Private Easter Island Tour: Moai Statues South & East

Fifteen moai standing at Ahu Tongariki, the island's biggest monument.

A private full-day tour of Easter Island's south and east archaeological sites with a bilingual guide, hotel pickup and bottled water. You visit Ahu Tongariki (the island's largest moai platform with 15 statues), and Rano Raraku, the volcanic quarry where nearly all moai were carved and left unfinished. The itinerary is timed to catch the best light for photography and avoid crowds. A ticket for all sites must be purchased online before the tour.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Rano Raraku1h 40m
2. Ahu Tongariki45m

Explore Easter Island moai and sites

• Visit Ahu Tahira rock wall
• Explore Hanga Poukura coastal area
• See ancient village replica
• Tour large ancient village ruins
• Visit Rano Raraku volcano quarry
• View Ahu Tongariki moai monument

The experience

The tour centers on two major stops that show the scale and mystery of Easter Island's moai. Ahu Tongariki holds 15 mighty statues restored to their platforms: the biggest and most impressive monument on Rapa Nui. Rano Raraku is the volcano where workers carved the statues from rock, then stopped one day and never returned. Hundreds of half-finished moai still lie where they were abandoned. Between these anchors, you walk through Hanga Poukura, a coastal area of rough lava formations where statues are buried in a line with only their backs visible, and see the blowhole that shoots seawater into the air when waves hit right. The guide adjusts the pace and stops to match your interests, and the route is planned around the best light conditions for photography.

Your guide is bilingual in English and Spanish, travels with you the whole day, and answers questions as you move through each site. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with bottled water. The tour runs about 6.5 hours. Because this is a private tour, you set the rhythm (you can linger at a site or move on), without waiting for a group or keeping to a fixed schedule. The tour does not include lunch or a site ticket. You'll need to buy your entry ticket online before arrival.

What’s included

• A bilingual guide who speaks English and Spanish.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• transport to all sites.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 26 pickup points.

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

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Paid on siteUS$ 80

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Easter Island Travel

Is this one for you?The 6.5-hour duration leaves room for a meal or rest elsewhere in your day, but not for a second full tour. If you want to see both the south and east sites and the north and west sites, book the 2-day complete discovery tour instead, or pair this one with the separate north and west tour on different days.

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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 17 years); Infant (under 3).

What are the biggest moai statues on Easter Island?

Ahu Tongariki holds 15 restored moai, making it the island's largest and most impressive monument. The statues grow in size as you move from the southwest toward the eastern side of the island, where virtually all of them originated.

Can I see where the moai were actually carved?

Yes. Rano Raraku is the volcanic quarry where workers carved nearly all the statues from rock. Hundreds of moai remain there unfinished, left behind when the carving stopped centuries ago.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes a bilingual guide, transport, hotel pickup and drop-off, and bottled water. You'll need to buy your site entry ticket online before the tour starts, and lunch is on your own.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs about 6.5 hours. Because it's private, your guide can adjust the pace and stops based on what interests you most.

What is Hanga Poukura?

Hanga Poukura is a coastal area near Vinapu with rough lava rock formations and several moai buried in a line with only their backs visible. It also has a natural blowhole that shoots seawater into the air when ocean conditions are right.