Day 1: Hanga Roa
After your arrival at Mataveri Airport you will experience a traditional reception with flower necklaces. A short transfer takes you to your hotel. We recommend spending the remaining day to visit the church of the village. Among the various statues you will find traditional Roman Catholic symbols together with indigenous ones. On Sunday morning you are welcome to attend mass. The artisan market and the local museum are located next to the church. The museum holds a collection of Rapa Nui artefact reproductions, while the originals were removed from the island.

Day 2: Anakena
Today you will learn more about the fascinating history of Rapa Nui. After leaving Hanga Roa, we will drive to the south along the coastal road. Views of the Poike Peninsula and the whole coastline consisting of black volcanic rock will accompany us all the way. Our first stop will be in Vaihu to visit archaeological sites, passing several moais lying along the street indicating the "Camino de los Moais", the "Trail of the Moais" on which they were manoeuvred to their destinations, also marking our next stop. At Ranu Raraku - the place where the moais were made - we will have a picnic lunch, and afterwards we will start walking up the Ranu Raraku volcano. The next highlight is one of the most impressive sites on the island: the restored giant Ahu Tongariki and its 15 moais, which are the largest worship site on the island. Continuing on our excursion, we will take a small break to visit two beaches, one of them being Ovahe, a small bay with a cave and nearly pink-coloured sand. From there and after just a short drive we will reach Anakena with its white sandy beach and coconut palm trees, inviting you to rest in the sand and swim in the warm Pacific water. Drive back to Hanga Roa. (B,BL)

Day 3: Ceremonial Village Orongo & Ahu Akivi
From Hanga Roa it is a 30 minute drive to the volcano Rano Kau with the ceremonial village Orongo. It is the ceremonial centre of the cult of the bird-man "Hombre Pajaro", which started when the "Short Ears" stopped building moais. Your guide will explain this "new" culture of the island and show you famous petroglyph images. This site offers the view of three small islets in the Pacific: Motu Nui, Moto Kau, Moto Iti. The afternoon excursion will take you to the Ahu Akivi site with its prominent 7 moais. This site was one of the later constructions built, probably at a time when the statue cult was beginning to unravel. Ahu Akivi is unusual because it is neither at the coast nor are its Moais facing towards the land, unlike all the other ceremonial statues. (B)

Day 4: Departure
Transfer to airport in time to board the flight to Santiago or Tahiti. (B)