We did the morning lakes tour with stephen/Steven/Step 1 (you guys will totally get this joke when…read moreyou're on his tour!) and it was awesome! The meeting place was at I-site Rotorua so it's very easy to find. He does also offer hotel pickup but we were at an air bnb so we just walked there. Stephen was on time and his van was super roomy and clean. We got lucky and there were 6 of us on this tour so it was wasn't cramped in the van at all. He told us all the lakes we drove by and gave us some history on the areas that we visited. We got to see some amazing places with Stephen and he is so personable and friendly, like you're just visiting with a friend and they're showing you all their favorite places. What's even better is that the places weren't that crowded so we were able to get some really cool photos! Some of the other guests were going to be joining Stephen on one of this other tours later in the day and we were bummed we didn't book any of this other ones. He was a great guide and we had an amazing time on his tour! Definitely book a tour with him if you're going to be visiting Rotorua!

my study abroad group came from America and participated in the guided tour to the glow worm cave…read more I had am amazing time, and honestly it was probably my favorite thing we did on our trip. our guide was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic and you could tell he genuinely enjoyed what he was doing. the tour was so much fun, and he was more than willing to take pictures with us the whole time. 100% would recommend and would go back. (:

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!

Well we really enjoyed the geothermal wonderland and the geysers. There is one geyser they set off…read moreat 1015 every day it was good but Yellowstone was better The grounds were amazing and Robbie our guide was terrific. Only downfall no snacks or water bring your own

(This is probably closer to 4.5 stars to me.) We went on Nature Connections' "Geothermal…read moreWonderland Tour" and thought it was a thoroughly enjoyable tour! It was very cool to learn more about New Zealand's volcanic history and to see remnants/signs of that. And the sights -- a wonderful variety -- were beautiful, especially those at the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland! You travel from place to place by van, but at each stop there's a lot of walking on paved and unpaved trails. All the paths are relatively straightforward; however, the unpaved or steep sections may not be great for those with difficulty walking though, as the park notes clearly. A wealth of information is available with (which I recommend) or without an outstanding guide.

Done a fair few zipline courses in my time -- pushing 50 or so -- with about half over in Hawai'i…read more But today was my first crack here in lush Rotorua, and honestly... blew me away, eh. Place is unreal, and the scale's next level. Longest line's around 400 metres, and you're absolutely sending it over a ravine that's gotta be pushing 100 metres deep. Reckon I'm about ready to move back here -- ready, set, jet if Canopy starts flogging an annual pass . Quick post-mortem: there's two courses - Canopy and Ultimate. If you're a proper zipline fiend, start with the classic and work your way up. I stuffed it and went straight for Ultimate thinking it was just longer. Looking back, I'd book both back-to-back... just not on the same day if you're stepping down a notch in the views and buzz.

We recently visited as part of an organized tour through EF tours, (earlier this June), and it was…read moreamazing!!! I'm afraid of seemingly risky activities but Minka and Max did an awesome job explaining everything and making us feel safe and at ease. Their knowledge and professionalism truly shines. Thank you for an unforgettable and educational experience!

Do not come to Rotorua without taking the Duck Tour!…read more You will learn so much about the city, where to go afterwards, float on the lakes, pass the Redwood forest, incredible scenery, and more. The guy who ran it--wish I could remember his name, has a great personality and makes this fun! Just do it--you won't regret it.

From the owner: Rotorua Duck Tours is a fun and informative fully guided tour through Rotorua and surrounding Lakes…read moreDistrict. We have daily tour options to to suit all travelers wanting to learn more about Rotorua and experience the natural beauty and scenery of the Rotorua Lakes District. Enjoy the thrill of Splashing Down on a number of the Rotorua lakes in an authentic WWII amphibious Duck. Our Rotorua Tours are suitable for all ages and perfect for groups and families. You haven't seen Rotorua until you've seen it bu Duck!

Way back when in 2015 we came to NZ on a bucket list trip and tour included this demo of sheep…read moreshearing and types/breeds of sheep. When in NZ appreciate the sheep as a major industry. We were told of one ranch that 12K sheep. Wool is an important commodity and worth the visit to understand where that nice sweater came from.

Absolutely wonderful tour and show - our tractor driver, Jack, was fun and educational. The show…read morewas brilliant, the variety of sheep, shearing display, delightful children's participation with small animal bottle feeding, adults milking the very patient Holstein Friesian cow and of course the heading and hunt away dogs. Everyone enjoyed the day - will highly recommend to all. RB

Way back when in 2015 we came to NZ as one of first bucket list trips. This location is must to…read moreappreciate the nature of NZ. One gets a guided tour and see nature coming up out of the ground. Bonus points if you can pronounce the name place. And appreciate the Maori culture and lifestyle.

We went on a day tour to this village from Auckland and the experience was worth the long drive. It…read morewas freezing on the day we went but our village tour guide was still informative and entertaining. We learned a lot about the Maori culture and how some still live day to say in their old school customs. We saw and learned about the geyser and boiling pools used for cooking and bathing. We saw active geysers from a distance. We saw a native performance that was upbeat and cool to see. You were able to take pictures with the performers at the end. There are a few local vendors selling native products. The best part of my experience was the local food that was delicious. We were able to taste the local dish, hangi pe that was very tasty and hearty. Definitely a place to check out!

I mainly wanted this glowworm tour because they allow pictures to be taken while in the cave. The…read moretour date I was looking at was fully booked but you can email them to be added to the waitlist. I asked to be added to the waitlist for 2 on October 12, and got off the waitlist on November 9, for a tour on December 28 so don't give up hope if it is originally fully booked! I did the spellbound explorer tour which included a walk through a cave as well as a boat ride through a cave for the glowworms. The tour guide was great and allowed pictures during the first back and forth on the boat ride and asked us to put away our phones during the second. This is because the first go-around allows for the eyes to adjust and see the glowworms better so the second go-around the glowworms are much brighter. The cave walk was also a nice add on for 20 NZD but if the tour with the cave walk is not available the regular boat ride is perfect on its own. I loved this tour as our tour guide took pictures for each group that wanted some with glowworms and also provided us with personal pictures of glowworms taken with a nicer camera with a longer shutter speed.

This was a really incredible experience for the whole family! Our guide even showed us a place…read morewhere we could feed eels in a stream. We took our nine month old and two year old in carriers. Would highly recommend! The morning is the best time as the glow worms are the brightest! This isn't too far from Hobbiton if you are planning a drive strategically to Auckland.

We took a tour with Volcanic Air out to the active volcano, White Island. There were 5 passengers…read moreand 1 pilot on the excursion (standard load) and it was one of the highlights of our trip to New Zealand. Our pilot and guide Josh was fantastic and made for a great morning. We were on the 9 am flight which returned around noon. Tips: bring only water and sunscreen and your camera- you can't take bags How it works/what to expect: -check in (or purchase tickets) in their shed along the lake near the park -sign a voucher and get weighted (there's a total weight limit for the helicopter) -fly to White Island volcano(around 30 minutes)-flight is smooth and easy and some great views -land on volcano, don hard hats and gas masks (just in case the wind shifts) and be led around for a little over an hour to get crazy photos- it's really safe Tip: were sturdy shoes it's rocky -load back up, fly to dormant volcano-highest spot around -land walk around get more crazy good photos (elev. 3500 ft) -get back in and return to the starting point When we were on the island we were one of only 3 groups and had the place to ourselves for the first 30 minutes and on the mountain top, it was just our group. Highly recommended!!