December 29, 2025 - January 5, 2026
Easter Island: A New Year’s Tour with Dr. Robert Schoch (8 days)
Join Dr. Robert Schoch and his wife Catherine (Katie) Ulissey on an in-depth exploration of some of the greatest ancient mysteries of Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Just imagine welcoming the New Year surrounded by the mystical allure of Easter Island – a destination like no other.
Overview & Date
This will not be a typical tourist experience filled with the standard dogmas, trite explanations, and worn-out clichés. Instead, we will take a fresh look at the ancient sites on the island with a foremost authority when it comes to re-thinking the origins of civilization. Not only will we immerse ourselves in the indigenous culture and perennial wisdom of Easter Island, but we will also make connections to other ancient sites and traditions as well.
We will spend an extraordinary week on Rapa Nui, home of the enigmatic moai (huge stone heads and torsos), which are iconic and emblematic of ancient mysteries. Located in the South Pacific over 2100 miles (over 3500 kilometers) from the coast of South America, Easter Island is truly one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth.
December 29, 2025 - January 5, 2026
Easter Island: A New Year’s Tour with Dr. Robert Schoch (8 days)
Book nowSpecial Guest
Dr. Robert M. Schoch has devoted his life to the study of Earth, its creatures, and, for more than three decades, its most ancient civilizations. Schoch holds a B.A. (in Anthropology) and a B.S. (in Geology) from George Washington University, and M.S., M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees in Geology and Geophysics from Yale University. He is currently the Director of the Institute for the Study of the Origins of Civilization at Boston University’s College of General Studies, where he has served as a full-time faculty member since 1984. In recognition of his research into ancient civilizations, Dr. Schoch was awarded (in 2014) the title of Honorary Professor of the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna, Bulgaria.
Schoch’s research challenges conventional chronologies and interpretations of ancient history, particularly regarding our understanding of the development of civilization. In the early 1990s, Schoch demonstrated that the Great Sphinx of Egypt has been heavily eroded by water despite its location on the edge of the Sahara having endured hyper-arid climactic conditions for the past 5,000 years. An older Sphinx provides evidence of civilization millennia prior to the standard dating of the supposed earliest civilizations. Excavation of the 12,000-year-old megalithic complex of Göbekli Tepe in Turkey has confirmed Schoch’s assertions. Schoch’s recent work has focused on the cataclysmic events that ended Earth’s last ice age, circa 9700 BCE, simultaneously decimating the high civilizations of the time. The evidence developed by Dr. Schoch, based in part on his studies of Easter Island’s petroglyphs and unique rongorongo script, points to enormous solar outbursts as the cause.
Dr. Schoch is the author, coauthor, and/or editor of books both technical and popular, including “Phylogeny Reconstruction in Paleontology” (1986), “Stratigraphy: Principles and Methods” (1989), “Voices of the Rocks” (1999), “Voyages of the Pyramid Builders” (2003), “Pyramid Quest” (2005), “Forgotten Civilization: The Role of Solar Outbursts in Our Past and Future” (first edition, 2012), “Origins of the Sphinx” (2017), and “Forgotten Civilization: New Discoveries on the Solar-Induced Dark Age” (revised and expanded edition, 2021). Schoch’s books have been translated into numerous languages and distributed around the world. Schoch has also reached audiences globally through television (the Emmy-winning “The Mystery of the Sphinx”, which first aired on NBC, remains a favorite among audiences), radio, conferences, and Internet podcasts.
Catherine (Katie) Ulissey, was born in New York City and spent her early childhood in Saudi Arabia where she was first introduced to ancient civilizations, which became a life-long interest though she pursued other vocations. Ulissey was a twenty-year professional ballet and Broadway dancer, beginning her career at the age of sixteen and performing with the Maryland Ballet, the Feld Ballet, and in a number of Broadway musicals, including the Tony-winning The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the original Broadway casts of Rags, The Red Shoes, and The Phantom of the Opera. In 2002, she graduated from Emerson College with a B.A. in Visual and Media Arts (summa cum laude) and has subsequently enjoyed a teaching career (of dance), contributing to the education of students at Harvard University’s Dance Program, American Repertory Theater, The Boston Ballet School, and Wellesley College. Ulissey met her husband, Robert Schoch, in 2007 while attending a conference devoted to the topic of ancient civilizations, and they were married on Easter Island in 2010. Inspired by her husband’s research, she is now proud to contribute to it. It was Katie who discovered the connection between Easter Island’s rongorongo glyphs and ancient “plasma petroglyphs”, research pioneered by Los Alamos plasma physicist Dr. Anthony Peratt (his team had previously made the rongorongo connection, but never published it). Katie joins Dr. Schoch as a co-author on their revised and expanded edition of “Forgotten Civilization: New Discoveries on the Solar-Induced Dark Age” (2021), and she is the author of their children’s book “Adriana and the Ancient Mysteries: The Great Sphinx” (English-language edition published in 2024, revised from the German, 2021, and Italian, 2022, editions).
