Circuit: Mystic Trip : San Pedro de Atacama and Easter Island

Day 01: Airport / San Pedro de Atacama / The Moon Valley

Reception and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama, from the airport to Calama.

In the afternoon, departure from the hotel to The Moon Valley. In the way which join San Pedro with Calama, stop for photographing the Salt Mountain from a viewing point. After in the moon valley, we will visit the salt statues “Las Tres Marías”, the salt mine, the salt caverns and we will look the evening since a big sand dune. Come back to hotel. Lodging.

Day 02: Tour Lagunas Altiplanicas and Atacama Salt

Departure at 07:00 hrs from the hotels. Visit the Toconao town, typical handicrafts in the Atacama zone, also the San Lucas Tower (National Monument and town symbol). The travel includes the visit to the Atacama Salt, check in to Los Flamencos National Reserve (Chaxas lagoon site). We will follow our trip to the altiplano for taking the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons (4.150 m.o.s.l.). In the middle of our route we will have a little stop in the Socaire (3.200 mts.) town to acclimate and for photographing the little San Bartolomé church. Come back to San Pedro at 19:00 hours approximately.

Day 03: Archeological Tour

Breakfast in the hotel. At 09:00 hrs. Visit to Pukará del Quitor and the Salt mountain. Arrive to the Tulor ruins with more than 3.000 years old. Come back to San Pedro for the Séquitor Ayllu. Come back to hotel at 13:00 hrs. Rest of the afternoon free. Lodging.

Day 04: Tatio Geysers / Airport

Departure at 04:00 am from the hotel. Arrive at 07:00 to the Tatio Geysers (4.320 m). Breakfast and trekking to the different geysers and shower in the thermal swimming pool. Come back to San Pedro de Atacama by Machuca, a typical atacameñan town. Transfer to Calama airport.

Lodging in Hotel Holiday Inn Express Airport in Santiago.

Day 05: Easter Island

Breakfast at hotel. Flight to Easter island. Reception at Mataveri airport and typical welcome. Transfer to hotel. Overnight.

Day 06: Easter island

We will begin our tour at about 8:30 am from Hanga Roa to Tahai's Archaeological Complex, ceremonial center with 3 Ahu, Ahu Vai Uri with 5 moais, Ahu Tahai with 1 moai, and Ahu Lo Te Riku with 1 moai. From this site the visitors can appreciate wonderful landscapes. Then, we will go to Orongo's ceremonial city, ancient ceremonial city located in the west summit of the volcano Rano Kau. It is composed by approximately 53 houses of elliptical shape with flagstone walls and a small square access looking at the sea. In this place were realized the most important ceremony of the second period of the island, the Tangata Manu (“the bird man”). It was carried out until approximately 150 years ago, with the arrival of the first Christian missionaries. Return to Hanga Roa, total duration 3,5 hours.

Day 07: Easter island

Departing from Hanga Roa's town at about 9:30 am, going to the southeast and northeast coast of the Island visiting the Ahu Vaihu temple, which is located 10 km from Hanga Roa. It consists of a stone platform with 8 Moais and 8 pukao dispersed in the proximities. Then, we will go to Ahu Akahanga, the also called as the "platform of the king". The legend tells that Hotu Matua'a's tomb is near this place. There, we will find 4 platforms, 12 Moais, 8 Pukao and towards the interior of this Ahu; it is possible to see the best preserved village of the island.

Later, we will go to Ahu Tongariki, with 15 moais being the biggest Ahu of the island. Then, we will meet Ahu Te Pito Kura, which possesses the highest statue of the island raised in an Ahu, the moai Paro (10 meters of height and 85 tons with a Pukao of 11,5 tons). Close to this ceremonial temple is the great spherical stone that is identified as the center of the universe (Te Pito o Te Henua), as the legend tells, it was brought to the island by Hotu Matua'a in his craft.

Later, we will arrive to Ahu Nau Nau, temple of a complex construction due to its different levels where we will find 5 Moais with Pukao. There, we will see petroglyphs in the backs of the statues. We will continue our excursion to the volcano and quarry Rano Raraku, where there was carved most of the moais of the island using the volcanic rock of its hillsides. There are an estimated number of 400 moais in several stages of carved.

To finish our adventure, we will go to Anakena's wonderful beach. It is a beach of white sands chosen for the arrival of the Ariki Hotu Matua'a and his sister Avareipua. Anakena corresponds to the name of a small cave of an adjacent gully.

Returning to Hanga Roa, we will realize our last stop in the Fundo Vaitea, country estate with an extension of 6.560,80 hectares, which represents 39,6% of the total surface of the island and it was created to achieve an agricultural production capable of sustaining the needs of the whole island, which was achieved years behind.
Return to the populated Hanga Roa, total duration 8 hours.

Day 08: Easter island

We initiate the tour about 3 pm from Hanga Roa's settlement visiting Ahu Vinapu. It was used for the islanders in the year 1.200 A.C. it includes 3 Ahu. The first has 6 moais demolished and painted of red color. The second one has a supposedly feminine moai which had two heads. Finally, the third and the most ancient moai has only removed stones. We will continue our way to the quarry Puna Pau, archaeological site to the east of Hanga Roa. It is a small crater of red dross, from where were obtained the Pukao or hats with which were crowned the moais. Along its antique exit way, there are some incomplete and abandoned moais. We will go on our tour towards Ahu Akivi, the first Ahu restored by the science in the island in the year 1960. The platform with 7 moais is characterized for being one of the few ones located in the center of the island, with its statues facing the rising sun. According the legend, these 7 moais would represent 7 exploratory young men sent before Hotu Matua'a's arrival to investigate the island. Our adventure takes to us to the cavern of Te Pahu, a place used as housing and as temporary refuge in war times. Then, we will return to Hanga Roa, total duration 3,5 hours.

Day 9: Easter island

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the airport and typical farewell. Reception at Santiago airport. Transfer to hotel. Lodging

Day 10: Santiago / Airport

Breakfast. Transfer to Airport.

End of services.