Overview
Immerse yourself in Māori heritage with a guided tour, a mesmerising cultural performance, and a delicious buffet lunch. Experience the best of Rotorua on this full-day tour from Auckland, combining breathtaking geothermal wonders with rich Māori culture!
What you will be doing
Your tour begins in New Zealand’s largest city, where your guide will set the scene for the day ahead. As we depart Auckland, enjoy a guided drive past some of the city’s most iconic highlights and landmarks.
Exiting Auckland we travel south through the stunning Waikato countryside, the most extensive farming area in the world, encountering beautiful scenery, mighty rivers, great photo opportunities, impressive mountains and several farm animals along the way. During our adventure in the Waikato we will also stop for a quick coffee break at a special location.
Continuing our journey to Rotorua we pass through Tirau famously dubbed the 'Corrugated Iron Capital of the World' because of the many unique corrugated iron sculptures and buildings. This town never fails to get a look and a laugh and our guides will point out all the main highlights on the way through.
Arriving in Rotorua we will do a guided driving tour for you to get your bearings and see the most famous sites in Rotorua city including: Lake Rotorua, Rotorua Museum, Government Gardens, Whangapipiro (Rachel Spring) and the Blue Baths.
At Te Puia, immerse yourself in the heart of Māori culture and Rotorua’s geothermal wonders. Enjoy a fully guided tour of the site, including visits to the carving and weaving schools, Kiwi Conservation Centre, and the awe-inspiring Pōhutu Geyser. Then, delight in a vibrant cultural performance featuring traditional songs, dances, and the powerful haka. Round off your visit with a delicious buffet lunch that showcases local and international flavors.
Sadly we must start to head north again but your day is not over with a fully guided return trip to Auckland with secret stops along the way.
Where we'll meet
🧭 Meeting/pick-up point: Your hotel in Auckland
🗺️ Instructions: We will pick you up from your hotel.
Things to know
Accessibility:
Children friendly
Fitness requirement
Any fitness level
Tour Language
English
License requirement
None
Additional information:
Wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing
Inclusion ✅
Tour guide
Pick up and drop off transport
Entrance ticket
Water
Air-conditioned vehicle
Exclusion ❌
Gratuities
About your host
Cheeky Kiwi TravelWe are all about giving you a real Kiwi Adventure. Our tours and day trips have a maximum of 16 guests! We believe it's the small extra things we do, combined with being flexible, that make all the difference to your experience and give you an amazing trip. Our trips have been described as fun and informative, with, of course, a little bit of cheekiness. From the outset, our mission has been to nurture both our communities and the environment, aligning with and advocating for The Tiaki Promise. We've reduced our carbon emissions by adopting fuel-efficient vehicles and closely monitoring fuel usage. Our drivers are incentivised to follow eco-friendly practices, ensuring your journey is as environmentally responsible as possible. We pride ourselves on being a fully paperless office, and we prioritise responsible waste management during our operations. We encourage our guests to travel responsibly with Wild Kiwi and to commit to The Tiaki Promise to care for New Zealand, for now, and for future generations.
Qualmark Gold: Qualmark works with Tourism New Zealand to help the tourism industry deliver high-quality experiences and maintain a high level of visitor satisfaction. Only businesses that deliver a quality sustainable experience, ones that have undergone an independent evaluation, and showcase true New Zealand hospitality, are recognised through a Qualmark accreditation. It has three levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze.
For every trip booked, Kodama Travel donates £1 to Just One Tree to restore our forests and the ocean.