Easter Island (Rapa Nui)
Easter Island: The Majesty and Mystery of Rapa Nui
Program No. 16342RJ
Alongside an archaeologist, dig into one of the world’s most enduring mysteries as you explore Easter Island and its ancient moai. Plus, share a traditional meal with a local family!
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DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jan 11 - Jan 21, 2025
Starting at
6,699Feb 1 - Feb 13, 2025
Starting at
7,999DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jan 11 - Jan 21, 2025
Starting at
6,699Feb 1 - Feb 13, 2025
Starting at
9,099Not seeing the date you're looking for?
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This date is available to book as a private experience for your group!
11 days
10 nights
23 meals
8B 7L 8D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
3
Fly to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Free Time
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
4
Introduction to Rapa Nui, Englert Museum, Ahu Tahai
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
5
Ahu Vaihu, Rano Raraku & Tongariki, Cultural Event
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
6
Class, Ahu Vinapu, Anakena, Ahu Nau Nau
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
7
Free Time, Parque Nacional Rapa Nui, Rano Kao, Orongo
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
8
Top Knot Quarry, Class, Free Time, Umikai Dinner
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
9
Free Time, Fly to Santiago
Santiago
10
Santiago, Program Concludes
In Flight
11
In Transit From Program
In Flight
At a Glance
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.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Physically demanding program with extensive walking over uneven terrain and along hillsides. Some stairs required.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Walk around the quarry from which the massive moai were carved, which includes nearly 400 unfinished giants and spectacular petroglyphs.
- Connect with local Rapa Nui people.
- 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.
General Notes
Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Claudio Le Roy
Claudio Le Roy has been leading Road Scholar adventures in Chile and Peru for more than 20 years. He has also designed and carried out a number of personal volunteer initiatives in these areas with a focus on the most needed, especially children. He holds degrees in second language teaching and a bachelor’s in English language and literature. Besides his career as a language teacher, Mr. Le Roy worked for ten years as a professional dancer for the National Folkloric Ballet of Chile.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Claudio Le Roy
View biography
Claudio Le Roy has been leading Road Scholar adventures in Chile and Peru for more than 20 years. He has also designed and carried out a number of personal volunteer initiatives in these areas with a focus on the most needed, especially children. He holds degrees in second language teaching and a bachelor’s in English language and literature. Besides his career as a language teacher, Mr. Le Roy worked for ten years as a professional dancer for the National Folkloric Ballet of Chile.
Suggested Reading List
(16 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Easter Island: The Majesty and Mystery of Rapa Nui
Program Number: 16342
We, the Navigators, The Ancient Art of Landfinding in the Pacific
This engaging classic examines how Stone Age Polynesians may have navigated the Pacific. The scholarly volume will appeal to seafarers and modern Pacific travelers.
Kon-Tiki, Across the Pacific by Raft
The hugely popular account of a daring 1947 voyage that sailed along the Humboldt and Equatorial currents from Peru to Tahiti. Apart from the sheer adventure, Heyerdahl wanted to show the world that Polynesians could have settled the region. With photographs.
Island at the End of the World
Fischer's cultural and political history takes in the full sweep of Easter Island from prehistory through civil rights protests of the 1960s.
On the Road of the Winds
An excellent scholarly review of the prehistory and archaeology of Pacific civilizations before European contact.
The Statues That Walked, Unraveling the Mystery of Easter Island
Drawing on archaeological evidence and their own work, Hunt and Lip challenge Jared Diamond's view of eco-catastrophe in this convincing new history of Rapa Nui.
Easter Island's Silent Sentinels, The Sculpture and Architecture of Rapa Nui
This richly illustrated survey of the history, culture and art of Easter Island includes the island's vernacular architecture.
Easter Island
In this mesmerizing novel, Vanderbes spins parallel stories of two young women on Easter Island, one an archaeologist with a 1913 expedition and the other an American botanist who visits 60 years later.
Easter Island Sketchbook
This treasure trove of whimsical watercolor and ink paintings brings Easter Island's mysterious relics to life. Sternau is particularly adept at rendering the mystical moai -- the large stone statues of the ancient Rapa Nui civilization, but she also captures the island's landscape: from its idyllic beaches to dramatic cliffs.
Insight Guide Chile
This glossy guide provides a full-color introduction by a team of experts to the land, people, history and attractions of Chile. Brief background essays highlight important topics. With many local and regional maps.
