From: £739
From: $984
You have the rest of this first day at your leisure to explore the town of Hanga Roa and its environs, the local museum, and neighbouring beaches.
A full day out and about on the island. Firstly, we head to Ahus Vaihu and Akahanga along the south coast.
Later we drive on to Rano Raraku, the quarry where the moais were once made. Then on to Ahu Tongariki, with its 15 restored moais and nearby petroglyphs.
After lunch, we drive to Ahu Te Pito Kura and the ‘Navel of the World.’ Next, on to visit the beach of Anakena with its Ahu Nau Nau, where we shall enjoy an optional picnic and the opportunity to enjoy the warm Pacific Ocean before returning back to your hotel.
If you choose the 3-day trip, we transfer you from the hotel to the airport and you fly back to Santiago.
If you choose a 4 or 5 day trip, your trip continues with a half-day excursion to Rano Kau. We visit the crater lake and the ceremonial village of Orongo, where the birdman culture once chose its king. You can also see the famous Ahu Vinapu which is reminiscent of pre-Inca architecture.
The afternoon is spent at leisure with time to explore the town of Hanga Roa and the Museum of Sebastian Englert. It’s also well worth paying a visit to the local church with its extraordinary wood carvings.
If you choose the 4-day trip, we transfer you from the hotel to the airport and you fly back to Santiago.
If you choose a 5-day trip, your trip continues with a drive across the island to see Ahu Akivi and its seven restored moais.
Afterwards we visit the quarry of Puna Pau and Tahai ceremonial complex. Afternoon to be spent at your leisure exploring close to town or perhaps just relaxing in the southern sun.
Transfer to the airport, and our services end.
OR, we can book more nights’ accommodation on Easter Island.
A choice of 2-5* hotels on the island, with ensuite bathrooms.
This trip is open to anyone.
You need to be able to walk short distances (20mins to 1 hour), sometimes on rough terrain, to reach the statues.
You usually wake early, around 07.00-08.00 and have breakfast at your hotel. You join up with your group trip, and spend the day exploring the island with the group and your guide.
Lunch will be around 13.00 at a local restaurant, and then the trip continues until about 16.00, and then you are free to wander the island.
We can cater for almost all dietary requirements – please contact us for more information.
We include breakfast at hotels, which will include hot drinks, teas, coffees etc. and fruit juices, cereals, toast, eggs etc.
On the island itself you will find many restaurants serving up both local and international cuisine.
Rice, fish (tuna) and plantains feature frequently, along with sweet potatoes, yams and sugarcane.
A traditional dish is the Umu Rapa Nui, which is cooked in a hole in the ground with firewood and red-hot stones. Layers of meat, chicken, vegetables and fish are slow-cooked in the ground.
There are also lots of empanada type snacks, featuring fish or meat.
We use locally-owned hotels and local staff for all the transfers, accommodation, drivers and tours.
A wonderful Chilean adventure with perfect weather in Patagonia, spectacular Atacama night skies, friendly people, and an excellent guide making every moment unforgettable.
A seamless Patagonian trek crowned by unforgettable Torres del Paine views.
Lying more than 2,300 miles off the coast of Chile, Easter Island is home to the world famous moai statues.
It is a tiny volcanic triangle, and was named Rapa Nui or ‘Navel of the World’ by its early settlers. Today Easter Island is one of South America’s most iconic holiday destinations.
Easter Island is an archaeological treasure. Here you will find the famous moai stone statues, as well as caves and rocks decorated with etched petroglyphs and painted pictographs.
You can choose 3, 4 or 5 day guided trips, or stay longer and take advantage of the good climate and the chance to explore this fascinating place by foot, horseback or bike.
The international code for Chile is +56.
Easter Island’s dialling code is 032.
Not all smartphones will work in Easter Island or Chile. It is best to check with your operator before arrival. Roaming charges may be high.
Chile’s landlines have 7 digits, apart from Santiago where they have 8 digits.
To call landline to landline in the same city, simply dial the 7 or 8 digit number, for example: 1234567.
If calling a landline in another region or city, start with a 0 followed by the city area code (32 = Easter Island), for example: 032 1234567.
If using your own mobile phone to call a landline, dial the country code, the regional or city code without the 0, and then the number. For example: +56 32 1234567.
Mobiles have 8 digits.
If dialling a Chilean mobile from a Chilean landline, add 9 before the number, for example: 9 1234 5678.
If using your own mobile phone to call a Chilean mobile, dial the country code, then 9, then the 8 digit number, for example: +56 9 1234 5678.
Most hotels on the island offer Wi-Fi, but connections are often very slow.
Head to the state-owned Correos de Chile for postal services.
Andean Trails can book all your international and domestic flights for this trip and for UK passengers; we have full ATOL bonding and can book flights with most airlines.
International flight prices are variable and usually can only be guaranteed at the time of booking. If you would like to upgrade to business or first class, or even arrive at an earlier date/depart at a later date we can also arrange this for you.
Typically, you fly to a country’s capital city and then overnight there or make a connecting flight (if available) to your next destination.
Please contact us for flight advice especially if you do make a connection on the same day. It is important to purchase a through ticket and not separate tickets for connections, so that you are covered for any delays. Passengers with separate tickets that are delayed run the risk of having to buy an entirely new ticket to continue their journeys.
Please note all airline schedules are subject to change and are out of our control.
Almost all flight tickets are now e-tickets. Any that are not will be handed to you on arrival in South America – this is most common for flights on smaller planes in Amazon areas such as Guyana/Bolivia.
The final travel instructions we send you some 2-3 weeks before departure will list the latest flight times, flight numbers etc as well as list your e-ticket numbers and booking reference code (6 characters i.e. GB75RK). This is what you will need to check in with.
Depending on the airline, we can reserve some seats for you at the time of booking your international flights with us.
