Easter Island Culture & Ecology

Easter Island, Chile, South America | May 24 - 31, 2025

This tour includes 3 days in and around Santiago, Chile and 5 days of in-depth exploration of Easter Island. You will be led by local guides who are knowledgeable of the captivating and mysterious archaeology and history of this small South Pacific Island . While on Easter Island we will learn about the impacts of the global overuse of plastics on this small island. We have the opportunity to participate in an organized 1/2 day spent helping to clean micro (and macro) plastics washed ashore from the South Pacific gyre on one of the island’s beaches for a first hand look at this global issue. Your Sirius Travel Astronomer Guides have coordinated with a local astrophotography organization to take the group out one evening, weather permitting,  to view the southern skies and do some astrophotography with the Moai!

Activity Level:

Moderate

Price:

$6,800 Double Occupancy

Location:

Santiago and Easter Island, Chile

Duration:

7 nights / 8 days

Trip Details and Highlights

  • 3 nights in Santiago, Chile  (2 inbound, 1 outbound)
  • 4 nights on Easter Island
  • 1 round trip (5 hour each way) domestic flight, Santiago – Easter Island – Santiago
  • Lovely centrally located hotel on Easter Island within easy walking distance of everything in Hanga Roa
  • Small group size (maximum 20 people including Sirius guides)
  • A visit to the colorful city of Valparaiso, Chile
  • Winery tour in the Casablanca Valley
  • Professional, english speaking guides and Sirius Travel Scientist guides to help with specific science questions
  • Complete guided explanations of all visited sites
  • Educational materials regarding the island’s unique ecological situation
  • Lectures/talks during the trip
  • Rapa Nui Stargazing – weather permitting, we will spend one night out on Easter Island to see the southern stars and learn about Polynesian navigation and astronomy and for some night photography with the Moai.
  • A deep dive into the effect of the global overuse of plastic on Easter Island with 1/2 day beach cleanup coordinated by the local non-profit ocean protection organization Te Mau o te Vaikava o Rapa Nui 
  • Meals as listed in itinerary
  • Airport transfers during the tour

Rapa Nui Stargazing

Journey back in time to the world of the Polynesian voyagers with Easter Island’s only hands-on stargazing experience. Learn about the principles of basic astronomy, the history of Polynesian voyaging and settlement, navigational techniques and the archeo-astronomy of Rapa Nui. Head out to some of the island’s traditional observatory sites to gaze at the night sky on one of the most remote islands in the world, and view stars and constellations visible only in the Southern Hemisphere.

Your guide will point out stars and constellations of interest to the Polynesian navigators, relating some of the stories and legends that are tied to them, and explain techniques on how to find certain cardinal points of the traditional Polynesian compass by using the layout of the night sky. Look at the beauty of star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, stars and planets visible through our high-powered telescope before heading to Anakena Beach (ideally) with the option of taking spectacular shots of the star-filled sky with the moai in the foreground. Finish the night with a hot beverage and a slice of local cake.

On our arrival on Easter Island, we will work with the guide to determine the best night to go out and which location is best.

Pricing and Terms

Payment

  • $6,800 per traveler (14 and older) – based on double occupancy
  • Single supplement: $850
  • Lower age limit is 14 years old.
  • To secure a reservation, initial deposit ($1000) with a completed reservation form is required.
  • 2nd payment ($2500) due January 12, 2025
  • Final payment due April 12, 2025
  • Cancellations must be made in writing by email or mail to Sirius Travel

Cancellations

  • If cancellations are made:
    • 5/24/24 – 1/24/25 (364-120 days prior to travel):
      65% of your total tour cost is refunded.
    • 1/25 – 3/25/25 (119-60 days prior to travel):
      35% of your total tour cost is refunded.
    • 3/24 – 4/24/25 (59-30 days prior to travel):
      10% of your total tour cost is refunded
  • There are no refunds after April 24, 2025

Detailed Itinerary

May 24, 2025

Arrive Santiago (D)

Sanhattan
Food Pullman
Pullman Santiago El Bosque

DAY 1

Welcome to Chile! Your tour begins at our hotel in the heart of the Las Condes area of Santiago.

In the afternoon your bilingual guide will lead you on a tour highlighting Santiago’s most important historical sites including the downtown area surrounding the La Moneda Presidential Palace. Pass by Mercado Central, one of Chile’s largest fresh seafood markets, and the many bustling stalls showcasing the tremendous variety available from Chile’s bountiful sea. Continuing through the cobblestoned Lastarria neighborhood, through Parque Forestal and by the Bellas Artes Museum.

Take the cable car up to the top of Cerro Cristobal for a panoramic view of Santiago. Departing Bellavista, we will drive towards the eastern side of the city and discover the thriving business district known as “Sanhattan”, and newer residential neighborhoods.