Rapa Nui, Island of Memory
Full of anecdote and incident, Lee's lively memoir of fieldwork on Rapa Nui celebrates the people and life on the island since the 1980s.
The Happy Isles of Oceania
The peripatetic author flies off to Australia and New Zealand with a kayak and ends up exploring much of Melanesia and Polynesia, including Tonga, Fiji and the Marquesas, in this wickedly funny, wide-ranging tale.
Easter Island, Island of Enigmas
An amateur archaeologist, novelist Dos Passos mixes travel and observation with the history of exploration of Rapa Nui in this brief, engaging book.
Pacific Journeys
A striking portfolio of 330 color photographs of the people, nature and landscape of the region, Hendrie's gorgeous book includes images from his many journeys to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, to Tahiti and the Marquesas, Tonga, Fiji, Easter Island and Hawaii over the last 20 years.
Collapse, How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
Diamond tackles nothing less than the history and fate of civilization in this compelling book in which he offers case studies, present and past, of societies that work and societies that do not, devoting 100 carefully reasoned pages, for example, to the fate of the Norse settlements in Greenland (climatic change, Inuit) and another big section on Easter Island (deforestation, hubris). This revised edition includes a new afterword.
Easter Island, the Essential Guide
An archaeologist who has worked on Rapa Nui since the 1980s and past president of the Easter Island Foundation, Sanger covers the history, archaeology, people and practicalities of Easter Island in this authoritative guide.
Easter Island Map
A colorful topographic map (1:30,000).
Program
At a Glance
Duration
11 days
Program Begins
Santiago
Program Concludes
Santiago
Group Type
Small Group
Meals
23 (
8B, 7L, 8D
)
Activity Level
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.)
Best of all, you'll...
- Walk around the quarry from which the massive moai were carved, which includes nearly 400 unfinished giants and spectacular petroglyphs.
- Connect with local Rapa Nui people.
- 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.
General Notes
Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
Claudio Le Roy
Claudio Le Roy has been leading Road Scholar adventures in Chile and Peru for more than 20 years. He has also designed and carried out a number of personal volunteer initiatives in these areas with a focus on the most needed, especially children. He holds degrees in second language teaching and a bachelor’s in English language and literature. Besides his career as a language teacher, Mr. Le Roy worked for ten years as a professional dancer for the National Folkloric Ballet of Chile.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Physically demanding program with extensive walking over uneven terrain and along hillsides. Some stairs required.
Small Group
(13 to 24)
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List
(16 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
Year
- 2025
Date
- Jan 11 - Jan 21
- Feb 01 - Feb 13
- Mar 08 - Mar 18
- Apr 05 - Apr 15
- Sep 06 - Sep 16
- Sep 27 - Oct 07
- Nov 01 - Nov 11
Please Note: The program differs on certain dates.
Please Note: The program differs on certain dates.
Select trip year and date
- 2025
- Jan 11 - Jan 21
- Feb 01 - Feb 13
- Mar 08 - Mar 18
- Apr 05 - Apr 15
- Sep 06 - Sep 16
- Sep 27 - Oct 07
- Nov 01 - Nov 11
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
11 days
10 nights
What's Included
23 meals (
8B, 7L, 8D
)
3 expert-led lectures
9 expert-led field trips
2 flights during the program
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
8 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
In Transit to Program
Location:
In Flight
Activity Note
Hotel rooms reserved from 3:00 p.m. to guarantee early arrival tomorrow morning. Participants arriving to program early may check in this afternoon.
Evening:
Depart North America on overnight flights to Santiago, Chile. Refer to your personal air itinerary for specific flight information.
Day
2
Arrive Santiago, Orientation, Historic Santiago by Bus
Location:
Santiago
Meals:
L,D
Stay:
Hotel Plaza San Francisco
Activity Note
Hotel rooms have been reserved from the evening before to guarantee early check-in after flights land early-morning. Getting on/off a bus, multiple stops.
Morning:
Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Lunch:
At the hotel. Lunch — almuerzo — is typically the main meal of the day.
