Easter Island: Keepers of the Moai

Arrival in Santiago

Your journey begins in Santiago, where you will arrive from your overnight international flight and transfer to the serene elegance of the Mandarin Oriental. This evening is intentionally unstructured — a soft landing. Time to exhale, to recalibrate, and to prepare for the crossing ahead. Dinner will be enjoyed at the hotel.

Crossing the Pacific

This morning, depart for one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth: Easter Island — Rapa Nui. Upon arrival, transfer to Explora Rapa Nui, your five-star all-inclusive home for the duration of your stay. The island reveals itself slowly — rolling volcanic hills, vast horizons, and a silence that feels almost intentional. Settle in as the sun lowers, followed by dinner at the lodge.

The Birthplace of the Moai

Orongo – Ritual at the Crater’s Edge

Begin at Orongo, a sacred village set on the rim of the Rano Kau crater. Here, the Birdman rituals once determined spiritual and political power, with the islets below forming part of a dangerous and sacred rite.

Rano Raraku – Where the Moai Were Born

Continue to the volcanic quarry where the moai were carved. Dozens remain partially emerged from the earth, as though still in the act of becoming. Lunch will be taken in Hanga Roa.

Ahu Te Pito Kura – The Navel of the World

A rounded stone believed by some to hold a unique energetic quality marks this place of quiet significance. Return to the lodge to rest before dinner.

Integration & Horizon

Terevaka – Summit of the Island

Ascend Terevaka, the highest point on Rapa Nui. From the summit, the entirety of the island unfolds — an isolated world surrounded by endless ocean. Return to the lodge for a relaxed lunch.

The afternoon is yours to choose your pace: snorkel in the crystalline waters of Hanga Roa Bay, rest and reflect at the lodge, or join an optional visit to Roiho for a glimpse into the island’s subterranean past. Gather in the evening for a slower, more contemplative dinner.

Stone, Symbol & Craft

Vinapu & Puna Pau

Explore Vinapu, where finely fitted stonework echoes megalithic traditions found across distant cultures. Continue to Puna Pau, where the red scoria pukao — the topknots of the moai — were carved.

Rongorongo & Coastal Picnic

Visit the island’s museum for an exploration of the enigmatic rongorongo script and the symbolic language of Rapa Nui. Lunch will be served as a private coastal picnic.

Papa Vaka – Carvings of the Sea

Carvings of canoes, marine life, and geometric forms speak to navigation, cosmology, and memory. Return to Explora for dinner.

Alignment & Origins

Ahu Tongariki – Sunrise at the Fifteen

Before dawn, depart for sunrise at Ahu Tongariki — the island’s most iconic ahu. Fifteen moai stand facing the rising sun, some crowned with their red pukao, restored after being toppled by time and tide. Continue to Huri a Urenga, a solitary moai believed to hold astronomical significance.

Anakena Beach & Ahu Akivi

After rest and lunch at the lodge, journey to Anakena Beach — the legendary landing site of the first king. At Ahu Nau Nau, some of the most beautifully preserved moai stand watch over the shoreline. As the day closes, arrive at Ahu Akivi, where seven moai face the ocean in alignment with the setting sun — an enduring mystery tied to navigation, astronomy, or something older still. Return to the lodge for your final evening on the island.

Depart to Santiago

After a leisurely morning and brunch, transfer to the airport for the flight back to Santiago. Arrive late evening and check into the Ritz-Carlton Santiago for the night.

Santiago & Onward

Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

One of South America’s finest collections of ancient material culture. Beautifully preserved artifacts — from intricate textiles to ritual objects — offer a window into the cosmological systems of the pre-Columbian world. Of particular note are the Chinchorro mummies, among the oldest artificially preserved human remains on Earth.

Metropolitan Cathedral & Iglesia de San Francisco

Visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, followed by a stop at Iglesia de San Francisco — the oldest surviving colonial structure in the city, offering a quieter, more grounded connection to Santiago’s early spiritual foundations.

Lunch & Departure

Lunch at Chipe Libre in the Lastarria district, where the shared heritage of pisco between Chile and Peru provides a fitting culinary bridge. Visit the Santuario de la Inmaculada Concepción on San Cristóbal Hill before transferring to the airport for your onward flight to Lima — where the next chapter begins.