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Rapa Nui Stargazing Tour: Learn Polynesian Voyage History and Archeo-Astronomy
4.4
12 Ratings
Hanga Roa
Embark on a Rapa Nui Stargazing Tour and delve into the history of Polynesian voyaging and settlement. Discover the archeo-astronomy of Rapa Nui while gazing at the Southern Hemisphere’s unique stars and constellations.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
-
Anakena Beach - We meet all travelers in front of Katipare library (Centro Lector Katipare) at 20:30 - 21:00 during summer and at 19:30 - 20:00 for winter.
We have special access to Ahu Nau at night, this is our last stop. Before driving to Anakena, we set up our telescopes at a remote site. Hot beverage and local cake included - Easter Island - We will meet in town and our first stop is near Anakena beach. Here we will have a talk on Polynesian navigation techniques and general layout of the night ski, as well as telescope observation and a coffee break. Then we will go to Anakena to do photos. Your photo will be sent in about 5 days, via email (internet is slow on the island).
The duration of the tour is 3 hours approximately including transportation back to your lodging.
What's Included
- Small-group tour (max 12 people)
- Hotel Drop-off Included
- Professional Guide/Driver
- Live Onboard Commentary
Additional Information
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 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 explaining the 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 with the option of taking spectacular shots of the star-filled sky moai in the foreground. Finish the night with a hot beverage and a slice of local cake.
- Start time from Sept to April 20:30 in front of Katipare library
- No refunds after the tour starts. If weather changes while out on the tour we will try to take you out again free of charge on another night (subject to availability).
- Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled completely due to poor weather, you will be notified before the tour and you will be given the option of an alternative date or a full refund.
Location
Katipare
We meet travelers in front of Katipare library and we drop them off at their lodging at the end of the tour. Meeting time changes throughout the year, but it is usually around sunset time (7pm winter - 9pm summer)
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.4
(12 Ratings)
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Epidoc93
Sep 6, 2024
Excellent! - We got very lucky as the night we booked was the only evening we had on the island that wasn’t raining/cloudy. It was incredible! Highly recommend. Also we booked directly via WhatsApp and would suggest to do the same. :) happy stargazing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lenny2299
Sep 6, 2024
Amazing view of the stars and the Moai at night - We drove to a dark part of the island - with amazing views of the Milky Way and the stars. The guide gave a short but interesting lecture about navigating by the stars and how the Rapa Nui people would have navigated to the island long distances over the pacific. We looked through a telescope and saw Saturn with the rings visible. I brought my own tripod to take long exposure pictures. We also visited the Moai by the beach for additional pictures. Very cool and well worth the money. We had perfect weather.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Monica_d
Aug 31, 2024
This is a once in a lifetime experience - Wow! Mark from New Zealand is an amazingly passionate and talented guide! He loves what he does and has so much fun doing this! A totally unique and wild experience! Thanks Mark!
Review provided by Viator
Giorgiapaggi
Jul 20, 2024
Amazing night sky - We had a fantastic experience learning about the stars,the ancient navigation techniques and watching the constellations trough the lenses.
Even though nights can get quite cold we were comfortably seated with blankets and have been served cake and hot cocoa before being brought back to the hotel .
The sky and the impressive Moais in the backgrond of Anakena beach make for an unforgettable night.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sara_w
May 29, 2024
Do not miss this! - Words cannot express what an incredible experience this was. The guides, Mark and Toke, were phenomenal. I’ve never laughed so much on a tour. There was instant rapport and the two of them were a great buddy-buddy comedy act. The storytelling, the ocean nearby, hot chocolate and cake and pictures of an amazing night sky to round it off. I will never forget this.
Review provided by Viator
Solarwonderer
Feb 7, 2024
Great stargazing experience and friendly service - Iorana! I really enjoyed stargazing trip with you! Your team put their heart into it with all equipment and sky stories. Your singing performance and a local snack were a very nice addition! Also your customer service chat person and the driver were professional and so friendly too. Mauruuru everyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Turbotravelertasha
Jan 16, 2024
Wonderful experience! - My Dad and I really enjoyed this experience. From the lovely music, hot chocolate, cake, looking at the moon, planets and stars through the telescope and meeting new friends, we made beautiful memories to last a lifetime! Mark also took our photo with the night sky at Anakena Beach and it turned out amazing! Highly recommend! Thanks for the presentation at the beginning too. It's interesting that the Polynesians used the stars to navigate thousands of miles. Excellent tour to start or end your trip to Easter Island!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Teacher
Jan 14, 2024
Green Island Tours - Amazing Experiences Await You - We booked four tours with this company, and each one was spectacular. Our guide, Yo-Yo, was welcoming and well educated when it came to both the Moai Monuments and Historic Pathways tours. The stargazing activity with the owner, Mark, and his associate Toby was out of this world, pun intended. Lastly, we saw Ahu Tongariki at sunrise with Mark’s son Hikiye (sic) driving the vehicle and offering us warm drinks upon our arrival. I cannot speak more highly of this tour company and the incredible experiences we have forever because of them.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Feryvonne
Jul 14, 2024
Great idea if you are lucky to have a clear night to experience it - The idea and concept is beautiful, but it’s very vulnerable to weather conditions. We booked and tried for 3 nights. We even went out but couldn’t see anything. We got our money back. They were very polite. The problem is that seems to be only a summer activity during certain periods of the moon. Makes it really hard to actually do the experience. Nevertheless, they were amazing, polite and redound us immediately.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
163gm
Aug 5, 2024
“Terrible” that it was cancelled due to weather conditions. - I only rated it a 1 as it was cancelled due to cloudy weather (they warn you that it might happen). So to be fair “terrible” is not really an accurate description - just terrible that it didn’t happen. They were good about communication regarding the cancellation.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
