Easter Island Annular Eclipse 2024

Join Sky & Telescope to witness October 2024’s “ring of fire” eclipse from one of the world’s ultimate bucket-list destinations. Enjoy this celestial spectacle steps from your room at one of the island’s most luxurious resorts.

SORRY, BUT THIS TOUR IS SOLD OUT!
Please send an email to [email protected] to be put on the wait list.

If you’ve always dreamed of having your skin caressed by balmy South Pacific breezes, or standing toe-to-toe with Easter Island’s imposing moai, or staring up at the Southern Cross, or witnessing a “ring of fire” solar eclipse, here’s your chance to have it all!

Located in the South Pacific Ocean, 2,600 miles west of Santiago, Chile, Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is one of those fantastic travel destinations that few places in the world can equal. Hundreds of tight-lipped basalt statues, unique in the whole of Oceania, are scattered throughout the island. Their existence is as intriguing as the natural beauty that surrounds them — a remarkable yet barely-understood outdoor museum that has captivated the world’s imagination for centuries. 

It’s here, amid this remarkable and mysterious setting, that you’ll witness an equally awe-inspiring celestial convergence: the alignment of Sun, Moon, and Earth to create an annular (ring) solar eclipse on October 2, 2024. Over a span of 3½ hours, the lunar silhouette will intrude onto the solar disk and then slide away, culminating in a striking “ring of fire” in the sky lasting more than 6 minutes.

You’ll also have a chance to enjoy the cosmopolitan vibe of Santiago, Chile, and spend an evening marveling at the southern sky’s celestial showpieces as viewed from a private observatory on the city’s outskirts. And after the main tour, consider extending your stay in Chile with an optional journey to its southernmost tip and the breathtaking Torres del Paine National Park.

At Sky & Telescope, we take the planning and execution of our tours seriously. Your comfort, satisfaction, and safety guide every choice we make. That’s why we’re once again collaborating with Royal Adventures, which has decades of experience bringing groups to South America. This trusted travel partner teamed up with S&T for eclipse tours to Chile in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Please note: We can accommodate only 30 travelers on this exclusive S&T eclipse adventure. So click below to get the full details:
• Itinerary for our 8-day tour of Easter Island and Santiago, Chile
• Itinerary for our optional 5-day post-tour extension to Chilean Patagonia
• What is and isn’t included; what conditions to expect
• Pricing, Payments, and Terms
• Reserve today using this online registration page

Accommodations for the 2024 Easter Island Annular Eclipse Tour

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Itinerary for the 2024 Easter Island Annular Eclipse Tour

Date	Itinerary at a Glance	Accommodation	Meals
Saturday, Sept. 28	Depart for Santiago	—	(aloft)
Sunday, Sept. 29	Santiago	Hotel Pullman Santiago El Bosque	—
Monday, Sept. 30	Fly to Easter Island	Nayara Hangaroa	B, D
Tuesday, Oct. 1	Easter Island	Nayara Hangaroa	B, L, D
Wednesday, Oct. 2	Eclipse Day!	Nayara Hangaroa	B, L, D
Thursday, Oct. 3	Fly to Santiago	Holiday Inn Santiago Airport	B
Friday, Oct. 4	Valparaiso; fly home	—	B, L
Saturday, Oct. 5	Arrive home	—	—

Day 1 (Saturday, Sept. 28): Depart for Santiago
Depart from your home city on an overnight flight to Santiago, the capital of Chile. Note: Airfare to and from Santiago is not included in tour price.
Overnight flight (meals aloft)

Day 2 (Sunday, Sept. 29): Santiago
Arrive this morning in Santiago and transfer to our 4-star hotel located in one of the most exclusive areas of Santiago. After a short afternoon orientation and city tour, you’ll travel to a private observatory for a welcome reception and evening stargazing before returning to the hotel.
Hotel Pullman Santiago El Bosque

