Te Puia Geysers, Maori Culture, Kiwi Bird and Kiwi Fruit Orchard

Te Puia Geysers, Maori Culture, Kiwi Bird and Kiwi Fruit Orchard
Price: $115.00
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Summary
Shore Excursion Size ? Small
Shore Excursion Type Cultural, Scenic
Shore Excursion Duration 5 Hours 30 Minutes
Activity Level ? Moderate
Shore Excursion Leaves From ? Cruise Ship Pier
Food/Beverage Provided Beverage (Water)
Recommended Dress We recommend wearing comfortable, seasonal clothing with walking shoes. Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are also recommended.
Restrictions Guests must be able to get in and out of transportation. This tour is not wheelchair accessible.

Geysers, Kiwi Bird, Maori Culture and Kiwi Fruit Orchards

Your friendly, local representative will be waiting for you at the port of Tauranga and soon your adventure will begin as you travel directly to Te Puia in modern air-conditioned comfort. Your group will be kept to a small number of guests to ensure a very personal and one-on-one experience for the day.

Experience the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua as this valley has many stories just waiting to be shared with you. Walk through a valley where steam rises from the ground and where pools of water boil. See hot bubbling mud jump and plop as geysers erupt high into the air and learn how the Maori people have tamed and utilized this unforgiving landscape in their everyday life.

Start your journey by traveling along the beautiful shoreline of Mount Maunganui, enjoying the scenic lush Kiwi fruit orchards, and then into the countryside, arriving in Rotorua, making your way to "Te Puia". Upon arrival, a private guide is provided for your group and the adventure begins!

Be personally guided around this amazing geothermal landscape where history, culture and nature collide. Your native Maori guide will share stories passed down through generations. Gain insight into features of Maori carvings, which have deep cultural significance. Observe the legendary Pohutu Geyser, the largest geyser in the Southern Hemisphere, which can erupt to a height of 100 feet and as often as 20 times per day. Get up close to hot bubbling mud-pools, steam vents and hot boiling springs.

Next, you will have a rare opportunity to view New Zealand's national bird, the endangered kiwi. Once your eyes adjust to the specially lit, purposely built nocturnal kiwi house, you can spot the flightless friends foraging around for insects. Visit the arts and Crafts institute which is located at Te Puia, and has hosted Maori students from tribes from across New Zealand for the last 50 years, in order to learn time honored traditions which were in danger of being lost forever. These include wood carving, flax weaving, stone and bone carving along with a waka building school.

Leaving Te Puia, take a leisurely sightseeing drive around Rotorua, taking in the beautiful Rotorua lake front, government gardens, Rotorua Tudor-style Museum, the Blue Baths and Racheal Spring.

As you begin to make your way back to port, make one last stop to a working kiwifruit orchard to learn, see and taste this wonder fruit, plus jams, juices and much more. This makes for a perfect stop for photos and learning facts about this fruit and how it came to be established in New Zealand.

A truly special day to always remember awaits you on this exciting adventure in New Zealand; book today and don't miss out.