Easter Island Holidays & Tours

You have the rest of this first day at your leisure to explore the town of Hanga Roa and its environs, the local museum, and neighbouring beaches.

A full day out and about on the island. Firstly, we head to Ahus Vaihu and Akahanga along the south coast.

Later we drive on to Rano Raraku, the quarry where the moais were once made. Then on to Ahu Tongariki, with its 15 restored moais and nearby petroglyphs.

After lunch, we drive to Ahu Te Pito Kura and the ‘Navel of the World.’ Next, on to visit the beach of Anakena with its Ahu Nau Nau, where we shall enjoy an optional picnic and the opportunity to enjoy the warm Pacific Ocean before returning back to your hotel.

If you choose the 3-day trip, we transfer you from the hotel to the airport and you fly back to Santiago.

If you choose a 4 or 5 day trip, your trip continues with a half-day excursion to Rano Kau. We visit the crater lake and the ceremonial village of Orongo, where the birdman culture once chose its king. You can also see the famous Ahu Vinapu which is reminiscent of pre-Inca architecture.

The afternoon is spent at leisure with time to explore the town of Hanga Roa and the Museum of Sebastian Englert. It’s also well worth paying a visit to the local church with its extraordinary wood carvings.

If you choose the 4-day trip, we transfer you from the hotel to the airport and you fly back to Santiago.

If you choose a 5-day trip, your trip continues with a drive across the island to see Ahu Akivi and its seven restored moais.

Afterwards we visit the quarry of Puna Pau and Tahai ceremonial complex. Afternoon to be spent at your leisure exploring close to town or perhaps just relaxing in the southern sun.

Transfer to the airport, and our services end.

OR, we can book more nights’ accommodation on Easter Island.

Electricity

220 volts (110v in some hotels), 50 Hz.

Most cameras, phones and computers are dual or multi voltage and probably won’t need a convertor – please check before leaving.

Some items you may bring, such as hairdryers, may need a convertor. They may short if you use them without the correct convertor.

Plugs

Most sockets in Chile take the two pin, round-pronged Type C plug show below, and also the three-pronged Type L plug.

Type C plug

Type L plug

Good kit is vital for every trip.

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Overview

Easter Island has a subtropical climate that is influenced by the sea and the ocean winds.

Summer (Dec-Feb) can be very warm, but being tropical, there can be downpours at any time of the year.

The ocean wind can make it feel decidedly cool in winter (Jul-Aug). Conversely, the low temperatures then may mask what can still be a very strong sun and heat.

Give plenty of thought to kit selection, and try to keep weight down.

Below is a more detailed guide, take less of the cold weather clothing if travelling in winter.

Detailed kit list

• Bathing suit
• Sandals
• Waterproof jacket and trousers. The jacket needs to be water proof and roomy. Side-zip pants are recommended.
• 2-3 long-sleeve shirts – no cotton
• 2-3 short-sleeve T-shirts – no cotton
• 2 pair of hiking trousers- cotton or synthetic material (no jeans)
• 1 fleece or sweat trousers (for cold evenings)
• 2 pair hiking shorts
• Long thermals – synthetic or wool – light to medium weight top & bottoms.
• 2-3 mid-weight (wool or synthetic) socks.
• Athletic-type socks, several pairs
• Hiking boots that are waterproof and well broken-in.
• Running/tennis shoes or sandals are very comfortable when you are in cities
• 1 lightweight wool sweater or windproof fleece
• 1 wool or synthetic warm hat.
• 1 light sun hat with a wide brim.
• Broad-brimmed sunhat, essential.
• Sunglasses with UV filter.
• Bandana – to protect neck from strong sun.
• Daypack (at least 30 litres). Comfortable and with waterproof lining or cover.
• Water bottle (2 litres approx.).
• Personal first-aid kit to include: painkillers, plasters (band-aids), moleskin, anti-biotic cream, general antibiotics (ask your GP), after-bite (tiger balm), anti-diarrhoea tablets, throat lozenges, re-hydration salts & personal medication.
• Insect repellent.
• Towel & wash-kit.
• Wet Wipes/antiseptic hand-wash cream.
• Sunscreen (factor 30+) and lip salve.
• Head-lamp (plus spare bulb and batteries).
• Penknife.
• Travel alarm clock.
• Plastic bags – ‘Zip-loc’ & tough bin liners.
• Camera and film / memory cards (take at least twice the amount you think you will need!).
• Book, e-book, mp3 player/ipod or other to help pass the time.
• Binoculars.
• Spanish/English phrasebook.
• Extra snacks i.e. cereal bars or favourite chocolate bars.