Afternoon:
We will board a bus and explore historic Santiago and surrounding neighborhoods with a local expert. We expect to make stops at the city's historic center, the Plaza de Armas; the Metropolitan Cathedral; the Pre-Columbian Art Museum; and the Presidential Palace. Moving on, we will reach Saint Christopher Hill with its iconic, 46-foot -high statue of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception for great views of Santiago (weather and smog permitting). We will also drive through the neighborhoods of Providencia, Las Condes, and Vitacura to see some of the highlights.
Dinner:
At the hotel. Dinner — cena — is typically lighter than lunch/almuerzo.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead. Prepare for check-out and flight to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the morning.
Day
3
Fly to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Free Time
Location:
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Otai
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus. Early departure for transfer to airport. The non-stop flight from Santiago to Rapa Nui is approximately 5 hours. Local time in Easter Island is 2 hours behind mainland Chile.
Breakfast:
In the hotel lobby, we’ll have a “grab and go” breakfast.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we will transfer via bus to Arturo Benítez Airport and board our non-stop flight to Rapa Nui (Easter Island); food is typically served during the flight. After a late morning arrival at Mataveri International Airport on Rapa Nui, we will transfer to our hotel and check in with some time to freshen up and relax before lunch.
Lunch:
At the hotel, we will have a light lunch.
Afternoon:
Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. If you’d like to see some of Hanga Roa town, the local post office across the street from the hotel will stamp your passport with a unique moai statues stamp free of charge. (The stamp does not have any legal implications; it's simply a nice memento of your time in Rapa Nui.) You could also take a short walk to the harbor to see your first moai, or just relax.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
4
Introduction to Rapa Nui, Englert Museum, Ahu Tahai
Location:
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Otai
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus. Walking and standing during field trips; uneven terrain at Ahu Tahai.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll be joined at the hotel by a local expert who will give us a presentation on Rapa Nui, the indigenous name of Easter Island. The Rapanui people called it Te Pito O Te Henua, roughly translated as "Navel of the World." The island, covering only 66 square miles, is a speck in the ocean 2,500 miles from Chile and 2,000 miles from Tahiti. The greatest mystery is why and how the people made and moved nearly 900 gigantic figures — moai — some weighing more than 80 tons. Rapa Nui National Park that covers much of the island is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the UNESCO inscription: “A society of Polynesian origin that settled there c. A.D. 300 established a powerful, imaginative and original tradition of monumental sculpture and architecture, free from any external influence. From the 10th to the 16th century this society built shrines and erected enormous stone figures known as moai, which created an unrivalled cultural landscape that continues to fascinate people throughout the world.” The fact that Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island on earth makes these achievements even more astonishing. We’ll then board a bus for a field trip to the Padre Sebastian Englert Archaeological Museum, named for a Bavarian priest who came to the island in 1935 and spent his life studying Rapa Nui’s cultural, historical, linguistic, and archaeological heritage. Padre Englert left his collection of artifacts to Chile and many more have been discovered since. We will see some of the museum’s highlights including a moai eye made of white coral and red scoria (volcanic rock) as well as displays of local geology, flora and fauna; maps; illustrations of house types; and many other elements of Rapa Nui culture.
Lunch:
At the hotel.
Afternoon:
Next, we will head to Tahai to see and learn more about the world famous monolithic figures, the moai themselves. The fact that Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island on earth makes these achievements even more astonishing. There are three ceremonial platforms, called ahu, that support moai figures. The site and its figures were restored by an American anthropologist, William Mulloy, beginning in 1968. We will see two more ahu restored by Dr. Mulloy at Hanga Kio`e, a small bay just past town.
Dinner:
In the home of a Rapa Nui family, we’ll share a meal of favorite local dishes and dine as local people do.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
5
Ahu Vaihu, Rano Raraku & Tongariki, Cultural Event
Location:
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Otai
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus. Walking up/down moai quarry; stairs while climbing; uneven ground.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll set out for a field trip 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. As we continue down the South Coast along the wind- and wave-carved shoreline, we will pass many collapsed ahu, toppled moai, and fallen stone fences to Rano Raraku, the volcanic crater that served as a quarry for carving moai.
Lunch:
In the National Park Picnic Area, we’ll have picnic-style boxed lunches.
