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Day Hiking Mt. Etna, Sicily

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

I arrived Sicily from nearby Malta.

PLAN was to climb is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe, and one of the most active in the world, currently 3,403 m (11,165 ft) high. 

I figured it would be an easy day trip after Kilimanjaro.

Should have done some research. Summit trekking peak tours of Etna generally operate from April through November, with the main hiking season starting around May.

I arrived late March. There was a LOT of snow, even around 1900m. It can be 10–15°C cooler than in Catania. Many tourists arrive underdressed. And with footwear better for the beach than snow. 😀

Volcanic rock is somewhat sharp. It can cut flip-flops. I wore approach shoes and was OK on the snow and ice. Coming from Canada, this was normal for me. I didn’t see anyone using any kind of ice cleats.

They ski and snowshoe here. There are 2 small ski resorts.

I’d flown into the jumping off point for Etna, the city of Catania.

There are dozens of options for day hiking Etna, from dozens of companies. It’s confusing.

My hostel recommended a day trip by bus offered by Tourist Service for €30, discounted from a posted €35 regular price. Since their office was right next door to my accommodation, I signed up.

It’s about 2 hours (with traffic) to Etna from the city. On the way up, we stopped to see a recent example of eruption damage. Yikes. This mountain has killed a lot of people over the centuries.

Bus delivered us to Rifugio Sapienza at around 1900m on the more popular south side of the mountain. A bit of a tourist trap. (The north trailhead (Piano Provenzana) is better for offers wilder hiking trails and fewer crowds.)

From Sapienza you can take a cable car up to 2500m. It’s expensive at €54 return when I was there. And you can hire a 4×4 contraption to pay even more. Guides are required at higher elevations.

I opted to stay close to the Rifugio Sapienza trailhead, saving my money for a summit climb some time in future.

There’s an additional €5entry fee for the Silvestri Craters on the south side. Well worth it. The highlight for me.

It’s only about 1km to circumambulate all 5 craters — but they are scenic.

With an hour left before my bus departed, I climbed the most conspicuous cone.

Had the top to myself for about 20 minutes.

Looking down on to the Silvestri Craters

Driving your own vehicle to Rifugio Sapienza is a good option. And there’s a public bus €6.60 return — but it leaves Catania very early. Returns very late. I assume that service runs mainly for employees.

related – Visiting Mount Etna | Everything You Need To Know Before the Hike

Click PLAY or watch a 1-minute highlights video on YouTube.

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Pros & Cons of Trekking Poles

On my 2025 Rinjani Volcano trek, I refused to take poles.

A huge mistake.

My guide had to loan me one of his for the technical sections.

BaldHiker has a good post:

Are Trekking Poles Worth It?

A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Hiking Poles

Benefits

  • Save Your Knees (and Other Joints)
  • Improve Your Stability and Balance
  • They Power You Uphill
  • Other Handy Uses

Downsides

  • Cost
  • Hands Not Free for Cameras, Phone, Snack, etc.
  • Weight & Bulk

Click through for much more on poles.

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Hiking the Popeye Cliffs, Malta

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

My first hike in Malta was organized by Marco Polo hostel in St.Julian’s. In fact, they offer a tour for customers almost every day.

Leaving the hostel before 2pm, we first took the public bus to Popeye Village, a purpose-built film set village for the 1980 live-action musical feature film Popeye starring Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall. 

Opting not to join the tourists down there, we instead headed out on what Google Maps calls the Popeye cliffs.

Screenshot

The ocean clear and gorgeous.

From there you have many options. Our volunteer guide, Paty, took us along the cliffs for some kilometres, then inland where we stopped to tour an impressive farm.

Most of Malta’s food is imported — but they grow terrific strawberries.

Malta is one of the the most densely populated nations on earth. These cliffs are one place you can get away from people.

It’s densely populated with tourists and retiree expats, as well. 😀

Our group split at this point. I stayed with Paty for the beautiful sunset.

No photo editing.

We then continued to the town of Mellieha to see the Church of Paris. Service was in progress.

Finally, to the nearby Miraculous Grotto. An underground natural cave which was consecrated as a church at some point in distant history. According to tradition, the cave was originally a place of worship for the nymph Calypso, but it became a Christian site after St Paul‘s shipwreck on Malta in 60 AD.

It was back to the hostel by 9pm. The other half of our group had finished earlier, carrying on at the popular hostel Bar.

The other Canadian on the trip, age-19, was learning about hostel party life.

