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Prices
for - Chile Trekking and Adventures
Chile Adventures - Easter Island Nature Tour
This program appeals to the less active traveller who enjoys
soft trekking in the outdoor and cares about comfort throughout the trip. During
the whole tour we stay in the same, family-style pension in Hanga Roa and do day
trips, which combine walking, and transportation by car to explore Easter Island
and its fascinating ancient culture.
ITINERARY
Day 1, Santiago - Easter Island
Transfer to the airport to take the plane to Easter Island
(originally named "Te Pito Te Henua" = navel of the world) (3 1/2 hours). On
arrival you are greeted by our local guides and walk a few minutes to Hanga Roa,
a small township where Easter Island's 2.500 people all live. Here you find your
family-style pension where you will stay overnight after discussing the
itinerary and some other aspects about the trip.
Day 2, Rano Kau - Orongo - Vinapu
Early in the morning you start your tour throughout the island
that during 6 day will lead you over hundreds of years of history. Your first
stop is Tahai and the cave of the Petroglyphs. Later you drive to Rano Kau
volcano, the biggest on the island, whose enormous crater is now a fresh water
lake with floating green fields of totora reeds. This site offers an exceptional
view of three tiny and craggy islands Nui, Motu and Kao-Kao where the bizarre
"bird man" ritual took place. Here you also find the ruined village of Orongo,
perched in this sublime location, which shows 48 oval buildings built out of
overlapping stone slabs. Over the cliffs you see an amazing string of "bird man"
petroglyphs. The tour continues to Vinapu, passing through Vai A Tare. At Vinapu
we find Ahu Tahira (Ahu= sacred place. This word describes the rectangular stone
platform on which the Moai statues were erected). Ahu Tahira is a key element in
Thor Heyerdahl's theory that the islanders came sailing from South America since
it contains a wall of perfectly carved and fitted stone blocks that is
strikingly similar to the work of the Tihuanaco culture (Bolivia) and the Inca
walls in Cuzco (Peru). (B, L)
Day 3, Rano Raraku:
Your first sight today is the volcanic crater of Rano Raraku.
This might be the most impressive site on the island: 70 standing sentinels,
embedded up to their shoulders in grass on the south slope of the volcanic
crater Rano Raraku, leading the way to the quarry or "nursery" inside of the
impressive crater rim. Here was where the Moai (enormous, 100 tons basalt
statues) were cut from volcanic tuff, and some 150 figures, still left there, in
all stages of completion, are mute witnesses of the mystery that suddenly
stopped all work. You continue your tour and visit the Ahu of the 15 Moai. (B,
L-)
Day 4, Ahu Akivi:
You visit the ceremonial center of Ahu Akivi where you find
seven standing Moais that represent the sons of a Maori sorcerer sent to search
for Rapa Nui, the home for King Hotu Matua. All around the place one can explore
attractive volcanic caves. The most impressive is the cave of the two windows
and the cave of the banana. (B, L-)
Day 5, Poike-Ovahe - Anakena:
You begin your tour with Poike where you see an Ahu of Moais,
different from all the other ones you have seen before. You continue to the cave
of the virgin. Next you reach Ovahe beach, a small bay nestled beneath a cliff
of volcanic rock with pure and golden sands and magnificent clear water, a true
South Pacific paradise. Spend some time there swimming and relaxing. Later you
visit Anakena beach, the legendary landing place of Hota Matua, the founder of
the island. (B, L-)
Day 6, Easter Island - Santiago
Free morning to relax. Later take the flight back to Santiago.
(B).
 To
get the most out of your trip we strongly recommend you find out as much as
possible about your destination. There is no better way to do this, than by
reading a Footprint Handbook.
Chile
Handbook 2nd
edition
Charlie
Nurse
ISBN
1 900949 28 8 £11.99 500 pages 225 maps
Illustrated
with colour photos and maps. Includes Easter Island
Travel-proof
paperback
Prices
for - Chile Trekking and Adventures
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