Rotorua is well known around the world for its geothermal activity. There are geysers and hot springs and bubbling mud all around the city. But it is also the most famous place in New Zealand to experience M?ori culture with Te Puia rated as one of New Zealand’s top cultural experiences!
Here is everything you need to know about visiting Te Puia in Rotorua.
- About Te Puia
- Experiences at Te Puia
- The Guided Tour
- Kiwi Conservation Centre
- M?ori Arts and Crafts Institute
- Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley
- H?ng? dinner buffet
- M?ori Cultural Show
- Is it worth a visit?
- Getting there
- Other things to do in Rotorua
- Accommodation
About Te Puia, Rotorua
Te Puia is one of the most famous activities and sights in New Zealand. It is located in Rotorua and is home to the Te Pohutu geyser which is one of the largest in the southern hemisphere!
It’s pretty famous with locals in New Zealand and travellers alike. But for us it was our first time visiting Te Puia!
Experiences at Te Puia, Rotorua
There is a range of different experiences with varied pricing and combo options at Te Puia, Rotorua. There seems to be something for everyone!
The two main experiences are:
- Te R? + Haka Combo
- Te P? Combo
Te R? literally means ‘day’ and fittingly this is the daytime option that includes a guided tour of the geothermal valley and kiwi conservation centre as well as a traditional M?ori welcome ceremony, songs, chants, poi, and haka within the impressive traditionally carved wharenui or meeting house.
The Te P? Combo is the evening option. This is the one we did and can really recommend for the complete experience of Te Puia!
The Te P? Combo includes the guided experience, kiwi conservation centre, buffet dinner plus the cultural show.
Te Puia: The Guided Tour
The Te P? experience starts with a 90-minute guided tour of the incredible Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley. We had already been able to see the amazing wafts of hot steam rising from our hotel not far away, but it was exciting to be right in the valley itself.
The entire group is split into two or three smaller groups of guests to walk from the entrance and welcome area to the Kiwi Conservation Centre and onwards to the geyser area.
Our young guide, Boss did an awesome job of welcoming everyone onto the tour and explained the geothermal sites and connection with M?ori culture well.
Kiwi Conservation Centre at Te Puia
Unfortunately, you are not able to take photos inside the Kiwi House. So, you’ll have to take my word for it! But this was an awesome experience (for us, and the kids!).
The Kiwi Conservation Centre at Te Puia has two Kiwis housed in their nocturnal enclosure where you can walk through and observe their foraging behaviours and see the Kiwis under a specialised lighting. (It still looks dark for the Kiwis!).
Our guide, Boss did a fantastic introductory talk about Kiwis and the conservation efforts of Te Puia.
I must admit that even being from New Zealand I’ve only ever seen a Kiwi once before! The chances are that you won’t see one in the wild while on your travels here.
It is a great addition to the overall experience of Te Puia.
Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley and Te P?hutu Geyser
Our guided tour continued through the amazing geothermal valley. The boys were in awe of the bubbling hot mud (it is quite mesmerising!).
We walked right down and up close to the famous Te P?hutu geyser. This is the largest active geyser in the southern hemisphere which naturally erupts skyward over 15 times during a day!
Te Puia M?ori Arts and Crafts Institute
It was a great opportunity to continue the tour through the M?ori Arts and Crafts Institute.
This is actually a practising school, and you can watch the skilled carvers and weavers demonstrate their expertise with the different materials for carving and weaving.
H?ng? Experience Buffet at Te Puia
After our guided tour and visit to the M?ori Arts and Crafts Institute, next up is the h?ng? dinner buffet at P?taka Kai Restaurant & Bar.
A h?ng? is a traditional M?ori method of cooking food in an underground oven using heated rocks buried in a pit oven, called an umu. As New Zealanders we all love h?ng? but it isn’t a common way of cooking or dining. So, for us (and visitors) it was a real treat to have for dinner!
There is everything from fresh seafood and cold salads to traditional fried breads, steamed puddings and Manuka smoked ham and meats cooked in h?ng?-style.
And of course, if you haven’t yet tried a truly New Zealand Pavlova dessert this is the place to do it!
The restaurant overlooks the thermal valley, and you can even see all the way to Te Pohutu geyser and watch it while you eat.
M?ori Haka and Cultural Show
The cultural performance was my favourite part of the Te Puia experience.
This part of the tour started outside the entrance to Te Aronui A Rua (the meeting house) with a p?hiri (traditional M?ori welcome). One of the performers was a spokesperson for us as visitors and explained the significance of the traditional welcome onto the Marae (M?ori communal meeting grounds).
A male tribe chief was chosen from our group of guests to represent us as manuhiri (visitors). The guide did a fantastic job explaining the process and he was instructed when and how to advance forward and accept the wero (challenge) and offering of welcome by the iwi (local tribe) performers.
Inside the meeting house as the show began it really gave us goosebumps of excitement to watch and hear. It is hard to describe in words, but it is an incredibly powerful performance and a moving experience to witness the traditional M?ori culture.
