Easter Island Machu Picchu
 

I've contacted a few SA specialists about doing this 2 stop trip next year but would like to hear from anyone who has actually done it. Any one out there?

QueenofDaNile:

From your Screen name it sounds like you should go to Egypt.!!!

I was in Macchu Picchu two weeks ago.

You may have to fly into Lima and then from Lima to Cusco.
Then bus ride over to Ollantaytambo and then take the Peruail ( train) to Macchu Picchu.

With a tour guide you can do Macchu Picchu in one full day and see everything..maybe you want to spend more time there.

Easter Island is a 5 hour flight from Santiago Chile,so I assume it is the same from Lima !

I have not been to Easter Island

Percy

Once you get from Cusco to Lima, you'd still have to fly to Santiago to catch a flight to Easter Island. No flights from Lima, since it's a Chilean domestic route.

Your right Jeff that is what they told me in Santiago last week.

They say it is a 5 hour flight from Santiago.!!

Percy

Hi Percy,
Actually I have been to Egypt 2x and love it. My stepsister wants to see Easter Island and if we're going that far I thought we'd add Machu Picchu.
It seems logical to fly to Lima first, go to MP and then fly to Santiago to use LAN as Jeff said. I've been to Chile before but not Peru. I think with enough time- 12 to 14 days - I can make this work.

That's a lot of money and time to see some stone heads made by a bunch of retards who wrecked their island in the process. Don't you have something else you would rather see or do with the money?

I visited both on atrip in 1999. I was a long working trip that started in California and went to Hawaii, Fiji, Tahiti, Easter Island and then home (NY) via Chile. I stopped off in Peru and visited Machu Picchu between Chile ad NY. I would recommend a route like that, assuming you are leaving from the US. You might as well see Tahiti as fly down to Chile and back. I found both places very interesting but if you told me the world was ending tomorrow and offered me a choice of where to be I would pick Easter Island. The landscape is fantastic and I'll never forget sitting alone at night by the moai and watching the night sky. I am sure Easter Island doesn't effect everyone this way but it did me.

Hi QueenofDaNile!

I spent almost a month in Egypt about 18 months ago and loved every place I visited so I can see why you were there twice.

I agree with tuckeg

You might as well see Fiji and Tahiti while you are in the South Pacific.

They have a couple of those stone heads and statues from Easter Island in the resort place of Vina Del Mar, not far from Santiago....going through the wine country.

Percy

There was a great article by Edward Albee, the three time Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist, in the NY Times last year about his amazing trip to Easter Island and how he plans on going back. The follow-up was that for about the same price and flying time, you can fly to Papeete, Tahiti, non stop on Air Tahiti Nui, and then use Lan Chile between Tahiti and Easter Island. Sounds like that might incorporate your suggestions. Then save Peru for a longer visit at another time.
Thanks folks.

Hi - we did both locations last year but it was part of a longer 10 week trip - might be too ambitious for 12-15 days.

We loved Easter Island (well and MP too!) - here's a link to our blog - we highly recommend the private guide we had Josie Mulloy - her contact info is in the blog

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...and/index.html

I'll be posting some questions for you as I'm just planning a short visit to Egypt next Jan/FEb - would like to do something independent - any guide suggestions?

Also Percy - I seem to be following you - just back from Australia/NZ and planning Egypt!

Hi Elizabeth,

If I remember correctly, Josie was my guide for one day in 1999. As I recall she had only recently returned to the island from the US. Glad to hear she is still there. I am hoping to return in 2010 so I'll use the contact info you posted to talk to her about it, thanks.

George

Elizabeth,

I read your blog and it was Josie that was my guide. I didn't find her contact info, can you please direct me to it or was it right there and I missed. Very nice photos! I ate in that french restaurant every day when I was there (prices were much lower then), glad to hear it's still operating.

Thanks,
George

Hi George - here's her web site and it has a contact us link

http://www.haumakatours.com/index.html

I went to both as part of a 3 week trip last year. The last week was a Galapagos cruise, however, so if you knock that off it was a 2 week trip.

It went like this:

Sunday morning (early): arrive in Santiago

Sunday evening (after day trip around the city): leave for Hanga Roa

Mon-Wed (full days on Rapa Nui - during the cultural festival, which was dumb luck but I would recommend if you're actually planning this)

Thur: Fly to Lima, via Santiago

Fri: Fly to Iquitos, hang out at resort on Amazon (Ceiba Tops)

Sat: Canopy Walk in Amazon Rainforest

Sun: Fly back to Lima, enjoy the city for the day (beach was nice)

Mon: Fly to Cusco

Tue: Cusco

Wed: Sacred Valley

Thur: Machu Picchu

Fri: Machu Picchu

Sat: Back to Lima (from which we went on to Ecuador)

I think I'm off by a day, but our schedule got messed up because of a train strike.

I highly recommend it. The only thing I personally did not like was the city of Cusco - that being said, that was my wife's favorite city.

Machu Picchu was a 10 out of 10, and Rapa Nui was an 11.

Here's our travel log:

http://www.justinandcrystal.com/SouthAmerica/

I recommend February.

Thanks Justin and Elizabeth. Your sites should be turned into books! Very helpful and inspirational.

Just one little note. I've been to Machu Picchu twice. Granted I was a kid then. Anyway, if you can work it in time -wise, stay over night in their little hotel there. In the late afternoon/evening there are no tourists on the "ruins" and it is quiet and beautiful. A rare experience.

I agree about staying in MP. I stayed in the Pueblo hotel - known now as the Inkaterra MP hotel:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ed_Valley.html

We were able to stay to see the sunset and also were the first ones at Mp before the train arrives with all of the other tourists. It really is worth staying in the area. The town of Aguas Calientes is also pretty fun to visit.

just topping since I might do the above trip