Afternoon:
We will climb the mountainside path on Rano Raraku to view the quarry where the massive moai were carved out of hard basalt. Moai, in all stages of production, cover its southern flank. We’ll then move on to Tongariki, the largest ahu on the island. Demolished by a tsunami in 1960, it has been restored by Chilean archaeologist Claudio Cristino and Sergio Rapu, a scholar and former island governor, with the help of Japanese archaeologists, financial benefactors, and the Rapa Nui people. It once again supports its 15 moai.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
A short walk from the restaurant, we’ll enjoy a Rapa Nui folkloric traditional dance, featuring island dancers accompanied by musicians playing traditional instruments.
Day
6
Class, Ahu Vinapu, Anakena, Ahu Nau Nau
Location:
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Otai
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus. Walking and standing during field trip; uneven ground. Elective swimming at Anakena Beach.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll be joined by a local expert who will give us a presentation on the people of old and Rapa Nui ancient culture. Later in the morning, we’ll head out on a field trip to explore archaeological sites beginning at Ahu Vinapu. Because the stone construction here is unlike anything else in Polynesia and is similar to Inca stonework, it has raised questions about possible origins of the Rapa Nui people.
Lunch:
At Anakena Beach, we’ll have a barbecue lunch.
Afternoon:
Anakena, the largest beach in Rapa Nui, is a beautiful, sheltered, white sand beach surrounded by swaying palm trees, This is where Hotu Matu`a — the legendary first king-chief and settler — is said to have beached his canoe and lived in a cave while waiting for his boat-shaped house to be completed. You are welcome to take a swim in the ocean or stroll along the beach. We’ll walk up the hill to Ahu Nau Nau, a complex archaeological site where in 1978 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 subsequent investigations of other moai came the realization that all Rapa Nui's moai, once they were placed on the ahu, had been given eyes. Next, we’ll pass the Poike Ditch where legend says the Long Ears and Short Ears had their famed battle. Long Ears and Short Ears are oral tradition names that more likely referred to people of tall and thin stature compared to those who were short and stocky. They had a difficult relationship, with the Long Ears considering themselves dominant and the Short Ears subservient — until the battle that changed everything.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
7
Free Time, Parque Nacional Rapa Nui, Rano Kao, Orongo
Location:
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Otai
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus. Walking and standing during field trip; uneven terrain, climbing steps.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Free time. Take this opportunity to see and do what interests you most. You might like to attend Sunday mass at the historic Rapa Nui Roman Catholic church, where 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:
At the hotel.
Afternoon:
We will drive to Parque Nacional Rapa Nui. Located on the southwestern point of the triangle, the park provides spectacular views of the whole island. During our field trip, we’ll explore two great sights: the Rano Kao volcanic crater that surrounds a fresh water lake, and Orongo Ceremonial Village where, until 1853, the peculiar Birdman Festival was held in the spring of each year. The eruption of Rano Kao some 2.5 million years ago helped create the island. In another Rapa Nui mystery, cattail plants growing in the lake are the same species as those in the floating islands of Lake Titicaca in Peru. The Birdman competition involved tribal champions who had to swim to a small island off the coast, find an egg of the sooty tern — waiting as long as necessary until the birds arrived to lay — and bring it back unbroken. The winner’s tribe was awarded special privileges for a year. We’ll then head to Ana Kai Tangata, a seafront cave whose name can be translated as “place men eat” or “place where men are eaten.” Another mystery. The cave is known for its ancient paintings of sooty terns flying across the roof.
Dinner:
Dinner at a local restaurant.
Evening:
Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.
Day
8
Top Knot Quarry, Class, Free Time, Umikai Dinner
Location:
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Hotel Otai
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus. Walking and standing during field trip; uneven terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll set on a field trip to the inland sites of Ahu Huri a Urenga and Ahu Akivi, as well as Puna Pau, the small extinct volcano that served as a quarry for carving moai headdresses — or perhaps they were man-bun hairstyles! This will be our last opportunity to see moai and other remnants of Rapa Nui sculpture before departure. Returning to the hotel, we’ll gather for a wrap-up session and review the highlights of our program with a local expert.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon:
Free time. See and do what interests you most and perhaps begin to think about packing.
Dinner:
At the hotel, we’ll enjoy a Rapa Nui umikai prepared in underground ovens. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure tomorrow.
Day
9
Free Time, Fly to Santiago
Location:
Santiago
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Diego de Almagro Providencia
Activity Note
Transfer via bus to the airport for the non-stop flight back to Santiago that takes approximately 5 hours; you will regain two hours. Food is typically served during the flight.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Free time. You might like to see a bit more of Hanga Roa or simply relax. We will check out of the hotel and depart early afternoon to the airport and check in for the flight to Santiago, Chile.
