Rano Kau Volcanic Crater & Orongo Walk
Hike to the spectacular flooded caldera of Rano Kau and the clifftop ceremonial village of Orongo, birthplace of the Birdman cult.
- 1
Rano Kau Trailhead
The trail climbs from the southern edge of Hanga Roa up the extinct volcano's outer flank, through native totora reed patches and rocky terrain.
- 2
Crater Rim Viewpoint
The crater rim reveals one of the world's most dramatic volcanic landscapes — a 1.6-km-wide caldera filled with a freshwater lake choked with totora reeds.
- 3
Ocean Cliff Edge
The crater rim drops away on the seaward side in sheer 300-metre cliffs plunging into the Pacific — some of the most vertiginous views on the island.
- 4
Orongo Ceremonial Village
Perched on the crater rim, Orongo's 53 stone houses were the site of the annual Birdman competition, where warriors raced to retrieve a sooty tern egg.
- 5
Birdman Petroglyphs
Rock carvings cover the boulders around Orongo — figures of Make Make (the creator god), birdmen, and tuna fish etched by generations of Rapa Nui carvers.
- 6
Motu Nui Islet View
The three islets visible below — Motu Nui, Motu Iti, and Motu Kau Kau — were where the Birdman competitors swam to collect the sacred manutara egg.