Village, Geyser, Forests and Falls 8 hrs

Service Description

Join us on this epic day of culture, history and natural beauty, as we explore the hinterland and experience daily life in a living Maori village! First, we head to the famous Redwoods Forest. Enjoy a relaxed walk through the forest floor, or upgrade to experience the Treetop Walk. Traverse the swing bridges and walkways high in the forest, and learn about this unique ecosystem. Breathe in the cool and clean air, and look out for native birdlife as you explore the many walkways and bridges. This is an outstanding activity, and one of our absolute favourites in the region. Next we head to the famous Whakarewarewa Living Maori Village. We believe this is the absolute best option in New Zealand to really experience and learn about our indigenous people and their lifestyle and history, from real descendants of this important local tribe. Enjoy a top quality cultural show and then a fully guided tour of the village. See the incredible Pohutu Geyser (the largest in the southern hemisphere) erupt 30M high in the air, taste a cob of corn cooked in the boiling springs, and learn about the incredible connection between this and other volcanic areas across the globe. You will be able to buy lunch and view the museum at this location as well. Our third activity is a short bush walk to view the mighty Okere (Kaituna) Falls. This waterfall is 7M tall, and is the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world! There are 2 viewing platforms- one requires only a 2 minute walk and views the top layer of the falls. The other requires a 12 minute walk each way, including around 40 stairs, but gets the full view of the tallest part of the falls. It's exciting watching the kayakers and rafters shooting down the falls, and this is a great spot for videos and photos. The bush walk to get there is stunning in itself! We make our way back to Tauranga in plenty of time for the ship, passing by kiwifruit farms and beautiful lakes as we travel. Please note: While this is one of our longest tours, we ensure you have plenty of opportunities to rest throughout the day. We want you to see and experience as much as possible while still enjoying a relaxed pace. Entry to the Redwoods Forest is included. Treetop Walk Option $42 NZD, collected on the day. Entry into Whakarewarewa Maori Living Village including Cultural Show and Village tour is included (value $90). Okere falls viewing entry is included. Water, juice and snacks included.