On an adventure: Chile and Easter Island

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Welcome to Chile!

  Your French-speaking guide will welcome you at Santiago airport and take you to your hotel. Welcome to Chile! Accompanied by your private guide, you will set off for a half-day discovery of the Chilean capital, a metropolis nestled at the foot of the Andes with unparalleled charm. Although Santiago has become a modern and lively city over the years, some neighborhoods have retained all their romantic charm. From the very central Plaza de Armas to the colorful streets of the Bellavista district, passing by the lush Santa Lucia hill, you will learn more about the tumultuous and fascinating history of Chile as you visit. Overnight at Eco Hotel Carmenere ***.

• day 2

  Santiago by bike

  This morning, you will set out to discover Santiago by bicycle in a small group! You will start by exploring the city through its markets and colorful local life in different neighborhoods: the Bellavista neighborhood, the Patronato neighborhood, the Central Market, the Forest Park, as well as the city's culture with the Fine Arts. After the lunch break near Forestal Park, you will head to the second part of the tour to explore the politics of Santiago and Chile, as well as its parks. The afternoon will take you by bike through its green parks, before delving into important places related to the painful political history surrounding the infamous 1973 military coup by General Pinochet. Overnight at Eco Hotel Carmenere ***.

• day 3

  Departure for Easter Island

  Your driver will pick you up at your hotel to take you to Santiago airport. Domestic flight from Santiago to Easter Island (schedule to be confirmed, flight indicated as optional). Welcome to Rapa Nui, one of the most isolated places in the world! Your French-speaking guide will welcome you at Hanga Roa airport and take you to your hotel. The entrance ticket to Rapa Nui National Park will be given to you by your guide. Your guide will pick you up at the hotel and take you to Ahu Vinapu, then to the Puna Pau volcano to show you the quarry of the pukao, the famous "topknots" that crown the moai. You will finally go to the Akivi site, located ten kilometers from Hanga Roa. The seven moai of Ahu Akivi, also known as the 7 explorers, are the only ones on the island facing the sea, which has given rise to many archaeoastronomy theories. Night at the Tea Nui hotel ***

• day 4

  The 7 explorers & Rapa Nui Astronomy

  

  Departure for a half-day horseback ride towards the youngest volcano on the island, Terevaka. You start the horseback ride from the village of Hanga Roa, following the west coast to reach the Akivi site, known as the site of the seven explorers sent by King Hotu Matu'a. Accompanied by your guide, you begin the ascent to reach the highest summit of the island, the Terevaka volcano. You enjoy a magnificent 360-degree view. Return to the village. In the late afternoon, your English and Spanish-speaking guide will pick you up at your hotel to take you into the world of ancient Polynesian navigators. Come and learn the main basics of astronomy, the history of navigation techniques, including those of the Polynesian colonies, as well as the archaeo-astronomy of Rapa Nui. Your guide will show you the most important stars and constellations for Polynesian navigators and tell you their legends. Admire the beauty of star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, stars, and planets thanks to our powerful telescope, then continue to Anakena beach to take incredible photographs of the starry sky with the moai in the foreground. End the night with a cup of hot chocolate and a piece of “po’e”, a traditional sweet bread made from banana. Night at the Tea Nui hotel ***

• day 5

  Anakena Beach, Tongariki and the Moai quarry

  

  Accompanied by your guide, this day will allow you to discover the must-see sites of the island and immerse yourself in the history and traditions of the Rapanui. You will start by discovering the most beautiful beach on the island: the site of Anakena with its ceremonial platform Ahu Nau Nau, which symbolically marks the place where the first king of Easter Island, Horu Matu’a, and all his people are said to have landed. You will then go to the site of Ahu Ature Huki, where the first moai was raised and restored. At the site of Papa Vaka, you will admire beautiful petroglyphs, including one 12 meters long, illustrating the links between Rapa Nui culture and the sea. We will then go to the site of Ahu Te Pito Kura, to observe the largest moai ever transported from the Rano Raraku volcano quarry. You will then skirt the Poïke volcano towards Hanga Nui bay, where the emblematic site of Tongariki is located, with its 15 moai that have been restored and put back upright. At the end of the day, you will go to the slopes of the Rano Raraku volcano to discover the moai quarry, where you will better understand the construction as well as the different supposed transport techniques. Do not miss the moai of more than 21 meters, still attached to the rock. Return to your hotel at the end of the afternoon. Overnight at Tea Nui Hotel ***

