Great traditional Māori cultural experience. Highly recommended having a reservation and booking…read moreahead of time, especially during the busy holiday season. There's delicious traditional food, touring, stories, songs, and customary dancing. I've seen and experienced Māori events in Rotorua and throughout New Zealand before, this one was really down-to-earth and fun. Highly recommended!

I wanted to give a higher rating, but honestly the value of this place is not worth it since it's…read moreonly a 3-hour experience that felt too rushed and crammed. If it were half a day, starting before sunset, and more interactive (like kids can play with poi balls), then it would be way better. I've been lucky to see many Maori performances and do dinners like this and the price you pay here is too high. They put so many people in one place that it really takes away from any personal experience and it feels like a tourism factory just pushing people through for the cash. They show you Hangi (underground BBQ pit), but there are like 200 people trying to look at the same thing so if you're not at the front you just stare at people's backs. When they show you the short boat performance, there aren't too many places to get a good viewing, and you've walked down the crowded forest pathways for no reason. The main performance was good, but I've seen many of Maori performances and this wasn't that that great. Thankfully, the food was very delicious. Maybe if they only hosted half the amount of people they do, it'd be a way better time. If you're ever in Hawaii, the Polynesian Cultural Center (which features Aotearoa) is a 10x better experience.

We got the ticket for the full guided tour, dinner, and the show. It's pricy but we enjoyed it very…read moremuch and it's a unique experience. The tour starts with some quick stops at the traditional way the food is cooked and at a carved canoe to give a glimpse of Māori life. You get to see some kiwi birds, then cruise around the geyser area. Lots of lookouts and viewing sites. You finish the tour in the art center where the intricate carvings and weaving are done. Next is dinner. The buffet has a ton of meat (meat coma) along with vegetables, salads, desserts, etc. so many options. You are given a seating assignment so we conversed with folks from Denver and California. Funny we go all the way to New Zealand and end up hanging with folks from the US. Finally, you end with the show. It is well done. You get a good variety of battle, love, and storytelling songs. It was an educational and enjoyable experience.

Great place to learn about Maori culture. Highlights & Recommendations for Te Puia:…read more1) NZ Maori Arts & Crafts Institute (NZMACI) - A fascinating school that allows Maori adult students to study (tuition free) traditional crafts such as wood, stone, and bone carving and weaving, using tradtional methods. This allows the students to perpetuate Maori culture. Recommendation: NZMACI should offer classes (for a fee) for Pākehā (non-Maori people) who could also learn the techniques, and their fees would also help subsidize the school. The classes could range from the full course for NZ residents, to shorter courses for tourists. 2) Geyser- Spectacular! 3) Cultural Show - Interesting, Informative, Entertaining. Recommendation: Do a full Haka, and outside where everyone can see. Also, give a more full explanation of all the parts. 4) Maori Staff - All of the staff were superb! I was with Kia (sp?) and she very patiently answered all my many questions about the Maori language. Recommendations: I would like to have known a little about each Staff member- origin, tribe, etc. 5) Maori Culture- I cannot imagine a better place to learn about Maori culture! Recommendations: I would like to have known more about Maori tattoos - designs, placement, symbolism, etc. It's such a visible part od Maori culture that it should be featured. If it would be offensive to do so, I would withdraw this comment. Overall, and exceptional visit to a very entertaining place. Nga mihi!

Took our 15 month old with the wife and I and wow, way better than we thought it would be!…read moreThe majority of the toys/dolls are in interesting displays, such as wombles in a hill, shops, bars, etc. Also, it's not just for the girls, there's a massive train track taking up an entire wall, models, loads of boys toys and displays the guys will appreciate. To top it all off, the coffee is some of the best I've had, they obviously have spent a lot of time tuning the coffee machine, use of thermometers in the milk jug shows they really care. Scones are huge and tasty too, if you come just for the coffee in the magnificent stag hall, you won't be disappointed. The grounds are perfect for a picnic under the trees after a museum visit too.

