Easter Island 4-day private tour: Moai & ceremonial sites

See the island's major moai platforms and archaeological sites without arranging transport yourself

A 4-day private tour of Easter Island combines two half days and two full days of guided exploration, starting on arrival day. You visit Ahu Tongariki (15 standing moai), Rano Raraku (the quarry where moai were carved), Anakena Beach, Orongo Ceremonial Village, Ahu Akivi and Puna Pau, with a professional guide in English or Spanish, private transportation and lunch included each day. The national park ticket is mandatory and valid for 10 days across all sites.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Half Day Private Tour

• Visit Ahu restored by William Muloy
• Explore Santa Cruz church
• Tour Easter Island Museum
• Walk through island cemetery
• Shop at Easter Island craft market
• See Ceremonial Complex at Tahai

Day 2: Full Day Private Tour

• Visit emblematic southeast coast site
• See Ahu Tongariki platform
• Explore Rano Raraku quarry
• View largest moai at Ahu o Paro
• Relax at Anakena Beach
• Enjoy included lunch

Day 3: Full Day Tour

• Visit Orongo Ceremonial Village
• Explore Rano Kau volcano crater
• See Puna Pau quarry
• Visit Ahu Akivi platform

Day 4: Half Day Tour

• Watch sunrise at Ahu Tongariki

The experience

The tour splits into two half days and two full days so you can start exploring the moment you land, even on a midday flight. The first half day takes you to Tahai (three restored ahu near town, popular for sunset), the Easter Island Museum (over 20,000 artifacts including moai eyes and bone tools), the Santa Cruz church (where Christian and Rapa Nui traditions blend in the architecture), the island cemetery (crosses and moai statues side by side), and the craft market where local artisans sell their work. This opener gives you the cultural and historical frame before the archaeological sites take over.

The two full days focus on the moai platforms and quarries. Ahu Tongariki, on the southeast coast, holds 15 standing statues facing the ocean: the largest reconstructed platform on the island. Rano Raraku is the volcanic cone quarry where the moai were carved from tuff stone. You'll see giants lying on their backs and foreheads on the ground, some still in the process of being extracted. Anakena Beach, with warm turquoise water and coral sand, was the ancestral home of the Miru royal family and holds Ahu Nau Nau, one of the most refined platforms. The third full day covers Orongo Ceremonial Village (where the Birdman ceremony took place on the Rano Kau crater rim), Puna Pau (the quarry for red volcanic stone used to carve moai topknots, with 23 cylindrical prototypes visible), and Ahu Akivi (seven restored moai with astronomical alignment, the only major platform inland). A half-day sunrise option at Ahu Tongariki is available. The sun rises behind the platform October to March, and behind Poike volcano the rest of the year.

Your guide is a professional who speaks English or Spanish and travels with you in private transportation. Lunch is included each day. The national park ticket is mandatory and costs extra. It's valid for 10 days from your first entry and covers all archaeological sites on the island. The tour is not available for cruise ship passengers.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English or Spanish.
• private transportation to all sites.
• lunch each day.
• access to the Easter Island Museum, Tahai, the craft market, the island cemetery, and all major moai platforms and quarries (Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku, Anakena Beach, Orongo Ceremonial Village, Puna Pau, and Ahu Akivi).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 14:00 and 15:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (5 to 85 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 100

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Kava Kava Tours

Is this one for you?Book this 4-day private tour if you arrive on a midday flight and leave on the third day, since the itinerary is built to start exploring immediately and fit the major sites into your window. A shared group tour would waste your arrival day. This private format lets you begin as soon as you land and move at your own pace with a single guide who stays with you the whole time.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is Ahu Tongariki and why is it the main stop on this tour?

Ahu Tongariki is the largest reconstructed moai platform on Easter Island, with 15 standing statues overlooking the ocean. It's the most imposing ceremonial site and the centerpiece of the full-day tours because it shows the scale and arrangement of the island's most important ahu.

Can I do the sunrise at Ahu Tongariki as part of this tour?

Yes, a half-day sunrise option is available. The sun rises behind the platform from October to March, and behind Poike volcano the rest of the year. Winter skies are more likely to be overcast.

What does the Easter Island Museum include?

The museum houses over 20,000 objects from Rapa Nui, including tools, bone artifacts, ornaments, fishhooks and a moai eye: the only eye ever found, since the giants were destroyed in inter-tribal wars. It's visited on the first half day to give you the cultural and historical context before you see the sites themselves.

Is the national park ticket included in the tour price?

No, the national park ticket is mandatory and purchased separately. It's valid for 10 days from your first entry and covers access to all archaeological sites on the island.

What's the difference between Rano Raraku and Puna Pau?

Rano Raraku is the tuff stone quarry where the moai bodies were carved. You see giants in various stages of extraction lying on the ground. Puna Pau is the red volcanic stone quarry where the topknots (Pu Kao) were carved. It holds 23 cylindrical prototypes and offers views of Hanga Roa village.

Who was the Miru royal family and why does Anakena Beach matter?

The Miru were the ancestral royal family of Easter Island, and Anakena Beach was their traditional residence. The beach is the island's main beach with warm turquoise water and coral sand, and it holds Ahu Nau Nau, one of the most refined moai platforms because of the quality of its carving.