Bucket List Destinations
A New Way to Travel
To South America
Easter Island and Santiago de Chile
7-Day Trip
Day 1 - Arrival to Santiago de Chile and City Tour You will be met at the Santiago Airport by a Bucket List Destinations representative and transferred to your comfortable hotel in Santiago. Check in and overnight in Santiago Hotel. Today, you will head out on a half day historical tour of Santiago to visit some of the most interesting sites in Santiago and learn about the fascinating history of Chile and its capital. You will start the tour driving up the Santa Lucia hill where Santiago was founded. You will then continue on to the historic downtown, Plaza de Armas (Main Square), where some of Santiago’s historic buildings stand. You will see the Cathedral, City Hall, Central Post Office, and National Historical Museum. You will then drive to the civic area to see the Moneda Presidential Palace, current seat of the Chilean government. The tour will continue through charming streets lined with 19th century buildings, passing the statue of Typical Zone, the Cousiño Palace, and the Basilica de los Sacramentinos (inspired by the Montmartre church in Paris). The tour will end on the Alameda Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago’s main avenue where you will visit the San Francisco church and its beautiful colonial museum and monastery. You will have the remainder of the afternoon and evening to explore Santiago at your leisure. Try some delicious traditional Chilean cuisine in one of the restaurants, discover some of its exciting barrios and take advantage of the lively nightlife! overnight in Santiago Hotel.
Day 2 - Valparaiso y Viña del Mar Tour. Explore Chile’s coastal cities with an exciting ValparaÃso and Viña del Mar Tour. These two charming towns are located a little more than an hour from Santiago. With its bohemian atmosphere, chaotic and colorful architecture, and lovely port, ValparaÃso is one of the most attractive cities in Chile. You will start your tour at the Mirador 21 de Mayo from where you will enjoy spectacular views of the entire city and bay. Next, you will visit the fascinating house-museum of the poet and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Pablo Neruda. Descend to ValparaÃso’s Prat Dock, where sailors embark and men scramble to load the enormous ships. After lunch, you will head out to Viña del Mar where you will enjoy a relaxing stroll down the quiet streets and picturesque beaches of this lovely coastal town. In the afternoon, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Santiago and have the evening free to explore more of the city’s exciting spots. Day 3 - Arrival to Easter Island. After breakfast at your Santiago hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Easter Island. A Bucket List Destinations Representative will meet you at the Easter Island airport and take you to your comfortable Easter Island hotel to relax and enjoy the afternoon at your leisure.
Day 4 - Half Day Ahu Akivi Tour. After being picked up from your hotel, you will depart for a half-day excursion to Puna Pau quarry, where the Moai Headdresses, better known as Pukao were carved. Later, you'll visit Ahu Akivi, and the cave Te Pahu. Ahu Akivi is said to have been an astronomy platform, since it's aligned with the sunset during the vernal equinox and equally during the autumnal equinox. You'll finish your tour at the Tahai ceremonial center, a place that holds a number of archaeological discoveries including Moai platforms, a stone chicken coop, houseboat, and a stone jetty among other curiosities.
​​Day 5 - Full Day Anakena Tour. After a hearty breakfast, you will depart for the archaeological sites of Rapanui. You'll begin your tour after being picked up from your hotel and then will head to the southeast coast of the island towards the archaeological site of Ahu Akahanga. Here you'll see stone statues called Moai that are on their side. Local legend says that in this place the first king of the island Hotu Matua was buried. Afterward, you'll continue your journey to the Rano Raraku Quarry, a sacred place where most of the stone giants were sculpted and transported to the different platforms around the island. Here you'll find over 400 Moai in different states of completion, and even a Moai that reaches almost 21 meters and was never detached from the quarry. Later you'll continue your tour to Ahu Tongariki, a majestic platform with 15 Moai that have been restored before moving on to Te Pito Kura, another enigmatic sight with the tallest Moai. You'll finish your tour by visiting Hanga Rau better known as Anakena beach. Here you'll see two restored Moai platforms and catch a moment of rest enjoying the beautiful beach with palm trees, white sand, and turquoise water.
Day 6 - Orongo Tour After breakfast you will depart from your hotel in Hanga Roa village for today’s tour. First you will visit the Ana Kai Tangata cave, where stylized birds are drawn on one of the walls, representing the Manutara (terns), whose precious eggs were the center of the annual "birdman" competition. You will also visit the Vinapu sector, an archaeological site characterized by its large basalt slabs carefully made to fit, similar to the Inca constructions of Cusco. Next you will visit the Rano Kau Volcano, a beautiful place with a lagoon, small cattail islands and abundant vegetation and microfauna. Finally, you will visit the ceremonial village of Orongo, the location of the "birdman" ceremony which designated who would be the spiritual and political chief alongside the king for the period of one year. This sacred character with the body of a shrunken man and a large bird’s beak is sculpted on a large number of engraved stones. After your tour, you will return to your hotel and have the rest of the afternoon free. Day 7 - Departure From Easter Island. After breakfast you will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the airport for your flight back to Santiago, arrival and end of our services.
What's Included: *2 nights in Santiago *4 nights on Easter Island in hotels based on US standards *Guided visits with English-speaking tour guides. *All transfers and entrance fees, *Rapa Nui National Park entrance fee. *All breakfasts Not Included: *International flights *Domestic Flight (Santiago - Easter Island) *Lunches and dinners (unless otherwise specified) *Tips