Lunch:
In flight.
Dinner:
In flight.
Evening:
Arriving in Santiago, transfer to hotel and check in.
Day
10
Santiago, Program Concludes
Location:
In Flight
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Note: Getting on/off a bus. Walking and standing during field trip.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
Free morning to explore the local area.
Lunch:
Lunch on your own.
Afternoon:
Transfer to Santiago airport (SCL) to catch return flights to the US or on-going flights to other destinations.
Evening:
This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
Day
11
In Transit From Program
Location:
In Flight
Please select a day to update the map
Map details are not available for this location.
MEALS
23 Meals
8 Breakfasts
7 Lunches
8 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
- Mar 08, 2025 - Mar 18, 2025
- Jan 11, 2025 - Jan 21, 2025
- Feb 01, 2025 - Feb 13, 2025
- Mar 08, 2025 - Mar 18, 2025
- Apr 05, 2025 - Apr 15, 2025
- Sep 06, 2025 - Sep 16, 2025
- Sep 27, 2025 - Oct 07, 2025
- Nov 01, 2025 - Nov 11, 2025
Participant Reviews
Based on 27 Reviews
Sort By:
This was a great trip with in-depth look at the culture and the artifacts that were left. It will so make you think and try to really understand how those Moais were made and transported to the locations they are currently found. Fascinating and mind boggling.
— Review left October 18, 2024
Traveling to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) was a “bucket list” item for me. Traveling with Road Scholar made this come true in the best way possible. The small group experience was really valuable. We had a very knowledgeable local guide who spent six days with us, telling stories and answering questions about the people, past and present of Rapa Nui. Our accommodations were great and the food was even better. The overall trip was beyond my expectations.
— Review left October 18, 2024
Five Stars! This trip is amazing. Visiting Rapa Nui is an extraordinary experience. If you have any interest at all, just go. Seeing the most remote inhabited island on earth is an adventure not to be missed. There is so much to do and each day is unique and interesting.
Our group leader Alvaro did an amazing job and made sure everyone was doing well and enjoying themselves and the local expert Christian was informative and answered lots of questions.
The hotel Otai is lovely with luscious grounds where you can relax on your private patio and watch the chickens or take a swim in the pool. The food was delicious with fresh local fish and plenty of fruits and vegetables. And there was always desert.
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Easter Island and Santiago and recommend it highly.
— Review left October 18, 2024
What an adventure!! From my first glimpse of the island from the plane to climbing up the volcano to see the moai nursery! Trekking poles were very useful -- lots of uneven ground. I would also recommend light jacket and/or rain gear. And be prepared for the wind when up high! I could take this trip again and not be bored! Claudio and Cris are both gems and absolutely make the program! I highly recommend this program!
— Review left September 29, 2024
Great trip--this one of my bucket trips did not disappoint. Excellent lecturer on Easter Island. Guide was also really good and friendly.
Food was so-so (especially breakfast)--however did not have high expectations).
Friendly small group--everyone got along so well.
Enjoyed the hotel where we stayed. The hosts there were also friendly and obliging.
— Review left June 22, 2024
Easter Island is a fascinating place to visit and the guide and lecturer were exceptional.
— Review left March 31, 2024
What a wonderful trip! Excellent activities and lectures and information. This fulfills a lifelong dream. The uphill walking at times was rather strenuous but worth it!
— Review left March 29, 2024
If you've ever read about, thought about, or wondered about Rapa Nui/Easter Island and the moai, this is the trip for you. It was a truly wonderful experience in a truly magical place.
— Review left March 25, 2024
Regarding RS trip to Rapa Nui - go it you can! It's a life changing experience. And if you're fortunate enough to have Claudio LeRoy as your group leader and Christian Pakarati as your instructor count yourselves lucky.
— Review left March 19, 2024
Spectacular voyage to Rapa Nui, one of the most majestic, mysterious places I have been in the world. Great, knowledgeable trip leaders, and a truly memorable week.
— Review left March 2, 2024
A sunny, peaceful, tranquil land with rolling green hills and no traffic lights. I am wondering if the cars here even have horns. Kids ride their horse to the succor field bareback and doubled up. Every morning the roosters awake before you do, and they won’t let you forget it. A weeklong chance to fully immense yourself in a culture that has traditionally been isolated from all others.
