Tours in Rotorua

Enter the world of Mitai Māori Village and embrace our history and culture. Watch our stories unfold through the dynamic scenes of our warriors paddling down Wai-o-Whiro stream, the melodious sounds of our instruments and entertainment from our performers including the haka. Satisfy your hunger with the traditional Māori Hangi and concluding your evening with a walk through our forest to see the ancient, fortified village learning the old ways of living and survival of our people and discover the natural resource Te Puna a Tuhoe, freshwater spring. The evening is not over until you glimpse the glow worms light up the banks of forest as the veil of darkness sets in. Nau mai, haere mai, whakatau mai – come and experience our world…

Feast on song, drama, tradition, and divine seasonal kai (cuisine) within our forest Pā (village) blanketed by towering Tawa trees, its blazing bonfires, and forest-formed amphitheatre. Te Pā Tū offers 4-hour evening events that change with each season of the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar. Across summer, Tū Te Rā celebrates an abundant harvest, and we explore concepts, rituals, and stories of ancient Māori warfare and peace. Throughout winter, Tū Te Ihi marks promise heralded by the arrival of the Matariki star cluster which high and bright in winter skies, signalling the new lunar year – we share the energy and passion of this celebration. Cultural knowledge unique to each season is shared from the outset – rituals, songs, stories and continue across the night. From the beginning too, we share local, seasonal kai - plentiful and delicious. Kai horotai (indigenous canapes) is followed by a torch lit walk to a lavish 3-course fusion feast.

Spend one adrenaline-crammed hour of white water rafting down the Kaituna River on this tour from Rotorua. Start at a spot where wild waters meet subtropical rainforests and canyons engraved in the earth. Raft past beautiful cascading waterfalls, including the stunning Tutea Falls, and even take the opportunity to do some swimming through some of the rapids. This tour is good for novice and expert rafters.

Setting out from Rotorua, your Hobbiton Movie Set Tour starts with a scenic drive across to Matamata where your local driver guide will provide informative commentary and share stories about the region and its history. Take a guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set and learn how this picturesque farmland was transformed into a living, breathing piece of Middle Earth. Your guide will show you Hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn, the Party Tree, the Mill, and many other structures from the movies. Then enjoy a tasty lunch at The Party Marquee before making your way back to Rotorua.

Nowhere else in the world can you soar through an untouched New Zealand Forest and become a part of a conservation success story all in one! Since James and Andrew opened our doors in 2012, we have been working hard to preserve one of New Zealand’s most unique and untouched forests. We created this experience to transport you into a Jurassic world, showcasing New Zealand’s unique plants and wildlife. You help this project; your entry contributes back to our conservation efforts to save this ancient world. Thank you for your support! You will be part of a small group (maximum 10 per group) with two of our knowledgeable kiwi guides who will delight you, making sure you safely enjoy every moment. Ask as many questions as you'd like and capture the moments with pictures and videos (although we have free photos of your experience for you after the tour). There’s good reason we have been named the best nature activity in the world! – come and see for yourself!

Experience the rejuvenating powers of the world-famous mud bath & sulphur spas at Hell’s Gate. Used by local Maori for over 800 years, open and clean your skin by lathering it in the unique mud, before exfoliating and cleansing with a soak in the sulphur spa. While you relax, take the opportunity to admire the geothermal reserve. Your body and soul will feel revitalized after this soothing experience.

Experience the warmth of our Legacy Guided Tours through New Zealand’s iconic Maori village. Our village guides are direct descendants of the early Māori guides who’s legacy shaped tourism in New Zealand for generations. Their insights, knowledge and legendary hospitality (manaakitanga) adds depth and richness to the experience you’ll have at Whakarewarewa.

Follow the eruption trail of Mt. Tarawera on a helicopter tour that includes a landing on the volcano. Best viewed from the air, the rugged landscape of this geothermal wonder is set amid a series of crater lakes. You'll take off from Rotorua and soar above the Northern Lakes district, listening to commentary about the region’s history and geology from the pilot-guide. Then take a 20-minute walking tour for up-close photo ops of the volcanic scenery.