Decided to go for wine tasting after we had visited Skyline for the luge rides. We were able to use…read morethe gondola all evening as long as we still had the receipt so it was convenient to go back to the hotel, change, and return to Volcanic Hills. The view is beautiful and the tasting room is spacious and bright. The price for 5 tastes is very reasonable at only $20 NZ. Our servers were knowledgeable about the wine and the region. Surprisingly we loved the Chardonnay (not usually a fan)! Each of the wines were very unique, and we paid a little extra to taste the Tawny which was not included in the normal tasting menu. If you like Port, you'll enjoy the Tawny. All in all a lovely wine tasting experience!

Our tour group enjoyed a lovely afternoon at the winery during our recent trip to New Zealand…read more The wine was terrific and our hostess Paige was simply awesome. She made the visit even more enjoyable with her incredible personality and interaction with all of us. If you stop in make sure to sample the wines, and even ask Paige to dance for you....you won't be disappointed!!!

OMG !!! What an experience…read more One of the few times I did a tour group, it was the only way to do the Village while in the area as it was an hour and a half drive each way. And it opened just for this group of 50. A Māori woman stepped on the bus to give us a quick lesson on our visit. She chose a gentleman to be "our" chief to represent the bus and meet the Māori chief, and how we should act during the initial encounter. We walked through the camp gates into an open area. A horn sounded. The chief appeared above us and in native language announced his acknowledgment of our presence. Then more tribal men appeared and proceeded to show their strength through the haka. The chiefs did a traditional acknowledgment and welcome. Then we were lead into the village. At each house we were introduced to different activities, some were once practices for war and defense. Others were on every day activities of village life. Next we were seated in a theater like building. The chief introduced us to his family. This large group really was his family. His son, daughter, several nieces, nephews and a couple of cousins. Now they demonstrated and told the meaning behind certain dances and songs. Some pass down the stories of their ancestors. This tribe are descendants of chief's daughter and warrior who were forbidden to marry, but managed to anyway. The moves and facial expressions have specific and impactful meanings. Their voices absolutely incredible. One last treat was a late lunch. A beautiful buffet was prepared just for us. Fresh mussels, shrimp, salads, three kinds of potatoes, pork, chicken and fish. So many options and all so delicious. Then dessert too !! Pavlova, steamed pudding, and a to die for dark chocolate brownie with a devine coconut center. An unbelievable experience that I'm so thankful I did. I highly recommend it.

This was an amazing experience. It starts with some great information at the visitor center,…read morefollowed by a bus ride to the village. On the bus, they chose a chief and instructed us on cultural norms and expectations for our experience. The village was so interesting and we loved getting to learn and play some of the games! They put on an amazing performance that included traditional singing and dancing! The food was great, with the only downside being that there wasn't much variety for gluten intolerances, so I was a little more limited than my husband at dinner. The bus ride back included singing and the driver goofing off. It was an incredibly fun and educational experience and I would recommend it highly!

Aorangi Peak is a destination spot on the top of a mountain where you can dine, drink fine wine,…read moreget the best view in town, and sleep for the night. It's rather hard to get to but after spending a night here in there 4 room lodge I had to put this place on the yelp map. Restaurant: They're food is exquisite. We had a three course meal of deer carpaccio, mushroom soup, scallops, lamb and steak. It was so filling and delicious that for dessert we had to opt for just coffee. But I'm sure it would've been a treat. Their wine selection is also quite fantastic. The owner is a huge fanatic and he even has wine posters and a dusty wine cellar that you can choose from if you have the time. Lodging: The place we stayed in was huge. Four bedrooms with a total of 6 beds. There are signs on how to keep yourself safe from the possums and the extremely hot water of the area. The view from the backyard is actually a better view than you would get at the top of the gondola ride (which is a 40$ excursion in the town) Overall the experience was grand. The owner showed us his unique collection of antiques which included toys so archaic that describing them would need a history lesson.

These beautiful gardens are free and the flowers are well maintained. You can fully visit the site…read morein about 30 minutes, to extend your stay walk through the bush to Sulfur Point when the wind is blowing the right direction to blow the fumes away (staff will close off the path when it is not safe. There are also historical interpretive signs scattered throughout.

The most genuine pounamu from New Zealand as it gets. Designs are original and truly unique, when…read moreyou know who to talk to. One of designs that are seeped in Maori culture of New Zealand with the true legends behind the stone. A stone of peace to be given further afield and standing for freedom in peace.