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.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 7.
Iconic Guided Tour is the legacy guided Village experience and home of the Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao people, who have shared their unique way of life and stories with visitors from all around the world for over two hundred years. To continue this guiding legacy, Visitors will be able to book a Guided Tour through the Village to enjoy the warmth of our manaakitanga once again from our Village people, experience the amazement of nature’s boiling mud and hot-spring pools including viewing the world famous Pohutu Geyser safely from our two viewing platforms. A fun and educational experience for the whole family. Included in your guided tour is an opportunity to try a piece of corn on the cob enjoying the unique taste of Kai (food) cooked in our largest hot pool.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 123 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Whakarewarewa Village Guided Tour lasts about 1 hour. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $33 per person for this Rotorua experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 7 departures a day between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
Children aged 5–15 pay from $17, adults from $33. Infants go free.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 20 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.7 out of 5 across 539 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Whakarewarewa, The Living Maori Village.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Great to learn about Maori culture first hand from someone who still lives within the village. Our guide was knowledgeable and happy to share her lived experience with our group. Highly recommend this tour...I wish we had more time to do the longer tour.
Shout out to Daniel for giving me and my friends an awesome tour of this village! It was great to get a tour from Daniel who’s a true Maori descendant and get a unique perspective of their culture. The information he presented was very easy to understand and I learned quite a bit, leaving the tour! He showed us the meeting hall, several geothermal methods of cooking, how the hot baths work, and even passed by a Catholic Church inside the establishment. It was nice to see the actual residents congregate and come together. I got to wave to some of them, and that was nice! If I wasn’t rushed to my next tour, I would have enjoyed spending extra time exploring the areas of the premise more! They have several gift shops there - so you feel like when you buy something, you directly help the people there. Also, Daniel gave us tutorials on Maori pronunciation! It was fun, and we got to corn, cooked Maori way under the water heated by geothermal heat!
A great commentary on the way the Maori people lived in this village environment. The guide was very good in his explanations
We found the place to be amazing. The guide was very informative and it gave us new insight into Maori Village living. The views of the thermal pools and geyser were great, and we enjoyed the corn pulled out from the pool they use for cooking.
Thank you, Kerryn! We're thrilled you found the experience amazing and enjoyed the insights into Maori culture. It's great to hear you appreciated the views and unique cooking methods. Your feedback means a lot to us!
Very interesting tour, our guide was exceptional. Lots of information about the history of the village and how it came to be. Loved getting to eat the corn cooked in the hot spring. The museum at the bottom is very informative too.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Lauren! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the tour and found our guide exceptional. It's great that you loved the unique culinary experience and the informative museum. Your feedback means a lot to us!
Daniel was incredibly knowledgeable and engaging throughout the tour. He remembered our names and asked questions along the way, making the experience interactive and personal rather than just a one-way commentary. He did a fantastic job and deserves a special mention for making the tour so enjoyable!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Kimberley! We're thrilled to hear that Daniel made your tour engaging and personal. Our team strives to create memorable experiences, and it’s great to know he succeeded in doing just that. Your kind words will surely be passed along to him!
Had a wonderful cultural experience of the people and tribes of the Māori region our tour guide couldn’t remember his name highly respected and knowledgeable of the places he took us worth doing if you come visit
Thank you for your fantastic review, Arran! We're thrilled to hear you had a wonderful cultural experience and that our guide made a positive impression. Your insights are invaluable, and we appreciate you sharing your experience with others.
Our Tour Guide, Daniel was amazing! He was so welcoming and knowledgeable. He gave us a fascinating insight into Māori culture and history and everyday life for the people who live in the village. Seeing the geothermal activity up close was an experience we’ll never forget. We highly recommend this tour and visit.
Thank you, Kyle! We're thrilled to hear that Daniel made your experience memorable with his insights into Māori culture and geothermal wonders. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we’re glad you enjoyed your visit!
My tour guide Fay was amazing! I’m so grateful for their generosity and knowledge. I highly recommend this tour!
Thanks for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that Fay provided such a memorable tour with their knowledge and generosity. Your recommendation means a lot to us!
Our guide, Daniel, was excellent and very friendly. He explained everything very well and showed us many details.
Thank you for your fantastic feedback, Thorsten! We're thrilled to hear that Daniel made your experience enjoyable and informative. Our guides strive to share the rich details of our culture, and it’s great to know you appreciated it.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whakarewarewa Village Guided Tour | 1 hour | 4.7 (539) | $33 | |
 Cultural Performance at Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village | 30 min–40 min | 4.6 (38) | $23 | View |
 Mitai Maori Village Cultural Experience in Rotorua | 3 hours | 4.6 (1,441) | $103 | View |
 Voyages of Maori at Mitai Maori Village | 2 hours | 4.8 (96) | $80 | View |
 Rotorua Canopy Tours: 2.5Hour Native Forest Zipline Adventure | 2h 30min | 5.0 (4,681) | $120 | View |
 Rotorua’s Ultimate Zipline: 6 ziplines, 400 m Tandem, Cliff Walk | 3 hours | 5.0 (2,613) | $160 | View |
 Rotorua Rafting: Kaituna River White Water Rafting & Free Sauna | 2h 30min | 5.0 (2,156) | $77 | View |