The British Museum Traveller

Since we travelled to Rapa Nui with Easter Island, British Museum Travveller has unfortunately ceased to operate

BM Traveller has been visiting Rapa Nui for over ten years and we are pleased to plan this trip to highlight the most important event in the islanders' calendar, the annual Tapati festival. The festival focuses on Polynesian song and dance, sports, body- painting and craft works. Most functions take place in the evening allowing the daytime to discover the numerous archaeological sites and more than 1,000 mysterious stone statues called moai.

Jo Anne Van Tilburg, BA, M Ed., PhD, FRGS, is the world's leading expert on the statues of Easter Island.

Itinerary

Day 1

London/Santiago

Fly to Santiago via Madrid.

Day 2

Santiago

Arrive Santiago for an overnight stay. Afternoon city tour.

Hotel Carrera

Teatinos 180

Santiago

Chile

Tel 00 56 2 698 2011

Fax 00 56 2 672 1083

Day 3

Easter Island

Fly to Easter Island, for an 8-night stay.

Hotel Otai

Te Pito Te Henua s/n

Easter Island

Chile

Tel & Fax 00 56 32 100250

Day 4

Tahai, Hanga Roa, Ana Kai Tangata

Walk up the coast to Tahai, where massive statues stand erect. At the museum, we see exhibits of island artefacts. Explore the village and see Ana Kai Tangata, a 'cannibal cave'.

Day 5

Orongo

Visit the ceremonial village of Orongo, home to the 'birdman cult' perched on the volcano Rano Kau, 1,000 feet above the sea. See the original location of Hoa Hakananai'a, the famous British Museum statue.

Day 6

Rano Raraku

See Ahu Tongariki, with 15 magnificent statues and Rano Raraku: this impressive volcanic cone provided the stone for 95% of nearly 1,000 Easter Island statues.

Day 7

Puna Pau, Ahu Akivi, Ana Tepau, Ahu Tepau

At Puna Pau explore a small crater of red scoria from which 'crowns' were carved for some 100 statues. Visit Ahu Akivi, Ana Tepau, an enormous underground cavern, and Ahu Tepeu, said to have been a school for students of rongorongo, the enigmatic island script.

Day 8

Anakena,Vinapu

Travel to Anakena, a beautiful palm-fringed beach, and the site of restored Ahu Naunau. Also see the magnificent stone walls at Vinapu and several coastal ahu sites.

Day 9

At Leisure

A day for individual exploration.

Day 10

Poike or Motu Nui

Choose a walking tour to Poike, or a boat excursion to small offshore islets in the shadow of Rano Kau, that figured prominently in the rituals of the 'birdman cult'. Evening traditional Polynesian umu feast.

Day 11

Easter Island, Santiago

Fly to Santiago and for an overnight stay.

Day 12

Santiago/London

Departure for London via Madrid.

Day 13

London

Arrive London.