What You Will Do
Moai Rise and Fall: Full Day Private Tour is an archaeological field trip that explores the meaning, inception, creation and destruction of the megalithic statues of Rapa Nui (Easter Island). By visiting several key sites and taking our time on each one, we shed light on the enigmas of the moai, bringing their story to life through the insights of a local expert.
This experience is especially tailored towards travelers that want to spend a bit more time on each archaeological site and appreciate each archaeological feature. Our day tours are thematically focused towards specific periods and topics of Rapa Nui's history. However, they can still be customized to our travelers' special interests.
Private service only.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
1
Ahu Tahai
1 hour
Extensive visite to the Tahai Archaeological Complex for a thorough overview of Rapa Nui's ancient history as an introduction to the island's culture. Three monumental ahu and remains of several other archaeological structures can be found at the site. We also pay homage to American archaeologist William T. Mulloy visiting his memorial.
2
Ahu Vaihu
1 hour
The ruins of a monumental ahu in the Vaihu district are a chilling memory of the fall of the moai. We offer a talk about the reasons for the fall, the modern myths about the collapse and how the ancient culture came to an end. There is also an interpretive center nearby with a functioning replica of an ancient micro-village.
3
Ahu Akahanga
40 minutes
A magnificent unrestored ceremonial center with more than a dozen fallen statues faces the remains of an ancient village.
4
Ahu Tongariki
1 hour 30 minutes
Ahu Tongariki is the biggest ceremonial monument in Polynesia. Besides a thorough walk around the ahu, we visit the petroglyph site of Papa Tataku Poki in the same area, linked to detailed legends about warfare.
5
Rano Raraku
2 hours
A breathtaking monumental archaeological site, Rano Raraku was the birthplace of the moai. Near 400 attempts at moai remain there in different stages of the carving process. This place is also of significant geological and historical importance. This is an in-depth visit of every single feature of this place, including (if weather permits) the small caldera at the top.
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