Miscellaneous others

• Money belt.
• Passport.
• U.S. dollars cash, mixed-denomination notes, undamaged and unmarked.
• ATM cash/credit card.
• Any inoculation certificates.
• Personal & medical insurance certificates.
• Presents e.g. Postcards from home.
• Comfortable clothes for travel, smart clothes for night life.

Dialling codes

The international code for Chile is +56.

Easter Island’s dialling code is 032.

Not all smartphones will work in Easter Island / Chile, it’s best to check with your operator before you arrive. Roaming charges may be high – again, best to check.

Landlines

Chile’s landlines have 7 digits, apart from Santiago where they have 8 digits.

To call landline-landline in the same city, simply dial the 7 or 8 digit code, e.g. 1234567.

If calling landline to another regional landline/city, start with a 0, then the city area code (32=Easter Island), e.g. 032 1234567.

If using your own mobile phone to call a landline, dial the country code, the regional/city code without the 0, and then the number, e.g. for Easter Island +56 32 1234567.

Mobiles

Mobiles have 8 digits.

If you are dialling a Chilean mobile from a Chilean landline, add 9 to the number, e.g. 9 1234-5678.

If using your own mobile phone to call a Chilean mobile, dial the country code, then a 9, then the 8 digit number e.g. +56 9 1234-5678.

Internet

Most hotels on the island offer Wi-Fi, but be prepared for very slow connections.

Post

Head to the state-owned Correos de Chile for postal services.

Tipping (and bargaining on prices) is not part of the Polynesian culture on Easter Island, and it not expected.

Currency & Money Exchange

Easter Island’s monetary unit is the “Chilean Peso”.

Most businesses on Easter Island will accept Chilean pesos and US dollars for payments, and some may take Euros, too.

Note that the Peso comes in very high denominations (see below), so you’ll need to get used to very big numbers on bills that are not worth very much.

ATM debit/credit cards are widely used in major restaurants, hotels, shops and tour agencies throughout the island (with fees). There are only three ATMS (hole-in-the-wall) cash machines on the island, so it’s a good idea to take credit cards and a reserve of cash.

You can exchange foreign currency on Easter Island, and it’s best to take US dollars. These should be new notes, or at least unmarked and undamaged notes, in smaller denominations of 10s, 20s and maybe some 50s. Do not take USD 100 bills as they are unlikely to be accepted.

Exchange rate: USD 1 = 630 Chilean Peso (approx.), June 2018.

Peso banknotes: 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 pesos

Peso coins: 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 pesos

Eating and drinking

Easter Island is not cheap for eating out, but it does have quite a good range of places and you should be able to find something for most budgets.

Prices vary greatly, below is a rough guide to what you can expect to pay in Easter Island.

Tipping and bargaining are not traditionally part of the culture on Easter Island.

Local café/restaurant

Beer/soft drink: USD 3

One meal: USD 10-15

Coffee: USD 2

Tourist style restaurant

Beer/soft drink: USD 3-5

Main dish: USD 20 upwards

Coffee: USD 2

Andean Trails can book all your international and domestic flights for this trip and for UK passengers; we have full ATOL bonding and can book flights with most airlines.

International flight prices are variable and usually can only be guaranteed at the time of booking. If you would like to upgrade to business or first class, or even arrive at an earlier date/depart at a later date we can also arrange this for you.

Typically, you fly to a country’s capital city and then overnight there or make a connecting flight (if available) to your next destination.