This is a once in a life-time experience and different from any other Glowworm Tour you'll go on! Our adventure begins late afternoon / early evening at Riverside Adventures' base in South Waikato. Paddle along the southern edge of Lake Karapiro, over the old submerged Horahora Dam that produced electricity for the early Waihi goldfields. Learn the history of the Horahora village and enjoy the twilight & silence of being on the water as the day draws to an end. As night arrives over the lake , paddle slowly up the Pokaiwhenua Stream and through the canyon carved out by water over many hundreds of years. Native ferns & trees drape over you, bird life is all around. When darkness falls we float silently back downstream, being guided by the glow worms on either side sparkling like Christmas lights.

Discover Rotorua on a unique 90-105 minute sightseeing adventure on-board a WWII amphibious vehicle able to travel on land and water! Our tours leave at regular intervals from a central city location and explore Rotorua's most stunning scenery. We have 18 lakes in the Rotorua region all set within lush native New Zealand bush. Our tours are fully guided as well with our tour guides covering everything from Maori migration, geothermal history, history of Rotorua and much more.

Paddle Board Rotorua has a unique flavor of tourism where we treat all of our tours as if we were taking a group of friends on a fun adventure and creating the best time possible. This tour is one of the best things to do in Rotorua and see amazing glow worms. It is family friendly and allows you to be immersed in nature while having fun and learning new kayak skills with our friendly guides and staff.

Spend a few hours experiencing the wonders of Rotorua’s most unique geothermal reserve at Hell’s Gate. Take part in the guided or self-guided interactive geothermal walk, before trying your hand at Maori carving in the interactive carving house. Then indulge in our geothermal mud and sulphur waters, experiencing the healing properties local Maori have been using for centuries. It’s a Rotorua experience you’ll never forget. Complimentary guided tours depart daily, please see Hell's Gate website for latest departure times.

Experience New Zealand’s one and only cliff walk, built around a volcanic rock 50-metres above the valley floor. Soar down a 400m tandem Zip-line and race your loved ones. Climb up through the layers of the canopy on our staircases that are truly an amazing engineering feat. This adventure is the ultimate way to explore the ancient giants and lifeforms in this forest that you can’t see anywhere else in the world! Since we opened in 2012 we have been protecting this special place and when you come along, you will be too! A portion of your entry goes straight back to our conservation project to help us continue to rescue and look after this magic place. We take photos for you and they are FREE after your tour via an email link. You are welcome to take as many videos and photos as you like too – you’ll be wanting to share this experience with everyone!

FEEL THE EXCITEMENT AND EXHILARATION ON LAKE ROTORUA WITH KATOA JET Experience the white-knuckle rush of a 30 minute jet boat tour on Lake Rotorua. Feel the rush and power as our V8 engine boats push you through the water, reaching speeds up to 85km/hr. Visit iconic landmarks including Kawaha Point, the Sacred Mokoia Island and Sulphur Bay, while discovering the history of the area. This is a very unique experience that won't disappoint. Suitable for all ages . Come and have fun with all the family or friends.Groups are welcome . We can carry 50 people at once with our 3 boats . We supply spray jackets if required and life jackets are mandatory. So come and give us a go. This is not to be missed when you visit Rotorua.

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves are highly placed in the New Zealand vacation wish list. Thousands of tiny glowworms radiate their unmistakable luminescent light from the roof of the Waitomo Caves. You will travel through Rural New Zealand from Rotorua to the Waitomo Caves (approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes) in a mini bus with a maximum group size of 15. Upon arrival, you will join a guided tour of the caves, conducted by a local guide – the highlight of which is the boat ride along the Waitomo River where you have the opportunity to see the myriad of glow worm lights that make up the Glowworm Grotto. Travel in the afternoon from Rotorua.  The tour departs at 1:45pm. After your tour, you will travel back to Auckland and be taken to your hotel in central city area by 8 pm. Guaranteed departure - We do not cancel on the rare occasions we have low numbers. We will travel for one person Leave Rotorua at 2pm - Hotel pickups from 1:15 pm and travel via Waitomo Caves back to Auckland

Kaituna River features grade 5 rapids plus the awesome 7 meter (23 feet) Tutea Falls, the worlds highest commercially rafted waterfall. Take the ultimate thrill ride on this Kaituna River white water rafting tour.

