Easter Island To Atacama

The Trip

Day 1: Arrival in Santiago / Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa

Day 2: Rano Kau & Orongo / Easter Island Vai Moana Hotel

Day 3: Rapa Nui History / Easter Island Vai Moana Hotel

Day 4: Poike & Terevaka Hill / Easter Island Vai Moana Hotel

Day 5: Rapa Nui to Santiago / Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa

Day 6: A Bite of Santiago / Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa

Day 7: Valparaíso and Wines / Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa

Day 8: San Pedro de Atacama / Casa de Don Tomas

Day 9: Altiplanic Lagoons / Casa de Don Tomas

Day 10: Tatio Geysers / Casa de Don Tomas

Day 11: Moon Valley / Casa de Don Tomas.

Day 12: Santiago / Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa

THE LONG ITINERARY

Day 1: Santiago De Chile
Arrive in Chile. Our guide will be waiting for you at the Santiago Airport to welcome you and take you to your hotel in the city. Along the way, he’ll go over your upcoming itinerary, as well as answer any questions you may have.

Depending on when your flight arrives, you will have free time during the day and evening to rest or explore the city a bit on your own. He will suggest a few points of interest.

Stay at Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa

Day 2: Santiago De Chile – Easter Island
Take the flight to Easter Island. Upon arrival, a local representative will fetch you from the airport in Hanga Roa and take you to your hotel, where you’ll have a short break to rest and refresh yourself before heading out.

After lunch you’ll have the afternoon free to explore the island. Once night falls, you’ll journey back in time to learn the principles of astonomy, the history of Polynesian voyaging and settlement, and the archeoastronomy of Rapa Nui. You’ll visit some of the island’s traditional observatory sites to gaze the beautiful night sky on one of the most remote islands in the world to view stars and constellations only visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

Stay at Easter Island Vai Moana Hotel (B)

Day 3: Easter Island – Rapa Nui History

On day three, you’ll explore some of Easter Island’s most fascinating and significant sites. After breakfast, we’ll depart the hotel for Puna Pau, the quarry used the moai’s famous topknots. We’ll then head to Ahu Tahira to see some of the island’s most intricate stonework before visiting Rono Kau, the largest volcano crater on Easter Island with a mini ecosystem of its own

After lunch, you’ll climb to the clifftop village of Orongo to discover the story of the Birdman Cult before ending the day at Ahu Akivi, the seven famous moai that look out to sea, and the Ana Te Pahu caves.

Stay at Easter Island Vai Moana Hotel (B/L)

Day 4: Easter Island – Moai Giants

Discover the secrets of the moai giants, starting at Tahai, the restored ancestral village that overlooks the island. You’ll continue to the fallen moai at Ahu Akahanga, toppled by rebels who turned on their ancestors’ traditions. Finish the morning at the restored site of Ahu Tongariki to see the 15 statues guarding the land.

In the afternoon, you’ll take in the impressive half-sunken moai at Rano Raraku, the crater from where the statues’ stone was quarried. You’ll also visit site of the largest moai ever raised onto a platform (ahu) and see the incredible magnetic stone which, according to legend, was brought to the island by the first king, Hotu Matu’a, from Hiva. At the end of the day, you’ll have the chance to relax at the tropical paradise of Anakena Beach.

Stay at Easter Island Vai Moana Hotel (B/L)

Day 5: Easter Island Tongariki – Santiago De Chile

Finish your time on Easter Island in the perfect way by watching the sunrise behind fifteen moai statues and carry with you memories of this magical island.

You’ll be fetched from your Easter Island hotel by one of our representatives and transferred to Hanga Roa airport for your five-hour flight back to the mainland. After arriving in Santiago, you’ll be taken to your hotel and will have the remainder of the day free.

Stay at Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa  (B)

Day 6: Santiago De Chile – Like a local
Discover Santiago on this insider city tour. Visit the historic city centre, where you’ll learn about the history, visit local markets to try traditional dishes and how they’re prepared, visit attractions around town, meet locals, and much more. By the end of the tour, you’ll be an honorary Santiaguiño. After the tour, you’ll have the rest of the day free to explore more or rest at the hotel.

