Easter Island Ritual and Fantasy

Day 01: Mataveri Airport – Hanga Roa (Easter Island)

Arrival in the Easter Island Airport. Reception in the Airport with flower necklace and transfer to your selected hotel.
Accommodation in Easter Island.

Day 02: Easter Island – Orongo Ceremonial Village
Breakfast in our hotel in Easter Island.
We start our tour at 09:30 am from Hanga Roa heading to the Tahai Archaeological Complex. This ceremonial center features 3 ahus: Ahu Vai Uri with 5 Moai statues, Ahu Tahai with 1 Moai statue and Ahu Le to Riko with 1 Moai statue. From this site, we will be able to appreciate inspiring landscapes. After that, we will visit the Ana Kai Tangata natural cave where it is possible to appreciate some rupestrian art representing birds such as the manutara, and where it is possible to watch waves breaking upon the cliff.  We will continue our tour by visiting the Rano Kau volcano where we will be able to see the largest crater on the Island and one of the largest sweet water reservation of the area. Finally, we will visit the Orongo Ceremonial Village, old and magnificent ceremonial city located in the western side of the Rano Kau volcano. It features 53 elliptical houses made of sandstone and a small square window looking to the sea. In this place, the most important ceremony of the second period of Easter Island was carried out: the election of the Tangata Manu (Bird-Man), this ceremony stopped being performed 150 years ago, due to the arrival of the first Christian missioners.
At 01:00 pm approximately, we will return to the village.
Accommodation in Easter Island.

Day 03: Easter Island – The Hotu Matua Route: Ahu Akahanga – Tongariki – Rano Raraku Volcano – Anakena Beach

Departing from Hanga Roa's town at about 9:30 am, going to the southeastern and northeastern coast of the Island visiting the Ahu Vaihu temple, which is located 10 km from Hanga Roa. It consists of a stone platform with 8 Moai statues and 8 pukao dispersed in the proximities. Then, we will go to Ahu Akahanga, so- called the "Platform of the king". The legend tells that Hotu Matua'a's tomb is near this place. There, we will find 4 platforms, 12 Moai statues, 8 Pukao and towards the interior of this Ahu; it is possible to see the best-preserved village of the island.
Later, we will go to Ahu Tongariki, with 15 Moai being the largest Ahu of the island. After that, we will meet Ahu Te Pito Kura, which possesses the highest statue of the island raised in an Ahu, the Moai Paro (10 meters of height and 85 tons with a Pukao of 11,5 tons). Near this ceremonial temple is the great spherical stone that is identified as the Center of the World (Te Pito o Te Henua), as the legend tells, it was brought to the island by Hotu Matua'a in his craft.
After that, we will arrive in Ahu Nau Nau, temple of a complex construction due to its different levels where we will find 5 Moai statues with Pukao. There, we will see petroglyphs in the backs of the statues. We will continue our excursion to the Rano Raraku volcano and quarry, where there was carved most of the Moai of the island, using the volcanic rock of its hillsides. There are an estimated number of 400 Moai in several stages of carved. Finishing our adventure, we will go to the Anakena Beach. It is a beach of white sands chosen for the arrival of the Ariki Hotu Matua'a and his sister Avareipua. Anakena is the name of a small cave in an adjacent gully.
Return to the town of Hanga Roa, total duration 8 hours.
Accommodation in Easter Island.

Day 04: Easter Island – Ahu Akivi (The Seven Explorers) - Mataveri Airport
Breakfast in the hotel in Easter Island.
We initiate the tour about 3:00 pm from Hanga Roa, visiting Ahu Vinapu, that it was used by the islanders in the year 1.200 A.C. including 3 Ahu. The first one has 6 Moai statues demolished and painted in red. The second one has a supposedly feminine Moai which had two heads. Finally, the third Moai, the oldest one, features only removed stones. We will continue our way to the quarry of Puna Pau, archaeological site in the eastern side of Hanga Roa. It is a small crater of red slag, from where the Pukao or hats of the Moai statues were obtained. Along its old exit, there are some incomplete and abandoned Moai. We will head to Ahu Akivi, the first Ahu restored by the science in the island in the year 1960. The platform with 7 Moai is characterized by being one of the few ones located in the center of the island, with its statues facing the rising sun. According the legend, these 7 Moai would represent 7 young explorers sent before Hotu Matua'a's arrival to investigate the island. Our adventure leads us to the cavern of Te Pahu, a place used as housing and temporary refuge in war times. Then, we will return to Hanga Roa, total duration 3,5 hours.
Transfer to the airport and typical farewell.
End of our services.