Dr. Schoch and Catherine Ulissey travel the world together in their pursuit of a deeper understanding of humanity’s past. They will be accompanying the participants on Easter Island throughout the trip, and they will be available for discussions during the course of the tour.
Their personal website is: www.robertschoch.com.
Selected Highlights
EXPERIENCE NEW YEAR’S EVE LIKE NEVER BEFORE
Imagine welcoming the New Year surrounded by the mystical allure of Easter Island – a destination like no other. Your stay will be nothing short of exceptional, as you indulge in the island's finest accommodations at Nayara Hangaroa, the only 5-star hotel on Easter Island. This is true luxury at its best, where every detail is designed to offer you an unparalleled experience.
DISCOVER EASTER ISLAND’S TRUE STORY
Your hosts, Dr. Robert Schoch and his wife Katie, were married on the island and have a strong personal love for and interest in all things related to Easter Island. They will share with you their latest research regarding the origins and history of the people of Easter Island while also recounting the local legends and traditions. Interestingly, while once dismissed by conventional academics, the theories of the famous adventurer Thor Heyerdahl that Easter Island was colonized by, or had connections with, both Polynesian islands to the west and South American cultures to the east has been confirmed by recent genetic studies as well as botanical and sedimentological studies (which also indicate that the island was first colonized many centuries earlier than previously believed). The work of Dr. Schoch and Katie connects the Easter Island rongorongo script with geoglyphs and petroglyphs (ancient engravings on rocks found around the globe) indicative of the solar eruptions and related events that ended the last ice age nearly 12,000 years ago and brought an earlier, very ancient, cycle of civilization to a close.
During our time on the island, we will explore all the major sites and also have a chance to enjoy the local culture and flavor of the island. Sites we will visit include: Ahu Tongariki, the Ahu Tahai Complex, Vinapu, the quarry of Rano Raraku (which includes a large collection of erected moai and also unfinished moai), Anakena beach and Ahu Nau Nau with its classic moai, Te Pito te Kura (“The Navel of the Island”), the volcanic caldera of Rano Kau, the stone village of Orongo (home of the birdman cult, the significance of which Dr. Schoch will explain, and some of the most fantastic petroglyphs found anywhere on Earth are located here), a lava tube cave, and the Museo Antropológico Padre Sebastián Englert where the small “female” moai is displayed that many have remarked looks like their concept of an “alien”.
STARGAZE, DANCE, AND SAIL EASTER ISLAND
During the tour, you will take part in many extraordinary activities. Enjoy an evening dance show with local performers – a wonderful way to familiarize yourself with the culture on the island. Take part in extraordinary stargazing on one night, offering an opportunity to embrace the mysterious nocturnal sky and learn about the pivotal role the stars played in guiding the ancestors to this secluded island. Embark on an exhilarating open-water boat ride to experience the grandeur of the Pacific Ocean in all its majesty and view Easter Island from the sea.
All these activities are included in the tour price! Each night on the island we will return to our hotel conveniently located at Hanga Roa, the primary town of Easter Island, near shops selling the local crafts and other attractions.
ENJOY LUXURY IN THE HEART OF HISTORY
Discover the pinnacle of luxury on Easter Island at Nayara Hangaroa, the island’s only five-star resort. This extraordinary eco-village and spa is more than just a place to stay. At Nayara Hangaroa, you are invited to rejuvenate your soul in an environment that seamlessly blends luxury with deep respect for the rich cultural heritage and natural splendor that surround you. This is a rare opportunity to engage with an ancient culture that continues to thrive, allowing you to be both a participant and an observer of traditions that have endured for centuries.
The architecture of Nayara Hangaroa is a masterful tribute to the historic Village of Orongo, which we will explore in detail, located on the western summit of the Rano Kau volcano, where the sacred Tangata Manu (“birdman”, although women were also involved) ceremony once took place. It is a true sanctuary where construction and the natural world are woven together, creating a masterpiece that honors the island’s enduring legacy.
day-by-day itinerary
29 December 2025
Arrival / Welcome Dinner
The island and the Rapanui people will greet you as you are met at the airport and escorted to our hotel.