• day 6

  Kayak and legend of the bird-man

  Boarding from Hanga Roa, you head north and sail close to the coast, observing the most famous points of Rapa Nui from the sea: the Poko Poko area, the Rapa Nui cemetery, Tahai. Once you approach Motu Tautara, the cave of the two windows, you observe the island from a completely different perspective. Once back, you enjoy the marine world that awaits you with snorkeling at the famous Boya site. With some of the best visibility in the world, the water of Easter Island holds beautiful surprises: corals, colorful fish, and maybe even turtles. You get back in your kayaks and return to the shore. Level: challenging Duration: about 1h30 of kayaking and 1h of snorkeling You set off for a half-day excursion on the heights of the Rano Kau volcano and to discover the legend of Tangata Manu, the bird-man. On the way, you stop at the foot of the volcano, at the Ana Kai Tangata cave, where you enjoy a 360° panorama of the ocean. Then, you discover the spectacular crater of the volcano and its unique expanses. On the way, you can observe some petroglyphs, in honor of the bird-men. Continue to the ceremonial site of Orongo, where you enjoy a breathtaking view of the three Motu islets. Your guide explains in detail how the bird-man ceremony took place. Night at the Tea Nui hotel ***

• day 7

  From island to port: welcome to Valparaíso

  The morning will be devoted to an easy-level hike to the Terevaka volcano. The level is easy. The starting point of this trek is the old Vae Tea sheepfold. Ascent for 500 meters before reaching the summit and enjoying a 360-degree view of the entire island and, beyond, the Pacific Ocean as far as the eye can see. Return to the village at the end of the morning. Transfer to Hanga Roa airport from your hotel (group service provided by your hotel). Domestic flight from Easter Island to Santiago (schedule to be confirmed, flight indicated as optional). Your driver will meet you at Santiago airport and take you to Valparaíso. Overnight at Camila 109 hotel **, room with sea view.

• day 8

  Street Art Workshop in Valparaíso

  

  What could be more fun than a mural painted on a wall? During this day, you will immerse yourself in the colorful world of Valparaiso's street art, through a walk in the streets of the "cerros" Alegre and Concepcion, discovering local urban artists and Chilean and South American culture, through the stories told by the murals. Your guide, a street art specialist, will then take you to the most authentic neighborhood of Valparaiso: Barrio Puerto. After lunch (not included), you will go to an artist's studio to learn some spray paint street art techniques. Then, it's your turn! You will create, like a pro or almost, your first graffiti in the streets of Valparaiso. Return to your hotel at the end of the day. Overnight at Camila 109 hotel **, room with sea view.

• day 9

  Hiking and alpaca farm

  

  Your French-speaking guide will pick you up in Valparaíso to take you to La Campana National Park, specifically to the Ocoa sector, one of the last two Chilean palm forests. Easy walk of about 2 hours to discover the palma chilena, also called the Chilean coconut palm, a species threatened with extinction. Free lunch in a typical restaurant in the Chilean countryside, where you can taste real local specialties (not included). Then, a gentle and discovery-filled afternoon with a visit to an alpaca farm hidden in a small village in the Aconcagua valley. The farm is home to several hundred alpacas, domesticated and fluffy camelids from the llama family, including many babies. You will come into contact with the animals and your guide will tell you the story of the farm, the alpacas, as well as the industrial weaving techniques used to transform the wool into balls and the balls into textiles. You will return to Santiago at the end of the day. Overnight at the Eco Hotel Carmenere ***.

• day 10

  Adios Chile

  Your driver will pick you up at your hotel to take you to Santiago airport. The time has come to say goodbye to Chile, with unforgettable memories and stunning landscapes in your mind... and in your camera!