6 Day Itinerary For Easter Island

This is our 6 day itinerary for Easter Island. Be sure to check out our other related posts for all information you need to plan an unforgettable trip to one of the most remote places on the planet!

We planned our itinerary to include a couple of days hiking and one day with a car to see the rest of the island. We did a lot of walking. Check out the daily stats of steps and distance in this post! We planned this around the weather, to ensure we had the best conditions during the 24 hours we had the car. Make sure to bring your park passes with you everywhere. When we drove around the island we found that they asked to see our passes and stamped them at each site.

Related Posts:

Day 1

Arrival and AirBnB Check In:

Our AirBnB host had a service pick us up at the airport, complete with a fresh flower lei on arrival! Our driver offered us tours and car rentals prices, however, had limited options for automatic vehicles. Our AirBnB host greeted us and showed us around, and once we were acquainted with our place, we headed to town.

Empanadas at O Te Ahi

Rated as one of the best empanadas in town, we started our afternoon at O Te Ahi, a popular panaderia (bakery) to have a late lunch. Since we arrived around 3:00 p.m., they were almost all out of empanadas! We ordered tuna but settled for cheese empanadas, since that was all they had left. They were huge and delicious, well worth the $2,000 pesos (approximately $4CAD). The empanadas are different on Easter Island and amongst the best we’ve eaten. We enjoyed sitting on the patio and people-watching on the main street while eating our giant empanadas.

Explored Hanga Roa on Foot

To get our bearings, we went for a walk and explored the little town. We walked along the waterfront, admiring the volcanic rock coastline, stopping to watch the surfers ride some big waves, and to check out the Moai statues along the way. One of the most impressive sights in town is the Tahai Ceremonial Complex.
NOTE: The Tahai Ceremonial Complex is an excellent place to take in the sunset. Unfortunately, the weather was uncooperative and we were only able to see a cloudy sunset during our time on the island.

Visited the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum

Just past Tahai is the Father Sebastian Englert Anthropological Museum. We went there our first day and found that it gave us a good overview of the history, archeology, and background of Hanga Roa, its people, the flora and fauna, and of course, the Moai.

Since we didn’t do any guided tours, we were happy to take some time to learn more about the island at the museum. We spent approximately 35 minutes in the museum, which was adequate to see everything.

Made a Big Dinner at Home

After the museum, we walked back to our AirBnB and made a big, easy, delicious meal, which lasted us a couple days. We cut up some vegetables, boiled some pasta and combined it with a few spices and some chicken. We enjoyed this with a glass of red wine – of course we brought a bottle from Santiago! See our post “What To Pack for Easter Island” for our complete grocery list.

Day 1 stats: 24,836 steps, 18.06km, 38 floors

Day 2

Hiked to Orongo on Ara Te Ao Trail

After having a breakfast of oatmeal and banana at our AirBnB, we departed on foot to the archaeological site of Orongo. Orongo is a small village beside the huge, Rano Kau Crater. The homes in Orongo were inhabited seasonally by important people from around the island who would compete in an annual “Bird Man” competition. This would involve men scaling down dangerous cliffs, swimming to a small inlet off the coast, waiting for the first egg of the season from the manutara bird (a migratory bird), and then swimming back to Orongo with the egg safely in hand. The winner of the competition became the leader until the following years’ competition.

Both the village and the massive crater are impressive sights to see. It is possible to drive to up the hill to see the crater, but we opted to hike. The Ara Te Ao Trail starts near the waterfront on the southwest side of the island. It is virtually impossible to get lost on this trail, as it clearly marked with stones.
Once we reached the top, we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the Rano Kau crater filled with freshwater. It was incredibly cold and windy – we had to hold onto our hats to prevent them from blowing away! Make sure to bring a sweater or jacket when you go to Orongo!

We continued walking up the trail to see the ancient village. There is a tourist information building that provides in-depth information about the village of Orongo, the Bird Man competition and the Rano Kau crater.

After visiting Orongo, we took a different path down the hill and it took considerably longer. We recommend taking the same path down that you take up.

Visited Ana Kai Tangata Caves

At the beginning of the Ara Te Ao Trail, we explored the Ana Kai Tangata caves. It was remarkable to see ancient cave paintings on ceiling of the cave, while watching ocean waves crashing against the black rocks. We felt so peaceful and could have spent hours watching the waves and relaxing at this site.

