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Easter Island: The Majesty and Mystery of Rapa Nui |
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Program Number: |
16342RJ |
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| Start
and End Dates: |
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| Duration: |
9 nights |
| Location: |
Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Chile
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| Price starting at: |
$3,996.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city |
| Program Type:
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Activity Level: |
t (see description) |
| Meals: |
19;
7 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 7 Dinners |
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At the turn of the millennium, the island of Rapa Nui — later named Easter Island by a Dutch explorer — flourished with the communities of early Polynesians. Delve into their legacy and history as you explore Easter Island and relish in an opportunity to study the monolithic moai that still exist. Meet archaeologists and historians who study these ancient peoples as well as local residents who continue to call this sub-tropical island their home.
Highlights
• Walk around the quarry from which the massive moai were carved, which includes nearly 400 unfinished giants and spectacular petroglyphs.
• Meet island residents and share in a home-hosted meal.
• Explore the island's most important archaeological sites — including Ahu Tongariki, Orongo Ceremonial Village, and Ahu Vinapu — and examine the mystery of why the moai were built, why they were toppled, and why the cult of the birdman arose.
Activity Particulars
Physically demanding program with extensive walking over uneven terrain and along hillsides. Some stairs required.
Itinerary Summary
Arrival Santiago (Chile), 1 night; flight to Easter Island (Rapa Nui), 6 nights; departure.
Coordinated by Hawaii Pacific University.
Overnight flight from the U.S.A. | 1 night | Arrival Santiago (Chile) | 1 night |
Explore historic Santiago and surrounding neighborhoods as you make stops at the Plaza de Armas, the Pre-Columbian Art Museum and the Presidential Palace. Enjoy a scenic view of the city from Christopher Hill, with its iconic, 46-feet-high statue of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception.
Flight to Easter Island (Rapa Nui) | 6 nights | Overnight flight to U.S.A | 1 night |
Begin your investigation of Easter Island as you head to Tahai for an introduction to the famous monoliths of Rapa Nui. Explore Hanga Roa village and visit the archaeological site of Ahu Vaihu. Climb the hillside path to view the quarry from which the massive moai were carved out of the hard basalt, and continue to view Tongariki, the largest ahu (temple platform) on the island. Drive to Parque Nacional Rapa Nui to explore Rano Kao crater, a fresh-water lake, and Orongo Ceremonial Village where the infamous Birdman Festival was once held. Set off for an exploration of archaeological sites, including Ahu Vinapu before enjoying the white sand beach of Anakena. Explore Easter Island’s lava tubes with your study leader or on your own, and get a first-hand look into the life of local residents as you enjoy dinner with a local family at their home.
Easter Island (Rapa Nui)
Discovered on Easter Sunday in 1722 by the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, the island of Rapa Nui had already been inhabited by native Polynesians for more than a thousand years. Evidence of this ancient peoples’ traditions remains in the iconic moai, large stone statues carved from volcanic ash.
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Accommodations
Santiago: Four-star hotel. Easter Island: Comfortable hotel surrounded by beautiful gardens near the coast.
