Chile · Archaeology

2-Day Archaeology Tour of Easter Island with Rano Raraku and Orongo

2 Days Round trip from Rano Raraku Moderate pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Travel to the archaeological site of Ahu Tongariki
02 Explore the sites of Rano Kau and Rano Raraku
03 Marvel at the view from Orongo and its birdman carvings
04 Learn about the moai statues and the people who built them

Sign up for this tour of Easter Island to discover the meaning of the moai statues and the people who built them. Explore Rapa Nui with the help of a local guide and understand the connection between the natives and their archaeological heritage. Visit Ahu Tongariki, the largest ahu, and enjoy the view from Orongo along with its birdman carvings.

If guavas are in season, you can graze on wild guavas as you walk through the guava scrub.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Easter Island, Valparaiso

Languages English, French, Japanese, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Rano Raraku, Ahu Tongariki and Orongo

Meet your guide upon arrival and start your guided tour.
Visit the incomplete statues at Rano Raraku. Both Rano Kau and Rano Raraku are the remains of volcanic cinder cones and are filled with fresh rainwater. The entry fee is 60 US dollars in total for the two sites, so make sure you keep your ticket. For hikers, Rano Kau is a pleasant day trek from Hanga Roa. It is possible to trek from town to the lip of the crater and down to the lake's edge. If guavas are in season, you can graze on wild guavas as you walk through the guava scrub.
Explore Ahu Tongariki, the largest ahu. Hiking to the opposite lip of the crater, where the most moai are found, is one of the most dramatic sights on the island. Ahu Tongariki, nearby, is the largest ahu.
Enjoy the view from Orongo and see some birdman carvings.

Day 02

Rano Kau and Birdman Village

Visit the two exceptional sites, the volcanic craters of Rano Kau and Rano Raraku. Rano Kau is the largest crater on the island and contains the largest freshwater lake/marsh.

Where this trip takes you

Rano Raraku incomplete moai, Ahu Tongariki largest ahu, Rano Kau crater lake, Orongo birdman carvings

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Rano Raraku 2 cities · 2 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Bus, truck, or jeep
Driver
Multilingual Rapa Nui native tour guide

What's Not Included

National park ticket

What to bring

Suncream
Water
Sportswear and shoes

Know before you go

Today is a real opportunity to live an adventure and, at the same time, visit the island's tourist sites. Around the island, you can find the remains of the ancient culture of the native islanders.
Rapa Nui, or Easter Island (Spanish: Isla de Pascua, Polynesian: Rapa Nui), is one of the most isolated islands on Earth. Early settlers called the island 'Te Pito O Te Henua' (Navel of the World). Officially a territory of Chile, it lies far out in the Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway to Tahiti. Known as one of the world's sacred sites, it is most famous for its enigmatic giant stone statues, or moai, whose oversized heads, carved centuries ago, reflect the history of the dramatic rise and fall of the most isolated Polynesian culture.
Many assume that only the highly intrepid traveller can reach Easter Island due to its geographic isolation. The island is accessible by regular commercial air service, and tourism is the island's primary industry.
Still, it is somewhat out of the way for most people, with a minimum of more than 5.5 hours in the air from the nearest continent and minimal routes. The only regular flights are daily to Santiago de Chile and once per week to Tahiti. With no competition for fares on an objectively lengthy and obscure flight, fares range between US$300-US$1200 round trip from Santiago.
The only scenario in which Easter Island is conveniently located is on a round-the-world voyage, which provides an exciting stop between Polynesia and South America and will help bolster others' perception that you went everywhere.
In brief, the prehistory of Easter Island is one of supreme accomplishment, flourishing, and civilization, followed by environmental devastation and decline. Although it is not agreed upon when people first arrived on Easter Island, with estimates of one thousand years ago, the consensus seems to be that the first people arrived from Polynesia.
The islanders prospered due to these advantages, and a reflection of this is the religion that sprouted in their leisure, which had at its centrepiece the giant moai statues, the island's most distinctive feature today.

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