A portion of this tour runs as a group tour where you will be escorted by an expert tour leader. Another portion is self-guided, whether conducted by rail, cruise or land, and you will travel between destinations on your own, with free time to explore at your own pace.
This tour is conducted at a medium-fast pace. Some long travel days may be required to complete this itinerary and you will typically spend two nights at each destination, with some one night stays required. This trip includes a mix of sightseeing and free time to explore at your own pace. You will be required to move about unassisted, including getting on and off vehicles, walking up and down stairs and some activities will be conducted on uneven or steep terrain. You will be required to handle your own luggage.
These tours are our proudest creations. They have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for exact group size. Enjoy features such as hand-picked accommodation, a sampling of the region’s best culinary delights, and a range of optional activities to choose from to best suit your travel style.
✓ Incredible sightseeing including Anakena, Orongo Village, Rano Kau and Vinapu, Ahu Akivi, Rapa Nui Town
✓ 4 nights in 3 & 4-star accommodation
✓ Breakfast daily, 1 lunch
✓ Professional English-speaking guides
✓ Comfortable, dedicated transportation throughout
✓ Economy class flights Santiago to Easter Island return
✓ In-depth sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary
✈ Needing international airfares to accompany your Inspiring Vacation? You will be able to access our flight portal after securing your package to add international airfares to your booking.
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Chile! Upon your arrival at Santiago de Chile Airport (SCL), please make your way to the Hotel Aeropuerto Santiago, Holiday Inn. Your hotel is ideally located directly in front of the Airport Terminal, just a few steps outside of baggage claim.
Once you’ve checked in, the rest of the day is at leisure. Take a dip in the heated pool, relax in the sauna or head for the gym to stretch after your flight. The Grill Restaurant and Boarding Bar is a good choice for dinner. It has an extensive menu with plenty of Chilean wine.
NOTE:
Standard check-in time is 3pm. If you are arriving earlier you are welcome to leave your luggage at the hotel until your room is ready.
After breakfast, check out and make your way to Santiago Airport’s Domestic Terminal for your included flight to Easter Island.
Upon arrival at Mataveri International Airport, you will be transferred to Taha Tai Hotel, your home for the next three nights.
The Taha Tai Hotel is set in idyllic tropical gardens and only a short stroll to the shore. From the main red-roof building and down a path you’ll find the bar and dining room with the most spectacular ocean views. It’s just 500 meters from the center of Hanga Roa, while Hanga Roa Museum is 3-km away.
This evening, opt for dinner at the hotel restaurant or venture to Hanga Roa. Here, you won’t find fast food franchises but instead restaurants serving traditional Rapa Nui cuisine: plenty of native fish and seafood like mahi-mahi and kana-kana, and rape-rape, a type of crayfish, alongside sweet potato and taro. Delicious!
Today after breakfast, you will be picked up at 9am to start your full day tour of Anakena. Don’t forget to pack your swimsuit as we’ll have the chance to go for a dip later in the day.
We will start our day with a visit to Ahu Akahanga, an archaeological site where the remains of what was an old village can be seen. According to oral tradition, the first king of the island, Ariki Hotu Matu’a, is buried here. It is said that his sons moved him here, his final resting place, from the top of the Rano Kau volcano.
Next, we will visit the Rano Raraku volcano where you’ll find the largest collection of moai or statues that were carved by the Rapa Nui people between 1250 and 1500. The moai were probably carved to commemorate important ancestors. This place is also known as the quarry, or the ‘factory of the moai.’ There are almost 400 statues here, in different stages of carving, with different characteristics and states of conservation. From here, we’ll move onto Ahu Tongariki, the site where you’ll find the most extensive platform (or ahu) which the moai stand upon. Ahu Tongariki is also home to the largest amount of restored moai on the whole island.
Once we have visited these insightful sites, we will return to Hanga Roa where you will visit the family house of Mahinatur. You’ll also have the chance to learn about what grows on the island: the local trees, flowers and the typical vegetation. A boxed lunch will be provided.
Heading to Te Pito Kura, a rock with magnetic properties, it is said to have been brought by the first king, also called ‘the navel of the world.’ You will also see Paro moai, the island's largest transported moai (it has been moved from the quarry). Lying face down, toppled from its ahu, Paro weighs 82 tonnes.
To end our magical day, we will visit one of the most important sites in Rapa Nui culture, Hanga Rau o Te Ariki, where the Ahu Nau-Nau, a platform with seven moai statues (some wearing stone crowns and hats), sits facing the sea at Anakena beach. Our guide will tell us all about the history of this beautiful place.
We will spend about 30 minutes here. Go for a swim in the crystal clear sea or relax with a book on the white sand.
Following your tour you will return to your hotel where the remainder of the evening is free.
This morning after breakfast we will depart the hotel around 9am. On today’s tour you will learn about Rapa Nui mythology, discover important elements of the island's geography, and understand the enigmatic history of the ancient inhabitants of this isolated point on the planet.
We will take guided tours of Orongo Village and Rano Kau and Vinapu, some of the most important ceremonial centers of Easter Island. The journey includes rock paintings and archaeological sites of significant cultural value, an ascent to the Rano Kau volcano, and an interpretive trail through the ancestral village of Orongo.
