Mountain Guides are mountaineers and skiers. To obtain a licence they had to pass a series of practical and theoretical exams over a minimum period of four years, relating to: mountaineering, skiing, rock, ice, snow-avalanches, topography-orienteering, aid, etc. These guides are therefore recognised by law as the only professional figures enabled to teach mountaineering, climbing, on and off track skiing and who act as companions for individuals or groups on any mountain terrain or inaccessible area in general, anywhere around the world. They are also the only figures enabled to teach mountaineering techniques applicable to the field of so-called acrobatic or highly exposed works.
 
The severity of the exams to obtain a Mountain Guide licence, Master of Mountaineering, enables a high level of preparation for those promoted to ensure further professionalism and technical capacity. Mountain Guides must also attend periodic update courses. Any guide who fails to attend will have his or her licence revoked.

Currently the Mountain Guides – Master of Mountaineering and aspiring Mountain Guides are governed by national law ensuring this profession is legally registered and subdivided by regional authorities, which in turn are managed by a National Board.

The Mountain Guide - Master of Mountaineering is completely autonomous in every discipline and over any territory in the 16 countries worldwide registered with the U.I.AG.M. (The International Union of Mountain Guides Association): Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, England, Italy, Norway, New Zealand, Peru, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, The United States, Sweden and Switzerland.

Currently the Etna guides, who are the only professional figures permitted by Regional Law 28 dated 6/4/96 to accompany people on the volcano, form part of the Mountain and Volcanological Guide Regional Authority of Sicily, located in Nicolosi (CT) at Via Etnea no. 49 and has 53 mountain and Volcanological guide members.