Rotorua Hiking: Mt Tarawera Guided Volcanic Crater Experience

It was one of my best hikes the knowledge and information provided was so nice and so friendly guides Only this i wish is they should allow people to fly drone at their own risk

Excellent communication about what to expect. Very knowledgeable guide who made the experience interesting and fun. He made our safety a priority. Great photo opportunities throughout the hike. 4wd drive going up the mountain to the start point was an adventure in itself!

This is a special experience and different from other volcano hikes in NZ. As the mountain is privately owned and your trip is overseen by Māori as guardians of the land, you are provided with cultural understanding of this unique environment. We were a small group of five and our guide was excellent. The hike itself is much easier that Tongariro, Ruapehu, or Taranaki, as you are taken up to the crater by 4x4. The views were spectacular, as it was a bluebird day and you could see most of the volcanos along the fault line (from White Island to Ruapehu), as well as the lake system. You are guided along the rim and down into the crater. Beautiful colours and shapes. Highly recommend.

We did the hike with the whole family including our 8 and 12 year old. We were a bit afraid about the run down to the volcano with the 8 year old but she enjoined it very much. In general the hike is quite easy but absolutely worth it. The views and the colours everywhere were amaizing. It reminded me the rainbow mountains in Iceland. Only drawback might be the price of the experience, however we are very much happy that we booked this experience.

One word amazing. From pick up to drop of and everything in between. 2 Very knowledgeable guides gave us un unforgettable tour. Highly recommend Kaitiaki Adventures.

I had an amazing experience. First of all the guides were the best ! They were very friendly and gave us some informations about the place. Also the transport were good also and they even helped me and dropped me on the way back which was super helpful ! Thanks also to the office person who helped me with that :) Then the place was so beautiful with a walk not too hard and landscapes with all colors around. I really enjoyed it !

Mum (48yo) & daughter (16yo) from Aus. We both, beyond loved, this guided hike that amazed in every way. We loved learning about the region, NZ & Māori folktales from our wonderful hosts Tai, Perez & the ultimate Corey our driver & host. At the first stop on the mountain, make sure to swap to the loan hiking boots & shoe gaiters as they will make the hike easier & more enjoyable. A small backpack would be handy to carry a water bottle & rain jacket. Views from the mountain top to the volcano crater, surrounding mountains, rising steam from towns below, numerous lakes, rivers & ocean was spectacular. Wonderful unique walk down into the crater. Super fun. Kudos & thanks to Kaitiaki Adventures, our hosts & Māori tribe for allowing us to visit & appreciate this magical mountain & volcano! An absolute highlight & experience we treasure!!

Wow what an amazing experience! Our guide was so friendly and kind, plus the views were out of this world we were so lucky with the weather. The hike is a challenge but our guide made it seem so do-able and was super helpful with tips along the way. This was such a cool and unique way to explore the area, highly recommend!

Privileged to have done this hike on Tarawera. The volcanic landscape was stunning and the guides Ihaka and Tai were passionate and knowledgeable. They told us the heavy story and spirituality of the maunga and their iwi. Easy to moderate hike with a few stops to wait for each others for safety. Overall a meaningful experience that I'll remember, I highly recommend to book with Kaitiaki Adventures ! Ngā mihi nui 🙏🏼 Lise

Definitely a proper hike with good downhill gradient. Gaiters are provided. Bring strong knees and good footwear. Wind and cold can be brutal at the summit in winter. Excellent guides which provides a huge wealth of information about the mountains and Māori traditions. Also kind support to navigate the mountain.