Flight connections

Please contact us for flight advice especially if you do make a connection on the same day. It is important to purchase a through ticket and not separate tickets for connections, so that you are covered for any delays. Passengers with separate tickets that are delayed run the risk of having to buy an entirely new ticket to continue their journeys.

Please note all airline schedules are subject to change and are out of our control.

Tickets

Almost all flight tickets are now e-tickets. Any that are not will be handed to you on arrival in South America – this is most common for flights on smaller planes in Amazon areas such as Guyana/Bolivia.

The final travel instructions we send you some 2-3 weeks before departure will list the latest flight times, flight numbers etc as well as list your e-ticket numbers and booking reference code (6 characters i.e. GB75RK). This is what you will need to check in with.

How do I check in?

Depending on the airline, we can reserve some seats for you at the time of booking your international flights with us.

If we cannot reserve seats at the time of booking, you have to wait for online check in to open (usually 24-72 hours before departure).

To check in online you will need to go to the website of the airline you are travelling with, and have your e-ticket number/booking reference to hand. Click check in online, enter your details, and choose your seat.

Some flights will allocate seats at the check in desk at the airport and some may not allocate seats at all.

Help flying via the USA (ESTA form).

The United States (USA) has an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) which all travellers to and via the USA must complete BEFORE travel to/via its airports and shores.

More information can be found on their ESTA website.

Passengers who have not completed the form will be denied boarding.

Before you begin this application, make sure that you have a valid passport and credit card available.

This application will only accept the following credit cards: MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and Discover (JCB, Diners Club).

Andean Trails has 25 years of experience of putting together the best South America holidays.

We pay a fee to the CAA for every licensable passenger we book since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking.

We also offer ATOL (Civil Aviation Authority) protected holidays to give our customers peace of mind when booking and travelling.

When you buy an ATOL protected air holiday package from Andean Trails Ltd you will receive a Confirmation Invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number 6275.

You can read more about ATOL, who is covered and what protections you have if not ATOL-covered, on our ATOL page.

What is ATOL?

The CAA’s ATOL scheme offers protection to your money and your holiday if you book with us. Not everybody is covered (see ‘Who is covered?’ for more), as you must purchase an ‘air package holiday’ with Andean Trails to be protected.

And  ‘air package holiday’ is defined as including a flight and some ground services (hotel, transfer, trek etc). This is also known as an ‘ATOL-protected holiday’.

Who is covered?

To be covered by ATOL, you must book a flight and some ground services with us and be from the UK. If you are from the UK and only book ground services and no flights, you are not covered by ATOL (see below for more on how non-ATOL clients are covered).

If you are outside the UK and buy flights with us, you will be ATOL protected IF any of the flights booked with Andean Trails touches/stops in the UK at any point during your holiday package booked with us.

If you buy your flights elsewhere, please check with that agent if you are ATOL protected. Be careful with online flight purchases and make sure you know what protection you have, if any, before paying for flights.

Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL scheme. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking.

For land only holidays not involving any air travel, in accordance with “The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992”, all UK passengers booking with Andean Trails Ltd. are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all money paid to us, arising from cancellation or curtailment of travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Andean Trails.

I’m not ATOL covered, what protection do I have?

If you are not ATOL covered, any payments you make to us go to a Trust account.

We can only access this money once your tour has been completed, meaning that if anything happens to Andean Trails Limited while you are on holiday, then your money is secure and you can either complete the trip or be able to make it home.

If you pay for your holiday with a credit card, some offer payment protection – please check with your cardholder.

You also should have cancellation protection written into your insurance (which we recommend you have at the time of booking) in case you need to cancel.

Chile is a relatively safe country, but we still recommend that in large towns and cities you take certain precautions (see below).

Chile is, overall, among the safest countries in South America.

