Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Easter Island: Rapa Nui, the Moai and Orongo
5 days on Rapa Nui from Hanga Roa: sunrise at Ahu Tongariki, the Rano Raraku quarry, Orongo on the rim of Rano Kau and the beach at Anakena.
5 days · Round trip from Hanga Roa · up to 12 guests
The fifteen moai of Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial platform on Rapa Nui Photo: TravelingOtter, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ahu_Tongariki_-_Easter_Island_(5956406190).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 5 days, 4 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Hanga Roa
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 2 h on day 4No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Activity level
Easy
About 1 to 3 km on foot on each touring day, on grass, dirt paths and rough lava rock, with short climbs on the Rano Raraku quarry slope and along the Orongo rim, and 2 to 4 hours a day on your feet. Short drives, never more than about 30 minutes at a time. You can sit out the quarry climb or the lava cave and wait with the vehicle.
- Meals included
- 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 440 (estimated price)
- Season
- October to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- Sunrise behind the fifteen moai of Ahu Tongariki, then the same row in afternoon light two days later
- Rano Raraku at opening, among the half-buried moai on the quarry slope where they were carved
- Orongo on the rim of Rano Kau, with birdman carvings above the islets of the old egg race
- A swim at Anakena beneath the moai of Ahu Nau Nau, with lunch on the beach
- Sunset at Ahu Tahai on the first evening, a short walk from the hotel
- Puna Pau, the seven moai of Ahu Akivi and the Ana Te Pahu lava cave inland
- A licensed Rapa Nui guide at every park site, and your See Sight Tours guide throughout
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 440 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 2 h, on day 4.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Hanga Roa, sunset at Ahu Tahai
Mataveri airport to Hanga Roa, then on foot to the harbour and Ahu Tahai
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Hanga Roa
- Drive about 15 min
Fly in from Santiago, about five to five and a half hours over the open Pacific. Schedules vary by day, and the island runs two hours behind mainland Chile; we send your arrival time with the flight quote. There is no jet bridge at Mataveri airport, so you walk down the steps onto the apron, and your driver meets you outside the small terminal for the five-minute ride into Hanga Roa, the island's only town, where we stay all four nights, about 15 minutes' walk from the harbour and Ahu Tahai. After check-in your See Sight Tours guide walks the group down to the harbour, where the first moai, Ahu Tautira, stands above the fishing boats, then north along the shore road past cafés and surf breaks. We end at Ahu Tahai, the restored ceremonial site on the edge of town: Ahu Ko Te Riku, the one moai with its eyes restored, stands near the five figures of Ahu Vai Uri, and the sun sets behind them into the ocean.
Evening
A short briefing on the park rules and the days ahead, then a welcome dinner in town.
Included
- Pick-up at Mataveri airport (IPC)
- Walk through Hanga Roa to the harbour and Ahu Tautira with your guide
- Sunset at Ahu Tahai: Ahu Ko Te Riku and Ahu Vai Uri
- Briefing on the park rules
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free between check-in and the late-afternoon walk
Activity: About 3 km on foot, on pavement and grass; the walk back from Tahai is short and the driver can collect anyone who prefers.
Sunrise at Tongariki, the Rano Raraku quarry
Hanga Roa to Ahu Tongariki at sunrise, then Rano Raraku, back to Hanga Roa
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Hanga Roa
- Drive about 1.5 h
The day starts in the dark.
Morning
Sunrise on Rapa Nui comes late, around 7 to 8 am depending on the season, and we leave Hanga Roa about 45 minutes before it for the half-hour drive across the island to Ahu Tongariki. Its fifteen moai, on the largest platform on the island, stand with their backs to the sea, so the sun comes up behind them and lights the sky around their outlines. A tsunami in 1960 threw them inland; they were raised again in the 1990s. We stay through the first light with a picnic breakfast and a slow walk along the platform, which fills the wait until Rano Raraku opens (we confirm the time for your dates), then drive a couple of minutes there. With your Rapa Nui guide you walk the quarry slope where nearly every moai on the island was carved: hundreds of figures still stand buried to their shoulders, and Te Tokanga, the unfinished giant of about 21 m, still lies in the rock. Look for Tukuturi, the kneeling moai.
Afternoon
We are back in Hanga Roa for a sit-down lunch by about 1 pm, and the afternoon is free.
Included
- Sunrise at Ahu Tongariki
- Picnic breakfast at Tongariki
- Rano Raraku, the moai quarry, at opening with a licensed Rapa Nui guide
- Sit-down lunch in Hanga Roa
Easier option: Walk the lower quarry path only, among the standing heads, and wait at the visitor area while the group climbs higher.
More active option: Where the path is open, walk on into the crater of Rano Raraku to see the moai standing around its reed-fringed lake.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Hanga Roa
Activity: The only early start of the trip. About 2 km on foot at Rano Raraku on a dirt path with a steady climb. A fire in 2022 damaged parts of the quarry, and some paths may be closed; your guide follows the current route.