Relaxed at AirBnB

After a long day of hiking, we returned to our AirBnB for dinner and wine.

Day 2 Stats: 31,744 steps, 23.08km, 170 floors

Day 3

Hiked to Ana Kakenga (“cave of two windows”)

We started our day again with an oatmeal breakfast at our AirBnB, and then began our hike to Ana Kakenga (the “cave of two windows”). We walked north along the waterfront, past the Tahai complex, which leads to a hiking path to Ana Kakenga. It is approximately 4km north of Ahu Tahai. There are a lot of stray dogs on Easter Island and one decided to join us for most of this adventure.

The Ana Kakenga site is easy to find, as there is prominent signage. However, the entrance to the cave can be tricky to locate. It can be found on the left hand side of the path that leads to the cliff. The cave entrance is only about a metre wide and does not really look like it is big enough for a person to enter.

With our phone flashlights on, we kept our heads down and crawled into the cave. After the initial few metres, we were able to see natural light emitting from the two “windows” – openings from the cave looking out onto the ocean. At this point, we were able to stand upright and take some pictures. It was spectacular to see the ocean from the windows and hear the waves crashing 40 metres below us!

After exploring the Ana Kakenga cave and having a picnic lunch (sandwiches and fruit) on the cliff, we continued our hike north.

Explored Ana Te Pora (“cave of the reed canoe”)

About 400m after Ana Kakenga is Ana Te Pora. This cave is much easier to enter. Inside, it is large with smooth walls. There is a long, dark passage on the right and can be crawled down to reach an exit near the cliff. We chose not to crawl there, as we were not appropriately dressed and the cave was very narrow. Instead, we walked to the other side other side of the cave and climbed out a small hole beside a fig tree.After exploring the area near the cave, we decided to make the one hour hike back to town as we were pooped after two days of hiking!
NOTE: About 1km after Ana Te Pora is Ahu Te Peu if you choose to visit it.

Tia Berta Empanadas on the Waterfront

After a long hike, we decided to stop for a tuna empanada at a restaurant on the waterfront. Unfortunately, we cannot remember the name of the restaurant, but there was a big sign advertising that they served Tia Berta empanadas (amongst the most revered empanadas on the island). It had a beautiful patio overlooking the ocean and the mouth-watering fried empanadas matched the hype. At $4,000 pesos per empanada and $2,000 for a beer, it was a reasonable price considering the location and the quality.

Relaxed at AirBnB

We weren’t too hungry after our empanadas, and so we had a small dinner at our AirBnB and relaxed after another long day.

Day 3 Stats: 29,302 steps, 21.3km, 83 floors

Day 4

Passport Stamp at the Post Office

We were excited to start our day at the post office to get our special Easter Island stamp! There is a stamp on the counter and you can stamp your passport yourself. We had the pleasure of doing this once at Machu Picchu and again on Easter Island. It is customary to leave a tip in the jar beside the stamp.TIP: If you want to send a postcard from Easter Island, you can save some money by buying the postcard ahead of time in Santiago.

Coffee at Mikafe

One grocery item we forgot to bring was coffee! After missing our morning java kick for a few days, we indulged in americanos at Mikafe on the waterfront. Each freshly ground, espresso based coffee set us back $2,000 pesos while we watched the morning waves roll in. Although it was a tad pricey, the calming waterfront atmosphere quickly dissipated the sticker shock.

Car Rental

We visited a few car rental locations for quotes on automatic cars and chose to rent from a small souvenir shop (Manahi) directly beside the main town square. We were provided with a Nissan X-Trail SUV, which was perfect for driving on the unpaved roads and navigating the unavoidable large potholes. We paid $45,000 pesos for 24 hours (11:30am-11:30am). The price would have dropped to $40,000 pesos per day if we had rented the for two days.

Marcela, the lovely lady who rented us the car, accompanied us to a mechanic shop prior to us leaving with the vehicle. She wanted to ensure that all the fluid levels were safe. If you are able to drive manual, you can likely get a better deal on a car rental! Other more affordable options on the island include bicycle, ATV/quads, dirt bike, and motorcycle rentals.

