Footprints Waipoua
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Footprints Waipoua
Join the Footprints Maori guide on what Lonely Planet Code Green describes as an experience of a lifetime: 1 of 82 amazing journeys and life changing experiences in the world.
OPENING HOURS: Twilight - 25 Sept to 1 April | Daylight - All year round
COST: $95.00 – Twilight Encounter | $80.00 – Daylight Encounter
The spiritual environment of the Waipoua Forest provides a natural stage for an unforgettable Footprints Waipoua encounter with some of the largest remaining kauri trees in the world.
'Step into our World' and let the Footprints guides take you on a memorable journey through nature's stages of evolution, whilst providing a mythological and interactive interpretation of life in the forest.
Meet the ancestors; the mighty Te Matua Ngahere ('The Father of the Forest') estimated to be between 2,500 and 3,000 years old, his mighty girth of 16 metres diameter. 'The Four Sisters' are a graceful collection of kauri trees that have grown close together in sibling harmony and finally, Tane Mahuta ('The Lord of the Forest') who stands an impressive 51 metres (150ft) tall.
Details
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Organisation |
Footprints WaipouaCommercial organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Northland ▷ Hokianga |
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Categories |
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Business Times |
Twilight - 25 Sept to 1 April
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Cultural Experiences
Reviews
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5.0/5
Our family of 4 from Sydney (children 13 and 17) were looking for an authentic Maori local tour of the Waipoua kauri forest.
Wow! Our guides Merepaea and Amiria made this a truly memorable experience. They shared local knowledge, stories and songs from their Maori lore and connected with each of us.
It felt a privilege to see these magnificent ancient Kauai trees in the twilight peace of the forest when the walking tracks were closed for other tourists.
The whole family rates this tour as our highlight of our holiday. Highly recommend
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5.0/5
Amazing tour with a very nice guide.
You get picked up and brought back to your accommodation, you walk through the beautiful forest and get a lot of interesting information, sometimes the guide sings really beautiful in Maori. One of the best things I did in New Zealand.
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4.5/5
We were decided by the ecstatic reviews but did not know what to expect.
We spent an excellent evening with 'Bill', discovering the kauri forest at dusk and with resounding Maori songs and tales, which highlighted the grandeur of it all. Could of said more of Maori history and would benefit from social link/work with local Maori community.
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4.0/5
Fantastic experience.
Unique atmosphere to discover the forest. Good guide with deep knowledge of the Maori Culture. Would appreciate a bit more time in the forest at night for discovering more 'off track' things.
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5.0/5
We rugged up and were picked up by our two guides Bill & Tawhiti for four hours in the Waipoua Forest.
It was not all walking as there were many stops seeing medicinal plants and learning abut the ecosystem, all of which was presented with non stop humour. We visited the huge trees Tane Mahuta and the Four Sisters but the highlight for me was seeing Te Matua Ngahere. We had been watching our feet, walking in pitch dark by then, came around the corner and there was this huge 4000 year old giant which Bill lit up with spot lights. It is not as tall as Tane Mahuta but has a girth of 5 metres. Both Tawhiti, who has a booming voice like Mario Lanza, and Bill sang waiata to all the trees we visited. It was an extraordinary tour. For some inexplicable reason I felt a huge sense of sadness for Te Matua Ngahere which is at least 2000 years older than any of the other kauris around it.
All in all, our time in the Hokianga was wonderful and we are already planning a return trip.
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5.0/5
We loved it !!
it was our last night in new zealand and koro made it really great . we loved the maori experience and song in the waipoua forest and had the chance to see 2 owls. We were glad to discover the trees at night with all the maori explanations. Thank you a lot for making our last day a unique experience .
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4.5/5
Magical tour.
1st a bit of learning about what natural things are used for by traditional Maori. history and info about the forest and trees - ending in pitch darkness in the depths of the forest.
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4.5/5
We found Footprints evening experience an excellent way to see the Waipoua forest, and the great trees.
The tour was interactive, our guide very friendly, and the singing of the maori songs for the trees and when speaking about important things was excellent.
We went back to see Tane Mahuta in daylight next day and had to jostle with lots of people. We were very glad that we got to see the trees of Waipoua in a more reverential manner on the footprints tour.
A lot of effort was taken to help all the people along on the night get to know eachother and make us a temporary whanau... we got some insights into Maori culture on this tour that we got on no other tour we have taken.
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4.5/5
Great walking trip guided by a Maori guide in Waipoua Forest.