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| Road Scholar Instructors | | These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur. | Sergio Rapu
| | Sergio Rapu is the primary archaeologist and director of research and restoration of many ahu (platforms) and moai (statues) for which Rapa Nui is famous. He has formerly served as the governor of Rapa Nui and was a member of the Advisory Committee on Oceanic Culture to the Director General of UNESCO (1979-1987) and founding curator of the Anthropological Museum of Easter Island (1970-1990). | | | |
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Meals and Lodgings |
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Hotel Plaza San Francisco |
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Santiago, Chile |
1 night
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Hotel Otai |
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Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile |
6 nights
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| Hotel Plaza San Francisco |
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Type: |
Four-Star Hotel |
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Description: |
Located in the center of Santiago’s business and financial district, the Hotel Plaza San Francisco is within walking distance of museums, the opera house, the subway and shops. The hotel completed a renovation in 2007 and is reputed as Santiago’s premier hotel. Its Bristol Restaurant has received a variety of national and international culinary distinctions. |
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Contact
info: |
Alameda 816
Santiago, Chile
phone: +56 2 360 4444
web: www.plazasanfrancisco.cl
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Room amenities: |
The rooms in Hotel Plaza San Francisco include minibars and safes. Televisions are equipped with satellite channels. All accommodations provide desks, complimentary newspapers, and multi-line phones with voice mail. Bathrooms offer shower/tub combinations with handheld showerheads, bathrobes, makeup/shaving mirrors, and hair dryers. All units feature refrigerators and coffee/tea makers. Additional amenities include windows that open and complimentary toiletries. |
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Facility amenities: |
Hotel Plaza San Francisco has a full-service spa, an indoor pool, laundry service, fitness center, a sauna, restaurant, and bar/lounge. Wireless Internet access is complimentary in public areas. Business amenities include a business center, small meeting rooms, and a meeting/conference room. The property has designated areas for smoking. |
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Smoking allowed: |
Yes |
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Elevators available: |
Yes |
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Check in time: |
1:00 PM |
| Hotel Otai |
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Type: |
Full Service Hotel |
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Description: |
Otai means "In the Coast" in Rapa Nui language. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the Hotel Otai is a simple, quaint hotel located in the center of Hanga Roa and just a short walk to the coastline. |
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Contact
info: |
Te Pito o Te Henua s/n
Hanga Roa
Rapa Nui-Easter Island, Chile
phone: +(563) 210-0250
web: www.hotelotai.com
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Room amenities: |
Phone, hairdryer (to be requested at the reception desk), A/C, min bar, in room safe. |
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Facility amenities: |
Restaurant, bar, outdoor swimming pool, laundry service, television room and Internet access. |
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Smoking allowed: |
No |
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Check out time: |
12:00 PM |
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The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.
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Day 2: |
Arrival in Historic Santiago
(Tuesday, January 15)
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| Morning: | Arrivals. Rooms are guaranteed for early check-in. | | Lunch: | Bristol Restaurant, lobby level | | Afternoon: | Explore historic Santiago and surrounding neighborhoods on a guided visit with stops at the city's historic center, Plaza de Armas, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Archeological Museum of Santiago and the Presidential Palace. Continue to Saint Christopher Hill, with its iconic, 46-feet-high statue of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception for great views of Santiago (weather and smog permitting). Drive through the neighborhoods of Providencia, Las Condes, and Vitacura, then stop at Pueblito Los Dominicos, a charming local handicraft market (time permitting). | | Dinner: | Bristol Restaurant, lobby level | | Evening: | At leisure. | |
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Day 4: |
An Introduction to Rapa Nui
(Thursday, January 17)
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| Breakfast: | Continental Breakfast - Hotel Otai | | Morning: | Begin with a welcome and overview class of Rapa Nui. Discover the Padre Sebastian Englert Archaeological Museum on a guided visit of museum and its artifacts, including the only intact white coral moai eye, as well as displays of local geology, flora and fauna; maps; illustrations of house types; and many other elements of Rapa Nui culture. Padre Sebastian Englert was a missionary priest who lived on the island nearly 35 years and studied the people, the culture and the carvings. White numbers are still visible on some of the moai and pukao that are part of the system he developed while inventorying the islands artifacts. The new museum and associated facilities were built with a grant in aid from Japan.
| | Lunch: | Hotel Otai | | Afternoon: | Head to Tahai for an introduction to the famous monoliths of Rapa Nui: Ahu Vai Ure topped by five moai; Ahu Tahai (A.D. 680); and Ahu Ko te Riku (A.D. 12th century, a 15½-feet-high, 20-ton moai that is topped by a pukao (red scoria top knot). At Hanga Kio`e, a small bay just past town, view two more ahu restored by Dr. William Mulloy, part of a larger site that includes Ahu Akapu with its solitary moai and Dr. Mulloy's gravesite. | | Dinner: | Hotel Otai | |
