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Rano Raraku

Rano Raraku

Ancient RuinsPoints of Interest & LandmarksVolcanoes
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
About
The island's famous moai statues were carved from the volcanic rock of this mountain and are scattered across its slopes in various stages of completion.
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  • Ali921
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom1,554 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Birthplace of Moai
    You can only visit with a guide and only visit once. Walk among giants in the legendary moai statue quarry Rano Raraku. This volcano that was turned into a factory invokes a sense of mystery in an almost surreal way, stronger than any other place at Easter Island. This is the heart of ancient Rapa Nui civilization with hundreds of abandoned moais scattered around. Moai statues were carved here, before being transported to all other corners of the island. Here we see many demonstrations of the incredible skills in statue carving that was reached in the ancient Easter Island society, since we here have the largest and most refined statues of the whole island.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 30 January 2024
  • Ron S
    New York City, New York5,927 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Rano Raraku
    Rano Raraku and Rapa Nui National Park are one and the same. You have to buy the tickets online for $90 which covers all sites on the island although Rano Raraku can be visited only once. In addition, you must be accompanied by a local, preferably a guide, which is a rip-off but since you came here to see the moai you have no choice but pay.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 May 2024
  • midway42
    Georgia3,452 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Visiting Rapa Nui's Labor and Delivery Unit.
    Egypt has the pyramids, India has the Taj Mahal, and Rapa Nui has the mo’ai statues. While the latter are probably not as well-known, they are within a measurable distance of that fame. Carved by indigenous islanders between ca. 1250 and 1500, the statues represent a minimalist style of art, widely regarded as being created in homage to ancestors that have recently died. There are almost 1,000 of these stone carvings found on Rapa Nui in various states of preservation and completion, with maybe a dozen scattered throughout the world in places such as London, Paris, Washington D.C., and New Zealand. The vast majority of mo’ai were created at Rano Raraku, a volcanic crater with an abundant amount of ash found on the eastern side of Rapa Nui. I visited with a guide in the middle of the first day of my formal tour on the island. After checking in at the front office, our first stop was at a table containing different types of stone used on the island including tuff, basalt, and scoria. The remainder of the visit consists of a following a trail in a vaguely circular loop. Along the 1,500+ meter path are maybe a dozen interpretive points which include statues in various states of completion and preservation. Included in this list are the only kneeling mo’ai (Tukuturi) and the largest mo’ai (69 feet high, 200+ tons). There are a few lookout stations where we paused to discuss certain topics and appreciate views of the countryside, including remnants of a path used to distribute the finished products to other parts of the island. Total time on site was about 90 minutes. In summary, along with Orongo (see separate review) this attraction was the highlight of my four days on the island. The main reason for this is the somewhat eerie, apocalyptic atmosphere that pervaded the entire experience. For some unknown reason the era of statue carving came to a sudden end on the island in the 1500’s but instead of a gradual decline it seems to have suddenly halted as if by executive order. Secondly, my visit here made me realize the sheer time and effort it took to create these objects especially in the pre-industrial era. One can read as many numerical statistics as you want but nothing compares to viewing the area in person. A visit here is absolutely essential even if your time on the island is a brief.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 4 June 2024
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5.0
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Bill M
Springfield, MO305 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Quarry is too simple for what went on here – more like carving studio. Seeing the setting as you first enter this park site provides a glimpse of how the mo’ai were carved from the top of the caldera and possibly rolled down a good distance before continuing to be transported to the various ahus around the island. The sheer size of the site and the area around it is fascinating. You can see the mo’ai at Ahu Tongariki from here providing a perspective of size and distance.
Viewing one of the incomplete mo’ai up close shows the exceptional work done by the artisans. Can’t miss this one.
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DERtravels
Pomona, CA1,450 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
This is the highlight of our day tour on Easter Island. Although it was raining when we arrived, it did not deter us from making the hike up the path. We didn't manage to go all the qa into the quarry. We are slow walkers and we were only given about 35 minutes to explore. However, seeing the half buried Maoi made us truly wonder just how could the indigenous people build and erect these statues.

We could also see Tongariki from this vantage point.
Written 31 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

