General Terms and Conditions of Sale
1. Subject of the Service
Into Etna S.a.s. organizes guided excursions, outdoor tours and experiential activities on Mount Etna and in Sicily, led by licensed guides and/or qualified personnel.
Unless expressly stated otherwise, the services offered do not constitute package travel within the meaning of the applicable legislation on package tours. They consist of individual tourist, hiking, nature-based, sporting or experiential services.
2. Booking and Formation of the Contract
Bookings may be made through the IntoEtna.com website, by e-mail, telephone, WhatsApp, booking platforms, or directly at the organizer’s premises.
A booking shall be considered confirmed only after:
acceptance of these General Terms and Conditions;
submission of the information required for participation;
payment of the amount due, either in full or in part, according to the terms communicated at the time of booking;
written confirmation by Into Etna S.a.s.
Acceptance of the booking is always subject to the availability of places, guides, equipment and the operational feasibility of the chosen experience.
3. Prices and Payments
The price of the experience is the price indicated on the website, on the booking platform, or in the commercial offer sent to the customer.
Payment may be made using the methods communicated at the time of booking, including, by way of example: credit card, bank transfer, PayPal, cash or other authorized payment methods.
Any additional costs relating to specific payment methods, extra services, transfers, rentals, access tickets, cable car, 4×4 vehicles, tastings or other services not included shall be communicated before the booking is confirmed.
Failure to pay within the indicated deadline may result in cancellation of the booking by the organizer.
4. Cancellation Policy by the Customer
The customer may cancel the booking without penalty and receive a refund of the amount paid, net of any non-recoverable bank charges or transaction fees, up to 48 hours before the scheduled starting time of the experience.
In case of cancellation communicated less than 48 hours before the scheduled starting time of the experience, no refund shall be due.
No refund shall be due in case of:
failure to appear at the meeting point;
delay exceeding the maximum waiting time;
voluntary withdrawal during the experience;
lack of the required equipment;
physical, technical or health conditions unsuitable for participation, whether declared by the customer or assessed by the guide at the time of departure.
Cancellation requests must be made in writing by e-mail, WhatsApp or another traceable communication channel.
5. Changes Requested by the Customer
Any request to change the date, time, number of participants or booked experience is subject to availability and must be communicated as early as possible.
Into Etna S.a.s. reserves the right to accept or refuse the requested change depending on operational availability, seasonality, the type of experience and any costs already incurred.
The replacement of a participant with another person is possible only upon prior written notice and acceptance by the organizer, provided that the new participant meets all physical, technical and equipment requirements for the chosen experience.
6. Weather, Volcanological and Safety Conditions
Experiences on Mount Etna take place in a natural, mountain and volcanic environment, subject to changing weather, geodynamic and operational conditions.
Into Etna S.a.s. monitors the conditions of the area before the experience and reserves the right to modify, postpone or cancel the activity in case of:
adverse weather conditions;
strong wind;
snow, ice or poor visibility;
volcanic activity;
gas emissions;
alerts or restrictions issued by the competent authorities;
unsafe ground conditions;
any other circumstance that may compromise the safety of participants.
If the experience is cancelled by the organizer for safety, weather, volcanological reasons or force majeure, the customer may be offered, at the organizer’s discretion:
a new available date;
an alternative experience of equivalent value;
a voucher valid for 12 months;
a refund of the amount paid, where applicable and subject to any non-refundable costs already incurred for third-party services.
7. Changes to the Itinerary or Experience
The programme, itinerary, duration, distance, elevation gain, maximum altitude reached and places visited may be changed before or during the experience for reasons of safety, environmental conditions, volcanic conditions, group ability, instructions from competent authorities or the technical assessment of the guide.
The guide has full authority to adapt, modify or interrupt the experience whenever deemed necessary to protect the safety of the participants, the group or third parties.
Failure to reach the maximum altitude, the summit or a specific point included in the programme, when due to weather, volcanic, safety reasons or force majeure, shall not automatically entitle the customer to a refund.
8. Minimum Number of Participants
Some experiences may be confirmed only upon reaching a minimum number of participants, as indicated on the dedicated page, in the commercial offer or during the booking process.
If the minimum number of participants is not reached, Into Etna S.a.s. may offer the customer:
a new date;
an alternative experience;
the option to pay a supplement in order to carry out the experience privately;
a refund of the amount paid.