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| Accommodations: |
Hotel Otai |
| Meals
Included: |
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
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Day 5: |
Ahu Vaihu, Tongariki and Rano Raraku
(Friday, January 18)
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| Breakfast: | Continental Breakfast- Hotel Otai | | Morning: | Choose to explore Hanga Roa village either on a guided visit or independently. Then set off to the archaeological site of Ahu Vaihu. Constructed of finely crafted stones, Ahu Vaihu is located at the small bay of Hanga Te`e. The ahu has 11 toppled moai whose pukao (top knots) are lying where they fell, and a circle of rocks on the ground, used for paina ceremonies to honor the dead. Continue down the South Coast along the wind- and wave-carved shoreline, past many collapsed ahu, toppled moai and fallen stone fences to Rano Raraku. | | Lunch: | Picnic lunch in the National Park Picnic Area. | | Afternoon: | Climb the mountainside path to view the quarry from where the massive moai were carved out of the hard basalt. Moai, in all stages of production, cover its southern flank. Continue to Tongariki, the largest ahu (temple platform) on the island. Demolished in 1960 by the tremendous force of a tsunami, Tongariki has recently been restored by Chilean archaeologist Claudio Cristino and Sergio Rapu with the help of Japanese archaeologists and the Rapa Nui people, so it once again supports its 15 moai. | | Dinner: | Hotel Otai | | Evening: | At leisure. | |
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| Accommodations: |
Hotel Otai |
| Meals
Included: |
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
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Day 6: |
Ahu Vinapu, Anakena, Ahu Nau Nau and Poike Ditch
(Saturday, January 19)
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| Breakfast: | Continental Breakfast-Hotel Otai | | Morning: | Class: The People of Old - Rapa Nui Ancient Culture. Later in the morning, set off for an exploration of archaeological sites, beginning at Ahu Vinapu, whose construction has raised many questions due to its similarity to the pre-Columbian structures found in Cuzco, Peru. | | Afternoon: | Discover Anakena, a beautiful, sheltered, white sand beach surrounded by swaying palm trees. This beach, the largest in Rapa Nui, is where Hotu Matu`a is said to have beached his canoe and lived in one of several caves while waiting for his boat-shaped house to be completed. Take a swim or stroll the beach before going up the hill to Ahu Nau Nau, a complex archaeological site where, in 1978, Study Leader Sergio Rapu, in reconstructing the ahu, first recognized that the coral fragments unearthed in the sand were the inlaid coral eyes of the moai. With this discovery and the subsequent investigation of other moai came the realization that all Rapa Nui's moai, once they were placed on the ahu, were given eyes. Barbecue lunch at Anakena then depart for Poike Ditch where according to legend the Long Ears and Short Ears had their famed battle. | | Dinner: | Hotel Otai | |
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| Accommodations: |
Hotel Otai |
| Meals
Included: |
Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 7: |
Parque Nacional Rapa Nui, Rano Kao Crater, Orongo Ceremonial Village
(Sunday, January 20)
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| Breakfast: | Continental Breakfast-Hotel Otai | | Morning: | Choose to relax or attend Sunday mass at the historic Rapa Nui Roman Catholic church, where the choral hymns are sung in the Rapa Nui language. The hand-carved wooden statues and designs used on the vestments are wonderful examples of the use of culturally related symbolism in liturgical art. | | Lunch: | Hotel Otai | | Afternoon: | Drive to Parque Nacional Rapa Nui, where you visit two of the truly great sights of Rapa Nui -- Rano Kao crater, a fresh-water lake, and Orongo Ceremonial Village where, until 1853, the infamous Birdman Festival was held in the spring of each year. Located on the southwestern point of the triangle, the park provides spectacular views of the whole island. | | Dinner: | Home-Hosted Dinner | | Evening: | At leisure. | |
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| Accommodations: |
Hotel Otai |
| Meals
Included: |
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
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Free Time Opportunities |
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| Santiago |
Mercado Central Market
This delightful, galvanized steel construction was built in 1872, to replace the unsanitary Mercado de Abastos (provisions market), which had served the needs of local citizens since the colonial period. Today, the Central Market still shines with nostalgic architectural pride and offers an eclectic selection of handicrafts, fruit and vegetables. The specialty is fish and shellfish, which can be sampled in the small kitchens down the side of the building, or in the more formal restaurants that are interspersed throughout the market. Enjoy a plate of fish marinade or razor clams in parmesan sauce, while being serenaded by a band of local mariachis. Address: San Pablo 967 interior. Open daily (except on election day): Sunday to Thursday, 6 a.m.– 4 p.m.; Friday, 5:30 a.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday, 5 a.m. – 5 p.m. For additional information, visit www.santiago.cl
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Paseo Peatonal Londres
A beautiful and attractive walkway located in downtown, it is comprised by various structures built between 1922 and 1925. Marina Ortiz de Gaete, widow of Pedro de Valdivia, encouraged the construction of the Soledad Chapel, next to the first church of the Franciscan Order, which is today the San Francisco Church. This small civic neighborhood is full of various eye-catching architectural styles that live in perfect harmony. Address: Londres, Centro.
