Easter Island and Elqui Valley: the ultimate adventure

Your English speaking guide will pick you up at the airport and drive you to your hotel in Santiago. After dropping off your luggage, discover the Chilean capital. Santiago is a modern and very active city nestled at the foot of the Andes. However, some neighborhoods have preserved their romantic charm and atmosphere. From the central Plaza de Armas to the colorful street of the bohemian and vibrant Bellavista quartier, passing through the Santa Lucía Hill, you will learn about the tumultuous Chilean history.

Your driver takes you from your hotel in Santiago to the airport. International flight from Santiago to Easter Island - Flight not included. Your driver takes you from Hanga Roa airport to your hotel. Your guide will give you your Rapa Nui National Park entrance ticket. Your guide picks you up at your hotel and drives you to the site of Ahu Vinapu, then to the Puna Pau volcano to discover a career for the pukao, famous "buns" that style the moais. You finally go to the site of Akivi, located ten kilometers from Hanga Roa. The seven moais of Ahu Akivi, also known as the 7 explorers, are the only ones on the island to be facing the sea, which leaves room for many theories of archeoastronomy.

Today discover Easter Island from the sea, like the first Polynesians. Your Spanish speaking kayak instructor picks you up at your hotel and takes you to Anakena beach. After a short warm-up on the beach, your instructor will teach you how to row Polynesian style. Off you go! You throw yourself in the water and kayak to the small cove of Ovahe. Leave the kayaks and go snorkeling in the island's clear water. You finally kayak back to the shore of Anakena. Level - moderate Duration - 1h30 kayaking/1h snorkeling Tonight, meet at the Kari Kari Theatre in downtown Hanga Roa. This dinner show will introduce you to traditional Rapa Nui dances and Polynesian music, while enjoying the culinary specialties of the island.

Your English speaking guide picks you up at your hotel for a full day of immersion in the history and traditions of Rapanui. You head to the most beautiful beach of the island: the site of Anakena, and its ceremonial platform Ahu Nau Nau, which symbolically marks the place where the first king of Easter Island, Horu Matu'a, and his people would have landed. Next stop at Ahu Ature Huki to see the first restaured Moai. You dive deep into the arqueological mysteries of the island with the Papa Vaka petroglyphs. You then walk along the Poïke volcano in the direction of Hanga Nui bay where the emblematic site of Tongariki is located, with the world-renowned 15 Moais. At the end of the day, you discover to the slopes of the Rano Raraku volcano to discover the Moais' quarry, where you better understand the construction and the different supposed transport techniques.

Today, you leave for a trek off the beaten track. Your guide picks you up at your hotel and takes you by car to the Poike Volcano peninsula. A short walk takes you to Vai Heva, an enigmatic sculpture with a human face carved into a rock that was used to collect rainwater. You then go up to the top of the volcano Pua Ka Tiki to enjoy a magnificent panorama of the island, and stop for lunch. After lunch, you go down the volcano towards Ana O Keke, the "Cave of Virgins", and explore one of the first type of housing in Rapa Nui. The legend has it that virgins were kept for skin whitening to be offered to the future king. You head back to the car and your guide drives you back to your hotel at the end of the day. Level: easy Duration: 4-5 hours

From the gardens of Conaf (national park), you climb the volcano Rano Kau through a beautiful vegetation. Arriving on the ridge, you discover the impressive crater of the volcano and you go along the rim to reach the ceremonial site of Orongo where the mystical cult of the Bird Man took place, where the greatest amount of petroglyphs throughout Polynesia is gathered. You leave along the cliffs, with superb views of the islets Motu Nui, Motu Iti, Motu Kaokao. At the foot of the volcano, there are large caves, one of them is accessible, Ana Kai Tangata which contains vestiges of cave paintings. Return to the hotel in the afternoon. Duration of the hike: about 3 hours At the end of the afternoon, meet your guide in the center of Hanga Roa, for an immersion in the world of the ancient Polynesian navigators. Learn the principles of basic astronomy, navigation techniques, and the archaeo-astronomy of Rapa Nui. Your guide shows you stars and constellations used by the Polynesian navigators, and relate their legends. Then head to Anakena Beach to take incredible photographs of the starry sky with the moaï in the foreground. End this stargazing experience with a cup of hot chocolate and a slice of poʻe, a traditional sweet bread made from banana.

