Easter Island

Easter Island evokes many things but never indifference. Exciting, it symbolizes its people’s mystery and its past which is known by only a few. This volcanic land, lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, hides the most amazing treasures. Its moais, caves, craters and beaches gives this place a unique atmosphere. Easter Island is one of the masterpieces of our planet, a magical meeting with the past. Everything means silence, vastness, mystery, legend. We invite you to unveil this island with a different look, one oriented to the unspoiled nature which engraved its history.

TO SEE A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE REGION CLICK HERE

TO SEE A GALLERY OF IMAGES CLICK HERE

Click PDF to see an example of a tour

DISCOVER MYSTERIOUS EASTER ISLAND 4D-3N / PDF

 

FULL DAY AND HALF DAY EXCURSIONS AT EASTER ISLAND
You may combine all these programs and make your own trip on regular or private basis. Also tailor made tours for groups and or individuals.  Lodging and transportation from/to airport can also be provided by us.

FD= Full day                HD= Half day

A spectacular Full day tour including:

Anakena beach: Located at the north with clean and warm turquoise waters, Anakena is the island’s main beach. For many years, its coral sand beds and great luminosity were for the exclusive use of important people and governors. It was a population and political organized center, and the Polynesian expeditions pertaining to the Airiki Hotu Matu’a, the island’s first king, disembarked at Anakena some 1,500 years ago.
The Ahu or Moai platforms in this sector had been completely restored.
Less than 1 km toward the Poike, is another sand beach. Ovahe is a small beach of volcanic origins located underneath a cliff. Its golden sand is the result of a combination of red coral and white sand, an ideal beach for sunbathing and swimming.

Rano Raraku Volcano and quarry: The Rano Raraku volcano is made up of gray-ochre volcanic tufa, and stands at 100 meters above sea level. It is oval in shape, and on its peak lays a crater with a lake that is 50 meters deep. It is one of the island’s major and most valuable archaeological sites. It has an open quarry that was used for carving the Moai. There are over 400 monuments that were in the process of being carved spread throughout its interior and exterior slopes to various degrees of complexion. Several differences may be observed among them such as, for example, TUKUTURI, the kneeling Moai. Another Moai stands out because of the three-masted sailboat carved on his its chest. Towards the west, Moai in the process of being moved lie scattered along the so-called “The path of the Moai”.

Ahu Vaihu: A semi destroyed temple. The islanders destroyed its eight large statues in times gone by.

Ahu Akahanga: This Ahu or platform measures 81 meters in length and 3.25 meters wide. Its historical importance is that it was the burial place of King Hotu Matu’a. The platform is decorated with red stones throughout its length and with petroglyphs that have been eroded by time, but which are still.

Te Pito Kura: This Ahu has the largest Moai transported from the Rano Raraku quarry. It measures 11 meters high and weights approximately 80 tons. It is located approximately 26 km northeast of Hanga Roa.

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A spectacular Half day tour including:

Ceremonial Village of Orongo: One of the Island’s most important places is the ancient ceremonial village of Orongo, southeast of the Rano Kau volcano, where visitors may still see petroglyphs and cave paintings as well as ancient houses and walls from different areas.

The volcano crater measures approximately one and a half kilometers in diameter. Its high walls, measuring 200 meters, constitute a natural reservoir used throughout time by the island’s inhabitants. It conserves an enclose garden of priceless Polynesian and native species that constitutes an appropriate microclimate for the main preserve of flora on the island. 

The ceremonial village was used between 1600 and 1866 AD to worship the birdmen. Orongo village consists of some 53 elliptically shaped houses having shale walls and a small square entry overlooking the ocean. Arranged into two uneven rows, the lower row ends at MATA NGARAHU, the sacred precinct where the Birdmen use to be worshipped, and the one most profusely decorated with petroglyphs on the island.

Volcano Rano Kao: Is the southern most Volcano of the island. On the west side of the slopes we have an impressive view of the islets Motu Nui, Motu Iti, Motu Kao Kao. Next to the Crater is the Ceremonial City of Orongo.