Vinapu

We began our journey counterclockwise around the island, with our first stop at Vinapu. Here, we saw many Moai that had been knocked over. To see the detail of the primitive Moai heads and bodies on the ground gave us a great appreciation for the craftsmanship, but also a feeling of sadness that these beautiful works of art were mistreated. It is not certain why all the Moai statues were knocked over, but it is theorized that this occurred during disputes over resources between rival tribes on the island.

Vaihú

Further along the road is Vaihú, another site with an unrestored ahu. There is an old temple, a few pukao (red stone hats/topknots) and some tumbled moai statues.

Akahanga

Following Vaihú on the road is Ahu Akahanga. This site is significant, as the first king of the island is buried at this place. Also, many of the toppled Moai at this location are face up, which is different than the majority that are face down throughout the island.

Rano Raraku

This was our favourite site on the island and one of the most interesting places we’ve ever been! This was the site of the quarry where most of the island’s moai statues were carved. To see hundreds of moai all in different stages of construction was a sight in itself! The site takes approximately 60-90 minutes to explore and is best viewed in the mid-afternoon, as the lighting is better for pictures.

Tongariki

Just down the road from Rano Raraku is Tongariki. In fact, you can catch a glimpse of this incredible sight while exploring Rano Raraku! Tongariki was another one of our favourite sites. The site is amazing, with 15 enormous Moai statues lined up beside each other. It is believed that these statues were initially toppled during tribal wars. In 1960, a tsunami pushed them to shore. These statues were significantly restored in the 1990s with the help of the Japanese government.We began behind the Ahu, which is a really cool sight because you are able to observe the Moai from a very close distance! The sheer size of these statues is breathtaking.

Afterwards, we walked around to the front and took some time admiring the craftsmanship and snapping some great pictures! We were so lucky when we visited as there were only a few people visiting and after a few minutes, we had the whole place to ourselves!

Te Pito Kura

Our next stop was Te Pito Kura. This site contains an enormous moai (10 metres tall and estimated at 80 tons) laying face down. Beside it is its huge pukao (hat or topknot, 2 meters high and approximately 10 tonnes!). A few metres from the ahu is the “magnetic” stone known as “the belly button of the world”. Supposedly, this rock has a supernatural energy called “mana”. It contains a high iron content, which apparently makes it warmer than other rocks and causes a compass to function strangely.

Ovahe Beach

About 2km from Te Pito Kura is the “hidden beach” of Ovahe. Despite being on our tourist map, it is not particularly easy to find because there is limited signage. We had it marked on our phone, which helped. After parking the car, we followed a path towards some large rocks. We needed to climb over and around some of these rocks, and were rewarded with an almost private beach all to ourselves!

If we had more days, we would have revisited this gem and spent some time relaxing and swimming!
Note: the road leading to Ovahe is rough with large potholes, so a small car may not suffice. Furthermore, wearing boots or shoes with a good grip is recommended, as you will need to climb over numerous rocks to get to the beach. Additionally, in the evenings it may be difficult and dangerous to access the beach, as the tide comes in.

Anakena

Our final stop before dinner was to Anakena, the most beautiful and picturesque spot on the island. Anakena is a white sand beach with clear, aquamarine water and hundreds of lush palm trees. It is exactly what you imagine when you picture the perfect beach! There are amazing restored Moai called Ahu Nau Nau. I slipped on my bathing suit and took a quick dip in the warm water. Although I did not bring a towel, the cool breeze and warm humidity dried me off within minutes!

Drove to AirBnB to make dinner

After Anakena, we drove to our AirBnB to make dinner, a delicious, hearty meal of lentils with rice, chicken, and vegetables.

Drove to Tahai for sunset

Along the waterfront in Rapa Nui, Tahai is the best location for a sunset. We parked our vehicle and watched the sunset, but similar to all our evenings on the island, the sunset was rather cloudy. Despite the clouds, the silhouettes of the Moai at sunset was an extraordinary sight!

Day 4 Stats: 22,918 steps, 16.66km, 120 floors

Day 5

Drove to Tongariki for Sunrise

We woke up early at 6:30am and departed by 7:00am to Tongariki. While driving in the dark, we avoided potholes and animals on the road, arriving around 7:30am. We parked outside the official park, on the side of the road by the stone wall, as the park was closed. While we waited, we ate our breakfast sandwiches that we had made the night before with fresh bread from our favourite bakery, O Te Ahi.

