Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village

I’m so glad I made time to do this and I highly recommend anyone going to give yourself a couple hours, buy the all day pass, and time it so you are there for their daily cultural performance at 12:30. It was worth every penny. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly and the performance and tour exceeded my expectations. Our guide, Daniel, was very patient and thoughtful. He made an effort to learn everyone’s name and took the time to genuinely try to teach us about the history, the culture, and the language. Huge thanks to everyone involved!

It is the legacy and home of the Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao people, who have been sharing their unique way of life with visitors from all around the world for over two hundred years. The village is open 7 days a week with guided tours. We signed on to one of the paid tours though we had to contend with a slight drizzle. The tour is comprehensive lasting about an hour and half and goes through the village people's fascinating daily life in the geothermal springs area. It includes the bathing, washing, herb cultivation, cooking and walking past their homes. We ate corn cooked in steam for few minutes. It tasted yummy. The historical chief's home and meeting place are well preserved and interesting to see. Sometimes you can watch a cultural show by the village people. The active geysers in the area can be seen during the tour. Toilets available. Very popular place, lots of tourists and locals. Uneven terrain, lot of walking. Wear comfy shoes, take water, wear hat, sunscreen. Parking at the entrance is ample and is easy to find. There are many stores in the village selling craftwork items. Friendly staff and great service.

Great guide. She really brought the village to life with stories of her family and showing off the culinary skills of her people. Very friendly and wonderful town. Saw geysers, hot springs, and bubbling mud

Fascinating and a MUST SEE! I felt so honored they opened their village to us. We even got to see a woman preparing her lunch with the boiling hot water. We got the all day pass, purchased the night before. Our guide Tui was a knowledgeable young woman and pretty funny. Had a blast during the guided tour! The performance was exactly the range of songs and dances I was hoping to see. From love songs to battle Hakas. And the self guided tour actually had 2 guides… cats! They followed us around and were such an added bonus. The sulfur smell actually doesn’t bother you the longer you’re around it. It was an overcast day which was perfect for the steam to be more accentuated. I will never forget this experience. Thank you so much!

This place is so neat! The steam mud vents and the geysers were shooting out steam while we were there. What beautiful geothermal landscapes! And the bonus was that we were able to see the baby kiwi bird in the enclosures. So cool! There was no wait when we were there on a Saturday afternoon in May. You will need to go with a tour guide which will be organized after you buy your tickets. Highly recommend this visit.

Directions to Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village with public transportation

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