Day 3 (Monday, Sept. 30): Fly to Easter Island
After breakfast, you’ll transfer by bus to Santiago airport and fly to Easter Island. Upon arrival, transfer to our 5-star resort, a short distance from the airport. Lunch and afternoon on your own. Watch the sunset from Ahu Tahai, then return to our hotel and group dinner. Note: Airfare to and from Easter Island is not included in tour price.
Nayara Hangaroa (B, D)

Day 4 (Tuesday, Oct. 1): Tours of Easter Island
After breakfast, you’ll set off on a full-day tour of Easter Island. First, drive to the south coast and visit Rano Raraku, the quarry where nearly all moai originated. Then visit Ahu Tongariki, the most recent and biggest restoration on the island, with 15 re-erected statues. Drive to the east coast and visit the biggest statue on the island: the Moai Paro. More than 32 feet long and weighing 82 tons, it now lies face down, toppled from its ahu (base). Next see Te Pito or Te Henua, a huge round boulder located where the Rapa Nui had estimated was the exact central point of the world. Enjoy a picnic lunch in a private home, then visit the beautiful beach of Anakena with six of the best preserved moai standing guard. After returning to the hotel, enjoy dinner on your own.
Nayara Hangaroa (B, L, D)

Day 5 (Wednesday, Oct. 2): Annular Eclipse
Relax in the morning and find that perfect spot to observe the eclipse — either on the resort grounds or at another location (perhaps a moai site) by special arrangement. The eclipse begins at 12:24 p.m. local time; mid-eclipse occurs at 2:07 p.m. with the Sun due north at an elevation of 67°; annularity lasts 6.1 minutes. The eclipse ends at 3:52 p.m. Later in the afternoon, take a walking tour of the town of Hanga Roa or enjoy the hotel facilities. Then gather for a celebratory group dinner.
Nayara Hangaroa (B, L, D)

Day 6 (Thursday, Oct. 3): Fly to Santiago
As an option, you can drive before dawn to Ahu Tongariki to see the beautiful sunrise (subject to weather conditions). Afterward, return to the hotel for breakfast, check out, and transfer to Mataveri Airport for the flight back to Santiago. This flight returns to Santiago too late to make connections to your international flight home. So you’ll be met after landing and, after claiming your luggage, transfer the short distance to the airport hotel.
Holiday Inn Santiago Airport (B)

Day 7 (Friday, Oct. 4): Valparaiso, Main Tour Ends
After breakfast, you’ll begin a day trip to the colorful port town of Valparaiso . We will also visit Viña del Mar, a seaside resort town near Valparaiso known for its beautiful gardens, beaches, and tall buildings. After the day’s tour ends, you’ll return to the Santiago airport, where you’ll be assisted with check-in for the overnight flight back to the U.S. (If you’re taking the optional extension to Patagonia, you will overnight at the Santiago Holiday Inn airport and take a morning flight to Punta Arenas the following day.)
(B, L)

Day 8 (Saturday, Oct. 5): Arrive Home
After an overnight flight from Santiago and your connecting flight, you return home with wonderful memories of the annular eclipse and the time you spent with Easter Island’s iconic moai.

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Optional Post-Tour Extension to Chilean Patagonia

Located at the southernmost tip of Chilean Patagonia, the stunning Torres del Paine National Park is a world of unique contrasts. The park’s magnificent mountains — especially its namesake trio of massive granite peaks — tower above a landscape of turquoise lakes, evergreen forests, and vast ice fields. No wonder that this region has been named a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

In this stark-yet-verdant landscape you’ll find abundant evidence of the glacial erosion that shaped it over millions of years. Large populations of guanacos and pumas run freely on the plains nestled among the mountainous peaks, while condors and more than 400 other species of birds soar overhead.

Our optional 5-day/4-night extension affords you ample time to explore this unique landscape at the very tip of South America. Read on to get more details!

