1 / 3Whakarewarewa, The Living Māori Village
📍 Whakarewarewa, Bay of Plenty
Best for kids old enough to listen to a story. Residents guide you through their working village, past hot pools where corn is cooked, to a geyser lookout, with a song and haka performance. Under-fives free.
Easily the best day we spent in Rotorua. We learnt so much about Maori culture and felt so warmly welcomed by everyone here. I would recommend the guided tour for understanding the history of the village and what daily life looks like; the cultural performance, which was powerful and incredibly moving; and the geothermal trail to see the wonders of the earth you cannot see anywhere else. Absolutely stunning experience - I'd love to do it all again!!
🏆 Family Action Verdict
The most human of Rotorua's geothermal experiences, and the one that leaves kids talking about the people rather than the steam. The tour is only an hour, which is about right for primary-age attention spans, and under-fives are free. Book the package with the performance, and leave time for the trails afterwards.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →3,567 Google reviews
Rebecca Humphreys
“Easily the best day we spent in Rotorua. We learnt so much about Maori culture and felt so warmly welcomed by everyone here. I would recommend the guided tour for understanding the history of the village and what daily life looks like; the cultural performance, which was powerful and incredibly moving; and the geothermal trail to see the wonders of the earth you cannot see anywhere else. Absolutely stunning experience - I'd love to do it all again!!”
Chin-Hao Hsu
“The Haka dance is amazing and touching! I enjoyed learning Moari lifestyle, culture and philosophy during the guided tour. I think it’s not easy to preserve culture and ancestors’ wisdom in our fast-paced modern world. I felt honored to have a chance to immerse myself in Whakarewarewa’s living style. Not to mention, the steamed corn is very sweet and delicious.😋 Geysers are also amazing! Highly recommended!”
Mark Fitzgerald
“I would highly recommend booking the package that has everything included. The tour was excellent. Our guide, Daniel, was so passionate and cared so much about the village and its teachings. He was so dedicated to his craft, learnt everybody's name and gave such a wonderful tour. The cultural performance was also fascinating to watch and I'd recommend having time left aside to walk around after.”
Jasmine Teow
“Our family joined the Maori living village guided tour only and it was a fantastic experience. Our guide, Daniel shared his Maori culture and way of life and made the whole experience interactive and interesting! The corn cooked in the geothermal pool was juicy and sweet. I would definitely recommend this experience to everyone visiting Rotorua.”
Reviews from Google
Overview
Whakarewarewa is a living village, not a reconstruction: Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao families have lived on this steaming ground for generations, and it is their descendants who guide you. The hour-long tour walks past homes, communal baths and cooking pools where sweetcorn is steamed for visitors, ending at a lookout over Pōhutu geyser. Cultural performances of song, poi and haka run several times a day, and self-guided geothermal trails wind through mud pools and native bush behind the village.