However, in Santiago, muggings and opportunistic crime – although not common – do occur. We suggest that you take the following precautions:

• Leave paper valuables in the hotel safe (caja fuerte), taking out with you only what you need for the day.
• Carry a copy of passport (leave original in safe). N.B. When travelling, carry paper valuables in a money belt under clothing, not in a ‘bum-bag’.
• Beware of distraction techniques, e.g. where X sprays you with mustard or similar substance, and accomplice Y comes up to offer to clean you off, but takes your bag or wallet while you’re distracted. If you do get sprayed, just walk straight on.
• Avoid marginal areas and be alert in lonely streets in the day and at night. Also, always take special care in busy streets, around markets and in and around bus terminals; either avoid carrying a bag in such areas, or secure it, as bag-slashers and pickpockets sometimes operate.
• NEVER leave your bag(s) unattended, especially in airports, bus terminals and hotel lobbies.
• It’s best to use taxis at night, wherever you are.

Read our blogs about food to try in Chile and restaurants in Santiago.

Main dishes (meat)      

Cazuela de ave                 Stew of chicken, potato, rice, onion and green pepper.

Valdiviano                         Stew with beef, onion, potato and egg.

Empanadas de pino          Pasties filled with chopped meat, onion and peppers, raisins black olives and hard-boiled egg.

Pastel de choclo                Meat casserole topped with maize mash.

Humitas                             Mashed corn baked in corn leaves.

Prieta                                 Blood sausage.

Parrillada/Asado               Mixed grill served from charcoal brazier.

Bistek a lo pobre                Steak topped with fried egg and accompanied by chips (French fries) and onion.

Seafood 

Curanto                 Meat, shellfish and potato stew, typical in Chiloe.

Paila Chonchi       Like a bouillabaisse, but with more body and flavour.

Ceviche de pescado/mariscos  Marinated fish/shellfish.

Congrio/Caldillo de congrio     Conger eel/ Soup served with big piece of conger, onion and potato balls.

Corvina                               Sea bass.

Albacora                             Swordfish.

Choritos/cholgas                Mussels.

Locos                                  Abalone.

Almejas                               Clams.

Machas                               Razor clams.

Picoroco                             Sea barnacles.

Erizo                                   Sea-urchin.

Cochayuyo                          Dried seaweed sold in bundles.

Luche                                  Dried seaweed sold in flaky blocks.

Snacks 

Completo                             Hot dogs with a huge variety of fillings, including avocado (palta).

Barros jarpa                        Grilled cheese and ham sandwich.

Barros luca                         Grilled cheese & beef sandwich.

Drinks  

Vino (tinto / blanco)           Wine (red / white). Chilean wines are excellent.

Cerveza                               Mainly lager-style beer. In bars, often served with a snack, e.g. peanuts.

Pisco                                   Grape brandy.

Pisco sour                           Pisco cocktail, with green lemon juice, egg white and sugar.

Manzanilla                          Local liqueur.

Vaina                                   Mixture of brandy, egg and sugar.

Chicha                                 Any alcoholic drink made from fruit. Cider = chicha de manzana.

Mote con huesillo                Drink made from wheat and dried peaches. Very popular in Santiago in summer.

Andean Trails believes in Responsible Travel and actively supports several community projects.

Please see Our Advice and Our Ethos for more, and learn about the Projects We Support.

We operate the Inca Trail, our treks and tours with local firms.

We make sure that on our tours and Inca Trail we employ local staff, who are paid fair wages.

With the Inca Trail, We provide free life insurance to all of our porters. Tented accommodation and meals are provided for all trekking staff as well as foam mats, sleeping bags and rain ponchos. We have also provided the staff with trekking shoes. We ensure our porters carry a maximum of only 20kg. We offer them backpacks and they generally use back supports.

Clean burning fuel is used to cook the meals on the Inca Trail and porters carry gas stoves and butane bottles. We use biodegradable detergents when washing the cooking and eating utensils. If any part of our tour or trek is operated by another company, we try to ensure that high standards are maintained.

Our additional support helps the Huchuy Yachaq project which supports children and families in one of the poorest communities in the district of Cusco.