Date	Itinerary at a Glance	Accommodation	Meals
Friday, Oct. 4	Santiago	Holiday Inn Santiago Airport	B
Saturday, Oct. 5	fly to Punta Arenas	Hotel Las Torres Patagonia	B, L, D
Sunday, Oct. 6	Torres del Paine	Hotel Las Torres Patagonia	B, L, D
Monday, Oct. 7	Torres del Paine	Hotel Las Torres Patagonia	B, L, D
Tuesday, Oct. 8	Santiago & home	(overnight flight)	B, L
Wednesday, Oct. 9	Arrive home	—	—

Note: This optional extension requires a minimum of eight participants. Airfare to/from Punta Arenas is not included.

Day 1 (Friday, Oct. 4): Overnight Santiago
After returning from Valparaiso, relax in Santiago for the evening. Dinner on your own.
Holiday Inn Santiago Airport (B)

Day 2 (Saturday, Oct. 5): Punta Arenas and Torres del Paine
After breakfast and check out, your guide will escort you to the Santiago airport for a morning flight to Punta Arenas. Upon arrival there, a representative of Las Torres Lodge will join you for a scenic 5-hour drive northward through the expansive Patagonian pampas. Stop for lunch along the way at the private estancia (ranch) Cerro Negro, then continue to Torres del Paine National Park, arriving at your hotel in the early evening.
Hotel Las Torres Patagonia (B, L, D)

Day 3 (Sunday, Oct.6): Torres del Paine National Park
Choose from an extensive array of half- and full-day excursions in the surrounding parkland led by expert guides. Torres del Paine National Park is surrounded by impressive mountains, including spectacular granite peaks that seemingly erupt from the landscape to heights of more than 8,000 feet. Additionally, you may explore the organic garden or the working stables of the hotel.
Hotel Las Torres Patagonia (B, L, D)

Day 4 (Monday, Oct. 7): Torres del Paine National Park
After breakfast, continue your exploration of this remarkable landscape. You’ll again have many options: Grey Glacier and lake with its blue iceberg; Salto Grande, a glacial waterfall set against majestic peaks; hike or ride horses with an expert guide; or simply relax in the park and its surrounding wilderness.
Hotel Las Torres Patagonia (B, L, D)

Day 5 (Tuesday, Oct. 8): Punta Arenas, Santiago, and Home
After breakfast, transfer by motor coach to the Punta Arenas airport (about 5 hours); a box lunch will be provided en route. The return flight to Santiago offers, weather permitting, magnificent views of the Andes and its snow-capped peaks, glaciers, and ice fields. Upon arrival in Santiago, local guides will help you check in for your overnight flight back to the United States or wherever you call home.
Overnight flight (B, L, meals aloft)

Day 6 (Wednesday, Oct. 9): Arrive in the United States
Arrive back in U.S. and transfer to your flight(s) home.

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What the Tour Does/Doesn’t Include

The main tour and post-tour extension to Chilean Patagonia include:
• Nightly accommodation in high-quality hotels
• Airport transfers for group flights
• English-speaking tour director (requires 12 participants on Patagonia extension)
• Daily sightseeing tours with expert English-speaking guides
• Private coach for ground transportation
• Lectures and discussion from a S&T representative on the main tour
• Entrances fees to national reserves and other venues on the itinerary
• Virtually all meals (see itineraries), including a special welcome reception and farewell dinner on the main tour
• Open bar while staying at the Nayara Hangaroa on Easter Island (except for premium drinks)
• Wine with all dinners and lunches (except box lunch en route to Punta Arenas on the extension)
• Bottled water during outings
• Baggage handling
• Tips to local guides, drivers, service charges, and taxes on the main tour
• Customized luggage tags and name tags with Sky & Telescope logo
• Pre-trip planning information and resources

