The ancient inhabitants of this 45-sq-mi/115-sq-km island called it Te Pito o Te Henua (the Navel of the World). Visitors today often call it the world's largest open-air museum. It has a fascinating - and tragic - history. Easter Island, the most isolated island in the world, is believed to have been settled by Polynesians who ventured across the Pacific from the Marquesas Islands. Settling on Rapa Nui (the Polynesian name for Easter Island), they tilled the land and used the native palm trees both for their houses and fishing boats. But their most spectacular and permanent constructions were the moais, huge images of gods carved from volcanic stone and set all around the island, facing the sea. (The moais are estimated to weigh 50-90 tons/45,000-80,000 kg.)

The islanders believed the gods conferred mana, or spiritual power, keeping their fields fertile and the ocean fishes plentiful. All went well until the last palm tree was chopped down - then, all the mana on the island was insufficient to prevent soil erosion or to provide construction material for fishing boats. In about 1580, famine swept the island, and a series of civil wars followed, lasting 250 years. It was during these wars that Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen first saw the island on Easter Sunday, 1722.

Make this your holiday:
Exclusive Tour: your own private multilingual guide throughout the trip 
Price Guarantee: costing 25-30% less than similar tours of the same flexibility and quality
Tailor Made: customised itinerary to create your dream holiday
Duration: shorten or lengthen the tour to suit your wishes
Dates: depart and return whenever you choose
Hotels: change hotel grade to suit your budget
Group Discounts: call 0845 310 2929.

Day 01– Hanga Roa, Easter Island
You are met upon arrival at Mataveri International Airport and transferred to your hotel for check-in and overnight. Hotel Taha Tai

Day 02 – Easter Island
Full day tour on Easter Island. The tour begins with a drive along the south-eastern coast of the island, including a stop at the Rano Raraku volcano, where 95% of all moai were carved. Today you will find 394 statues in various stages of completion. A walk to the top of the volcano’s crater will not only reveal many statues but also a beautiful fresh water lake. After the volcano hike we continue on the restored Ahu Tongariki. This magnificent platform is the largest on the island and holds a row of fifteen moai. This site was completely destroyed by a tidal wave caused by the earthquake in Valdivia in 1960.

The ahu was restored in 1992 by Claudio Cristino of the University of Chile. The tour continues along the north coast and passes through La Perousse bay to stop at Ahu Te Pito Kura. This is the site of the largest moai ever transported and erected onto an ahu. The moai stands at 9.8 meters and has an estimated weight of 82 tonnes. Its topknot alone weighs approximately 11 tonnes. The next stop is the beach of Anakena, where according to native legend Hotu Matua first landed on Rapa Nui. A bush lunch will be arranged for you this day. Here one can see the Ahu Nau Nau, partially restored in 1978 by Rapa Nui Archaeologist Sergio Rapu. Located in this same area is the Ahu Ature Huki. The moai standing on this ahu was the first one ever to be placed back onto its ahu after having been toppled. This was done by a group of islanders working with Thor Heyerdahl and the Norwegian expedition in 1956. From Anakena we tour continues to Vaitea, then back to town and the hotel. Hotel Taha Tai (B,L)

Day 03 – Easter Island
Full day tour of the southern part of the island. The tour today begins with a visit to Ahu Vinapu with its incredible stone walls similar to those built by the ancient Incas; the architecture of these walls is sometimes used as an argument to support the theory that the early islanders came from South America. The tour proceeds vertically, up the Rano Kau volcano to the ceremonial village of Orongo, the centre of the “Bird Man” cult. A ceremony was traditionally held here each year to elect island’s religious leader. Each participant would attempt to retrieve the first egg laid by the sacred manutara bird. The first one to swim across to the islet of Motu Nui, retrieve the egg, swim back to the shore, and then scale the 100-metre-tall cliff would become Birdman (Tangata Manu). His leader would be made religious leader for a year. The houses in Orongo, made of soft stone, have been meticulously restored, but the cliff side has been left untouched: it is adorned with hundreds of petroglyphs such as Tangata Manu, the manutara, , and Make-Make, the god who, it was believed, created the world. There will be time to appreciate the views of the three islets Motu Nui, Motu Iti and Motu Kao-Kao, and take in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean and the huge sky. Trekking or horseback riding tours will be available for this afternoon, including a delicious bush lunch.. The tour will begin at Ahu Akivi. This ahu with its seven moai was completely restored in 1960 by Dr. William Mulloy who had the site dated at 1460 AD. Your horseback riding will take you to the Maunga Terevaka Volcano, located at 600 metres above sea level (1200 feet), is the highest point on the island. From this vantage point, one is able to enjoy a 360° panoramic view of the island. If you decide for a trekking excursion, the area to be visited will be Ana te Pahu. This beautiful natural lava tube cave was used for shelter by ancient islanders. Today it is also used by islanders as a shelter for various types of plants and trees. Then you will continue to Puna Pau . It is from this crater that the red scoria used to make the top knots was quarried. Next the tour moves on to the Father Sebastian Englert Museum, which is located just above the Tahai complex. Hotel Taha Tai (B,L)

Day 04 – Easter Island
Transfer to the airport to board your flight* to Santiago. (B)

*Flights are not included in land cost.

NOTE: We make no extra charge for minor changes to hotels or hotel add-ons to the beginning or the end of the existing itinerary. No surcharges will be imposed within 30 days of departure. Wherever possible any downward revision in the price of trips if shown in our website will be refunded to you.

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AwimAway is an online seller of adventure and activity travel. We have a range of high quality tour operators from around the world who offer adventure and active holidays at compatible prices. We provide you with a flexibility of selecting your holiday from UK operator or going straight to a local operator in the destination of your choosing. Most of our holidays provided by our associate tour operators are tailor-made to your requirement. You can book your holiday through our customer service managed by our expert adventure consultants.

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What is Adventure & Activity Travel? Adventure travel includes activities like hiking, biking, diving, and multi-sport tours. Activity travel includes activities like cultural, expedition cruising, wildlife safari and culinary tours. In all cases, AwimAway is your premier booking service to visiting the wonders of the world, either man-made wonders like the pyramids, machu picchu or the great wall, or natural wonders like alaska, antarctica or the galapagos islands, just to name a few.