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Parque Metropolitano (Cerro San Cristóbal)
This beautiful green area, including the hills of San Cristóbal, Chacarillas, Gemelos and Pirámide, occupies 1,799 acres and is one of the largest parks in the country. Its forestation began in 1921. In 1926, the mayor Alberto Mackenna transformed it into a public area. The summit is 2821 feet above sea level, crowned by an image of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, 46 feet tall and sitting on a pedestal 75 feet high topping Cerro San Cristóbal. There is a zoo, two swimming pools, picnic areas, restaurants, children's play area, a chapel, botanical gardens and mile-long gondola ride. Go all the way up to the summit for a full view of Santiago. On a clear day it's possible to see the snowy Andean peaks in all their splendor. Pedro de Valdivia Norte, Providencia, Santiago, Chile. Open 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily.
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Museo Histórico Nacional
This aesthetic-looking building was constructed between 1804 and 1807 by Jose Goycolea, a student of prominent architect Joaquín Toesca. This was also the site of the first sittings held by the National Congress, and the great liberator himself, Gen. Bernard O'Higgins, had an office in the building. Now considered a national monument, it is home to the National Historical Museum since 1911 and houses a collection related to different periods and famous personalities in the history of Chile, from pre-Colombian times right up to the 1970s. There is also a section dedicated to numismatics (money, coins and medals). Address: Plaza de Armas 951, Centro. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission: Adults CLP600; On Sunday, entrance is free.
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Museo Parque de las Esculturas
With its attractive sculptures and beautiful green scenery, this park-cum-museum is the perfect place to enjoy a pleasant walk alongside the Mapocho River on a temperate summer evening. The sculptures are made out of stone, metal and wood, respectively, and rambunctious children often use them as makeshift jungle gyms. The park is also home to a concert hall, where national and international stars perform. During the summer months, the hall hosts a series of jazz concerts organized by the local council. Address: Avenida Santa María 2201, Santiago, Chile. Entrance is free. Open daily, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
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| Rapa Nui (Easter Island) |
Horseback Riding
Guided horse rides are available through three operators: Piti Pont (tel:100-664), Pantu (tel:100-577) and Tadeo (tel:100-422). Cost is approximately $10 per hour.
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Market Visit
Hanga Roa has a municipal marketplace featuring local crafts, vegetables and food within easy walking distance of the hotel.
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Suggested Reading List
The Complete Guide to Easter Island
Author: McLaughlin, Shawn
Description: Very comprehensive guide. If you read only one book, this is our recommendation
Easter Island Rapa Nui, a Land of Rocky Dream
Author: Ramirez- Aliaga, Jose Miguel
Description: The text was written by the archaeologist José Miguel Ramírez-Aliaga, who was Superintendent of the Easter Island National Park for seven years. This is a very high-quality book, with 192 pages, which dimensions are of 20 x 30 cm (approximately 10 x 12.5 inches). It contains more than 220 full-color photographs that range from aerial photos taken during various flights and under different light conditions, to underwater pictures of caves and native fish species of the island. It has a large number of photographs of archaeological sites and landscapes, but, and perhaps most importantly, the last 58 pages are devoted to photographs of islanders of Rapa Nui that belong to the Rapa Nui ethnic group. Also included are images of the Tapati Rapa Nui, which is an event that brings their ancient customs and rates to life.
An Uncommon Guide to Easter Island: Exploring Archaeological Mysteries of Rapa Nui.
Author: Lee, Georgia Ph.D
Island at The End of the World
Author: Fischer, Steven
Description: "Fischer''s fluent narrative reveals how smallness, isolation, and a fragile environment have shaped the history of this tiny community. . . . Its strength lies equally in the author’s sensitive micro-study approach and its subject matter. Above all, it deserves a wide readership because Easter Island still presents a global warning about the imperative of environmental sustainability."--American Historical Review (Philippa Mein Smith American Historical Review)
Island at the Center of the World
Author: Englert, Father Sebastian Englert
Description: (Translated by William Mulloy) Out of print, available used.
Rapanui: Tradition & Survival on Easter Island, 2nd edition
Author: McCall, Grant.
Description: General history of Easter Island, its culture and society from ancient to modern times.
The Mystery of Easter Island, The Story of an Expedition
Author: Scoresby Routledge, Mrs
Description: Historical adventure travel
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