South America Vacations

Chile Vacation Package

7 Days Easter Island Trek Tour Package

Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights
Priced From: $1,835 pp dbl. occ.
Departures: Daily

 



Easter Island is the most isolated place in all the planet, at a distance of 3.000 km from the nearest populated point and one of the most fascinating archaeological riddles of all time. Its inhabitants, whose origin is still an enigma, developed the only script known to people of America and Polynesia at that time, carved enormous 100 tons basalt statues(called Moai) from a quarry in the side of a volcano, transported them many kilometers to the coast and erected them on giant stone altars. Easter Island, located in the exotic Polynesia, conserves the enchantment of warm beaches, agreeable climate, transparent oceans and remarkable volcanic remains. Dotted around the island are several dead craters, two of which now contain freshwater lakes.

Day 1. Arriving on the island, we are greeted by our local guides and walk a few minutes to Hanga Roa, a small township where Easter Island's 2.500 people all live. Here we find our family-style hotel - Hotel O'Tai where you will stay overnight after discussing the itinerary and some other aspects about the trip.

Day 2. Early in the morning you start your trekking throughout the island that during 3 days will lead you over hundreds of years of history. Your first stop is at Kaitangata cave to continue to Rano Kau volcano, the biggest on the island, whose enormous crater is now a fresh water lake with floating green fields of totora reeds. This site offers an exceptional view of three tiny and craggy islands Nui, Motu and Kao-Kao where the bizarre "bird man" ritual took place.

Here you also find the ruined village of Orongo, perched in this sublime location, which shows 48 oval buildings built out of overlapping stone slabs. Over the cliffs you see an amazing string of "bird man" petroglyphs. The trek continues over seashore passing through Vai a Tare towards Vinapu, where we find Ahu Tahira (Ahu= sacred place. This word describes the rectangular stone platform on which the Moai statues were erected).

Ahu Tahira is a key element in Thor Heyerdahl's theory that the islanders came sailing from South America since it contains a wall of perfectly carved and fitted stone blocks that is strikingly similar to the work of the Tihuanaco culture (Bolivia) and the Inca walls in Cuzco (Peru).

Continuing north along the southeastern coast brings you the most striking examples of violent statue overthrowing of the Late period's cannibal wars, into which the first European voyagers arrived. We reach Ahu Vaihu, probably the most extraordinary sight along this stretch. Eight large Moai have been pulled in a row from their ahu, lying with their noses in the dirt and topknots scattered along the coast. Return to your hotel.

Day 3. We keep going over the dirt road passing Ahu Akahanga, with four similarly humilitaded statues, and stopping at Ahu Hanga Tetenga where we trek inland, over the so-called "Road of the Moai", towards the volcanic crater of Rano Raraku.

This might be the most impressive site on the island: 70 standing sentinels, embedded up to their shoulders in grass on the south slope of the volcanic crater Rano Raraku, leading the way to the quarry or "nursery" inside of the impressive crater rim. Here was where the Moai (enormous, 100 tons basalt statues) were cut from volcanic tuff, and some 150 figures, still left there, in all stages of completion, are mute witnesses of the mystery that suddenly stopped all work. Today we trek aprox. Return to your hotel.

Day 4. Today we visit Ahu Tongariki recently restored after a tidal wave washed the statues dozens of meters away from their original setting in 1960.Next, we will trek towards Poike Peninsula where there was once a mystical war among so called "Long-Ears", who carved the Moai, and the newcomers known as "Short-Ears" who kept in a inferior class and helped in manual labour.

Although there are many contradictory versions of the legend it is said that the Short-Ears rebelled and slaughtered all the Long-Ears. We then reach a point called Heva and from here the north coast of the island. Following the coast road onwards to the north we find the largest Moai ever transported. It is named Ahu Te Pito Te Kura (navel of light) and boasts at some 9.8 m/ 32 ft. in length.

Next you reach Ovahe beach, a small bay nestled beneath a cliff of volcanic rock with pure and golden sands and magnificent clear water, a true South Pacific paradise. Spend some time there swimming and relaxing. Later you visit Anakena beach, the legendary landing place of Hota Matua, the founder of the island. 15 km/9 miles. Return to your hotel.

Day 5. We trek by the coast through the less visited stretch of Hanga Oteo. Ascend mount Maunga Terevaka (506 m/1.600ft) the highest point in the island. Camp at Ana Te Pora. 18 km/11 miles. Return to your hotel.

Day 6. We trek during to the ceremonial center of Ahu Akivi where there are seven standing Moais that represent the sons of a Maori sorcerers sent to search for Rapa Nui, a home for king Hotu Matua. All around the place one can explore the attractive volcanic caves. Then we walk back to Hanga to spend the rest of the day at leisure visiting places of interest, museums, Ahu Tahai, craft shops and fishing area.

At night we enjoy a delicious farewell dinner with fish and seafood from the island. The distance walked today is around 14 km/9 miles. Rest and overnight at the Hotel

Day 7. Free morning to relax. Later take the flight back to Santiago.

• All transportation throughout the island
• all accommodation
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary: B=breakfast L=lunch L- =Box Lunch D=dinner
• English speaking guide
• Orongo entrance fee (currently this is the only entrance fee to be paid on this trip, but this is subject to change)

• Accommodation in Santiago or Punta Arenas
• Flights to and from Easter Island
• Passport &Visa Costs
• Vaccination Costs
• Personal Spending Money
• Meals where not listed
• Drinks
• International Flights
• Travel Insurance
• Airport departure taxes (domestic & International))

• Santiago White Water Rafting
• Santiago Wine Tour
• Santiago Horse Riding

Please contact us for flight costs

Please contact us for Santiago accommodation choices

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