Rapa Nui / Easter Island
Easter Island is unique, an open air museum revealing a fascinating but mostly lost culture. Until today, nobody knows for sure how or why the first inhabitants carved and transported their massive statues, or moai, but theories abound.
Some people say statues builders were of Peruvian descent, others believe the island is a remnant of a lost continent, and even others claim the statues are the result of an extraterrestrial influence. However, archaeological evidence indicates the island was first discovered about 400 AD by Polynesians. You will hear from guides how King Hotu Matua found the island, and how the “short-ears” rebelled against the “long-ears”.
The Orongo ceremonial centre is definitely worth a guided tour to make the most of it. The island is triangular in shape; its longest side is the southern coast with 25kms, and its widest point is 17kms. At each of the three points of the island there is an inactive volcano. The highest is Maunga Terevaka, at 506m. A rare sensation invades you looking from the top of this mountain. All you can see is blue sky and blue ocean: no land, no boats or anything else.
The geological formation of the island began at the Poike peninsula about 5 million years ago, followed by the other major volcanic cones.
The history of the island and its people is rather sad, involving slavery, disease and war.
Only about two thousand people live on Easter Island now and the great majority of them do so in the small capital town Hanga Roa. All the hotels and restaurants are located in this village. Back in 1935 most of
the island became a national park to protect the archaeological sights and since 1995 it is a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.
Travel information and recommendations |
| Travel time: |
Whole year – most sun between Sept. and April |
| Time difference: |
2 hours earlier than mainland |
| Flight hours: |
Santiago – Easter Island is 5 hours |
| Transfer time: |
Airport – Hotel O’Thai 10 min |
| Minimum stay: |
3 nights. |
| Beaches: |
Anakena + Ovahe, 22 kms from Hanga Roa |
| Notes: |
Tapati Rapa Nui – ancient traditions, competitions
and artistic skills are demonstrated to the visitor,
either in the village of Hanga Roa or at historic
places like Tahai, Rano Raraku and Anakena.
First two weeks of February |
| Credit Card: |
No cash machine, visa card only accepted in
hotels and in few shops, we recommend
cash (Chilean Peso). |
Robinson Crusoe / Juan Fernández Archipelago
Discovered in 1574 by Juan Fernández, these three islands sit in the Pacific about 670 kilometres west of Valparaíso. The islands were once a haven for pirates; today they are refuge for unusual flora and fauna, many of which are unique in the world.
Since 1977 it is an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The only indigenous mammal is the Juan Fernández fur seal, rescued from extinction in the last century. The hummingbird also stands out among the 11 resident bird species.
In spite of the fact that the islands and some of their animals were named after Fernández, the most legendary figure associated with the area is Alexander Selkirk, the unfortunate and resourceful Scottish castaway who inspired Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. Selkirk was marooned on Matasiera (now called Robinson Crusoe Island) in 1704 and lived alone in a cave for four years before being rescued by two British privateers.
The islands are hilly; walking and hiking on the islands is incredible but challenging. The population of the three islands is around 500, and almost everyone lives in San Juan Bautista on Juan Fernández.
Life on the Islands is still relatively simple and the infrastructure underdeveloped; for example, there are neither banks nor hospitals on the islands.
Travel information and recommendations |
| Travel time: |
October – April |
| Flight hours: |
Santiago – 2 1/2hr flight in a twin
engine turboprop. Due to weather conditions
it might be necessary to reschedule flights.
Therefore we recommend you to allow some
flexibility in the travel program. |
| Minimum stay: |
3 nights. |
Falkland Islands
A remote and beautiful group of islands, with a temperate climate, friendly,
welcoming people, unbelievably rich wildlife and a unique way of life. You will be as surprised by the warmth of the welcome as
you are by the warmth of the summer weather. The tameness of the wild
birds and animals will amaze you.
|
= self-drive