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Orongo was originally the sacred site of the birdman cult. There are many trails to follow. The volcanic crater and sea views including that of 'birdman island' are spectacular. Orongo has a drop into the ocean on one side and the deep crater on the other. The birdman cult is well worth reading up. There are the hundreds of petroglyphs carved with birdman images over here. Carved into solid basalt, they have resisted ages of harsh weather. The purpose of the annual birdman contest was to obtain the first egg of the season from the offshore islet Motu Nui. Contestants descended the sheer cliffs of Orongo and swam to Motu Nui where they awaited the coming of the birds. Having procured an egg, the contestant swam back and presented it to his sponsor, who then was declared birdman for that year. One needs to give at least 2 hours to explore this attraction on foot. I would very highly recommend visiting this spectacular attraction to any traveler in Easter Island and preferably with a local guide to get a better grasp of the local history. …
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Date of experience: December 2019
26 Helpful votes1 Repost
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It takes about 2-3 hours to see this fully. This is Easter Island's most dramatic setting with a wonderful view! There is a small museum with signs that are very informative about the area (English, also). It really merits a local guide to really understand the full history. You will need to show your national park ticket upon entrance. The village is the ceremonial village where the Birdman Competition took place. Toilets are available free. Lighting is best in the early morning or mid/late afternoon. Orongo was restored in 1974 with 47 houses, many of which had collapsed or had been torn down by treasure hunters. There is an interpretive trail through Orongo which the visit better. At the end of the interpretive trail there are many boulders carved with petroglyphs.…
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Date of experience: January 2020
1 Helpful vote
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Orongo is an incredible experience high on one of the volcanoes. a small ceremonial vllage with plenty of signs to help you learn what this village was used for. An incredible crater lies next to the village
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Date of experience: April 2019
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Besides the amazing volcano here, this site is the place the witnesses waited while the Birdmen swam to the nearby island to pluck the first egg from the migratory birds. This is also a must with a guide to walk you through it’s meaning.
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Date of experience: February 2020
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Most interesting history about the Birdman cult where you can view the islands where the swimmers went to acquire the bird eggs and see the structures that the islanders lived in on the island.
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Date of experience: February 2020
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