Your guide picks you up at your hotel to drive you to Hanga Roa airport. International flight from Easter Island to Santiago - Flight not included. Arrival at Santiago airport where your driver takes you to your hotel in Valparaiso.

Today, immerse yourself in the colorful world of Street Art in Valparaiso, the most typical form of art in this city. Through a guided walk in the streets of the Alegre and Concepción hills, discover the stories of the frescoes painted by local artists of Chilean and South American culture. Your guide, a Street-Art specialist, takes you to the most iconic neighborhood of Valparaiso: Barrio Puerto. After lunch, head to an artist's studio to learn some street art techniques. Then it's up to you! Like a pro, leave your first graffiti in the streets of Valparaiso. Return to your hotel at the end of the day.

Departure from the hotel in the morning. With your guide, you drive on the coastal road towards Mount Mauco at 800 meters altitude. You go on a 3-hour hike up to the magnificent viewpoint over the Pacific Ocean, Valparaíso Bay, the Ritoques dunes, La Campana Hill, El Roble Hill, and Aconcagua Mountain. You end the day with a 2-hour walk in the dunes of Ritoques. Level: Easy

Your driver picks you up at your hotel and drives you to Valparaiso bus station. Regular bus from Valparaíso to La Serena. Travel time: about 7h30 Collect your rental car: Vehicle category G Toyota Rav 4 or similar, manual, unlimited km, CDW insurance included. Visit La Serena, a pretty little town with traditional colonial architecture. Check out the Plaza de Armas and Cathedral, have a taste of the papaya with cream from the local market La Recova, learn from native cultures at the archaeological museum and enjoy the ocean from the iconic lighthouse. You then drive along the Andes into Elqui Valley enjoying the contrast from the green vineyards to the dry mountains. Stop in the small town of Vicuña before arriving to the village of Pisco Elqui nestled in the valley of the same name. Estimated route: 100 km - 1h45

Visit Pisco Elqui, located at 1,280 metres high, a traditional village with its narrow streets, beautiful main square and local art and crafts. We suggest that you explore the valley around Horcón, with great scenic views. Stop along the way at several Pisco distilleries, such as ABA, located near Vicuña, Mistral in Pisco or Los Nichos deep into the valley near Horcón. If you fancy wine tasting you can visit the vineyard Cavas del Valle (between Paihuano and Pisco Elqui). Estimated route: - Pisco Elqui-Horcón: 10 km - 15 min - Pisco Elqui-ABA: 36 km - 40 min - Pisco Elqui-Los Nichos: 4 km - 6 min - Pisco Elqui-Cavas del Valle: 7 km - 11 min

Free day in the surroundings. Pisco Elqui is an ideal site for astronomy with a clear sky almost all year around. In the evening you can observe the stars with a specialist. You can book on the spot to visit small local observatories.

In the morning, head back to the Pacific and the city of La Serena. You drive through some small villages typical of the region. You can stop in Vicuña and visit a solar observatory, unique in Chile. Arrival in La Serena. You drop off your rental car at the airport before boarding your flight. Domestic flight from La Serena to Santiago (around 1h, flight indicated in option). Your driver will meet you at Santiago Airport and drive you to your hotel.

Free morning to discover and wander around Santiago. Visit some of the typical neighborhoods of Bellavista or Lastarria. Your driver takes you from your hotel in Santiago to the airport. It's time to say goodbye to Chile, the mind rich with incredible memories and wonderful landscapes... End of our services.