I know this tour has just been launched - and perhaps there are more details in the forthcoming brochure - but could you let us know exactly what the itinerary will be for the Easter Island extension to the new Chile tour?  I really don't think I can afford it, but depending on what's offered, I might just blow my savings and go for it?!!

Many thanks,

Bob

Here is a little snippet from the new brochure...

Spend three nights on Easter Island, an intriguing destination covering roughly 64 square miles in the South Pacific Ocean. During your stay we include two full days of exploration including visits to the iconic giant stone figures, or moai, that the island is famous for.

On day two you will have included excursions to Rano Kau & Orongo in the morning and Ahu Akivi & Puna Pau in the afternoon. Your full day excursion on day three includes visits to Rano Raraku, Tongariki & Anakena beach.

Please note that this is just a provisional itinerary and it will be confirmed in your final documents if you decide to go ahead.

Kindest regards,

Monty

Best wishes,

Bob

(Not that I've done the research or anything but....) check out a website called 'Easter Island Spirit'. It's a little company that organise bespoke walking and 4X4 tours on Rapa Nui run by a Scotsman called James Grant-Peterkin (who is also the British Consul to Easter Island). I've got James booked for the entire week of my trip in September to ensure that I see absolutely everything possible and purchase the best possible fridge magnet!!

James does a sunrise over Tongariki tour which gets you back to your hotel before breakfast so, if you do decide to do the JY adventure, you could always book this as an independent add-on before your main itinerary that day. (I've booked to do it on the morning of my 49 plus VAT birthday to see in my second half century in a suitably memorable manner!!)

All of the sites on the JY provisional itinerary are 'must do's' (so naturally, I'll check them out and report back for you 😉 ) See if you can get a copy of James's book 'A companion to Easter Island' which I used to plan my trip. For a photographer like yourself it will be invaluable because he has listed the best times of day to get the best shots at each site, together with the times the tour buses arrive in case you want to avoid them!

All the best from the 'Island hopping' Jersey Bean!

Mandy

Many thanks for this information - I've been reading some Trip Advisor posts about Easter Island and they mentioned James and Easter Island Spirit as well - I hope JY use him as their local tour company there!  To be honest, I don't think I'll be doing the Easter Island add-on, as it would mean I wouldn't really be able to afford a get-away in September - I always go away then as I need a bit of a break to recharge my batteries after the busy summer period at work.  But I will read your comments very carefully - and there are some other forum users (you know a couple of them!) who are seriously thinking of doing the add-on, so your comments will be very helpful to them in any case.

All the best,

Bob

I'm being pulled towards this trip next year - your information is really useful, particularly re the sunrise trip. I'll be very interested to hear how you get on, and of course how the fridge magnet hunting goes.

Have a brilliant trip.

Sally

Many thanks for the Easter Island information; it really is invaluable. I'm very interested in this tour together with the add-on so I'll be sure to look out for James' book.

Have a great time in Alaska and I'd be very grateful if you would write a review; although since JY have seen fit to change the flights for 2017 departures to Gatwick from Heathrow I'm taking it off my 'to do' list. Still very unhappy about this decision as I had this holiday 'pencilled in', at least provisionally, since it was launched this year.

On the subject of Gatwick Airport, this represents a considerably longer journey for me in comparison to Heathrow (when I take into account the increased mileage around the M25) and it's not a journey I want to make a habit of considering I can only get there by road. When will JY realise that civilization does exist in the UK north of Watford?

What makes this change particularly irritating is that, having changed the flights to Icelandair via Reykjavik, they've completely ignored the fact that Icelandair have been flying direct to Rekjavik twice a week out of my local airport (Birmingham) for over 12 months now - so why no regional departures? Any comments Monty?

Cheers

Mike

I am very interested in this trip and to visit Easter Island would be fantastic. The only downside is that it would use up all my holidays for the year and beyond......

Taffy.

Mike, I see your problem with the Alaskan flights, but ironically, for me it's the opposite and the changes would have been brilliant. It's not possible to get a direct flight from Jersey to Heathrow so whenever my JY tour requires it, I have to fly to Gatwick and get the National Express across. The flight times out of Jersey also mean I often have to book a hotel night at each end of the trip, but that's one of the drawbacks of living on the Little Island and I just factor in the extras to my planning and budgeting for the trip (Bob probably has similar issues coming from Eire). I certainly see you point but also have a bit of sympathy for JY because I guess they have to cater for the majority and keep the holiday prices as low as possible (so that we can all get together and enjoy as many as possible)

Sally - not much wildlife for you on Rapa Nui but plenty of scenic photo opportunities. (And the 'locals' stand still for all of the pictures!!) James has been extremely pleasant and helpful with my trip planning (Jersey - Gatwick - Heathrow - Madrid - Santiago - Rapa Nui and back, all on my own!), so I'll certainly let you all know how it all goes.