If we cannot reserve seats at the time of booking, you have to wait for online check in to open (usually 24-72 hours before departure).
To check in online you will need to go to the website of the airline you are travelling with, and have your e-ticket number/booking reference to hand. Click check in online, enter your details, and choose your seat.
Some flights will allocate seats at the check in desk at the airport and some may not allocate seats at all.
The United States (USA) has an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) which all travellers to and via the USA must complete BEFORE travel to/via its airports and shores.
More information can be found on their ESTA website.
Passengers who have not completed the form will be denied boarding.
Before you begin this application, make sure that you have a valid passport and credit card available.
This application will only accept the following credit cards: MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and Discover (JCB, Diners Club).
Read our blogs about food to try in Chile and restaurants in Santiago.
| Main dishes (meat) | |
|---|---|
| Cazuela de ave | Stew of chicken, potato, rice, onion and green pepper. |
| Valdiviano | Stew with beef, onion, potato and egg. |
| Empanadas de pino | Pasties filled with chopped meat, onion and peppers, raisins, black olives and hard-boiled egg. |
| Pastel de choclo | Meat casserole topped with maize mash. |
| Humitas | Mashed corn baked in corn leaves. |
| Prieta | Blood sausage. |
| Parrillada / asado | Mixed grill served from a charcoal brazier. |
| Bistek a lo pobre | Steak topped with fried egg and accompanied by chips (French fries) and onion. |
| Seafood | |
| Curanto | Meat, shellfish and potato stew, typical in Chiloé. |
| Paila chonchi | Like a bouillabaisse, but with more body and flavour. |
| Ceviche de pescado / mariscos | Marinated fish or shellfish. |
| Congrio / caldillo de congrio | Conger eel / soup served with a large piece of conger, onion and potato balls. |
| Corvina | Sea bass. |
| Albacora | Swordfish. |
| Choritos / cholgas | Mussels. |
| Locos | Abalone. |
| Almejas | Clams. |
| Machas | Razor clams. |
| Picoroco | Sea barnacles. |
| Erizo | Sea urchin. |
| Cochayuyo | Dried seaweed sold in bundles. |
| Luche | Dried seaweed sold in flaky blocks. |
| Snacks | |
| Completo | Hot dog with a wide variety of fillings, including avocado (palta). |
| Barros Jarpa | Grilled cheese and ham sandwich. |
| Barros Luco | Grilled cheese and beef sandwich. |
| Drinks | |
| Vino (tinto / blanco) | Wine (red / white). Chilean wines are excellent. |
| Cerveza | Mainly lager-style beer, often served with a snack such as peanuts. |
| Pisco | Grape brandy. |
| Pisco sour | Pisco cocktail with lemon juice, egg white and sugar. |
| Manzanilla | Local liqueur. |
| Vaina | Mixture of brandy, egg and sugar. |
| Chicha | Alcoholic drink made from fruit. Cider is chicha de manzana. |
| Mote con huesillo | Drink made from wheat and dried peaches. Very popular in Santiago in summer. |
Good kit is vital for every trip.
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Easter Island has a subtropical climate that is influenced by the sea and the ocean winds.
Summer (Dec-Feb) can be very warm, but being tropical, there can be downpours at any time of the year.
The ocean wind can make it feel decidedly cool in winter (Jul-Aug). Conversely, the low temperatures then may mask what can still be a very strong sun and heat.
Give plenty of thought to kit selection, and try to keep weight down.
Below is a more detailed guide, take less of the cold weather clothing if travelling in winter.
Easter Island’s monetary unit is the “Chilean Peso”.
Most businesses on Easter Island will accept Chilean pesos and US dollars for payments, and some may take Euros, too.
Note that the Peso comes in very high denominations (see below), so you’ll need to get used to very big numbers on bills that are not worth very much.
ATM debit/credit cards are widely used in major restaurants, hotels, shops and tour agencies throughout the island (with fees). There are only three ATMS (hole-in-the-wall) cash machines on the island, so it’s a good idea to take credit cards and a reserve of cash.
You can exchange foreign currency on Easter Island, and it’s best to take US dollars. These should be new notes, or at least unmarked and undamaged notes, in smaller denominations of 10s, 20s and maybe some 50s. Do not take USD 100 bills as they are unlikely to be accepted.
Click here for the current exchange rate.
Peso banknotes: 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 pesos
Peso coins: 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 pesos
Easter Island is not cheap for eating out, but it does have quite a good range of places and you should be able to find something for most budgets.
Prices vary greatly, below is a rough guide to what you can expect to pay in Easter Island.
Tipping and bargaining are not traditionally part of the culture on Easter Island.
Beer/soft drink: USD 3
One meal: USD 10-15
Coffee: USD 2
Beer/soft drink: USD 3-5
Main dish: USD 20 upwards
Coffee: USD 2
220 volts (110v in some hotels), 50 Hz.
Most cameras, phones and computers are dual or multi voltage and probably won’t need a convertor – please check before leaving.
Some items you may bring, such as hairdryers, may need a convertor. They may short if you use them without the correct convertor.
Most sockets in Chile take the two pin, round-pronged Type C plug show below, and also the three-pronged Type L plug.
Chile is a relatively safe country, but we still recommend that in large towns and cities you take certain precautions (see below).
Chile is, overall, among the safest countries in South America.
However, in Santiago, muggings and opportunistic crime – although not common – do occur. We suggest that you take the following precautions:
Tipping (and bargaining on prices) is not part of the Polynesian culture on Easter Island, and it not expected.
A wonderful Chilean adventure with perfect weather in Patagonia, spectacular Atacama night skies, friendly people, and an excellent guide making every moment unforgettable.
A seamless Patagonian trek crowned by unforgettable Torres del Paine views.
