Horseback-riding Easter Island

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). Reception at the airport and walk a few minutes to Hanga Roa, a small township where Easter Island's 2.500 people all live. Overnight family-style pension. (B)

Day 2 Ovahe – Anakena (5 hrs riding)

Early in the morning start the horseriding throughout the island that during 6 days will lead you over hundreds of years of history. Virtually cross the island, heading to the north to 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 reach Anakena beach, the legendary landing place of Hota Matua, the founder of the island. Overnight camping. (B, L-)

Day 3 Perousse–Poike - Tongariki (4 hrs riding)

Start the horseriding, following the coast road along the Bahía de la Perousse onwards to the east of the island where we find the largest Moai ever transported. It is named Ahu Te Pito Te Kura ( navel of light) and boasts of 9.8 m/ 32 ft in length. Ahu means sacred place and describes the rectangular stone platform on which the Moai statues were erected. Next, we ride towards Poike Peninsula where once a mystical war took place among the so called "long-Ears", who carved the Moai, and the newcomers known as "Short Ears", who were kept in a inferior class and helped in manual labor. Although there are many contradictory versions of the legend it is said that the Short Ears rebelled and slaughtered all the Long Ears. Then continue southwards to visit Ahu Tongariki, recently restored after a tidal wave washed the statues dozens of meters away from their original setting in 1960. Continue horseriding to Rano Raraku where we set up camp. (B, L-, D)

Day 4: Rano Raraku- Vaihu (4 hrs riding)

Optional trekking to 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 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. After lunch, continue on horseback to Aka Anga, settlement of the last clan, the clan of the Miru, direct descendants of king Hotu Matua, The legency says that the head of the king is buried there. Visit the houseboats where they used to live, some remains of their houses and nearbt caves. Camping near Vaihu. (B, L-)

Day 5: Rano Kau - Orongo – Vinapu (4 hrs riding)

The tour continues to Vinapu where we find Ahu Tahira Ahu, one of the first Ahus constructed. 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 (Perú) Later we continue 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 we also find the ruin 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.. After lunch, ride back to Hanga Roa. Overnight hostal. (B, L)

Day 6: Easter Island - Santiago

Morning free to relax. Later transfer to the airport to take the flight back to Santiago. (B).

End of services

 

Tour operators offering this trip:

Chile Tours and Travel : www.latintrails.com