Supersized hibiscus flowers (ssshhh, we won’t tell the Hawaiians), some colored fire engine red, others in vibrant yellow or pink. A lone cotton tree about eight feet tall bursting its bolls. The catch of the day travels only a few blocks from the sea to your plate which it shares with bright, succulent veggies from a nearby garden.
You stare at the moai and they stare right back at you, or through you, or past you. Singular moai or clusters are placed along the perimeter of the island facing inland with one notable exception. Other moai lie supine, frozen in the process of emerging from their rocky repository.
Indigenous people, the Rapa Nui, honor and celebrate their long history in storytelling, sport, and song and dance. Each year the tradition climaxes in the week of the Tapati Festival. Daily activities center on water sports, arts and crafts. At night a hundred dancers on the starlit stage sway rhythmically in unison as if they are all one body and one mind moving in time with the ever pounding drumbeat. Can it be they are in communion with ancestors who came before them and did the same so long ago? And they bring you with them into their world for a few moments of your life—it is a privilege to participate in this experience.
— Review left February 24, 2024
The opportunity to join the Rapanui people in their yearly Tapati festival is an experience to be treasured. Added to the excellent historical presentations and trips to the historical sites, this was a one-of-a-kind experience.
— Review left February 18, 2024
We recently went to Easter Island/Rapa Nui with Road Scholar--it was a wonderful trip. We enjoyed very much being in Santiago and especially value the very authentic experiences we had on Rapa Nui. The Pre-Colombian Art Museum in Santiago is a world-class museum and is an absolute must. We learned so much about the statues/moai on Rapa Nui during many wonderful and informative field trips.
— Review left October 31, 2023
So interesting and, I think, thorough. I am now the "expert" on Rapa Nui in my friend community!!!
— Review left October 21, 2023
Claudio, the tour guide, was exceptional. Christian, the local expert, gave excellent lectures. We learned a lot about Rapa Nui culture and history from them. I highly recommend this excellent tour to a remote and unique island.
— Review left October 16, 2023
My trip to Easter Island fulfilled a long term goal. I had planned to cruise in. That would have allowed a short few hours visit. This trip was 9 packed days of learning, seeing, and experiencing. Truly an experience of a lifetime
— Review left March 15, 2023
Need to stress the physical requirements to the participants
— Review left March 14, 2023
Amazing experience to visit the most remote place where a unique civilization existed!
— Review left February 2, 2023
I was extremely satisfied with my first Road Scholar trip experience!
— Review left January 31, 2023
Do not miss this once in a lifetime chance to explore this unique island, it's history and the people today!
— Review left January 23, 2023
A truly unique place to visit that can be even more special by the excellent guides that Road Scholar employs. Seeing the Moai on Rapa Nui fulfilled a lifetime dream.
— Review left March 25, 2019
This was a fabulous program. Yes, you can go to Rapa Nui on your own but you will miss out without learning from the expert guides. Go with Road Scholar!
— Review left March 24, 2019
Easter Island has always been a bucket list travel destination and Road Scholar gave me the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream. The guide and instructor were both top of the line and the local insight and knowledge they provided was priceless. Our photos show some of the great experiences we had and can be seen at https://www.mitchandmarthaadventures.com/2019/01/day-1-easter-island-rapa-nui-with-road.html. If Easter Island is on your must see list Road Scholar is a great way to enjoy it.
— Review left February 26, 2019
Trip to Easter Island was a fascinating and delightful. Very knowledgeable guides provided historical background at every stop.
— Review left February 10, 2019
This trip was well organized with enough free time, no very early departures once on the island. Included food was good and plentiful.
— Review left January 28, 2019
Besides visiting all key sites at an unhurried pace, the "Majesty and Mystery of Rapa Nui" program provides excellent historical and cultural explanations that enable participants to appreciate what they see.
— Review left January 27, 2019
An absolutely fascinating trip. Indeed, the trip of a lifetime. We saw many sites. Our tour guide, Tai Crouch, and expert lecturer, Christian Pakarati, were superb, loaded with knowledge and were able to communicate that knowledge so that the culture and history of Rapa Nui came alive. Highly recommend the trip.
— Review left January 18, 2019