Rotorua Geothermal Living Maori Village Tour Whakarewarewa 6.5hours Tour
Description
Visit the authentic Whakarewarewa Living Maori Village in the geothermal region of Rotorua on our full-day excursion which includes a guided tour, cultural concert and a light lunch. A Maori villager will guide you through the village, explaining how they make use of the harsh geothermal environment to their advantage. The famous Pohutu geyser can also be viewed from a safe distance as it erupts naturally during the day. Walk among the natural geothermal springs and steaming lakes, to see how your lunch is cooked in the traditional Hangi method. You will also enjoy a 30-minute Maori cultural performance of singing, dancing and warrior demonstrations, including the famous Haka. You tour also includes visits to Rotorua Government Gardens and other highlights of Rotorua, passing by 2 beautiful lakes, forests, kiwifruit orchards and the stunning coastline and beaches of Mount Maunganui. Please note that the tour start time will be confirmed when your booking is accepted.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Experience an authentic Māori Village where people live on a daily basis. Learn what it is like to live in the challenging environment of Whakarewarewa where daily life includes cooking in the bubbling pools and bathing in the therapeutic waters. Learn about Māori culture and traditions, with many examples of crafts on display. View geothermal wonders including the world famous Pohutu Geyser, boiling mud-pools and steam vents. See how the locals prepare and cook Hangi meals in the in-ground steam boxes and cook corn in the bubbling water of the geothermal hot pools. View the various historical landmarks and buildings, including an active Marae, two historic churches, and tapu (sacred) burial grounds. Watch a cultural performance with traditional song and dance, and experience the fearsome Haka, with bulging eyes and beating chests, made famous by NZ Sporting teams. Enjoy a Hangi lunch at the Village cafe and taste the delicious food cooked in the underground geothermal steam boxes.
Views of the lake - the central focal point of Rotorua
The impressive Elizabethan style building dominating the Government Gardens was the first health spa in New Zealand and now houses the Rotorua Museum. We will point out some of the features of the gardens, including the Blue Baths and Rachel's Spring, and stop for photos among the impressive flowerbeds.
We will show you the sights of Rotorua city as part of the tour
As we depart (or return) to the port of Tauranga you will travel through the city, one of New Zealand's fastest growing city and home to the country's largest port.
As we depart the Port of Tauranga where you cruise ship is berthed, we will dry through one of New Zealand's most popular and also most expensive beach side suburbs of Mount Maunganui, driving along the sea front of Marine Parade past multi-million dollar home.
We will be travelling through the world capitol of Kiwi Fruit, otherwise know as the town of Te Puke and its surrounding area. The region produces 85% of the countries Kiwifruit crop. You will see the extensive orchard and their impressive windbreaks on the way to or from Rotorua, out main destination today.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- You must provide your own infant/child seat if required
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately. We suggest layers with hats and sunscreen
- Tour departure time may change due to early and/or late ship arrivals and departures. You will be notified at time of booking Please check your emails to confirm tour departure times. This will over ride the time printed on the voucher.
- Please check in with us 15 minutes prior to the departure time we advise you.
Reviews(165)
Very good experience & covered a lot of the people's history. Liked the experience of hot steamy water. Didn't care for or liked the smell of the water. It's like rotten eggs 🥶 All in all was a fun excursion.
Saskia, our guide, gave us a fantastic tour, start to finish. I would highly recommend this tour when it’s in season. The geothermal areas were fascinating and a young Māori woman did a good job of guiding us through her village. She showed us how they cooked the corn in the water from the steaming pits all around us. I would recommend wearing cool clothing, as the steam and the sun created a hot environment. The Maori show was well performed with passion and talent. We enjoyed it so much! The lunch was OK. Saskia made the trip around the lake and gardens interesting. We got out and walked a path in the redwood forest and it was very impressive. It was a good way to cool off. The van was air conditioned and comfortable. We enjoyed this trip very much!
Thanks for your kind comments, so pleased you enjoyed the day with our guide Saskia. Regards Ian
The guide did a great job of continuing with interesting information about the area the whole ride there. It was nice that they don’t take a huge group at one time. The geothermal area was fascinating. The Māori tribal show was wonderful! We had a nice lunch included. Would recommend this tour!
Thank you for your very positive review, regards Ian
Very efficient and organised pick up at the entrance to the cruise port. Saskia was an extremely knowledgeable guide, making the drive to Rotorua really interesting. The Maori village was amazing, the cultural show of traditional song and dance was both uplifting and moving. Absolutely no worries about getting back to the ship on time. 100% recommended
Thanks for the great review, regards Ian
Excellent guide who knew history and the people. Loved the hot pools, warrior show was excellent!
Thanks for your review, pleased that we met all your expectations and that you enjoyed the tour, regards Ian
It driver/ guide. Jack, was entertaining and very informative. Thoroughly enjoyed spending time in the Maori living village and learning about the culture. Our visit to the kiwi farm was very informative. Also enjoyed a quiet walk thru a forest.
Thanks for the kind comments and we are pleased you enjoyed the tour. Regards Ian
The best tour guide ever! He was funny, entertaining and very informative. It was a lot of fun spending time with him. He deserves a raise! Outstanding! We had a great tour of the Maori village, Redwood Forest, kiwi farm. Highly recommend if you can get this tour guide!
Thanks for the kind comments and we are pleased you enjoyed the tour. Regards Ian
A great day trip. Smooth travelling and interesting and fun commentary throughout. A stop in a beautiful redwood forest and a kiwi fruit orchard made the day even more memorable. Rotorua itself and the Māori. village were interesting and rather wonderful. The cultural show was entertaining and surprisingly moving. The thermally cooked food was tasty enough but not memorable.,
Thanks for your review and pleased to hear you enjoyed the tour with Cruise Tours Tauranga. Regards Ian
Seen on TV and it looked very exciting but when l got there it was more like a film set, and l feel it was overpriced.
Hi George, i am sorry that you did not enjoy the tour. It is NOT a film set; this is the village where the local Maori people have lived since they arrived in New Zealand hundreds of years ago. Our tour covers a lot more than just the Living Maori village, with Rotorua city sights, the Redwoods Forest, and kiwi fruit orchards as well as lunch and a drink. Perhaps you booked the wrong tour! Regards Ian
Very efficient informative excursion with fantastic guide Jack . We were very well looked after and experienced the geothermal village, Redwoods and stopped at a kiwi farm for ice cream. Pick up Etc all very smooth
Thanks for the feedback, regards Ian