Returning to the hotel, enjoy a welcome dinner in the evening and get to know your fellow travelers and guides.

 

Accommodation: Santiago, Pullman Santiago el Bosque

Meals: Dinner

May 25, 2025

Valparaiso and Casablanca (B, L)

Valparaiso
Valparaiso Streetart
Casablanca3

DAY 2

Start your day with a morning pick-up and venture down Route 68 to the bohemian town of Valparaíso, known for its winding streets, steep funiculars, and colorful clifftop homes.  Bohemian and eclectic, the city is home to Chile’s main port and second largest population center. Every corner of this vibrant town is filled with rich history and intriguing tales, every turn reveals a new discovery and a panoply of street art. Following our tour of Valparaiso, we will enjoy a delicious lunch before returning to Santiago.

En route to Santiago we will make a stop at Casablanca Valley, a haven for boutique wineries.  Dive into the regions rich history, meander through picturesque vineyards, and embark on a tasting journey of the exceptional, award-winning wines they produce.

 

 

Accommodation: Santiago, Pullman Santiago el Bosque

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

May 26, 2025

Santiago - Easter Island (B, L)

Sunrise Over The Moai
Seaturtle 0271
Hotelotai

DAY 3

Transfer from your hotel in Santiago to the airport and transfer from Mataveri Airport to your hotel on Easter Island. You will be picked up from Mataveri Airport and transferred to your hotel.

Half Day Ahu Akivi Ahu Akivi is special because it is the only platform whose Moai look to the ocean. Here you will learn of the possible explanations for this unique orientation as well as see the very first restored Ahu on the island. Ahu Akivi was restored in 1960 by Dr. Mulloy and his colleague Gonzalo Figueroa. It is the only platform on the island which was restored without the use of any machinery but instead using what is believed to be the traditional way of raising the Moai.

 

 

Accommodation: Hotel Otai or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (in-flight)

May 27, 2025

Full day tour, Easter Island (B, L)

Quarry
Group Tongariki 2024

DAY 4

Full Day – Our first stop today could very well be one of the most amazing sites in the world. The volcano of Rano Raraku, also known as the statue factory, is the site from which 95% of all of the statues on the island were carved. Some were completely finished and left waiting on the slopes of the volcano for their transportation, while others are in various stages of completion still connected to the mother rock of the volcano. You will have the opportunity to hike to the top of the volcano and see the beautiful crater with its fresh water lake.

Next, we will visit the Ahu Tongariki, which is recognized as the largest monolithic monument in all of Eastern Polynesia. This amazing platform holds 15 of some of the largest statues on the island. With the surrounding sea cliffs and beautiful ocean background Tongariki is truly one of the most incredible sites on the island. Our last stop of the day is at Anakena, the larger of only two white sand beaches found on the island. It is also the legendary landing spot of the first king, Hotu Matua, and noted to be the center of the royal clan territory called the Miru.

 

 

Accommodation: Hotel Otai or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

May 28, 2025

Full day tour and cultural performance (B, D)

Rano Kau
Octopus Petroglyph
Dancerman1

DAY 5

Today you will visit two sites that are very important to the Rapa Nui culture: Rano Kau and Orongo. Rano Kau is one of the three principal volcanoes that created the island. It is approximately 2.5 million years old and has the largest caldera of any volcano on the island measuring at approximately 1.6 kilometers in diameter. Inside this beautiful volcano you will see one of three crater lakes on the island. This lake is covered with a type of bulrush reed which is also found in Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. Afterward you will visit the ceremonial village of Orongo, one of the most visually spectacular sites on the island. On one side of the village you see the beautiful caldera of Rano Kau and on the other you see the ocean and the mysterious islets of Motu Nui, Motu Iti, Motu Kao Kao. These islets, in addition to the village of Orongo, held the amazing ancient Tangata Manu or Birdman Ceremonies.

Following lunch at local restaurant, we will continue our tour and visit the topknot quarry of Puna Kau. Pukao are the hat-like structures or topknots placed on top of some of the moai statues. They were all carved from a very light-red volcanic scoria, which was quarried from a single source at Puna Pau.  Also on the schedule will be Papa Vaka, an archaeological site characterized by numerous petroglyphs of sea life.

In the evening, transfer to dinner show Te Ra ́Ai.

 

 

Accommodation: Hotel Otai or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

May 29, 2025

Full day tour and beach clean up (B, L)

Anakena
Anakena Cleanup 2024
Lattina Beach Cleanup

DAY 6

Beaches act as natural nets for the trash populating the oceans gyres. Plastic that reaches the sea is transported by currents into the gyres and some of it ends up in the sand on islands that lie close to the gyres.  Easter Island’s beaches are no exception and they are covered with both micro and macro plastics. We at Sirius Travel  have the following goal: to raise awareness that leads to change. We feel that with education and personal experience, our travelers can take what they see and learn on Easter Island back home to help those unable to see the issue first-hand understand its extremity.

