THE SPIRIT OF EASTER ISLAND
A cultural tour of Chile

Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) is one of the world’s greatest and most remote archaeological sites.  The nearest inhabited island is tiny Pitcairn, over 1200 miles to the west.  Rapa Nui is almost 2500 miles from the coast of South America and, in the other direction, it is 2000 miles to Tahiti.  Its isolation is one of the key factors affecting the culture that evolved here.  From what we know of the material culture, language, and customs, it seems that the original settlers came from either the Marquesas Islands or from Mangareva around AD 400-600. The hardy Polynesians who found Rapa Nui came prepared to stay. They brought tools and food, and plants and animals to begin a new life. But the island they found is not a typical Polynesian paradise: it is out of the tropics, and has neither rivers nor protective reefs. But, although small (Rapa Nui is a mere 66 square miles), it had a forest of large palms and other trees, and craters held drinking water.  Obsidian was available for tools and weapons as well as easily worked lapilli tuff—the perfect material for making statues.  The island is of course best known for the giant stone monoliths, known as Moai, that dot the coastline. The early settlers called the island "Te Pito O Te Henua" (Navel of The World).  Admiral Roggeveen, who came upon the island on Easter Day in 1722, named it Easter Island.

Day 01: Arrive the Easter Island
We are warmly received at the airport Mataveri and subsequently transferred to our hotel.
Overnight: Hotel Otai - 3 star (3 nights)

Day 02: Easter Island
Full day island excursion with Anakena beach.  Your first stop will be Ahu Vaihu, where eight large moais lie in ruins. You continue on to Ahu Akahanga, which is also known as the platform of the king. According to legends, this is the site where the bones of the first king of Easter Island (Hotu Matua) were buried. Your trip continues on to one of the most attractive places on Easter Island, Rano Raraku, the volcano, where 95% of all moai were carved. Nowadays you can find 394 statues remaining in various stages of completition. There will be a hike to the top of the volcano to not only reveal many statues, but also admire a spectacular view on Rano Raraku’s gorgeous fresh water lake. To some observers the quarrylooks like a graveyard of giants’ stone. It seemed as if the production of moai were abruptly abandoned, leaving us a frozen snapshot of time so we can look closely at how exactly the moai were carved out of the volcanic rocks. This quarry and the nearby transit road were the staging area of which many speculators base their theories on how the moai were transported. Archaeologist Jo Anne Van Tilburg suggested that the moai production in Rano Raraku quarry probably started and stopped often over the years, possibly due to the periodic resource shortages or to political disagreements.Next, you will visit the beautiful restored Ahu Tongariki. This magnificent platform is the largest on the island with its fifteen moai. In the background, there are wild Pacific waves crashing fiercely against the rocks. Ahu Tongariki was completely destroyed by a tsunami (tidal wave), from the results of the earthquake in Valdivia in 1960 and restored by the University of Chile in 1992 to 1995. You continue your trip along the north coast and pass through La Perousse Bay to stop at Ahu Te Pito Kura. This is the site of the largest moai ever transported and erected onto an Ahu. The moai Paro stood at 9,8 meters and has an estimated weight of 82 tons. Last stop is the beach of Anakena, where King Hotu Matua first landed on Rapa Nui. Anakena is one of two beaches on an island that are surrounded by a rough black rock coastline. In 1978, the archaeologist of Easter Island Sergio Rapu partially restored the Ahu Nau Nau where the Ahu Ature Huki has the same location. The moai standing here were the first ones ever being re-erected onto an ahu. This was done by a group of islanders working for the expedition of Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl in 1956. (B)

Day 03: Easter Island
This morning we head out for an excursion to Rano Kau, Orongo, Ahu Vinapu und Ana Kai Tangata.  First stop is the volcano Rano Kau, the second oldest on the island. Its huge calderas (1,1 km at its base) contain one of the island’s fresh water lakes. From the lookout at the rim, you continue to the nearby ceremonial village of Orongo, best known for the birdman cult celebrated here. Within the village, 47 houses restored in 1974 by Dr. William Mulloy can be seen as well as the remains of an ancient Ahu. From here, you’ll have a magnificent view on the three small islands Motu Nui, Motu Iti and Motu Kao Kao. You continue on to Ahu Vinapu. Here you will see two major ahu where moai once stood. The fallen remains of the broken moai can now be seen lying on the ground. The figures here are slightly different from most others. While most do not have legs this site contains moai with short legs. Last stop will be Ana Kai Tangata: this beautiful cave has wall paintings on rock. The paint is made from mineral pigments found on the island. The paintings depict the Manutara bird. The arrival of this bird in spring would initiate the Tangata Manu competition. Afternoon excursion to Ahu Akivi, Hanga Poukura, Puna Pau and Tahai.  The first stop will be Ahu Akivi with seven restored Moais, built in the middle of the island. Dr. William Mulloy dated this site at 1460 AD and restored it in 1960. According to an old legend, the seven-moai statues on this Ahu present the seven scouts sent to Rapa Nui (Easter Island’s local name) by King Hotu Matu’a. Continue to Hanga Poukura, an impressive, not restored site where numerous large moai lie face down, their red scoria “topknots” or crowns scattered around them. Then you will visit the topknot-quarry Puna Pau with its red scoria stone, where all the Pukaos were made. Last stop will be the ceremonial site of Tahai with 3 Ahus and restored statues, remains of boathouses, a boatramp and other features. Here you can see the only statue with eyes reinserted. (B)

Day 04: Easter Island
Transfer from the hotel to the airport Mataveri for your departure flight. (B)

Departure Dates
2012 English Speaking Departures Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Inclusions
Tour Price Includes Tour Price Does Not Include Hotels as mentioned (or similar) Meals as mentioned (B=Breakfast) All sightseeing and transfers on seat-in-coach basis Services of local multilingual guides Entrance fees to the sites included in the itinerary Any international airfares & Airport taxes Domestic/intra air from USD 880.00 Visa / Insurance Tips / Beverages
Tour Price
We accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for clients outside North America). Bestway Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received, and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please download Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf Note: to read this file you must have Adobe Acrobat.
Departure Double Occupancy Single Room Supplement 2012 US $ 1285 660 US $ 595 160
Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is NOT included in this tour
Canada - West Coast US $ 1400 USA - West Coast US $ 900 Canada - East Coast US $ 1300 USA - East Coast US $ 800
Participants
This tour operates on a minimum of 02 participants.
Notes
Customised Itinerary If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you. Foreign Language Departures Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking departures. You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844.