Tahai Ahu: Set of ceremonials altars that constitute the most well renovated archeological site on the island. Located close to the city, it is composed of three Ahu (platforms on which the Moai were erected), known as the Ahu Kote Riku to the north, which had its eye attached by the Council of Elders, made of white coral and pupil of obsidian, the Ahu Tahai at the center and the Ahu Vai Uri with five Moais at the south. Located at the same place are the remains of a hare Peanga boathouse. A Hare Maoa with thick stone walls, which was apparently used as a chicken house, and a Paina ceremonial site.

There is also an earth oven dug into the ground and delineated by stones, as well as other elements, such as a cave with a great stone wall and eight entry tunnels. The archeologist William Molloy, who led the restoration works in 1978, is buried on one side of the Ahu Riku Moai.

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A spectacular Half day tour including:

Ahu Vinapu: Used in the 1200’s AD, it includes three Ahu. The first, called Ahu TAHIRI, is worth noting on account of its perfect stonewall, superficially compared with those in Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Its six Moai, which used to be colored in red, are down. The second Ahu, the astronomical orientation of which is similar to the first, features an allegedly female Moai that used to have two heads. Only removed stones remain from the third Ahu, the oldest of all.

Puna Pau: A secondary crater used for quarrying red scoria for the Pukao, which presumably represent the islanders’ hairdo tinted with red soil. Since the cylinders were fitted on only 58 Moai and 31 are still in the quarry, this addition is thought to account for a late development depending on groups power increase.

Ahu Akivi: Dating back to 1500 AD, this is the first Ahu that was scientifically restored on the island in 1960 by William Mulloy and Gonzalo Figueroa. The 7-moai platform faces the equinoctial rising sun. According to recent folklore, it allegedly represents the seven young explorers sent from Hiva by Haumaka’s spirit to do a reconnaissance on the island prior to Hotu Mantu’a’s arrival.

Ana Te Pahu: A cave featuring a variety of plants and vegetation. Remember to take a flashlight.

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We’ll depart from your Hotel and start the city tour in the Hanga Roa handicraft market, an ideal place for purchasing presents and souvenirs offering tourists a wide range of Rapa Nui handicrafts, mainly wood carving, stones, mahite, pareos, t-shirts, etc. The market is located next to the Catholic Church and it brings together most of Easter Island’s artisans. Local handicrafts are also sold in the Hanga Roa o Tai harbor, which is located on Costanera Avenue.

Then we’ll visit the Catholic Church located at the far end of Te Pito Te Henua Street. Every Sunday at 9:00 am, the church celebrates mass, with singing in the Rapa Nui language. The ceremony, translated into Spanish and English, is a very attractive event for tourists and most definitely a must. 
Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum: This institution is exclusively and permanently dedicated to safeguarding Rapa Nui’s cultural patrimony. It’s exhibits original Rapa Nui culture objects, including articles used in every day tasks, pictorial representations, handicrafts, religious and ancient artifacts, and a variety of items used in fishing and agriculture. Its displays and library are of excellent quality, and the museum is open Tuesday through to Friday, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, and from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm.

We will end this city tour visiting the Ana Kai Tangata, a large cave decorated with paintings of Manu (birds) on the cave roof. It is located on the cliffs south of Hanga Roa in the Matavari sector.

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TESTIMONIALS

Easter Island 5D tour, January 2010
Efficient and always ready to adapt to our requests, Chrisitan organised our visit of Eastern Island.
He did his best to provide a French guide (local from the Island) who was perfect to discover the Island and make us discover the Rapa Nui culture.
Thank you for your professinal work.
Wakim Rouane and husband, USA

7 day tour on Easter Island + 6 day tour on Archeological sites in Iquique and Atacama surroundings, November 2008
Dear Cristian! First of all thank you for excellent tour. Absolutely impressed with Atacama part of the tour. Very well organized service , very friendly and knowledgeble guide, romantic unusual lunches and snacks, prepared for us. We changed a program only one time. Instead of going to Chiu-Chiu church we went to Petroglifos in Lasana valley. Those petroglyphos are very unique. Big  thanks to our guide for that side road additinal 2 hours trip.
Easter island part of our trip was very well organized, great accomodations and guide was friendly and helpfull, great english. Service in Santiago was spotless. We very much liked our tour.
Dear Cristian when we return will work with you again. Will reccomend Ecotours Chile to our friends. Happy New Year! Thank you.
Maryna Taranenko and Bradley Aipperpspatch, USA