Evening Geyser viewing
If you have booked the full Te P? experience, after the cultural show there is one more treat in store. From the marae (meeting house) you can either get back in the shuttle-train or wander back down the valley to the Te P?hutu geyser area.
For us there was around 7:45pm and the sun was only just blissfully setting. The valley was lit up beautifully with the golden hue of light and it made the rising steam of the geysers look incredible!
The staff served us up hot chocolates and we sat on the warm (geo thermally warmed) stone steps overlooking the valley waiting for one last display from Te P?hutu.
It really felt like the perfect way to finish a fantastic afternoon!
The verdict? Is Te Puia in Rotorua worth a visit?
Yes! Overall, it was a fantastic experience which both the adults and kids enjoyed. If you are on a tight travel schedule in New Zealand it is a great way to combine Maori culture and the natural geyser wonderland in one afternoon or evening.
The combination of the tour and kiwi conservation with delicious buffet hangi and the evening show was a nice mix of cultural experience, being outdoors and enjoying the wonders of nature.
Choosing Te Puia or Whakarewarewa Living M?ori Village?
Searching online before we arrived, we noticed one of the most debated questions as far as things to do in Rotorua was whether to book Te Puia or Whakarewrewa Living M?ori Village as a cultural and geothermal experience.
Both of the activities are completely different. However, both Te Puia and Whakarewarewa Living M?ori Village are centred around the most famous Te Pohutu geyser and the geothermal valley of Whakarewarewa.
Whakarewarewa is very much a M?ori village where people live. The site runs tours through the geothermal valley and a guided tour through the set up M?ori village.
Te Puia is a very different experience altogether and is a large internationally renowned tourism attraction in New Zealand.
Both have their pros and cons. But if you are looking for a well-polished one-tour experience that covers everything from M?ori culture, geothermal nature, kiwi conservation and with a licensed bar and buffet restaurant Te Puia is the one to choose.
Choosing Waiotapu or Te Puia?
These are two of the most famous things to do in Rotorua. Though if you are choosing one of Waiotapu or Te Puia know that they are both completely different.
Waitapu is a spectacular showcase of New Zealand’s most colourful geothermal site. It is well set up for vistiors and there is the possibility to visit the site on a guided tour.
However, Te Puia has both the geothermal valley of Whakarewarewa and the famous Te Pohutu geyser as well as a cultural guided tour showcasing M?ori culture.
If you are on a short itinerary or only have 1 – 2 days in Rotorua I recommend Te Puia for a great combination of natural wonder, geothermal displays and M?ori culture.
- Read about visiting Wai-O-Tapu in Rotorua.
Getting to Rotorua
Rotorua is well connected with other North Island and New Zealand destinations by road and air.
By road Rotorua is a three hour drive from Auckland with beautiful scenery and landscapes through the Waikato region to the Bay of Plenty.
- Auckland to Rotorua: 2h 39m (226 km)
- Taupo to Rotorua: 1h 7m (79.6 km)
Or the Rotorua Regional Airport is only a 10 minute drive from the centre of town.
Other cool – and free – things to do in Rotorua
Rotorua is a hub for cultural and adventure activities in New Zealand. There are lots of cultural experiences, adventure and free activities and things to do in Rotorua.
- Redwoods Tree Walk
- Kuirau Park
- Mitai Maori Village
- Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
- Skyline Rotorua
- Rotorua Canopy Tours and Zipline
- Polynesian Spa
- Government Gardens
- Eat Street
Plus, there are some great free walks through beautiful native bush at Orere Falls and through the Redwood Forest!
Accommodation and where to stay in Rotorua
There is a great range of accommodation in Rotorua and close to the lakefront and main town area.
We loved our stay at Rydges Rotorua! The hotel location is amazing with stunning views over the thermal valley.
- Rydges Rotorua
A great pick for families with a swimming pool and hot tubs, kids Play Zone and delicious buffet dinner and breakfast. - Gemini Lodge
Chalets with multiple bedrooms well set up for families.
- Kings on Peace
One of the top reviewed properties on Booking.com.
- JetPark Hotel Rotorua
Another top pick for families with great deals for kids to stay and dine free with a paying adult.
Fairway Cottages has 2-bedroom apartments just out of town.
Read more about travel in New Zealand
- Franz Josef Or Fox Glacier?
- Family Friendly Walks In Franz Josef.
- Putaruru Blue Springs South Waikato.
- Wairere Falls Walk Near Matamata.
- 5 Things To Do In Russell Bay Of Islands.
- Visiting Milford Sound In Winter.
- Hooker Valley Track Mt Cook.
- Hiking Roys Peak Track In Wanaka With Kids.
More about travel planning for New Zealand and beyond
These are the companies we use and can recommend for planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere in Asia.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, adventure ticket, local tours and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have insurance before travel to Te Puia, Rotorua or anywhere in the world!