I skipped the drinking and went to bed instead. 😀

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African Elephants

A highlight of any safari in Africa is watching these gentle giants.

The African elephant is the world’s largest land mammal. 

Adult savanna bulls can stand up to 4 meters (13 feet) tall and weigh over 6,000 kg (13,000 lbs).

Their large, fan-like ears are famously shaped like the African continent. They use them to radiate excess body heat.

I studied them first in Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa in 2023.

They can live up to 70 years.

I saw even more elephants on my 5 Days, 4 Nights Camping safari in Tanzania 2026.

They consume up to 150–300 kg (330–660 lbs) of vegetation daily, including grasses, bark, and fruit.

Most memorable was watching elephants give themselves a mud bath.

Around 90% of African elephants have been wiped out in the past century – largely due to the ivory trade – leaving an estimated 415,000 wild elephants alive today.

One ranger I spoke with in Tanzania told me they no longer have any problem with poachers in his National Park.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Harder Ridge – Switzerland’s BEST Day Hike

In fact, we rank Harder Ridge our #1 day hike in the world.

Xander is a Swiss hiking expert.

This is his favourite hike in Switzerland.

They did not make it all the way. Too slow. So had to scramble down to the lake.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Nairobi Safari Walk and Animal Orphanage

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Adjacent to Nairobi National Park gates inside Nairobi city is the “animal orphanage“.

Click PLAY or see some of the protected animals on YouTube.

Nairobi National Park is exceptionally convenient, located just 7–10 km (about a 30-minute drive) south of the city center. I stayed in an Eco Lodge, nearby.

David Sheldrick Trust runs the sanctuary where orphaned and sick animals from all over Kenya can recover. Many are released back into the wild. Some stay — and people can visit. It’s something of a small zoo — but where individual animals have interesting back stories.

For example, this statue commemorates Sebastian the chimpanzee who lived here 1956 – 1996.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I bought a combined ticket to the orphanage and Safari Walk next door.

The Kenya Wildlife Service manages this small zoo displaying the variety of plants and animals that are in Kenya in a more natural setting than the orphanage.

White rhino, big cats, crocodiles, rhinoceros, antelopes, and primates.

People were hand feeding a small giraffe when I was there.

Like any animal prison, it’s not all good here. But thousands of Kenyan children on school field trips visit each week. Learning to value their indigenous wildlife.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Combined tourist ticket price for both was about $42 in 2026.

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Hiking Karura Forest, Nairobi, Kenya

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Karura Forest is a beautiful green space in Nairobi, Kenya. It is the second largest urban forest in the world after the Tijuca Forest in Rio de Janeiro.

My hostel recommended I hike there.

Karura Waterfall

The 4.3 km Sykes’ Monkey Trail Loop is highly rated (4.8 stars) for its mix of scenery, caves, and rivers.

Mau Mau Caves

The main entrance for easy access to the Waterfall and River Café is Gate A on Kiube Road. Security looked excellent to me. There are guards posted at all gates.  

Trails are well maintained. Good bridges. Plenty of benches and picnic tables.

Recreational facilities are included.

Yet it’s a huge park with plenty of space to get away from other people, should you choose.

I was there at the start of the rainy season. First big rain of 2026 left some trails flooded.

Entry Fees (As of 2025/2026): Non-resident adults KES 850, children KES 450; Kenyan citizens pay significantly lower rates (approx. KES 100-200).

Rules: Plastic bottles are prohibited; bring a reusable bottle. No fires, and strict, eco-friendly policies are enforced.

I was surprised to learn that this was once a very dangerous park, filled with criminals.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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African Alternative Climbs to Kilimanjaro

I climbed Kilimanjaro February 2026. Epic.

BUT climbing one of the many alternatives might be better and far less expensive.

Eibhlis Gale-Coleman lays out some of the options:

  • Mount Kenya
  • Mount Meru, Tanzania
  • Mount Ololokwe, Kenya
  • Mount Ras Dashen, Ethiopia
  • Mount Ngaliema (Mount Stanley), Uganda
  • Oldoinyo Lesatima (Mount Satima), Kenya

Mount Ngaliema is no mean feat. Perched in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, it stands at 16,761 feet (5,109 meters), and is the third-highest peak in Africa. The terrain begins in rainforest and ends with a glacier traverse that necessitates crampons: Arrive expecting a pole-assisted trudge, and you’ll be overwhelmed. …

Want an alternative to climbing Kilimanjaro? From Mount Kenya to Meru, these African summits are worth a hike too

Margarita and Alexander peaks, Mt. Stanley