explora Rapa Nui
Explora Rapa Nui is located on a tranquil spot from which the island’s mysteries and dramatic isolation are in full view. Its award-winning architecture blends the Easter island’s unique geography and heritage, with its vibrant present. Whether on foot, bicycle or on the sea, there are over 30 explorations to unveil the Easter island’s unique history and charm. Located 5 miles from Hanga Roa, on a vast plot of land, unsuitable for agriculture and containing no archaeological remains, explora Rapa Nui is located in a privileged location from which to explore the island. We are proud to carry LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The 30 rooms of Explora Rapa Nui are designed to take full advantage of the silence, privacy, and spaciousness of the surrounding landscape, ensuring deep rest after a long day of exploration. There are 26 double varua rooms and 4 spacious Raa suites with views of the sea. You may choose between a king size bed or 2 twins. These simple, contemporary rooms are bright and airy constructed of blonde wood with modern amenities. At explora, we actively seek disconnection from everyday routine, which is why our rooms are not equipped with televisions or Wi-Fi, which is only available in the hotel’s common areas.
The kitchen serves up dishes that have been designed to enable guests to perform various explorations and still feel light, agile, and healthy. Meals are always accompanied by a superb Chilean wine. We also carry a menu of Premium wines for those that would like to try other alternatives. The Explorer’s Bar is the meeting place of our guides for planning explorations. Stocked with liquor and Chilean wines, the bar is frequently the meeting point of returning groups at nightfall. Located inside our complex is a pool area, complemented by a jacuzzi and massage area, perfect for recovering from the wear and tear of a long day of exploration. The store carries all the items necessary for taking explorations, along with local artisanal goods and books of the area.
Designed to take full advantage of the silence, privacy, and spaciousness of the surrounding landscape, ensuring deep rest after a long day of exploration.
Varua Room
26 Varúa rooms measuring 32m² (345 feet²). View of the sea.
Raa Suite
4 Raa suites measuring 44m² (474 feet²) with a view of the sea.
Located 2,300 miles from the continent, surrounded by the intense blue sea and under the watch of its gigantic Moai, Easter Island is a place that contains mysteries that are waiting to be revealed by explorers of all times, and where we take our travelers to discover all its corners. With over 30 explorations, either on foot, bike riding or on a boat, we offer our travelers a deep exploration experience that includes visiting places that are even unknown to some locals and feeling the history of the Rapa Nui culture with its landscape and archeological remains.
The explorations in Easter Island have cultural shades, are always led by a local guide trained at our School of Guides, and are made in groups of a maximum of eight travelers. They include hikes and bike explorations among archaeological remains, volcanoes, beaches, prairies, and cliffs as well as snorkeling and scuba diving explorations where we explore under the world’s most pristine sea waters.
Travelers have the possibility of choosing different explorations every day (below are a sampling of the explorations you can choose from). These explorations have different lengths and difficulty levels. Full day explorations give us the privilege of having lunch at the seaside or at Anakena beach, just to name a few examples, while those that take half a day allow us to return to explora Rapa Nui to choose a second exploration during the afternoon.
We recommend a minimum of five nights to enjoy an exploration experience that will really show you what the Rapa Nui is like, although we are sure that once you discover some of its mysteries, you will want to extend your stay.
Half Day Hikes
Roiho
We take a van to Ahu Akivi, the only platform with moai facing the ocean. We then hike along the Roiho lava fields with magma-shaped tunnels and caves. Finally, we continue hiking along the coast up to the Tahai archaeological site.
Ara Moai
We start our hike in Rano Raraku, the moai quarry, among huge statues in different carving stages. After visiting the crater, we continue hiking through one of the old moai transportation routes until we reach of group of abandoned moai.
Mahatua
Hike along the coast. We pass fishing coves, archaeological sites and Ovahe beach until we get to Anakena where we can visit the archaeological remains of the Rapa Nui kings who lived there. It’s time to enjoy the beach. Bring your swimsuit.
Full Day Hikes
The Miru
We follow a trail along cliffs in the north area, crossing plains and ancient villages that belonged to the Miru, which used to be the most powerful tribe in Rapa Nui. We continue hiking up to Anakena, this tribe’s capital city, where get some time to enjoy the beach. Bring your swimsuit.
Lava Flows
We begin hiking at the foothill of the Terevaka Volcano to reach the highest spot in the Island (500 m / 1,640 ft). We then go down to Ahu Akivi. In this exploration we hike along cliffs with a view to the ocean, pass an ancient Rapa Nui settlement and see caves shaped by lava flows. Finally, we ride a van to the Tahai archaeological complex.
Half Day Biking
Navigators’ Mountain
We leave explora and ride uphill along the Terevaka Volcano, a point of orientation for navigators. With a 360° view, we can see the remoteness of this destination. We then ride up to Ahu Akivi, the platform with seven moai facing the ocean. We return by van.
Anakena
We ride from the hotel towards Ahu Tongariki, the best-rebuilt platform with 15 intact moai. We continue along the coastline to the Mahatua area, visiting several archaeological sites up to Anakena, with its ruins, crystal-clear waters and white sands. We return to explora by van. Bring your swimsuit.
Akivi
We leave explora on our bikes following inland routes, go up a gentle slope and ride along traditional Rapa Nui crop fields. We arrive at Ahu Akivi, the place where seven moai are facing the ocean. We return to the hotel by van.
By Sea
Snorkeling Bird Islets
Van tour from the hotel to Hanga Roa’s cove, where we take a boat to sea caves with views to the cliffs, the Rano Kau crater and Motus, the famous islets due to the Birdman competition. We can snorkel around the Motus due to unbeatable clear water conditions.
Rapa Nui Diving
Two-tank private diving for travelers with diving certificates, either beginner’s or advanced. This exploration is an invitation to discover Easter Island’s underwater world and includes two dives. Some of the places we visit include the sunken moai –a landmark diving point– the Nui and Iti motus, surrounded by corals, and the Cathedral, a complex of submarine caves.
*This exploration has an additional cost. The limit for recreational scuba diving is 30 meters with approved certification.
Overland Trips
Rapa Nui Sanctuaries
We visit Akivi with the Ahu of the 7 moai facing the ocean. We hike through the lava field of Roiho, where we see a lava tunnel. We continue by van to the Hanga Kioe sanctuary, where we see a standing moai watching over its village. We then hike to the Rapa Nui cemetery passing Tahai. We end the trip in Hanga Roa and return by van.
Hanga
We take a van to Papa Vaka, an archaeological site with petroglyphs. We hike and go by a cove and continue hiking up to Tepito Kura, a site featuring a huge tumbled moai and a magnetic stone associated to Rapa Nui’s origins. We continue by van to Anakena, the landing area of the first Polynesian settlers. Time to enjoy the beach. Bring your swimsuit.
For more information on Explora Rapa Nui click HERE