deborahk3
Maidstone, UK1,820 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
We came here as part of our day long monuments tour. Rano Raraku is a volcanic crater formed of volcanic ash and is located on the slopes of Terevaka, which is the largest, tallest and youngest of three main extinct volcanoes. The volcano sits in Rapu Nui National Park as is a sight to behold. It was a quarry for approximately 500 years and supplied the stones for which the majority of the islands Moai were carved. Rano Raraku enables you to visualise the moai design and innovation of the Islands sculptures and here over 800 moai remain in different states of completeness. The incomplete statues at the quarry are remarkable for their numbers and size; the largest being 71 feet high and more than twice the size of any other Moai on the Island. This is a fascinating area and well worth a visit but best with a tour guide for the background information.
Written 16 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dirk W
Antwerp, Belgium221 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
In Rano Raraku we have to hike the mountain. On the way we come across several Moai statues that have been carved out of the rocks here and have not reached their final destination; the so-called workshop of the Rapanui. There is even an unfinished Maoi statue that is not yet completely separated from the rock. Impressive! This is an absolute location to do.
Written 22 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FS11F
Novo Hamburgo, RS3,338 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Friends
Mountain from where most of the moais were carved. It is within the national park, it requires a ticket and a guide and can only be visited once. Currently (June/2024) the volcano crater cannot be visited. The tour goes through a trail where several moais are seen, many of which are incomplete or abandoned in their transport to the final destination. More on top of the mountain, you view moais in their raw state, prepared on the rock itself. Near the end of the tour there is the Moai who is kneeling with his head inclined towards the sky, plus a beautiful view to contemplate the coast and Ahu Tongariki. In this archaeological site there is a restaurant and items stores related to Rapa Nui.
Automatically translated
Written 24 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ruthandvern
Wilton, CA15,968 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
20 Mar 20; pre-evacuation: The quarry, not far from Ahu Tongariki, is the birthplace of all the Moai on the island. You can see partially carved figures within the mountain walls. Several laying and standing look ready to be transported still. Fantastic memory.
Written 11 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ron S
New York City, NY5,927 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
Rano Raraku and Rapa Nui National Park are one and the same. You have to buy the tickets online for $90 which covers all sites on the island although Rano Raraku can be visited only once. In addition, you must be accompanied by a local, preferably a guide, which is a rip-off but since you came here to see the moai you have no choice but pay.
Written 8 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stella R.
Brasilia, DF26 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Rano Raraku is a very special place for those who want to go further into the history of Rapa Nui Island, because it's known as the "Moai factory". Unfortunatly, the ticket to Rapa Nui National Park only lets one in once - meaning that whenever you decide to go, try to have time to enjoy it, because you won't be allowed to come back another day with the same ticket. It's said that lots of Moais aren't viewable to us, because they are at the other side of the crater, where tourists aren't allowed to go. One can only hit the lagoon at this side of the crater (the inner slope). But there are lots of Moais in the "viewable" area (the outer slope), and one can get really close to some of them. A nice place to have a peaceful walk, despite the number of tourists.
Written 14 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

midway42
Georgia3,452 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Solo
Egypt has the pyramids, India has the Taj Mahal, and Rapa Nui has the mo’ai statues. While the latter are probably not as well-known, they are within a measurable distance of that fame. Carved by indigenous islanders between ca. 1250 and 1500, the statues represent a minimalist style of art, widely regarded as being created in homage to ancestors that have recently died. There are almost 1,000 of these stone carvings found on Rapa Nui in various states of preservation and completion, with maybe a dozen scattered throughout the world in places such as London, Paris, Washington D.C., and New Zealand. The vast majority of mo’ai were created at Rano Raraku, a volcanic crater with an abundant amount of ash found on the eastern side of Rapa Nui.

I visited with a guide in the middle of the first day of my formal tour on the island. After checking in at the front office, our first stop was at a table containing different types of stone used on the island including tuff, basalt, and scoria. The remainder of the visit consists of a following a trail in a vaguely circular loop. Along the 1,500+ meter path are maybe a dozen interpretive points which include statues in various states of completion and preservation. Included in this list are the only kneeling mo’ai (Tukuturi) and the largest mo’ai (69 feet high, 200+ tons). There are a few lookout stations where we paused to discuss certain topics and appreciate views of the countryside, including remnants of a path used to distribute the finished products to other parts of the island. Total time on site was about 90 minutes.

In summary, along with Orongo (see separate review) this attraction was the highlight of my four days on the island. The main reason for this is the somewhat eerie, apocalyptic atmosphere that pervaded the entire experience. For some unknown reason the era of statue carving came to a sudden end on the island in the 1500’s but instead of a gradual decline it seems to have suddenly halted as if by executive order. Secondly, my visit here made me realize the sheer time and effort it took to create these objects especially in the pre-industrial era. One can read as many numerical statistics as you want but nothing compares to viewing the area in person. A visit here is absolutely essential even if your time on the island is a brief.
Written 4 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ali921
Edinburgh, UK1,554 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
You can only visit with a guide and only visit once. Walk among giants in the legendary moai statue quarry Rano Raraku. This volcano that was turned into a factory invokes a sense of mystery in an almost surreal way, stronger than any other place at Easter Island. This is the heart of ancient Rapa Nui civilization with hundreds of abandoned moais scattered around. Moai statues were carved here, before being transported to all other corners of the island. Here we see many demonstrations of the incredible skills in statue carving that was reached in the ancient Easter Island society, since we here have the largest and most refined statues of the whole island.
Written 30 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Rano Raraku, Easter Island

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