Lot of information, traditional stories and maori singing. Really recommendable.
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2.5/5
It was nice but I'm not a nature freak.
So it was a little bit too much. Plant bugs and three explanations.
-
5.0/5
Our family of 4 from Sydney (children 13 and 17) were looking for an authentic Maori local tour of the Waipoua kauri forest.
Wow! Our guides Merepaea and Amiria made this a truly memorable experience. They shared local knowledge, stories and songs from their Maori lore and connected with each of us.
It felt a privilege to see these magnificent ancient Kauai trees in the twilight peace of the forest when the walking tracks were closed for other tourists.
The whole family rates this tour as our highlight of our holiday. Highly recommend
-
5.0/5
Amazing tour with a very nice guide.
You get picked up and brought back to your accommodation, you walk through the beautiful forest and get a lot of interesting information, sometimes the guide sings really beautiful in Maori. One of the best things I did in New Zealand.
-
4.5/5
We were decided by the ecstatic reviews but did not know what to expect.
We spent an excellent evening with 'Bill', discovering the kauri forest at dusk and with resounding Maori songs and tales, which highlighted the grandeur of it all. Could of said more of Maori history and would benefit from social link/work with local Maori community.
-
4.0/5
Fantastic experience.
Unique atmosphere to discover the forest. Good guide with deep knowledge of the Maori Culture. Would appreciate a bit more time in the forest at night for discovering more 'off track' things.
-
4.5/5
Great walking trip guided by a Maori guide in Waipoua Forest.
Lot of information, traditional stories and maori singing. Really recommendable.
-
5.0/5
We loved it !!
it was our last night in new zealand and koro made it really great . we loved the maori experience and song in the waipoua forest and had the chance to see 2 owls. We were glad to discover the trees at night with all the maori explanations. Thank you a lot for making our last day a unique experience .
-
5.0/5
We rugged up and were picked up by our two guides Bill & Tawhiti for four hours in the Waipoua Forest.
It was not all walking as there were many stops seeing medicinal plants and learning abut the ecosystem, all of which was presented with non stop humour. We visited the huge trees Tane Mahuta and the Four Sisters but the highlight for me was seeing Te Matua Ngahere. We had been watching our feet, walking in pitch dark by then, came around the corner and there was this huge 4000 year old giant which Bill lit up with spot lights. It is not as tall as Tane Mahuta but has a girth of 5 metres. Both Tawhiti, who has a booming voice like Mario Lanza, and Bill sang waiata to all the trees we visited. It was an extraordinary tour. For some inexplicable reason I felt a huge sense of sadness for Te Matua Ngahere which is at least 2000 years older than any of the other kauris around it.
All in all, our time in the Hokianga was wonderful and we are already planning a return trip.
-
4.5/5
We found Footprints evening experience an excellent way to see the Waipoua forest, and the great trees.
The tour was interactive, our guide very friendly, and the singing of the maori songs for the trees and when speaking about important things was excellent.
We went back to see Tane Mahuta in daylight next day and had to jostle with lots of people. We were very glad that we got to see the trees of Waipoua in a more reverential manner on the footprints tour.
A lot of effort was taken to help all the people along on the night get to know eachother and make us a temporary whanau... we got some insights into Maori culture on this tour that we got on no other tour we have taken.
-
4.5/5
Magical tour.
1st a bit of learning about what natural things are used for by traditional Maori. history and info about the forest and trees - ending in pitch darkness in the depths of the forest.
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5.0/5
The friendliest owner of any hostel ive stayed at (sean) made us tea and waved os off when we left.
absolute legend. also 50m from awesome beach.
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4.0/5
Great twilight tour to the massive kauri trees in Waipoua Kauri forest.
Greeting these huge trees with maori chants seems like the exact right thing to do somehow at the time of day.
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3.5/5
A very good guide with lots of nice stories.
Pretty expensive but it was a very nice experience.
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4.5/5
Really good trip, highly recommended.
Small group, twilight tour with Maori guide to see the huge Kauri trees. Magical!
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2.5/5
It was nice but I'm not a nature freak.
So it was a little bit too much. Plant bugs and three explanations.
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4.5/5
Brilliant Eco-Tourism adventure.
The guides are tremendous with the stories and singing they perform for you. Would recommend to anyone looking for the "Deep spiritual interaction" between Nature and the the people. Footprints does this very well. Very imformative and mind-boggling.
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