Easter Island: Orongo

Sendero Te Ava o Te Ao, ascent 8 km, 2-3 h

The hike advances through “Chile's Pathway”, going out of Hanga Roa, along the coast and later on grass and through shadowy forests with beautiful landscapes, and arriving in only two to three hours to Rano Kau crater.

Rapa Nui is better known for its rocky figures, the moais, however its unique view to this crater, 1,5 km wide, make it the most beautiful scenery of the island. Its edge becomes abruptly a volcanic soil covered with numerous grasses and small lagoons. On the west side of the crater is one of the most interesting ruins of the island, with hundreds of cave paintings and the platform of the well-known worship of the bird.

Description

From the pleasant downtown of Hanga Roa, we walk to Policarpo Toro Avenue, and from there along the Apina seaside avenue. We found the Armada de Chile (Chile's Navy) building, beside which there is a sign indicating the distances to different places of the world, without forgetting cities like Vladivostok. After a while, there is a camping (www.mihinoa.com) and just 20 minutes later we arrive at the contemplative Hanga Piko dock, where is located in the eye-catching Tataku Vave restaurant.

Passing the dock we leave the road and we turn right on the following sharp curb, situated on the left, and a little later we pass by the landing lights of the airport’s airstrip and we can catch a view of the Iorana tourist resort. As an extra, a short trip down to the rocky coast is a must. Only a few minutes by foot, after passing the resort, we arrive at the impressive Ana Kai Tangata cave. The name literally means “cannibals cave”, but it was probably used for the construction of boats. The cave paintings of the place make it worth it the visit by themselves. These show the worship of the human bird.

With these impressions, we go on passing by the buildings of the national Park, following a path that is signposted, on which we leave the territory, going slightly uphill. The pathway leads us through a small palm trees Forest in which there are also trees that look like Lucuma trees. In 15 minutes, the pathway gets through lupin meadows to a eucalyptus forest. Following the pathway for another 15 minutes, we arrive to a solitary tree that gives shadow on hot, sunny days and finally in only a few minutes of a smooth uphill walk we arrive to the Rano Kau viewpoint, at 283 m of altitude.

Just below us is maybe the most beautiful natural panorama of the island: a 1,5 km wide crater in which bottom numerous small lagoons constitute the most important drinking water reserve of Hanga Roa. We can see a natural fact that fascinates and impresses: on the crater’s edge, grass has grown and the road leads us along it for another 10 minutes.

From the CONAF territory, after a total time of 45 minutes, we arrive to Orongo. Hundreds of cave paintings and 53 stone houses are silent witnesses of the worship of the human bird, which existed in the honor of the God Creator Make Make. The bird-men, called “Tangata Manu”, used to choose an athletic representative as “Hopu Manu”. These would swim to the rocky islands located within Orongo and should wait in small caves on the rock until the first sea swallow would locate its “Motu Nui”. They would then swim back with the egg tied to their foreheads and climb up the steep 300 m cliff of Rano Kau. The bird-man, who waited anxiously and finally won, would then be the clan chief for a complete year. Kevin Costner wrote down the history of this legendary competition as a love story. As a request from father Eyraud, this custom was kept intact until 1867, but even today, it is part of the charm of the island.

For the return, we can take the same road or we can take a taxi, which should be hired beforehand.