Unfortunately, the morning was gloomy and rainy, and so the sunrise was not picture perfect. The park usually opens at 9:30am, but the park attendant arrived early and opened the gate at 8:00am, so visitors could get closer to the statues for the sunrise. I joined the masses and entered the park, but despite some interesting ominous skies in the background, my pictures were not great.

Ahu Akivi

After the sunset, we attempted to visit Ahu Tepeu, but the road was closed. We then made our way to Ahu Akivi. This site has 7 restored moai statues that are all the same height. They are also the only moai on the island that face the sea as opposed to looking inland.

Puna Pau

We then visited Puna Pau. This is a quarry site where many of the pukaos (moai statues’ hats, or topknots) were built. If it wasn’t overcast, we would have been rewarded with a beautiful view of the town of Hanga Roa and the surrounding area.

Anakena

Because we enjoyed it the day before, we made a second stop to Anakena to enjoy its beauty one more time. Due to the rainy weather, we were some of the only people there and were able to enjoy the beautiful white sand beaches and palm trees all alone.

Gas Station and Car Rental Drop Off

After Anakena, we drove back to town to the only gas station on the island. We filled less than a quarter of a tank, which cost a whopping $15,000 pesos (approximately $30CAD!). We then returned the car near the town square.

Coffee at Tiare Coffee

Located on one of the main commercial roads in town, we decided to seek refuge from the rain and enjoy a coffee at Tiare Coffee, which cost $2,000 pesos for my Americano and $1,500 pesos for Shaleen’s espresso. The server was friendly, spoke excellent English, and the covered patio was a relaxing spot. Although free wifi was advertised, the server not available (common on the island).

Enjoyed Empanada from Panadería Maná

After doing some highly technical empanada research, we decided to try one more at a small bakery called Panadería Maná.

We grabbed a couple of fresh beef and mushroom empanadas right as the baker was bringing them in! Since the rain held up for a while, we brought our lunch to the waterfront and enjoyed the view (with a local stray dog keeping us company).

Observed Giant Sea Turtles

Across from the soccer pitch, where the fishing boats are located in the harbour, we scouted some giant sea turtles swimming amongst the boats, feasting on seaweed and coming to the surface for air. To our excitement, we caught a glimpse of multiple turtles! They were some of the biggest turtles we had ever seen!

Had dinner at our AirBnB

Because the weather was crummy, we spent our final evening relaxing in our room, catching up on some pre-downloaded Netflix and finishing off leftovers from the night before.

Distance covered: 15,226 steps, 11.07km, 45 floors

Day 6

Visited the Hanga Roa Hospital Emergency Department

Unfortunately, early in the morning on our last day, Shaleen woke up with urinary urgency, flank pain, and began vomiting. This was a few hours before our flight, and we were terrified. Shaleen knew that she had contracted an infection and needed medical attention as soon as possible. Our AirBnB hosts were so helpful, despite my limited Spanish, and drove us to the hospital since doctors’ offices and pharmacies were still closed!

Shaleen was seen by the doctor within approximately 30 minutes of arriving at the hospital. She was examined and it was confirmed that she had an infection. The doctor prescribed antibiotics and she was discharged. We were surprised at the efficiency and modernity of the hospital for being on a small, isolated island. The total cost for the emergency room visit was $25,000 pesos (less than $50CAD), and the prescription antibiotics were only a few dollars, which I picked up from a pharmacy. Within a couple hours of taking antibiotics Shaleen was feeling much better and was able to relax on the flight back to Santiago!

Went to the Airport

Our AirBnB pre-arranged complimentary transportation back to Mataveri International Airport. We arrived approximately one hour before our flight, which was plenty of time, as we were flying in business class and had an expedited check-in process. For the record, the business class ticket was only a few dollars more than economy! See our post “Easter Island LATAM Flight Reviews” for a full overview of our flight experience.

Distance covered: 8,692 steps, 6.32km, 7 floors

That’s our itinerary during our 6 days on Easter Island. Be sure to check out our related Easter Island posts for a full overview of what to expect when you visit one of the most magical places on earth!