For now, I've got the wildlife of the Denali National park to look forward to - Moose, moose and more moose here I come!

Safe travels everyone (good luck with the leeches Bob!)

Mandy

All the best,

Bob

Unlike you I prefer Gatwick as I can get a train directly from Luton. For Heathrow flights I have to get a National Express Coach. But I would not let this stop me going on a holiday I really wanted to. For example I will be taking a 5.40 a.m. coach from Luton for my trip to Borneo so will have to get up quite early as will have to get a taxi from home to Luton Town. Do not fancy leaving the car in Luton Station Car park for the duration of the holiday and anyway it would be more expensive to do so.

Jaya

Could you tell me how many places are available for this tour for November 2017 - for the main tour and for the Easter Island add-on please?  And has anyone booked it yet?  I know it's very early days!

All the best,

Bob

There are 30 places in total available on the November date - this is allocated as 20 on the main tour only and 10 on the Easter Island add-on.

It may be very early days, but there is one traveller already booked on the Easter Island add-on.

Kindest regards,

Julia

Hi Bob,

There are 30 places in total available on the November date - this is allocated as 20 on the main tour only and 10 on the Easter Island add-on.

It may be very early days, but there is one traveller already booked on the Easter Island add-on.

Kindest regards,

Julia

Hello Julia

That is really interesting - although perhaps not too surprising as it is very attractive - and encouraging, as I hope to do it in 2018.

But before that, I am hoping to do the "Roof of the World" trip in September or October next year. I imagine that this will also be very popular, so could you please let me have the same information (with and without the HK extension) for the September and October departures?

Also, could you tell me how much time is needed to obtain the visa and Tibet travel permit? I know that the travel permit has to be applied for after the visa has been granted, but is it applied for before the holiday commences, or is it this done whilst the party is in China? I should like to go in September, but I am committed to being in Bavaria in the middle of July, which would only leave about six weeks to obtain the visa and permit: would that be long enough for JY to do whatever is necessary? If not, then the October departure would presumably not be a problem?

Thanks

Jim

(off to Borneo this week:-)

Many thanks for the info - I'll hopefully book when I get back from Borneo!

Best wishes,

Bob

Our Visa team have provided the following information with regard to obtaining a Visa.

"We get everyone’s China’s visa first and email a copy of the whole groups visas to our China agents who then apply for the Tibet permission. The China agents hold the group visa for Tibet and give it to the tour manager on arrival in China. A visa pack is sent to the customers 10 weeks before departure so as soon as the customers send in their passport’s we apply for the visas. Normal turnaround is 21-28 days"

In terms of numbers for The Roof of the World Tour, there are currently 2 travellers booked on the September date and 1 booked on the October date. We can take up to 35 travellers on each date - 25 on the main tour only and 10 on the add-on.

Kindest regards,

Julia

Hope The Roof of the World Tour will run for the next few years as I would really love to do this. So many choices and so little time and cash!!

Jaya

Could you provide some information regarding the hotel accommodation on Easter Island please? The brochure doesn't give any details and, whilst Iunderstand this may be provisional, it would be interesting to have some information.

Many thanks

Mike

Thanks for the Tibet information, as this is yet another tour I'd like to do over the next couple of years.  Regarding the Tibet permission - how would this work with my Irish passport?  When I did Inspirational China two years ago, I got my own visa in Dublin (as you know JY generally can't get visas for me).  So in this instance, would I get my own visa as before and then when I receive it, give JY the details so they can get the local agents to apply for the permission for Tibet for me along with the rest of the group?

Apologies for my awkward geographical location!!

All the best,

Bob

Hi Jim,

Our Visa team have provided the following information with regard to obtaining a Visa.

"We get everyone’s China’s visa first and email a copy of the whole groups visas to our China agents who then apply for the Tibet permission. The China agents hold the group visa for Tibet and give it to the tour manager on arrival in China. A visa pack is sent to the customers 10 weeks before departure so as soon as the customers send in their passport’s we apply for the visas. Normal turnaround is 21-28 days"

In terms of numbers for The Roof of the World Tour, there are currently 2 travellers booked on the September date and 1 booked on the October date. We can take up to 35 travellers on each date - 25 on the main tour only and 10 on the add-on.

Kindest regards,

Julia

Hello Julia

Many thanks, that's very helpful.

I'll do some serious planning when I return from Borneo :-)

Jim