Stay at Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa  (B, snacks)

Day 7: Full Day Tour to Valparaiso & Casablanca Wine Valley
Head out of Santiago to visit scenic wine valleys and the bohemian port city of Valparaiso. Valparaiso is located on the Pacific Coast, roughly an hour and a half from Santiago. Valparaiso is renowned for its counterculture atmosphere. Take a walking tour to explore colourful houses, unique architecture, vibrant street art, and steep funiculars. Stop at a local restaurant to enjoy some of the city’s incredibly fresh and delicious offerings. Then, drive back toward Santiago, stopping in Casablanca wine valley, renowned world-wide for its red and white wines. Visit one of the valley’s most pre-eminent wineries, Emiliana, which specializes in organic and biodynamic wines. Take a tour of the vineyard and winery and a wine tasting accompanied by local cheese or chocolate. Return to Santiago for the evening.

Stay at Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa (B)

Day 8: Santiago De Chile –  Calama – San Pedro De Atacama
You’ll be picked up from your hotel and taken to the airport for your flight to Calama in the Atacama Desert. Upon arrival, one of our representatives will drive you to San Pedro. Along the way, pass spectacular desert scenery of endless plains and high-altitude mountains streaked with colourful minerals and sand. At San Pedro, drop-off at your hotel to get settled and enjoy the evening at your leisure.

At night, you’ll also have the option to take part in an optional stargazing tour, (not included).

Stay at Casa de Don Tomas (B)

Day 9: San Pedro De Atacam – Altiplanic Lagoons
Drive up to the high-altitude plateau to discover remarkable landscapes. After roughly an hour, arrive at the enchanting Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons. Drive on to Socaire, a traditional adobe village. After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll visit some of the village’s weavers, to learn about their traditional knitting. After this class, we’ll return to San Pedro for a free evening.

Stay at Casa de Don Tomas (B/L)

Day 10: San Pedro de Atacama – Tatio Geysers and Machuca Village
Visit the famous Tatio Geysers, at 14,173 feet (4,320 meters) above sea level are the highest in the world.

At around 6:30 am, we’ll drive to the village of Machuca on the way to the geysers pause to explore the ancient adobe dwellings and historic church. Most visitors stop here after coming back from the geysers, so we’ll have the place all to ourselves. Continue to the Putana wetlands, by Putana Volcano. Then head to the geyser field, which we will explore by walking along the marked paths that weave through the geysers, watching them erupt and fill the air with steam. After exploring the area, we’ll return to San Pedro around 2:00 pm, and you’ll have the rest of the day to relax or explore.

Stay at Casa de Don Tomas (B)

Day 11: San Pedro De Atacama – Calama – Santiago De Chile
Early morning visit to the Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley). Enjoy breakfast while the rising sun reveals the full grandeur of this lunar landscape. Then visit an Ayllu, an ancient community-dwelling that was created by the Atacameños or Lickan-Antay tribe. Then we’ll return to San Pedro late morning, then our driver will pick you up from your hotel to take you to Calama’s airport for the return flight to Santiago. In Santiago, a representative will be waiting to drive you to your hotel. The rest of the day will be yours to enjoy at your leisure.

Stay at Eco Boutique Hotel Bidasoa (B)

Day 12: Santiago De Chile
On your final day, at a pre-arranged time depending on your flight, you’ll be fetched from your hotel and taken privately to the airport in Santiago for your departure flight home. (B)

Why is this trip sustainable?

• The food provided is locally prepared with regional products.
• You will travel plastic-free throughout your trip! We use reusable or glass bottles, as well as recyclable containers.
• Our top recommended hotels include sustainability policies as part of their mission and operations.
• We work in collaboration with local suppliers and communities in each location.
• We keep our tour groups small, both to improve the experience for you and to reduce the impact on the places we visit.
• We respect and value the lifestyles, beliefs, and traditions of the local communities we visit.