Te Puia -Te Rā Guided Tour

Posted By : JaneMLondon
We picked this site because we particularly wanted to see the erupting geysers and also the Kiwi conservation area, plus it is at Rotorua itself rather than out of town. Neither disappointed, but we also enjoyed hearing about the links to the Maori community and seeing the arts and crafts school. We thought the system of having a guided tour first, after which you can wander at will on your own, worked really well. You can get pretty close to the kiwis as they are behind glass in a darkened area and are therefore not disturbed by the visitors. Plenty of parking (we had a campervan).
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Posted On : 2024-05-16 12:47:42

Posted By : 180ruthg
Highly Recommend this tour, was fascinating and our guide Patrick was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. He showed us the geysers up close and cooked us a delicious butterscotch pudding in one of the geothermal pools! We saw the shy little Kiwi birds, very cute and the bubbling mud pools, which are very mesmerising, you just cant stop looking at them! Shout out too to Gene and Justine in the gift shop who helped us with a lovely wooden carving of a Māori warrior! All the family had great fun.
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Posted On : 2024-05-13 12:35:47

Posted By : Marina_D
The cultural experience, tour guide, seeing a kiwi, seeing the institute and the souvenir shop. Learning about the geysers!
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Posted On : 2024-05-12 19:56:08

Posted By : nova395
If your stay in Rotorua is short, the Te Rā Guided Experience is a MUST do here and offers a little bit of everything. The geysers were awesome, and the large one goes off every 30 minutes naturally. The kiwi exhibit is wonderful to see the elusive little guys. It's great to learn about Maori culture, but the real winner here is seeing a Haka! The traditional Maori war dance is emotional and powerful to watch – I feel like it's a must see when visiting New Zealand. While the guided tour felt chaotic in the beginning and we were rushed through the woodworking areas and constantly losing our guide, it calmed down after we were let free after seeing the kiwis once we got to the geysers. I also deeply appreciated that this place offers free wheelchairs to borrow during our tour for those like me who can't stand or walk for long. Truly this place was a highlight of our trip!
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Posted On : 2024-05-04 19:12:38

Posted By : susanjhampson
We had an excellent guide, enjoyed seeing the schools, Kiwi, mud pools and of course the Geyser - the only disappointment was it being a guided tour - my daughter had visited a few years previously and had enjoyed wandering at her own pace to explore which I had been looking forward to - I could have done this by walking back up but chose the ride back up instead.

Well worth a visit
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Posted On : 2024-04-28 06:55:49

Posted By : vanniebaker
I was in New zealand for 10 days in March 2024 traveling our way from Auckland to Queenstown. We covered a lot of territory from the north to the South island, but never felt rushed. In awe of the stunning countrysides, natural beauty, and varied landscape...we learned about the Kiwi's efforts to preserve the native bush, explored the geysers in Rotorua (Te Puia), landed a helicopter on the icy Isabelle glacier, discovered breathtaking sights of snow-capped mountains and the epic Milford sound, and had the honor of attending a Maori dinner and performance (my favorite part of the trip) that culminated with experiencing all cultures as one! Even though every day of this trip was an exquisite adventure, it would not have been as wonderful without our guides from GOOD Travel, Debbie and Emily! They were knowledgeable, helpful, entertaining, and above all warm and friendly - we couldn't have asked for anyone better, thank you so much!!! The country of New Zealand broadened my horizons and the new friends I met brought so much joy...what a privilege to embark on such a trip! Vanessa G.
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Posted On : 2024-04-19 15:48:10

Posted By : BigFamily78
The place is nice surrounded by nature. The parts that we liked the most: the whole geysers and mud part. Very big frustration with the kiwis, we only saw 2 in the dark and it was impossible to take photos. The school part is interesting.
The only "but" concerns the guided tour in English. When you are not fluent in English, it is difficult to follow and grasp the nuances. I cannot understand why other languages or an audio guide in French are not offered. We mainly came to discover Maori culture, and the guide obviously talked about it a lot! What frustration for us on arrival.
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Posted On : 2024-04-14 07:39:51

Posted By : ommarparra
An exceptional and unique place, the most interesting thing is the geyser which is beautiful, the vegetation is very pretty and the crafts area is very interesting. It is worth the trip, coming to dinner is also a good experience and the Māori representation is great.
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Posted On : 2024-04-13 02:38:10

Posted By : CliffS223
Excellent evening tour of the grounds, the geyser valley, and the school that teaches Māori to weave, woodwork, and carve stones. We enjoyed a great buffet dinner and a fabulous show by the Māori performers.
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Posted On : 2024-04-11 23:27:28

Posted By : 597bethp
5 stars!!!!! This tour was amazing! We saw a Kiwi bird (that’s a big deal), mud pits, geysers, naturally warm stones, walked through the cultural school, had a wonderful dinner, saw a cultural performance and had hot chocolate by moonlight. I will admit I teared up during the performance because it was so special and we felt so privileged to be included in Māori family. By choosing to visit this family and property we can help keep the culture thriving! Our guide Pippi is a sixth generation guide and was super sweet. Our evening guide Des was amazing and has a bursting personality you can’t miss! Please visit, learn and take a piece of this world home with you!
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Posted On : 2024-04-10 16:10:23