Exploring Easter Island
Extension to Grand Chilean Adventure

This morning, you will be transferred from your hotel to Santiago Airport for your flight across the Pacific to Easter Island.

Known as Easter Island, Isla de Pascua in Spanish or Rapa Nui in Polynesian, early settlers called the island “Te Pito O Te Henua” – the navel of the world. Officially territory of Chile, the island lays way in the Pacific, halfway to Tahiti and is famous for its huge stone statues, erected many centuries ago reflecting the rise, and fall, of the most isolated Polynesian culture.

First discovered by the Dutch explorer Roggeveen in 1722, the Pacific island was declared a Chilean National Park in 1966 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On arrival, you will be met and enjoy a traditional lei welcome, before transferring to your hotel.

Enjoy an afternoon at leisure before dinner at the hotel this evening.

This morning, enjoy an orientation tour of the town of Hanga Roa. The town is small, with just the fishing harbour, local market, small shops, and the Iglesia Hanga Roa, the only Catholic Church on the island and a chance to observe quite a slow pace of life on this Pacific island.

From here we will then visit the famous moai sculptures of Ahu Ko Te Ritu, Ahu Tahai and Ahu Vai Uri. Ahu Ko Te Ritu is recognisbale with its topknot (which looks like a hat) as well as an eyeballed moai. Then there is the solitary Ahu Tahai, with no topknot and Ahu Vai Uri – five moai of varying sizes.

After lunch at leisure, this afternoon we head to Puna Pau Crater, Ahu Akivi and Ahu Riata.

It was from Puna Pau Crater that the cylindrical reddish topknots sculptures were quarried. We continue to Ahu Akivi, the seven moai facing the sea were restored in 1960 and probably the most recognisable.

Finally, we transfer to Ahu Takai for the sunset, where we will witness the spectacular changing colours of the sky and clouds as it slowly sets on the horizon casting different
colours over Ahu Takai.

Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure

Today we head off on a full day exploration of the island, with the first visit being to Ahu Viahu before Ahu Akahanga.

From there, we drive to Rano Raraku, which was the quarry from where the moai were carved from the rock and dragged and/or rolled to their final sites.

Here you can walk amongst moai lying on the ground, some partly completed, others huge blocks of rock.

After lunch, we continue to Ahu Tongariki, the highlight of the island moai sites, where 15 imposing, tall moai stand shoulder to shoulder, before continuing to Ahu Te Pito Kura and Anakena beach, where you can take a dip in the sea, enjoy the scenery or see the Ahu Nau Nau, which comprise of seven moai, some with topknots.

We return to the hotel for a final evening dinner.

We check out of the hotel this morning after breakfast and embark on a final excursion on the island.

We drive first to Ahu Vinapu then on to Rano Kau Crater. Perched 1,200 ft above sea level, the crater resembles a witch’s cauldron.

The final stop is Orongo Ceremonial site, which offers stunning views over a number of small offshore islands, known a motu in the local language - Motu Iti, Motu Nui and Motu Kau Kau and steep cliffs direct into the Pacific Ocean.

We continue on to the airport for our flight back to Santiago, where we will be met on arrival and enjoy free time this evening. 

Our Chilean adventure comes to an end as we make our way back to Santiago Airport in time for your onward flight home.