Easter Island 2-Day Private Tour: Moai and Rapa Nui Highlights

The moai were carved in a single quarry, and nearly all of them still stand or lie exactly where they fell.

A private 2-day tour of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) with an expert local guide who speaks English or Spanish, covering the island's most important archaeological sites from Anakena Beach to Ahu Tongariki. Hotel pickup and air-conditioned transport are included. The Rapa Nui National Park entrance ticket (USD 100 per person) is purchased separately at the gate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Tangata Manu: The Sacred Path

• Begin at Anakena Beach
• Discover Te Pito Kura moai
• Visit Puna Pau volcanic crater
• Meet moai at Ahu Akivi
• View Rano Kau volcano crater
• Explore Orongo Ceremonial Village

Day 2: The Living Stones of Rapa Nui

• Begin at Vinapu ceremonial platforms
• Explore Vaihu ceremonial complex
• Visit Akahanga archaeological complex
• Enter Rano Raraku moai quarry
• Finish at Ahu Tongariki platform

The experience

The tour opens at Anakena Beach, where Polynesian oral tradition places the arrival of King Hotu Matu'a and the first settlers. You walk the white sand and see Ahu Nau Nau with its preserved moai, then move inland to encounter Paro at Te Pito Kura: the largest moai ever successfully transported and raised, now fallen but still monumental in scale. The guide connects each stop into a single narrative arc rather than treating them as isolated sites, so you're building a picture of how the island's culture evolved over centuries, not just collecting photographs of statues.

Day one traces the ceremonial and spiritual heart of Rapa Nui. You visit Puna Pau, the volcanic crater where red scoria pukao were carved and shaped before being transported to sit atop the moai. Walk among unfinished pieces still resting on the slopes to understand the scale of the work. Ahu Akivi stands apart: seven moai facing the ocean instead of inland, a reversal that marks it as ceremonially distinct. The day culminates at Orongo, a ceremonial village perched between Rano Kau crater and the Pacific, where you learn about the Tangata Manu (Birdman) competition that replaced moai-building as the island's central ritual.

Day two focuses on the engineering and decline. You start at Vinapu, where massive stone blocks were fitted with precision, then move to Vaihu and Akahanga to see fallen moai in their original positions: the physical record of the conflicts that ended the era of standing statues. Rano Raraku, the legendary quarry, is the centerpiece: you walk among dozens of moai carved into the volcanic slopes, some finished and transported, others still connected to the bedrock or abandoned mid-work. The tour ends at Ahu Tongariki, the largest restored platform, where 15 moai stand in a line with Rano Raraku rising behind them. Your guide explains the site's destruction by tsunami and its restoration, closing the two-day narrative with a powerful image of what the island's monumental era looked like at its peak.

What’s included

• Private transportation with hotel pickup and drop-off.
• expert local guide in English or Spanish.
• bottled water.
• air-conditioned vehicle for both days.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 35 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 100

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcome

Operated by Kohau Experience

Is this one for you?If you speak English or Spanish fluently, this private format lets you move at your own pace and ask questions as they arise, rather than keeping time with a group schedule. The guide's storytelling connects each site into a continuous narrative, so you're not jumping between isolated stops. You're following the island's history from settlement through the moai era to the Birdman tradition and its decline.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What's included in the price for the 2-day tour?

The tour includes private transportation with hotel pickup and drop-off, an expert local guide fluent in English or Spanish, bottled water, and an air-conditioned vehicle for the two days. The Rapa Nui National Park entrance ticket (USD 100 per person) is purchased separately when you arrive at the first site.

How many archaeological sites do we visit across the two days?

The itinerary covers eight major sites: Anakena Beach, Te Pito Kura, Puna Pau, Ahu Akivi, Orongo, Vinapu, Vaihu, Akahanga, Rano Raraku, and Ahu Tongariki. Each stop is connected by your guide's storytelling so you understand how they fit into the island's history rather than visiting them as separate attractions.

Is lunch included on either day?

Lunch is not included, but your guide will take you to recommended local restaurants where you can eat at your own expense and take a break during the day.

Do I need to be in good physical condition for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll be walking at archaeological sites and exploring quarries and ceremonial platforms, but the pace is flexible and private, so your guide can adjust to your comfort.