4 Days / 3 Nights

Day 1 - Arrive Easter Island
You will be welcomed upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Overnight at your hotel.

Day 2 - Easter Island – Rano Kau, Orongo & Sebastian Englert’s Museum
The excursion begins in the town of Hanga Roa and heads towards Ahu Vinapu, a temple whose moai (sculptures) are curiously similar to stone works created by the Incas. According to some researchers, the evidence at this site illustrates that the first inhabitants on the island were of South American descent. The excursion proceeds vertically, up the Rano Kau volcano to the city of Orongo, the center or the “Bird Man” cult. This cult participated in a bizarre ceremony that was traditionally held here each year to elect the island’s religious leader. Note that the houses in Orongo, made of soft stone, have been meticulously restored. The cliffside, however, has been left untouched. It is adorned with hundreds of petroglyphs, such as Tangata Manu, the “Bird Man,” the Manu Tara, the sacred bird itself and Makemake, the god who was believed to have created the world. Pause to enjoy what is nothing short of a spectacular view of islets Motu Nui, Motu-Iti and Motu Kao-Kao. The tour continues with a stop in Hanga Roa and a visit to the Sebastián Englert Anthropological Museum, which houses exceptional exhibits including the only intact eye of a moai ever found. Overnight at your hotel. (B)

Day 3 - Easter Island – Ahu Vaihu, Akahanga, Tongariki, Te Pito Kura & Anakena Beach
As you depart from Hanga Roa and head toward the southern shore at Ahu Vaihu, you will find the site of 8 large moai lying in ruins. The second stop is Ahu Akahanga, one long stone platform and four fallen moais. According to legend, this site holds the tomb of the island’s first king, Hoto Matua. The ride proceeds to Ahu Tongariki, the largest ahu ever built. Destroyed by a tsunami in 1960, this site was later reassembled and now all 15 moai stand together. Your tour resumes with a drive past La Perouse Bay to the Ahu Te Pito Kura, which is said to symbolize the “Navel of the World.” The name literally means “navel of light,” referring to the stone from which the moai was carved. En route to Anakena Beach, visit the partially rebuilt Ahu Nau Nau and the lone moai of Ahu Ature Huki. Enjoy a leisurely picnic on the beach, where it is believed Hotu Matua first came ashore. Overnight at your hotel. (BL)

Day 4 - Depart Easter Island
The day is at leisure until your transfer to the airport for your departing flight. (B)