Orongo, Rano Kau and the inland moai
Hanga Roa to Rano Kau and Orongo, Ahu Vinapu, then Puna Pau, Ahu Akivi and Ana Te Pahu
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Hanga Roa
- Drive about 1 h
A western day, close to town. We drive up to the rim of Rano Kau, the volcano at the island's south-west tip, about fifteen minutes from Hanga Roa, and look down into its crater, more than a kilometre across, with a reed-covered lake at the bottom. Orongo, the ceremonial village on the narrow rim, sits about 300 m above the sea, with low houses of stacked flat stone and rocks carved with the birdman, the figure of a ritual that followed the age of moai building. Each spring, men climbed down the cliff and swam to the islet of Motu Nui to bring back the first sooty tern egg, and your Rapa Nui guide tells the story where it happened. Below the volcano, Ahu Vinapu shows fitted stonework often compared with Inca walls.
Afternoon
After lunch in Hanga Roa we head inland: Puna Pau, the red-stone quarry for the moai topknots; Ahu Akivi, whose seven moai stand inland and look toward the ocean; and Ana Te Pahu, a lava-tube cave once lived in, with banana plants at its mouth.
Evening
We are back by about 4 pm, with the evening free.
Included
- Rano Kau crater viewpoint and Orongo ceremonial village with a licensed Rapa Nui guide
- Ahu Vinapu
- Sit-down lunch in Hanga Roa
- Puna Pau topknot quarry
- Ahu Akivi and its seven moai
- Ana Te Pahu lava cave
Optional experiences
- A Rapa Nui dance performance in Hanga Roa in the evening, paid on the night
Easier option: Skip Ana Te Pahu, where the floor is uneven lava and the ceiling low in places, and wait with the vehicle.
More active option: Walk up to Orongo from the edge of town on the Rano Kau trail, about 4 km one way with about 300 m of climb, and meet the group on the rim.
Free time: Evening free in Hanga Roa
Activity: About 3 km on foot in total, on gravel paths at Orongo and rough lava in the cave. The Orongo rim can be very windy.
Anakena beach and the east coast
Hanga Roa to Anakena, then Ahu Te Pito Kura, Ahu Tongariki and the south coast back to Hanga Roa
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Hanga Roa
- Drive about 2 h
Today crosses the island to its main sandy beach and comes home along the east and south coasts.
Morning
We leave after breakfast on the inland road and reach Anakena by mid-morning, before the beach fills. Tradition says Hotu Matu'a, the first king, landed here. Above the white coral sand and coconut palms stand Ahu Ature Huki, the first moai raised again in modern times, and Ahu Nau Nau, whose moai lay buried in sand for centuries and kept the fine carving on their backs.
Afternoon
Swim, read in the shade, then a sit-down lunch at Anakena. Along the north coast we stop at Ahu Te Pito Kura, where a smooth round stone called the navel of the world lies beside Paro, the largest moai ever raised on a platform, now fallen. Then back to Ahu Tongariki in afternoon light, with the sun on the faces of the moai, and home along the south coast past Ahu Akahanga and Ahu Vaihu, where toppled moai and their red topknots lie where they fell.
Evening
A farewell dinner in Hanga Roa ends the day.
Included
- Anakena beach, Ahu Nau Nau and Ahu Ature Huki with a licensed Rapa Nui guide
- Sit-down lunch at Anakena
- Ahu Te Pito Kura
- Ahu Tongariki in afternoon light
- Ahu Akahanga and Ahu Vaihu on the south coast
- Farewell dinner in Hanga Roa
Easier option: Stay on the beach at Anakena through the morning and see the coastal sites from the vehicle with short stops only.
More active option: Swim or snorkel off Anakena, the one beach on the island where the water is usually calm enough.
Free time: Free time on the beach at Anakena
Activity: Easy walking on sand and grass; short stops at each site. Bring a swimsuit and a towel.
A free morning, then fly to Santiago
Hanga Roa to Mataveri airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
A free morning in Hanga Roa before the flight back to Santiago. Walk down to the harbour for coffee and the fishing boats, browse the craft market for wood and stone carvings, or visit the Padre Sebastián Englert Anthropological Museum near Ahu Tahai, which tells the island's story from the first Polynesian settlers to the present (we check its opening days for your dates). If your last morning is a Sunday, Mass at the Holy Cross church in Hanga Roa is sung partly in the Rapa Nui language, and visitors are welcome at the back. Your guide sees you to Mataveri airport, five minutes from town, in good time for check-in. Flight schedules vary by day; the flight back takes about four and a half to five hours and gains two hours on the clock, so it lands in Santiago late in the day. Plan any onward international flight for the next day, or stay on in Santiago and start our Chile trip from there.
Included
- Drop-off at Mataveri airport (IPC) with your guide
Optional experiences
- Sunday Mass at the Holy Cross church, if your last morning is a Sunday
Free time: Morning free in Hanga Roa
Activity: Book onward international flights from Santiago for the next day, not the same evening.
