Whakarewarewa

The Living Maori Village

178 Rankers Reviews

1 Geothermal

1 Cultural Experiences

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Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours
Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours
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Information

Whakarewarewa

Set amidst a landscape of erupting geothermal activity, hot thermal springs and hot bubbling mud pools is the living thermal village of Whakarewarewa, situated in the heart of the tourist diamond of Rotorua.

Join a guided tour and discover the wonders of Mother Nature and learn how we have come to live in harmony within this unique environment.

Sit back and relax at our twice daily Maori Cultural Performances while we entertain you through song and dance. Our melodious voices accompanied by hand movements tell the stories of our heritage, past and present.

Indulge your senses and try our Traditional Geothermal Hangi, Hangi Pie or Corn Cob, a tasteful and refreshing experience.

Details

Feature Value Info

Organisation

Whakarewarewa, The Living Maori Village

Commercial organisation

Location

North IslandRotorua RegionRotorua

Categories

  • Activity__volcanic_geothermal_attractionsGeothermal
  • Activity__cultural_experiencesCultural Experiences

Directions

To Coordinates

Coordinates

-38.161136887575

176.256447935104

Take a peak
Latitude
-38.161136887575
Longitude
176.256447935104

Reviews

    • Guide OK, (rather expensive), interesting.
    • Getting very commercial and expensive.
    • Good show.
    • Excellent guide, good value.
    • Fascinating place to visit.
    Rating Count Percentage
    10/10 26
    15%
    9/10 33
    19%
    8/10 53
    30%
    7/10 37
    21%
    6/10 14
    8%
    5/10 6
    3%
    4/10 3
    2%
    3/10 3
    2%
    2/10 2
    1%
    1/10 1
    1%
  • 4.5/5

    The tour was really good although it has gone up in price and the price hasn't been changed online yet.

    We had a very knowledgeable guide and the thermal activity was very interesting and quiet active... The food in the cafe was appalling and we couldn't drink the coffees we got there... The food in the old cafe that used to be there in the village was so much better than the new cafe they have now, so it was very disappointing but the tour and experience was worth the money we paid.

    Reviewed about 1 year ago

    J
    Jane's avatar

    Jane

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Loved the local history, tour and performances!

    They show you their cultural ways of living.

    Reviewed almost 7 years ago

    AL
    Amy Lord's avatar

    Amy Lord

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    A great place with all funds going straight to the community.

    Tour guides are very friendly and informative, living in the community themselves. The food is average but it is all about the experience rather than the meal quality. The trail around the area is nice and short, but was a little difficult to navigate due to no signage, however if you utilise the map you get an indication of what you are looking at. Cultural performers were very entertaining!

    Reviewed about 7 years ago

    AUSTRALIA
    CB
    Chloe B's avatar

    Chloe B

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Excellent guide, good value.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago

    PUERTO RICO
    R
    Richard's avatar

    Richard

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Tons of water in the hot pools and in clouds overhead.

    But lovely Maori guide, astonishing place, Hangi was simple and tasty! It would be better if we had explanations in french on paper.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago

    FRANCE
    AQ
    Anis Quentin's avatar

    Anis Quentin

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Liked that it was not too much 'tourist-like'.

    You could feel the local spirit.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in January 2017

    DENMARK
    DS
    Dorthe Soeholm's avatar

    Dorthe Soeholm

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Very interesting.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    CG
    Colin George's avatar

    Colin George

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Nice, but very busy park (feels a bit like a theme park), very impressive!

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    BELGIUM
    SR
    Sandra Reynders's avatar

    Sandra Reynders

    Customer

  • 3.0/5

    It was great to see and very interesting but it is expensive which is sad.

    Reviewed about 8 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    FRANCE
    EB
    Emilie Bavard's avatar

    Emilie Bavard

    Customer

  • 3.0/5

    Not really my thing even if interesting, but the show had such amazing singers so we went twice.

    Totally worth it.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    SWEDEN
    JN
    Jessica Nasstrom's avatar

    Jessica Nasstrom

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    The tour was really good although it has gone up in price and the price hasn't been changed online yet.

    We had a very knowledgeable guide and the thermal activity was very interesting and quiet active... The food in the cafe was appalling and we couldn't drink the coffees we got there... The food in the old cafe that used to be there in the village was so much better than the new cafe they have now, so it was very disappointing but the tour and experience was worth the money we paid.

    Reviewed about 1 year ago

    J
    Jane's avatar

    Jane

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Loved the local history, tour and performances!

    They show you their cultural ways of living.

    Reviewed almost 7 years ago

    AL
    Amy Lord's avatar

    Amy Lord

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    A great place with all funds going straight to the community.

    Tour guides are very friendly and informative, living in the community themselves. The food is average but it is all about the experience rather than the meal quality. The trail around the area is nice and short, but was a little difficult to navigate due to no signage, however if you utilise the map you get an indication of what you are looking at. Cultural performers were very entertaining!

    Reviewed about 7 years ago

    AUSTRALIA
    CB
    Chloe B's avatar

    Chloe B

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Tons of water in the hot pools and in clouds overhead.

    But lovely Maori guide, astonishing place, Hangi was simple and tasty! It would be better if we had explanations in french on paper.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago

    FRANCE
    AQ
    Anis Quentin's avatar

    Anis Quentin

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Excellent guide, good value.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago

    PUERTO RICO
    R
    Richard's avatar

    Richard

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Liked that it was not too much 'tourist-like'.