Meal Included: Dinner
30 December 2025
Full day Tour – An introduction to Easter Island
During each of the tour days (Days 2, 3, 5, and 6) we will focus on different sites and activities on the island – such as the boat ride, the dance performance, and more. All the sites as listed in the description previously will be included (see the paragraphs above). Which specific sites we will visit and which activities we will undertake on each tour day will be determined by Dr. Schoch and the tour operator in consultation with Rapanui residents and guides, taking local conditions into account at the time to maximize our enjoyment and experiences. Dr. Schoch has found that flexibility, rather than a rigorous preset schedule, is the best way to visit and fully experience the island.
During the free days you will have a chance to simply relax at our hotel and resort, the outstanding world-class Nayara Hangaroa, or you might want to shop, or explore the island further (perhaps revisiting a favorite site that we saw on a tour day). Transportation to the picturesque palm trees and beach at Anakena on the free days is included in the tour. Anakena is also the site of Ahu Nau Nau and its moai, and a place where many local crafts are sold. Dr. Schoch and the tour guides will be available to assist you in making plans for your free days.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
31 December 2025
Full Day Tour / New Year’s Dinner and Celebration Party
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
1 January 2026
Free Day
Relax, sleep in, enjoy the scenery from our hotel, go to the spa, visit Anakena Beach, taking in some shopping of the local crafts (which are truly unique to Easter Island), take a stroll – it is up to you! And of course, Dr. Schoch and the tour guides will be available to assist and advise as you make your plans.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
2 January 2026
Full Day Tour
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
3 January 2026
Full Day Tour
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
4 January 2026
Free Day
Free Day. Relax, take in the natural splendor, get in some shopping, re-visit a favorite ancient site, enjoy the beach, or whatever you like – this is a day to indulge.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
5 January 2026
Departures
It will be time to reflect on a unique visit to one of the most iconic and fascinating spots on the planet as you are escorted to the airport and board the plane (looking back one last time) for your trip home.
Meal Included: Breakfast
Pricing
Price:
$11,985 USD per person in a double room (initial deposit is $1,200 USD during booking; see below). If you travel alone, we can endeavor to pair you with another tour participant.* However, if you would like to stay in a single room for the duration of the tour then the supplement is $2,985 USD extra.
*Please note that a roommate is not guaranteed and if we do not find another tour participant willing to share a room, you will need to pay for a single room supplement.
An Important Note Regarding Pricing:
All prices shown on the Website and on the Registration Form, or quoted on the telephone, are per person and in U.S. dollars. Pricing may vary depending on the time of registration. Once an initial deposit is received by the Tour Operator, the traveler is guaranteed the same tour price throughout – that is, the tour price will be “locked in” for that traveler and will not increase. Any travel companions added later will be subject to the then-current pricing. All prices are subject to change without prior notice.
Payment Schedule:
- $1,200 USD deposit – during initial booking.
- Remaining balance – 90 days prior to the tour.
Refund Policy Regarding Deposits and Payments:
- More than 91 days – loss of the deposit payment.
- 90–75 days prior to the initial tour date: 50% of the total tour price per person.
- 74–60 days prior to the initial tour date: 75% of the total tour price per person.
- 59–0 days prior to the initial tour date or nonappearance: 100% of the total tour price per person.
Included:
Dr. Robert Schoch as your tour host throughout the trip, accompanied by his wife and research partner Catherine (Katie) Ulissey; five-star accommodations at the Nayara Hangaroa; three meals a day on all full days – breakfast, lunch, and dinner (except for arrival and departures days); coach ground transportation; all sightseeing tours and entrances listed in the itinerary; bottled water during the sightseeing; English-speaking guide; English-speaking tour leader; reception at Mataveri International Airport; airport arrival & departure transfers; government taxes; any other applicable taxes.
Not Included:
International flights to/from Easter Island (we can help you with booking); personal tips made to staff, drivers, and so forth. Travel Insurance: It is highly recommended that you have adequate Health Insurance and Travel Insurance for the duration of the tour.
Registration
We encourage you to book this tour as soon as possible as the number of places is limited. Please contact us for more information and for details.
December 29, 2025 - January 5, 2026
Easter Island: A New Year’s Tour with Dr. Robert Schoch (8 days)
Book nowIf you have any questions contact us:
US PHONE:
1 646-7400-400Office Hours:
8 am – 5 pm EST Monday–Friday Our consultants will be happy to give you all the information you need.