Responsible Tourism – Code of Conduct:

• Find out about your destination – take some time before you go to read about the cultural, social and political background of the place and people you are visiting.
• Go equipped with basic words and phrases in the local language – this may open up opportunities for you to meet people who live there.
• Buy locally-made goods and use locally-provided services wherever possible – your support is often vital to local people.
• Pay a fair price for the goods or services you buy – if you haggle for the lowest price your bargain may be at someone else’s expense.
• Be sensitive to the local culture – dress and act in a way that respects local beliefs and customs, particularly at religious sites.
• Don’t undermine the local economic systems – we recommend you don’t give gifts, especially sweets as there are few dentists in the Andes. Much better to spend time chatting, playing and showing postcards of home. If you would like to donate clothes and shoes etc we are more than happy to do so through the relevant channels. Your tour leader can do this for you and some of the projects we support can be visited.
• Ask permission before taking photographs of individuals or of people’s homes – and remember that you may be expected to pay for the privilege.
• Avoid conspicuous displays of wealth – this can accentuate the gap between rich and poor and distance you from the cultures you came to experience.
• Make no promises to local people that you can’t keep – be realistic about what you will do when you return home.
• Minimise your environmental impact – keep to footpaths and marked routes, don’t remove any of the natural habitat and reduce the packaging you bring.
• Don’t pollute local water courses- use biodegradable products, and wash basins.
• Slow down and enjoy the differences – you’ll be back with the familiar soon enough.

All our activities are governed by our respect for the environment and the people who live in it. We aim to make a positive impact both in the UK and in the Andean countries we work in (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina).

We agree with the principals of sustainable development and specifically promote environmentally aware tourism in the Andean countries, in order to preserve the heritage of the people who live there and to help protect their environment.

In the UK we use recycled paper where possible, recycle what we can and attempt to keep waste to an absolute minimum.

Throughout South America we work together with local people, paying them a fair price, and putting money into the local economy. We do this by using local agents, local trek staff and experienced and qualified local mountain and cultural guides who have an in-depth knowledge of their own country. Our porters on the Inca Trail are fairly paid, carry a maximum load of 20kg and are supplied with tents and food. In other areas we use donkeys or horses to carry loads.

We use locally owned services such as hotels and restaurants, wherever possible. We buy fresh local produce for all of our treks from markets in each departure town. We use public transport whenever possible and feasible.

We have ongoing contact with the teams that we work with and also with local families in the areas we trek through, developing relationships with them and donating goods such as clothes and shoes to their communities, through appropriate local agencies. We also support local Peruvian charities, specifically NIÑOS in Cusco, and CARE in the Huaraz area, plus Huchuy Yachaq.

If you have any suitable (warm) clothes and shoes that you would like to donate to Peruvian children please take them with you and give them to your tour leader, who will ensure they go to a suitable organization.

When out on tour we encourage learning about the countries we travel in, the local culture of the teams we work with and the areas we pass through. Our guides hold informal talks with groups to inform about and discuss with them all aspects of local life. This helps understanding of the area and appreciation of the people who live there.

Our group sizes are kept to a maximum of 16 people, and we encourage smaller groups where possible. This minimises the negative impact we make on the local people, the wildlife and the environment, and increases the quality time spent in contact with the local people and environment.

When trekking we adhere to a responsible tourism code of practice and are also involved in ongoing training of our trek staff.

A full Health and Safety document will be sent to you at the time of booking and before you travel.

You can also read it on our website, or contact us for more information.

It is a condition of booking any of our holidays that you have comprehensive travel insurance to cover you for trip cancellation (by you), activities involved and destination. This cover should include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue.

We work with Travel Nomads, who offer insurance solutions to people in more than 140 countries across the world.

Should you decide not to purchase this insurance, you must provide us with details of your alternative insurance with or before your final payment.

Many of our tours travel through remote areas.

We believe our clients should be aware that the remoteness of some of our tours so very special could also cause certain problems.

Thus, whilst we endeavour to minimise the chances of anything unexpected happening, it has to be noted that no itinerary can or should be rigidly adhered to.

This is the very nature of adventure travel and we expect our clients to be prepared for delays and slight alterations in our programmed events.

Also, shared tours may include travellers from all over the world whose native language is not English.