    You could feel the local spirit.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in January 2017

    DENMARK
    DS
    Dorthe Soeholm's avatar

    Dorthe Soeholm

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Very interesting.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    CG
    Colin George's avatar

    Colin George

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Nice, but very busy park (feels a bit like a theme park), very impressive!

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    BELGIUM
    SR
    Sandra Reynders's avatar

    Sandra Reynders

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    Great little village setup around geysers which the residents still use to cook on.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    IRELAND
    PS
    Philip Sheridan's avatar

    Philip Sheridan

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    The tour with the local guide was interesting.

    And it was nice to see how they live in the village. The Poi for me was a must see.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    SWITZERLAND
    HL
    Heyuuiutha Lokithas's avatar
  • 4.0/5

    We saw an impressive landscape and enjoyed a nice day in this village with very friendly people.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    GERMANY
    A
    Anne's avatar

    Anne

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Nice and informative guide.

    Good Maori culture acts of the stage.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    GERMANY
    M
    Michael's avatar

    Michael

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Despite the rainy weather, we had a great day among the geothermal wonders of this area and in the village.

    Great guide who told us all about Maori culture and geothermal events.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    NETHERLANDS
    JV
    Jonathan Verschuuren's avatar
  • 4.5/5

    Fascinating place to visit.

    You learn a lot about Maori culture and geology from your guide and then you can wander round the village by yourself after the one hour tour.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    LD
    Laura David's avatar

    Laura David

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    This Maori Village was nice because of it was the real home of the Maori people and our tour guide lived there.

    Steaming hot ponds were very interesting.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    FINLAND
    JL
    Joonas Lehtomaki's avatar

    Joonas Lehtomaki

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    The guide was really interesting and the guide who we could call Chief was very funny and he knew what he was doing.

    Great insight of how Maori people were living and also a great show.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in December 2016

    SWEDEN
    TW
    Theerada Wongkaew's avatar
  • 3.0/5

    Not really my thing even if interesting, but the show had such amazing singers so we went twice.

    Totally worth it.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    SWEDEN
    JN
    Jessica Nasstrom's avatar

    Jessica Nasstrom

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Enthusiastic guide, interesting story, nice cultural performance.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in October 2016

    NETHERLANDS
    E
    Eveline's avatar

    Eveline

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Although the cheapest 'touristic' site at $35 you get an insight into the living village.

    How they make use of the multiple hot springs. Includes music, singing, and guided tours.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    UNITED KINGDOM
    PT
    Paul Tysoe's avatar

    Paul Tysoe

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Good mixture of Maori Culture and geothermal area information.

    Guided tour was interesting and the Maori show was exhausting.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    GERMANY
    B
    Barbara's avatar

    Barbara

    Customer

  • 3.0/5

    It was great to see and very interesting but it is expensive which is sad.

    Reviewed about 8 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    FRANCE
    EB
    Emilie Bavard's avatar

    Emilie Bavard

    Customer

  • 3.0/5

    Nice visit of a traditional Maori village with interesting representations by Maori artists.

    The geysers and hot springs were also quite incredible to observe, but the price was way too high for what it is.

    Reviewed about 8 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    FRANCE
    GB
    Gilbert Baptiste's avatar

    Gilbert Baptiste

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Great experience, truly seeing nature's power.

    The guided tour gives some insight into New Zealand culture as well.

    Reviewed about 8 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    DENMARK
    LN
    Louis Nilsson's avatar

    Louis Nilsson

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    Not sure if I would recommend this tour as the tour guide was not very knowledgeable, but maybe this is because he was young.

    On a positive note, the cultural performance was enjoyable.

    Reviewed about 8 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    FF
    Felicity Ford's avatar

    Felicity Ford

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    How perfect could a hot water pool be?

    Find it out at Whakarewarewa Village! Nice location with a real Maori Village and some nice walks around.

    Reviewed about 8 years ago

    GERMANY
    FB
    Frank Bien's avatar

    Frank Bien

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    One of my personal favourites!

    A really nice combination of mud pools, geysers and other bubbling sources and the Maori Culture. Our guide did a really great job! Definitely a must do!

    Reviewed about 8 years ago

    GERMANY
    AL
    Alexandra Luerner's avatar
  • 5.0/5

    We enjoyed the authentic feel.

    History and culture focussed on this village provided by guide who lives in the village. It was interesting to see how their geothermal environment is used in everyday life - cooking, bathing in outdoor baths, corn directly from a superhot mineral pool. The view of the Pohutu geyser fabulous. The cultural performance was very good but would have liked more on customs around the opening challenge. There is also a track around part of the village that takes you to thermal area which was very interesting. Very good value.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago

    CANADA
    bc
    ben carroll's avatar

    ben carroll

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    Must go to the tour to understand more of the culture and some meaning of the building sculpture.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago

    MALAYSIA
    HA
    Henry Ang's avatar

    Henry Ang

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Great tour of a living maori village.

    Our guide, Robert, was very informative and entertaining, and gave us many insights into past and present maori culture. The cultural performance was wonderful, with the performers obviously enjoying the presentation. Excellent being able to see the geysers from there.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago

    AUSTRALIA
    MS
    Michelle Smit's avatar

    Michelle Smit

    Customer

  • 2.5/5

    Helpful guide, not much to see, performance at the end was good.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in March 2016

    CANADA
    S
    Silvia's avatar

    Silvia

    Customer