9. Delays and Meeting Point
The customer must arrive at the meeting point indicated in the booking confirmation with adequate advance notice.
The guide’s maximum waiting time is 15 minutes from the agreed meeting time.
In case of a delay exceeding 15 minutes, the booking shall be considered a no-show and no refund shall be due.
Any changes to the meeting point shall be communicated by the organizer before the experience.
10. Physical, Technical and Equipment Requirements
The customer must carefully read the description of the chosen experience, with particular attention to difficulty level, duration, elevation gain, distance, altitude, physical requirements, technical ability and required equipment.
Participation requires physical and mental conditions suitable for the type of activity booked.
The customer must inform the organizer, before booking or in any case before the start of the experience, of any physical condition, illness, allergy, medical treatment, limitation, pregnancy or any other circumstance that may affect their own safety or the safety of the group.
As a precaution, high-altitude, sporting or volcanological experiences may not be suitable for persons with heart, respiratory or joint problems, severe allergies, uncontrolled asthma, vertigo, mobility difficulties, pregnancy or other conditions incompatible with the activity.
Into Etna S.a.s. and/or the guide reserve the right to exclude from participation, including at the time of departure, any person who is not deemed physically, technically or properly equipped for the activity. In such case, no refund shall be due.
11. Obligations of Participants
During the experience, participants must:
always follow the guide’s instructions;
not leave the group without authorization;
behave prudently and respectfully;
respect the natural environment, Mount Etna Park and applicable regulations;
avoid putting their own safety or the safety of others at risk;
use any equipment provided correctly;
promptly inform the guide of any difficulty, discomfort or problem.
Failure to comply with the guide’s instructions may result in exclusion from the experience or interruption of the activity, without any right to a refund.
12. E-Bike and Mountain Bike Experiences
For e-bike or mountain bike experiences, participants must have suitable riding ability on unpaved, natural, uneven or sloping terrain, according to the technical level of the chosen experience.
The participant is responsible for the proper use of the bicycle or e-bike provided and must follow the guide’s instructions at all times.
Any damage caused by improper use, negligence or failure to comply with the instructions may be charged to the participant.
For correct assignment and adjustment of the bicycle, participants may be asked to provide their height, weight and level of experience.
13. Minors
Minors may participate only if accompanied by a parent or responsible adult, unless otherwise expressly authorized in writing.
The parent or accompanying adult declares, under their own responsibility, that the minor has the physical condition, ability and equipment required for the chosen experience.
Into Etna S.a.s. reserves the right to assess the suitability of the minor in relation to the difficulty of the activity.
14. Animals
Pets are not allowed on excursions, unless expressly authorized in writing by the organizer.
15. Liability
Experiences take place in a natural, mountain and volcanic environment, where it is not possible to completely eliminate all risks.
By booking and participating, the customer declares that they have been informed of the general characteristics of the activity, the level of difficulty, the requirements for participation and the possible risks associated with the experience.
Into Etna S.a.s. shall be liable within the limits provided by law for the proper performance of the services directly organized by it. It shall not be liable for damage, delay, inconvenience or events resulting from:
negligent or imprudent conduct by the participant;
failure to comply with the guide’s instructions;
undeclared physical or health conditions;
incorrect or incomplete information provided by the customer;
force majeure;
weather or volcanic events;
instructions or restrictions issued by competent authorities;
services provided by third parties not directly controlled by the organizer.
16. Third-Party Services
Any services provided by third parties, such as transfers, cable car, 4×4 vehicles, restaurants, wineries, accommodation facilities, tastings or other ancillary services, are subject to the terms and conditions of the respective providers.
Into Etna S.a.s. shall not be liable for changes, delays, cancellations or disruptions attributable to such third-party providers, except as provided by applicable law.
17. Privacy
The customer’s personal data shall be processed in accordance with Regulation EU 2016/679 and the applicable legislation on the protection of personal data.
The provision of personal data is necessary for the management of the booking, the organization of the experience, operational communications and administrative and tax obligations.
For further information, the customer may consult the Privacy Policy published on IntoEtna.com.
18. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These General Terms and Conditions are governed by Italian law.
Any dispute concerning the interpretation, execution or validity of these General Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the competent court as provided by applicable law.