The main tour and post-tour extension to Chilean Patagonia do not include:
• International airfare to and from Santiago, Chile
• Airfare to and from Easter Island
• Airfare to and from Punta Arenas (on the optional extension)
• Passport and visa fees
• Trip Cancellation and Travel Insurance (highly recommended)
• Medical insurance
• Medical or quarantine expenses
• COVID-19 testing before, during, or after the tour
• Airport transfers if not arriving or departing with the group
• Hotel accommodation for extra nights before or after the tour dates
• Individual excursions or deviations from the scheduled tour
• Meals or beverages not listed in the detailed itinerary
• Personal expenses (room service, laundry, email, wi-fi, telephone calls, etc)
• Excess-baggage fees
• Tip for the Tour Director (at participant’s discretion)
• Unforeseen cost increases for internal flights, security, or fuel surcharges

What Conditions to Expect on the Tour

This exclusive Sky & Telescope expedition to Chile and Easter Island is designed for travelers who are interested in learning about Easter Island, the skies of the southern hemisphere, and experiencing the wildlife, geology, and superb natural landscapes of Chilean Patagonia.

Expect temperatures on Easter Island to vary between daytime highs near 70°F and nighttime lows near 60°F. October is spring in Chile and average temperatures in Santiago are between 73°F and 44°F.  In Torres del Paine National Park, temperatures are cooler, with average daytime highs near 60°F and nighttime lows near 40°F. So layered clothing suitable for cool weather with occasional rain is recommended.

To enjoy this experience, participants must be in good physical and mental health and be able to keep up with the pace of the group. Participants requiring extraordinary assistance must be accompanied by someone who can and will provide all required assistance. While long-distance travel is by jet aircraft and motorcoach, daily excursions will often involve some walking or hiking over uneven terrain. The pace of the walks will be leisurely, though some hiking activities within Torres del Paine National Park will be more strenuous.

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Pricing, Payments, and Terms for the Easter Island Annular Eclipse 2024 Tour and Chilean Patagonia Extension

Pricing (per person)	Double Occupancy	Single Occupancy
Easter Island & Annular Eclipse (Sept. 28 to Oct. 5, 2024)	$6,950	$8,950
Post-Tour Extension to Chilean Patagonia (Oct. 4 to 9, 2024)	$4,850	$5,800