- Hanga Roa4 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Subtropical and breezy all year: warmest from January to March, coolest in July and August, with showers in any month that usually pass quickly. The sun is strong even on cloudy days. The Tapati Rapa Nui festival in early February fills hotels early.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers adding Rapa Nui to a Chile trip who want it guided, not a string of join-in tours
- People curious about Polynesian history and archaeology, not only the photos
- An easy pace from one hotel, with free afternoons and evenings
- Solo travellers who want company and a guide on a remote island
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: the sites mean grass, dirt paths and rough lava rock
- A beach holiday: there is one main sandy beach and the sea is rough elsewhere
- Travellers who want to explore the park alone: a licensed guide is required at most sites
- Anyone expecting the Santiago flights in the price
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
4 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Hanga Roa4 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 4 nights in a central hotel in Hanga Roa, about 15 minutes' walk from the harbour and Ahu Tahai
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up and drop-off at Mataveri airport (IPC)
- A private vehicle and driver for the group on every touring day
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip
- A licensed Rapa Nui guide for our group at every national park site, as park rules require
Activities
- Hanga Roa: walk to the harbour and sunset at Ahu Tahai
- Ahu Tongariki at sunrise and again in afternoon light
- Rano Raraku, the moai quarry, at opening
- Rano Kau crater and the Orongo ceremonial village
- Ahu Vinapu
- Puna Pau, Ahu Akivi and the Ana Te Pahu lava cave
- Anakena beach, Ahu Nau Nau and Ahu Ature Huki
- Ahu Te Pito Kura, Ahu Akahanga and Ahu Vaihu
Meals
- Breakfast daily (4), with a picnic breakfast at Tongariki
- 3 lunches: 2 in Hanga Roa and 1 at Anakena
- 2 dinners: a welcome dinner and a farewell dinner in Hanga Roa
Not included
- Flights between Santiago and Easter Island
- International flights to and from Chile
- Rapa Nui National Park ticket (each visitor buys it in their own name; price confirmed when you book)
- Visa, if your passport needs one
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as a dance performance, diving or horse riding
- Personal expenses
Local fees
- Rapa Nui National Park ticket, bought by each visitor in their own name; price confirmed when you book.
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 440 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the Easter Island trip price include?
Four nights in a central Hanga Roa hotel, about 15 minutes' walk from the harbour, breakfast daily, three sit-down lunches, a welcome and a farewell dinner, airport transfers at Mataveri, a private vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, a licensed Rapa Nui guide at every park site, and every visit in the day plan. The park ticket and the Santiago flights are extra.
Is the Rapa Nui National Park ticket included?
No. Every visitor buys the park ticket in their own name, online before travelling or on arrival, so it is listed as an exclusion; we tell you the current price when you book. It allows one entry each at Rano Raraku and Orongo, which is why the plan visits each once, at the best time of day.
Who leads the trip, and do I need a local guide?
Your See Sight Tours guide is with the group from arrival to departure. Park rules require visitors to be accompanied by a licensed Rapa Nui guide at most sites, so we book one for our group at every park visit. You hear the island's history from Rapa Nui people, not from a join-in coach tour.
Are flights from Santiago to Easter Island included?
No. The flight takes about five to five and a half hours each way, and fares change a lot by date, so we leave it out of the price and quote it on request. The trip starts and ends at Mataveri airport, five minutes from Hanga Roa, and we meet every guest there.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, so everyone can hear the Rapa Nui guide at each platform and the group fits around one table at lunch. If you would rather travel with just your own party, the private version runs on a date you choose.
How fit do I need to be?
Easy. Touring days involve about 1 to 3 km on foot, on grass, dirt paths and rough lava, with short climbs at Rano Raraku and along the Orongo rim. Drives are short. You can stay on the lower quarry path or skip the lava cave and wait with the vehicle.
I am travelling solo. What will I pay?
Solo travellers pay the same trip price plus a single supplement from CAD 440 for a room of your own, shown up front before you book. If you would rather share, tell us when you request to book. Sharing depends on another solo guest of the same gender booking your date; if nobody does, the supplement applies, and we tell you before any payment.
When is the best time to visit Easter Island?
The trip runs all year. October to April brings the warmest weather and longest days, with January to March the hottest. Winter, July and August, is cooler and greener. Showers can come in any month and usually pass quickly. Early February brings the Tapati festival, when hotels fill early.
Can I add this to the See Sight Tours Chile trip?
Yes, that is what it is built for. Our Chile trip from the Atacama to Torres del Paine ends in Santiago, and this trip starts with the flight from Santiago to the island. We can date the two together and quote the flights between them.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the hotel, transfers and Rapa Nui guides for you.
Do I need a visa or any paperwork for Rapa Nui?
Canadian and US passport holders do not need a visa for a tourist visit to Chile; check the rules for your own passport. Visitors to Rapa Nui also fill in an online entry form before flying and can stay up to 30 days. We send the link and your hotel confirmation with your final itinerary.
How does booking work?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes. The small group starts from CAD 2,595 per person. Pick your start date and request to book; we confirm your trip within 24 hours. No payment is taken until your trip is confirmed.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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