Orongo Ceremonial Village
Easter Island, Valparaíso
Perched on a narrow ridge on the edge of the Rano Kau crater, Orongo Ceremonial Village was the ritual center of the tangata manu, or birdman, cult. Home to remnants of stone houses that were used in the annual birdman ceremony and thousands of petroglyphs, it also offers views of the ocean and offshore islets called motus.
Orongo Ceremonial Village one of the most popular archeological sites on Easter Island. Numerous tours, especially those focused on the birdman cult, include a stop here. At Orongo, visitors can follow trails that wind past the complex of 50-plus stone houses, view the bird petroglyphs carved into large boulders, and see the three motus. A path also leads around the crater to Ranu Kao Viewpoint, where the wetland-filled crater and Pacific Ocean beyond are visible.
Visitors must pay the fee for the Rapa Nui National Park to access Orongo Ceremonial Village, which can only be visited once with the national park ticket.
Stay on the path and do not enter any of the stone houses.
There’s a small onsite museum with exhibits in the Rapa Nui language and English.
Bring a jacket as it can be windy and cold at Orongo.
Wear shade and bring plenty of water if you plan to hike up to Orongo.
Orongo Ceremonial Village is located on the southwestern tip of Easter Island, about 5 miles (8 kilometers) south of Hanga Roa. You can drive all the way to the site. It’s also possible to hike to the site by taking the Te Ara O Te Ao footpath that starts from Ana Kai Tangata. Many tours also stop here.
The best time to visit Orongo is in the late afternoon so you have enough time to explore the site before watching the sunset. Early morning also offers good light. Depending on the extent of your interest, you might spend one to two hours exploring the site. If you plan to hike to Orongo, allow for an additional 60 to 90 minutes.
The birdman cult came to dominate Easter Island culture from the 1600s to the 1800s. Every spring, clans would stay in the houses at Orongo and compete to see who would be the ruler. Representatives of each clan (hopu manu) had to descend the 984-foot (300 meter) cliff, swim across shark-infested waters to Motu Miu to steal the first manutara (sooty tern) egg and return it to Orongo intact. The first to do so wins ruling rights for their clan for the year.
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