Alpine and Volcanological Guide cooperative offering guided excursions and tours on Mount Etna. Their portfolio includes summit crater excursions (reaching 3340m), the popular 3000m altitude trek, cable car and off-road vehicle tours, helicopter tours, multi-day trekking programs (including 5-day and 7-day volcano tours covering Sicily's volcanic islands), school educational programs, and sunset/torchlight special events. All tours are conducted by certified Alpine and Volcanological Guides from the Regional College of Sicily.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Summit Craters Excursion (Crateri Sommitali)
Quantifiable outcome
- 258 Google reviews with 'ECCELLENTE' rating demonstrates high customer satisfaction
Companies that use Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- GetYourGuideminorThird-party marketplace listing for excursion bookings. Provides additional booking visibility and customer acquisition channel for international tourists using the GetYourGuide platform.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Viator (Tripadvisor): Global tour and activity marketplace and a Tripadvisor-owned platform. Comparable as a broad incumbent booking channel for Sicily volcano tours alongside direct peer tour operators, and a marketplace where Gruppo's competitors also list.
- GetYourGuide: Global online marketplace for tours and activities where Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud already lists. Functions as a broad incumbent distribution channel that aggregates many tour operators including direct peers, increasing price transparency for consumers.
Direct peers
- Etna Nord Guide Alpine e Vulcanologiche: The northern-slope counterpart under the same Regional College, offering authorized guided volcano excursions from the Etna Nord side. Operates as a direct competitor for guided volcano tourism on the same mountain, accessing Piano Provenzana and northern trails.
- Etna Experience: Sicily-based Etna tour operator offering guided excursions including summit crater visits, off-road tours, and sunset experiences from the southern slope. Competes head-to-head for international Etna visitors and shares the same regulatory framework.
- Volcano Discovery: International volcano-tour operator running guided trips to Etna, Stromboli, and other active volcanoes worldwide. Overlaps with Gruppo on Etna and Aeolian Islands product and competes for the same international volcano-tourist customer.
- Magmatrek: Magmatrek is a Sicilian cooperative of authorized volcanic guides operating guided tours on Etna, Stromboli, and Vulcano with a similar regulatory footing under the Regional College. Its product mix and multi-day volcano itineraries directly overlap with Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud's offerings.
Others
- Funivia dell'Etna: The cable car and off-road vehicle operator at Rifugio Sapienza whose infrastructure underpins several of Gruppo's flagship excursions (summit craters, 3000m, cable car tours, crossing). Functions as a critical upstream partner and infrastructure provider rather than a guide competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud social profiles
Digital presenceGruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud
What does Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud do?
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud is a cooperative of licensed Alpine and Volcanological Guides that organizes and leads guided excursions on Mount Etna. Its portfolio spans daily summit crater treks (up to 3,340 m), 3,000 m altitude hikes, cable car and off-road vehicle tours, helicopter flights, Bove Valley treks, sunset excursions, multi-day volcano trekking programs across Sicily's volcanic islands, school educational programs, and private personal guide services. Each excursion is led by certified guides, includes safety equipment and transportation, and is offered as an all-inclusive, per-person paid service to tourists.
Is Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud a public or private company?
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud founded?
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud was founded in 1804. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud based?
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud is headquartered in Nicolosi, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud make money?
One revenue line is on record: guided Excursion Fees.
Who are Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Viator (Tripadvisor) and GetYourGuide. Direct peers are Etna Nord Guide Alpine e Vulcanologiche, Etna Experience, Volcano Discovery and Magmatrek. Funivia dell'Etna is listed as an others.
Does Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud.
What industry is Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud in?
Gruppo Guide Alpine Etna Sud's product category is Mountain and Volcano Guiding Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJABAA, Hiking, Trekking & Mountain Guiding, with a secondary code of THAJABAE, Rock Climbing, Via Ferrata & Mountaineering. Its NAICS code is 561520.