After breakfast we will meet with members of Te Mau O Te Vaikava, a non profit organization based on Easter Island that is working hard to establish and maintain a protected marine area around Rapa Nui (Easter Island) that will prevent aggressive industrial fishing and preserve the wildlife resources in the area.  This group is also actively providing education about and clean up of the plastic that is inundating the island and threatening the wildlife.  In coordination with Te Mau O Te Vaikava (and if your group wants to include this), we will participate in a beach cleanup for part of the afternoon as a way to understand first hand what the islanders are coping with.  All profit from this day will be donated directly to Te Mau O Te Vaikava on behalf of our travelers.

Lunch at local restaurant.

Accommodation: Hotel Otai or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

May 30, 2025

Easter Island - Santiago (B)

Hanga Downtown
Jet Airplane Landing At Sunset

DAY 7

Enjoy the morning at leisure to do a little souvenir shopping in Hanga Roa or some last minute photography.

Transfer Hotel – Mataveri Airport You will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Mataveri Airport for your 5 hour flight back to Santiago. In Santiago we will transfer directly to the hotel to check in.

THE FLIGHT FROM EASTER ISLAND ARRIVES IN SANTIAGO AT APPROXIMATELY 7PM

 

 

Accommodation: Santiago, Pullman Santiago el Bosque

Meals: Breakfast

May 31, 2025

1/2 Day Tour Santiago (B)

Santiago Tower

DAY 8

Take a quick morning tour to the top of the tallest skyscraper in South America for a panoramic view of Santiago and the nearby Andes.  Enjoy a bit of leisure time to do some last minute shopping and get some lunch. In the afternoon you will head to the Santiago airport (SCL) in time for your return flight back home.

Included

  • Scientist guides
  • Professional, bi-lingual guides
  • Domestic flight from Santiago – Easter Island – Santiago
  • All ground transportation
  • All overnight accomodations
  • Airport transfers in Santiago and Easter Island
  • Lodging
  • Meals (as described in itinerary)
  • Planned lectures and general science discussions throughout the tour.
  • Local tours as described in the itineraries
  • Park entrance fees
  • Private transportation in a comfortable vehicle.
  • Activities as mentioned in the itinerary.
  • Water provided on day tours.

Not Included

  • International flights
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Alchoholic beverages (unless specifically included)
  • Tips for drivers and guides (recommendations will be sent before the tour begins)
  • Meals not specified in the itineraries
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips in restaurants.
  • Activities and meals not mentioned in the program.

Other Information

Trip cancellation, health, and accident insurance is required and can save you money if you are forced to cancel or alter your trip. We recommend TravelGuard trip insurance (www.travelguard.com) and we recommend that all travelers purchase their insurance within 7 days of their initial reservation to take advantage of any pre-existing condition clause.

Depending on your country of origin, visas may be required to enter Chile. U.S. citizens entering Chile must have a passport in good condition, valid for the period of your stay. U.S. citizens traveling to Chile for recreation, tourism, business, or academic conferences do not need to obtain a visa prior to their arrival in Chile if traveling with a tourist passport. Passports are required to be valid for the duration of stay and must have at least one blank page left (amendment pages do not count). Chile has very strict entry/exit requirements for minors (under the age of 18 years old), especially minors traveling with only one parent – please review the requirements before choosing to travel with a minor.  Visa and passport fees are not included in the price of this trip. We recommend checking your passport expiration immediately and make plans to renew if necessary.  We always recommend reviewing the visa and passport requirements for travel to Chile for your country of origin.  (US citizens may find their information here: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/chile.html)

No vaccinations are required for travel to Chile for US citizens at this time (please note, COVID-19 vaccines may be required for entry to Chile by the time we travel).  Precautions should always be taken seriously and pre-trip education on what to eat or to avoid should be planned. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC website.

It is every traveler’s responsibility to consider all appropriate medical advice regarding whether or not they are fit to take this trip prior to booking their reservation. We recommend that all interested travelers check with their healthcare provider before signing on.

Children 14 and older are welcome on this tour but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian if they are under 18. There is no child pricing for this tour.  Please note that Chile has very strict entry/exit requirements for minors (under the age of 18 years old), especially minors traveling with only one parent.  Please review the requirements before choosing to travel with a minor.  (US citizens may find their information here: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/chile.html)

If you are traveling alone, you may save quite a bit of money by opting to share a room. We will match solo travelers of the same gender so that they can share a double occupancy room with two beds. We will do our best to match travelers but if we cannot find a match for you then you will be required to pay the single occupancy price.

Reserve Your Spot on the 2025 Easter Island Culture & Ecology Trip