Leave your Naples hotel in the morning for your full-day tour. While traveling by private minivan, relax on the scenic journey around Mt Vesuvius, up into the mountains of Partenio Regional Park, and down through the valley of Avellino, the capital city of the Campania region.
Continue onward to Monti Picentini Regional Park to the town of Volturara Irpina, beautifully nestled at the foot of Mt Terminio. Surrounded by mountains that tower to some 6,562 feet (2,000 meters) above sea level, the town and surrounding countryside is where Campania's famed truffles grow.
Meet an expert truffle hunter and his hunting dogs, two Lagotto Romagnolos — a breed that originates from Italy's historical Romagna region. These canines are known for their sharp senses, and are specifically trained to hunt truffles.
Collect your equipment and start your easy-paced hike, winding up the mountain to a height of roughly 4,593 feet (1,400 meters). The hike is suitable for all, although a good standard of physical fitness and sensible walking shoes are essential. Follow the hunter as you make your way through the forest, and watch as the dogs work their magic, sniffing the earth for hard-to-see truffles hidden under the forest shrubbery. Once the dogs have scored a truffle, stop for an on-the-spot tasting of this prized treat with some fresh ricotta cheese — the perfect pairing to counterbalance the truffle's earthy, pungent flavor.
Your tour includes roughly three hours hiking around the forest in search of truffles. Stop along the way to admire and take photos of the fabulous landscape, and learn about Italy's history, traditions and techniques of truffle hunting. After descending back down the mountain, meet back up with your driver and travel to a nearby restaurant for a 3-course lunch. Each dish is made with local Campania products and enhanced with the rich, complex flavors of local truffles. Wash your meal down with some Italian wine, and follow it up with a rich coffee and digestif (perhaps grappa or amaro).
Finally, relax on your scenic journey back to Naples, and finish your day with a hotel drop-off.
See Availability.
07:30 AM
8 hours 30 minutes(approx.)
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not wheelchair accessible
Please make a note of any specific dietary requests in the 'Special Requirements' field when booking
Please wear comfortable clothes and appropriate shoes for walking
Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 2 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
Posted By : AshleyM
We loved our truffle hunting experience from start to finish. Our day started with breakfast in a small charming town. The coffee and the pastry were delicious! This is where we met the truffle hunter and his dog. After breakfast we journeyed up into the mountains. The views were gorgeous and we had perfect weather. It was much cooler than the weather we had in Naples and we were grateful for that! On our hike our guide and the hunter answered lots of questions about truffle hunting and also gave us information about what we could see at some of the vistas. We learned a lot. When we did find truffles we would get so so excited! After a couple of hour on the mountain our guide took us to a charming place for lunch. Here we enjoyed our truffles on a variety of foods. We were treated to amazing local wine and so much great food! We returned to our hotel happy, full, with a few truffles in hand. I can’t recommend choosing this adventure enough especially if you’re a truffle fan!
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Posted On : 2022-07-11
Posted By : Mymats
From start to finish, this tour was well planned and executed. Each supporting staff member preformed their duties with excellence and a very friendly attitude. Our first stop was at a village cafe which provided us with outstanding breakfast pastries and either tea or your choice of many types of coffee. We met the truffle hunter and his dog, then headed up the mountain. We climbed at a reasonable rate until we reached the truffle area, where the hunter worked with the dog to find the truffles. And he did! Giuseppe was most in lighting on the history and culture of the area. After, the dog found the truffles we were taken to La Corte die Filangieri in Candida and Chief Antonio prepared a seven course lunch featuring our truffles, and wines. What an experience that we will remember for years.
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Posted On : 2019-09-24
Posted By : Inspire48962699206
My family and I booked this excursion for my birthday while visiting Italy. It was the best experience! Our guide picked us up right on time, was so knowledgeable, and everything was planned perfectly. Our truffle hunter and darling dog went at a great pace for our group (we had a 2 and 4 year old with us), and we found a bunch of truffles! We concluded the day by having one of the most delicious meals at a very authentic restaurant. Such an amazing experience- would definately do again!
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Posted On : 2019-06-19
Posted By : ALCLPL
The entire tour was well-executed. My family was first picked up from our hotel at Naples and then driven to a lovely small town for breakfast.
Later we went on to meet the truffle hunter along with his two cute dogs. The truffle hunt in the mountain was amazing. Giuseppe the guide had been very attentive: throughout the entire excursion, he acted as the communicative bridge between us and the truffle hunter and he gave us a great deal of information. He even constantly asked if we had questions, ensuring that we could make the most out of it. So, YES, we were able to get hold of our own truffle! But that wasn't the sole purpose of the tour, we got to know what it takes for truffles to form in the habitat.
The lunch afterwards at the local restaurant was stunning. Each and every course was perfect! We enjoyed our long chat with Giuseppe and our driver during lunch. It was quite thought-provoking. Giuseppe also suggested a place for us to have great yet affordable seafood. We followed his suggestion that night to end our holiday in Italy on a high note.
We highly recommend this tour to those who wish to explore Italy, or Campania, in depth. It is absolutely worth it to spend a day in the countryside to learn about not only the truffles, but also the ecosystem, the geography, and the food/wine culture there.
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Posted On : 2018-07-02
Posted By : debra_m
LOVED IT!!! If you are willing in invest in a life time experience-this is a must do in Naples. Incredible experience with successful discovery of truffles. Hike with hunting was stunning too. Great guide and truffle hunter lead this experience. Finished wonderful day off with lunch while enjoying some of our truffles. They sealed the rest for us to take to enjoy on our remaining trip.
Posted By : Sherry_C
This tour was fantastic. Our tour guide Giuseppe is extremely knowledgable of the truffle hunt experience, this particular Italian region, food of the region, and very friendly. We started the day by the driver and Giuseppe picking us up at the cruise ship terminal seemlessly. During the drive, Guiseppe spoke of the area and its economy, history, and it's people. We drove about an hour into the mountains stopping for an espresso in a charming small Italian city while meeting the truffle hunter and his two beautiful truffle hunting dogs. We then proceeded up the mountain to a point, then proceeded by foot. A beautiful mountain with many types of wild flowers and excellent views of the valley and other cities. Giuseppe provided to us two truffles that at then our adventurous walk, proceeded to our gourmet lunch at an exquisite charming restaurant that was open just for our tour. We proceeded to have an eight course true Italian foodie lunch in the Irpinia region highlighting the fresh truffles on homemade ravioli that melted in your mouth. On the way back to our ship We purchased some Olive Oils which Giueseppe recommended. I strongly recommend this tour.
Posted By : vofo
Are you foodie enough? Don`t you mind hiking slippery paths up and down the hills? Our kids loved the dogs hunting (in reality the dogs have eaten most of the found truffles ... turning kids to laugh about a lot). Best time to go is in November - January when winter truffles are aplenty. The hunter himself doesn`t speak English, but in tandem with the tour guide they have offered extensive information on truffle hunting, the region where we were, history of the area - exactly what we expect from private tour. They offered us a possibility to visit local food festival (Sagra) after the hunting which turned into hours long feast of small bites from hundreds of food stands. A day every foodie will remember for long. The only improvement could be the people carrier used to drive us over 1h from Naples to the woods. It has been old cargo car. We`ve been told that local transport companies doesn`t want better cars (i.e. Mac Viano) to go to the woods.