• To make a reservation: A reservation request can be submitted by completing this form. Reservations are recorded and acknowledged in order of receipt. Royal Adventures (CST #2009579-40) handles all invoicing.
• Deposits: An initial payment of US$1,000 per person is required to secure your reservation. A second deposit of $2,000 per person will be due by September 7, 2023 (or $3,000 due if you are booking after that date). Final payment is due by May 1, 2024. The initial deposit may be charged to a credit card; however, a 3% fee will be added. The second deposit, as well as the final payment, must be paid by check. Please make your check payable to “Royal Adventures” and mail it to: Royal Adventures, 9 Crow Canyon Court, Suite 205, San Ramon, CA 94583.
• Cancellations and Refunds:  Cancellation terms are based on the date that notice is received by Royal Adventures. (Notification of cancellation must be received in writing.) Should you have to cancel, the following terms will apply: Until January 5, 2023: Your deposit will be refunded less $100 per person. From January 6, 2023 to September 7, 2023: Deposit/payments paid will be refunded less a cancellation fee of $1,000 per person. After September 7, 2023: No refunds of any deposits and/or payments, regardless of the booking date. There are no refunds for unused meals, accommodations, or other trip features.
• Pricing: All tour prices are based on costs and U.S. dollar exchange rates, tariffs, in-tour transportation, and fuel surcharges in effect at the time of posting. While we do everything possible to maintain the listed prices, they are subject to change. Sky & Telescope and/or Royal Adventures will inform participants of any changes in the price of the tour.
• Itinerary: The itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of Sky & Telescope and Royal Adventures. All tour prices are based on costs and U.S. dollar exchange rates in effect at the time of posting. As such, the prices listed here are subject to change. In particular, any increases in the fares for in-tour transportation, security, and/or fuel surcharges will be paid by the participants. Sky & Telescope and/or Royal Adventures will inform clients of any changes prior to departure.
• Tour size: This tour, exclusively designed for AAS Sky Publishing LLC, is limited to 45 participants based upon double occupancy. The minimum group size for the main program is 15. Should the minimum group number not be met, we reserve the right to levy a small-group surcharge.
• Travel insurance: We highly recommend the purchase of trip-cancellation insurance including “Cancel for Any Reason” because the cancellation terms listed above will apply. Trip cancellation, medical, quarantine, and evacuation insurance can be purchased through our recommended provider, Travel Insured International; click here to get a quote or call 800-243-3174 and mention Royal Adventures #53140. Most insurance plans need to be purchased within 14 days of paying the initial deposit to waive preexisting medical conditions as well as to purchase “Cancel for Any Reason” insurance. Entry into Chile requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
• Disclaimer: Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented here. Royal Adventures, AAS Sky Publishing, LLC, and Sky & Telescope are not responsible for errors in or damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Information contained here is subject to change.
• Responsibility Statement: Royal Adventures (CST #2009579-40), its owners, and employees act only as agents for the various independent suppliers and contractors providing transportation, hotel accommodations, restaurant, and other services connected with this tour. Such travel and services are subject to the terms and conditions under which such accommodations, services, and transportation are offered or provided; AAS and AAS Sky Publishing LLC (collectively referred to herein as “AAS Sky Publishing LLC”) and Royal Adventures and their respective employees, agents, representatives, and assigns accept no liability therefor. AAS Sky Publishing LLC and Royal Adventures assume no liability for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or other irregularity which may be caused by the defect of any aircraft or vehicle or the negligence or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out or performing any of the services involved. Additionally, responsibility is not accepted for losses, injury, damages, or expenses of any kind due to sickness, epidemics, pandemics, weather, strikes, local laws, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature, quarantine, force majeure, animal or insect bites, or other such causes. All services and accommodations are subject to the laws of the country in which they are provided. AAS Sky Publishing LLC and Royal Adventures reserve the right to make changes in the published itinerary whenever, in their sole judgment, conditions warrant, or if they deem it necessary for the comfort, convenience, or safety of the tour participants. AAS Sky Publishing LLC and/or Royal Adventures shall not be deemed to be in breach of these terms and conditions or otherwise be liable to you, and shall not provide any refund, by reason of delay in performance, or by non-performance, of any of our obligations hereunder to the extent that any such delay or non-performance is due to any force majeure event. A force majeure event, in relation to this tour, shall mean any circumstances beyond our control, including, but without limitation, to acts of God, explosion, flood, forceful wind, fire or accident, war or threat of war declared or undeclared, acts of terrorism, sabotage, insurrection, riots, strikes, civil disturbance, sickness, epidemics, pandemics, quarantines, government intervention or other unforeseeable events. Limitations on travel arising from the COVID-19 pandemic shall be considered a force majeure event. If this tour is affected by a force majeure event, AAS Sky Publishing and Royal Adventures shall be entitled to, and may in their sole and absolute discretion, vary, cancel, or postpone any itinerary or arrangement in relation to this trip. The right is also reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the tour or to substitute another qualified leader or special guest. Baggage and personal effects are the sole responsibility of the owners at all times. The price of the program is given in good faith based on current tariffs and rates and is subject to change. Any tariff, exchange rate, security surcharge, fuel, or internal airline ticket fee increases, will be passed on to participants. Neither AAS Sky Publishing LLC nor Royal Adventures accepts the liability for any airline-cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a nonrefundable airline ticket or other expenses incurred by tour participants in preparing for the tour. Participants on this tour agree not to hold Royal Adventures or AAS Sky Publishing LLC and/ or its employees or agents responsible for any expense or loss caused by their failure to purchase trip cancellation insurance coverage or by their failure to purchase insurance or “Cancel for Any Reason” insurance coverage within the 14 days following the date of their registration on this tour. The air ticket when issued shall constitute the sole contract between the passenger and the airline concerned. As part of the consideration and right to participate in this tour, each participant will be asked to sign a liability release, an assumption of risk, and a hold-harmless agreement.
• Questions: Please contact Royal Adventures at [email protected] or call 800-453-4754 or 925-820-6260 (Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time).