Easter Island Guide: ancient wonders, volcanoes, and stunning coasts. Adventure awaits! Embark on a journey to the mesmerizing Easter Island, a true hiker’s paradise! Discover the wonders of this remote island with the Easter Island Guide, your companion to ancient marvels, towering volcanoes, and breathtaking coastlines. Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime as you explore the mysteries and beauty that await you on Easter Island.
Check this Easter Island Guide For Great Outdoor Experience
Let the Easter Island Guide be your key to unlocking the secrets of this unique destination, where every step unveils a new chapter in the island’s rich history and natural splendor. Get ready to immerse yourself in the enchanting landscapes and cultural treasures that make Easter Island a must-visit destination for every avid explorer.
Accessible Wonders on Foot
The legends of Easter Island have been recounted many times. What’s less known is that the island’s assorted wonders are easily accessible on foot from the comfort of the only settlement, Hanga Roa. Before setting out to see the sights, however, visit the excellent archaeological museum next to Ahu Tahai on the north side of town (the term “ahu” refers to an ancient stone platform). Aside from the exhibits, the museum has maps that can help you, acting as an invaluable Easter Island guide.
Rano Kau Volcano Expedition
The first morning after arrival, I suggest you embark on an Easter Island Guide-recommended climb to Rano Kau, the island’s most spectacular volcano. Here, Orongo, a major archaeological site, graces the crater’s rim. Instead of taking the main road, discover the unmarked shortcut trail off a driveway to the right, just past the forestry station south of town.
It takes under two hours to cover the six kilometers from Hanga Roa to Orongo, but bring along a picnic lunch and make a day of it. (If climbing a 316-meter hill sounds daunting, you can take a taxi to the summit for around US$6 and easily walk back later in the day.) Once on top, you’ll find hiking down into the colorful crater presents no difficulty. It may also look easy to go right around the crater rim, but only do so if you’re a very experienced hiker and have a companion along as 250-meter cliffs drop into the sea from the ridge.
Anakena Beach Trek
Another day, rise early and take a taxi to lovely Anakena Beach at the end of the paved road on the north side of the island (you should pay under US$10 for the 20 km). A few of the famous Easter Island statues have been restored at Anakena, and you could go for a swim, although the main reason you’ve come is the chance to trek back to Hanga Roa around the road-free northwest corner of the island, guided by the Easter Island Guide.
You’ll pass numerous abandoned statues lying face-down where they fell, and the only living creatures you’re unlikely to encounter are the small brown hawks, which will watch you intently from perches on nearby rocks. If you keep moving, you’ll arrive back in town in five or six hours (but take adequate food, water, and sunscreen). This is probably the finest coastal walk in the South Pacific.
South Coast Hiking Adventure
Almost as good is the hike along the south coast, although you’re bound to run into other tourists here as a paved highway follows the shore. Begin early and catch a taxi to Rano Raraku, the stone quarry where all of the island’s statues were born. This is easily the island’s most spectacular sight, with 397 statues in various stages of completion lying scattered around the crater.
Ahu Tongariki and Coastal Walk
And each day, large tour groups come to Rano Raraku to sight-see and have lunch. However, if you arrive before 9 a.m., you’ll have the site to yourself for a few hours. When you see the first tour buses headed your way, hike down to Ahu Tongariki on the coast, where 15 massive statues were re-erected in 1994. From here, just start walking back toward Hanga Roa (20 km) along the south coast. You’ll pass many fallen statues and enjoy some superb scenery. Whenever you get tired, simply go up onto the highway and stick out your thumb, and you’ll be back in town in a jiffy.
An outstanding 13-km walk begins at the museum and follows the west coast five kilometers north to Ahu Tepeu. As elsewhere, keep your eyes peeled for banana trees growing out of the barren rocks, as these often indicate caves you can explore. Inland from Ahu Tepeu is one of the island’s most photographed sites, Ahu Akivi, with seven statues restored in 1960. From here, an interior farm road runs straight back to town (study the maps at the museum carefully, as you’ll go far out of your way if you choose the wrong road here).
Puna Pau and Airport Runway Walks
A shorter hike takes you up Puna Pau, a smaller crater that provided stone for the red topknots that originally crowned the island’s statues. There’s a great view of Hanga Roa from the three crosses on an adjacent hill, and you can easily do it all in half a day. A different walk takes you right around the 3,353-meter airport runway, which crosses the island just south of town. Near the east end of the runway is Ahu Vinapu with perfectly fitted monolithic stonework bearing an uncanny resemblance to similar constructions in Peru.
Cross-Country Hiking Tips
Easter Island’s moderate climate and scant vegetation make for easy cross-country hiking, and you won’t find yourself blocked by fences and private property signs very often. You could also tour the island by mountain bike, available from several locations at US$10 a day. If you surf or scuba dive, there are many opportunities here. A minimum of five days are needed to see the main sights of Easter Island, and two weeks would be far better. The variety of things to see and do will surprise you, and you’ll be blessed with some unforgettable memories.