The impressive Rano Kau crater, the widest and deepest on the island, and a visit to the platform (ahu) to view carved rocks and the remains of moai and pukao, rounds out the morning tour before returning to your hotel.
At 2.30pm, we’ll head off on our afternoon tour of archaeological sites Ahu Akivi, Ana Te Pahu, and Puna Pau. We’ll view the platform with seven moai that, according to oral tradition, was created in honor of the first explorers of Rapa Nui. We’ll also explore the pukao quarry, Puna Pau, where the most decorative pukao (hat-like structures or topknots on top of moai statues) can be seen. There’s also a stellar, panoramic view of Hanga Roa village to enjoy.
We will also visit the magnificent cave, Ana Te Pahu, which was used by the ancient Rapa Nui as a dwelling and refuge during times of social instability.
We’ll return to the hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure.
On this morning's city tour of Rapa Nui, you will gain further insight into the history of the Rapa Nui people as we learn more about the megalithic stage of Rapa Nui culture.
We’ll start on the west coast where one historically significant site, Ahu Tahai, has three different ahus (altars) - Ahu Ko Te Riku, Ahu Vai Uri, and Ahu Tahai - and features a moai with coral eyes. Our journey will continue to Ahu Hanga Kio’e, located 3 km from the village on the island's west coast near Tahai.
Legend has it that this ceremonial center announced the investiture of the Ariki Henua (the island's king). It's a beautiful place that we’ll reach by foot from the Tahai area. On our route, we’ll stop at Padre Sebastián Englert Anthropological Museum, which houses a valuable collection of graphics and drawings depicting Rapa Nui culture. Established in 1973, the museum has a large collection (around
1,500 pieces) detailing the island's cultural heritage.
We’ll return to the hotel to collect your luggage and you’ll be transferred to Mataveri International Airport for your included flight back to Santiago where your tour comes to an end.
We hope you have been inspired by the people, culture and sights of Easter Island and look forward to seeing you on your next tour.
Secure your trip with a $99.00 deposit per person.
Once we receive your deposit, we will send you an invoice with your remaining balance and payment options.
Instalment Schedule:
This is a land only package.
This package does not include international airfares. If you would like to add airfares to your booking our flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub. The flight portal will allow you to search for all available airfares to your destination. The function works like most general flight search engines allowing you to select your preferred airline, book different cabin classes (eg. Business class) and view flight durations and transit times to your destination.
The flight portal will be available via your Traveller Hub once the following criteria has been met:
Visit our Flight Hub for more information on terms and conditions, amending your flights and information on luggage allowances.
It is the traveler's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return. Visas may be required for your destination. For further visa information, CLICK HERE.
Some of our packages will include airport transfers in either one or both directions when arriving or departing from your destination. To know if transfers are included please view the ‘inclusions’ section of your selected package. If airport transfers are stated, transfers will be included as advised.
If transfers are not included, we also offer the option to book your airport transfers using our online portal. Access to this portal is available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed. Transfers are readily available and do not need to be booked until your final hotel list has been confirmed. Once you have made a transfer booking, please refer to your confirmation email for all transfer details including a local contact number for the transfer company.
If you book pre and/or post-tour accommodation on your own arrangement, and the tour includes transfers, note that these will be forfeited. The transfers are only provided in line with the tour dates and pre and/or post-tour accommodation purchased through Inspiring Vacations when available.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a ”3”
3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. Tipping is not compulsory on your trip, but they can make a big difference to locals employed in the tourism industry. If you feel that your guide and driver have done an impeccable job, you can choose to give a gratuity, but this is entirely your decision.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, but we can’t guarantee your request will be available at all properties.
Single travellers
When booking this tour, solo travellers will be presented with two options:
1 - Single Supplement
By paying an additional $734.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price, you guarantee the privacy of your own room throughout the entire trip.
2- Shared Room with a known friend
If travelling together with a friend, you can opt to share your room with him/her and avoid paying a single supplement.
You and your friend can create a unique booking each. Creating a unique booking, gives each of you the flexibility of making different travel arrangements (such adding extra accommodation, flights, etc), make separate payments and have individual access to our Traveller’s Hub
During the purchase path, you will need to provide your friend’s booking ID (if known) or at a minimum, your friend’s full name.
Triple Share
Not available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book Comprehensive or Essentials cover for your domestic, international or multi-trip journeys simply by clicking HERE.
Note that Inspiring Vacations cannot provide advice with regards to any insurance product.
Group Size
Minimum: 2
Maximum: 20
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Tour Style
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
All participants must be in good physical condition to fully engage in this journey. For the safety and welfare of yourself and fellow travellers, if you are feeling unwell prior to departure, we advise staying home and contacting us to arrange alternate plans.
Prior to selecting your trip, carefully review the itinerary to assess your ability to comfortably manage our travel style. Please be aware that if, based on evaluation by our leader or local representative, a participant is deemed unable to safely complete the itinerary, we retain the right to exclude them from all or part of the trip without reimbursement.
It is advisable to consult your physician for current medical travel advisories and any required vaccinations before embarking. We recommend carrying a first aid kit and any necessary medications in their original packaging, as they may not be readily available during travel. For those carrying medication, it's essential to check your government's foreign travel guidelines for local restrictions or regulations.
Click HERE for more information on weather in Chile.
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