Experience the majesty of Mt. Tarawera, infamous for its volcanic eruption in 1886. This guided 4-hour trek encompasses the stunning landscape and unique history of the area. You'll follow a winding trail to the crater's edge for a panoramic view of the geothermal area. Travel by 4WD vehicle from central Rotorua hotels.

Fly high over breathtaking volcanic landscapes on an unforgettable 30-minute seaplane flight from Rotorua. See New Zealand's world-famous volcanic scenery as you fly over spectacular Mt. Tarawera, the Blue and Green Lakes, and the gurgling geysers of Whakarewareewa Thermal Reserve. Flying at a time to suit you, this scenic air tour will fit into even the busiest of itineraries.

Elite Adventures tours depart from Rotorua at 8 am. Pickups are scheduled for between 8 am and 8.30 am depending on your accommodation (will be listed under the pickup tab) This Elite Adventures tour first journeys to Wai O Tapu, one of the world's most surreal geothermal locations. Here you and you will be guided around a collection of stunning colorful geothermal features such as the Champagne pool and the Devil's Bath. Following Wai O Tapu our journey will guide you to the Lady Knox geyser, who is very punctual and only goes once a day. At the conclusion of the geyser eruption, our journey leads you to Waimangu Valley, the youngest geothermal ecosystem in the world. Please call within 24 hours of tour to reconfirm booking We do not pick up from the port of Tauranga

Are you ready to soar over waterfalls, zoom through pristine native forests, and be enlightened through a hands-on cultural and ecological experience in Okere Falls, Rotorua? If so, then Rotorua Ziplines has you covered. Suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities, a network of ziplines, swing bridges, and boardwalks will have you in awe for 2.5 hours as you fly, walk and gaze at the stunning taiao (Environment) that is Ōkere. Born through an intimate connection with the Ōkere Awa (Kaituna River), this joint venture between Ngāti Hinerangi and Rotorua Rafting’s Ōkere Falls born and bred, Sam Sutton, has been created to showcase its mauri (spirit) and importance with Aotearoa’s soon to be premier zipline experience. Ensuring that our taiao is enhanced through the very operation will have every guest leaving a tree in their name as Rotorua Ziplines reforestation project plant its way towards 60,000 native trees by the end of 2025 to see Ōkere Falls thrive for generations to come.

Our combo offers your access to our Iconic Village Guided Tour learning of our rich history, traditions and how our people utilise the geothermal that the village sits upon, including a corn on the cob cooked in our hot pools. Hot pools and Geysers all situated in one iconic place. Our Geothermal Trails was opened in December 2021, you will experience untouched natural landscapes, mud pools and steaming lakes, excellent photo opportunities and suitable for the entire family.

Spend a memorable evening on a kayak tour of Lake Rotoiti with an expert guide. Visit natural hot springs and glowworm caves, and enjoy plenty of time for a relaxing soak, swim, and barbecue dinner. After your meal, paddle into lakeside caves to see glowworms and sometimes Koura - (freshwater crayfish), and take in the sunset as you wrap up your kayak tour.

The Tarawera and Lakes Tour is the best way to appreciate the scenery of the Rotorua lakes district and learn more about the history of the land, the people, and the devastating 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera. This unique 120 minute fully guided adventure takes place on land and water on-board in a genuine WWII Amphibious Duck. Visit 4 of Rotorua's stunning lakes and travel on 3 with the highlight being the stunning Lake Tarawera at the base of the mighty Mt Tarawera. Comfortable seating for all and great for families, couples and single travelers wanting to learn about our rich history and view natural landscapes. We pride ourselves on having tour guides that are highly knowledgeable and engaging. Our tours are done in a small group environment.

Raft through 14 rapids including cascades ranging from 3 to 22 feet (1 to 7 meters), including the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall. Pass through steep, bush-clad canyons and New Zealand native forest, ideal for rafting enthusiasts and first-timers alike. River guides provide a full safety briefing with quality clothing and equipment for this 2 hour white-water adventure on the Kaituna River.