Ex Auckland: Rotorua Māori Village with Haka and Hot Springs

Recommended by 93% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Auckland, New Zealand

12 to 13 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Rotorua is one of the best spots in New Zealand to learn about Māori history and heritage while taking views of stunning natural phenomena. On this small-group full-day tour, including hotel pickup from Auckland, be immersed in authentic Māori culture at the Whakarewarewa Māori Village. Then, head to the Polynesian Spa to enjoy the therapeutic thermal waters surrounded by striking natural vistas.

Convenient Auckland hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle
Learn about authentic Māori culture, with stories from locals
Includes entry to the Polynesian Spa, with rejuvenating thermal waters
Snap photos of Rotorua's natural silica formations

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
All Fees and Taxes
WiFi on board
Bottled water
Admission to a fully guided experience of the Whakarewarewa Maori Village
Admission to the Polynesian Spa - Deluxe Lake Spa
Complimentary pick up and drop off from Auckland CBD

Lunch
Breakfast
Dinner

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

- If your accommodation is not yet confirmed, we suggest selecting The SkyCity Hotel for now—you can update it later if needed! - We offer convenient pick-ups from selected hotels. If your location isn’t listed, simply choose the nearest available option and meet us there. - Pick-ups start up to 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Please be ready and waiting outside by then for a smooth start. - Pick-up locations are planned based on each tour and may vary by day. If there are any changes to your pick-up spot, please let us know in advance. - Our guides make multiple stops and may arrive within a 10-minute window. To keep the tour on schedule, we recommend being ready 5–10 minutes early, as we are unable to wait for late arrivals. - As our hotel pickups operate from downtown CBD, guests located near the airport or South Auckland can be picked up from The Sebel, Auckland Manukau at 16 Lakewood Court, Manukau City Centre, Auckland 2104,

Operating hours
.6:00 am

Itinerary

Auckland Central

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Rotorua District

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village

3 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Polynesian Spa

3 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Auckland

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Infant seats available
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Most travelers can participate
Please consult your medical practitioner if you are pregnant
Please consult your medical practitioner if allergy to sulphur exists
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Zachary_S

I had the privilege of sitting shotgun (passenger seat) next to our guide John Paynter. This man is a national treasure. He is simply the most knowledgeable, generous tour guide I could ever hope for. Any question I could muster about the ecology, history, you name it o related to NZ, he has an amazing wealth pf knowledge. I will never forget my time connecting with him and learning about NZ culture. The Māori village was really cool and the hot springs were super relaxing. Great experience. Thank you John, you’re a gem.

Reviews

4.8

based on 58 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Value experienced

SUZI_K, Mar 2026

It must be experienced if you are coming to Auckland! Amazing village and Spa! Enough to know culture. Also Jason is very nice guide and diver.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re really glad you enjoyed the experience and got a chance to connect with the culture — it’s such a special part of what we love sharing with our guests. Great to hear you had a relaxing time at the village and spa as well. And we’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Jason — he’ll really appreciate it! He takes a lot of pride in making sure everyone has a smooth, enjoyable day. Thanks again for joining us — hope we can host you again next time you’re in Auckland!

Very good & interesting tour!

Emanuela_C, Mar 2026

The tour was organized very well and Wayne was a very good guide! even EXTRAS have been organized well!

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you for the great review! We’re really glad you enjoyed the tour and that everything felt well organised. Wayne will be pleased to hear your kind words too — he always does his best to make the day run smoothly. Glad you enjoyed the little extras as well. Thanks again for joining us!

Amazing tour guide

Zachary_S, Apr 2025

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such an enriching experience with John. His passion for sharing the beauty of New Zealand's culture, history, and ecology truly makes him one of a kind. We're glad you enjoyed the Māori village and the relaxing hot springs too! We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to John—he really is a gem, and we’re so lucky to have him as part of our team. We hope to welcome you back for more unforgettable experiences soon!

Best experience

anne_f, Mar 2025

Our driver JJ was amazing so informative and caring looked after everyone nothing was a bother made our trip the best experience thank you so much

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that JJ made your trip such a fantastic experience. He truly goes above and beyond to ensure everyone has a memorable time. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you on another adventure soon!

Nice experience, long drives

steve_b, Feb 2025

The Māori village and Spa experiences were very good but a three hour trip from Auckland to do three hours of activities followed by a three hour return was grueling

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you for your feedback! We completely understand that the drive can feel long, and we appreciate your patience. While the travel time may seem lengthy, we do our best to make the journey enjoyable by passing through some of the most beautiful landscapes. Our guides are dedicated to sharing interesting facts and insights along the way to make the ride more engaging. Additionally, with our small group tours, there’s the opportunity to connect with fellow travelers, which can make the trip more enjoyable. We're happy to hear you enjoyed the Māori village and spa experiences, and we hope they were worth the journey. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you on another tour in the future!

Must do

Venkat_I, Dec 2024

The hot springs are very beautiful. The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. This is one of the must do trips if you are visiting Auckland. For the Polynesian SPA, carry your swim clothes. There is also an option to rent

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the hot springs and had a great time with your tour guide. It’s wonderful to know you’d recommend this trip to others visiting Auckland. And yes, great tip about bringing swimwear for the Polynesian Spa—though the rental option is also handy for those who need it. We hope to welcome you on another adventure soon!

1st thing do you want to see at NZ

VITA_T, Dec 2024

Very good time. Spa was incredible. You are healing immediately 🥰. Driver was best. No need to ask for extra stops. Most experienced driver ., very nice story about island. We really enjoyed the ride .

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a wonderful time, and we completely agree—the spa is truly a healing experience! We’re also happy to know that our driver made the journey even more enjoyable with their stories and experience. It’s great that you had a relaxing and memorable trip, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again soon!

Fabulous Day

Jane_D, Sep 2024

Absolutely amazing day. It was an early start and a lo g day but we had ample breaks and the mini van was very comfortable for a snooze. Huzef is a fabulous guide and he looked after us very well. Rotarua is truly amazing. I have never seen anything like it. We were guided by a local Maori woman through the village where the villagers can choose to live in the traditional ways if they choose. It was very interesting and informative. Tasting food cooked in the traditional way was great. Relaxing at the Polynesian Spa was a lovely way to relax before our trip back to Auckland.

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're so glad to hear that you had an amazing day despite the long hours. It’s great that Huzefa took good care of you and made the journey comfortable. Rotorua truly is a unique and beautiful place, and we’re happy you enjoyed the Māori village experience and the traditional food tasting. We’re also thrilled you had time to relax at the Polynesian Spa before heading back to Auckland. We hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable adventure!

Check out the Māori honey!

lstengle, Sep 2024

Everything about this easy day trip was great. The guide worked really hard to make sure our small group members were happy and comfortable, even to the point of going out of his way to make our wishes for the spa time complete. The Māori village was authentic, not some fakey tourist trap. The Māori people were cheerful and strong and admirable. The little souvenir shop had the best prices on jade jewelry and honey that I have ever seen. The honey is rated at 140+ MGO, and it cost only $40 dollars, which is an insanely great bargain. The visit to the spa in the afternoon was just what we needed to relax after our very long flight from the US. I highly recommend this trip, this guide, and this tour company.

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful review! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a wonderful experience on the day trip. It’s great that the guide was able to go above and beyond to ensure your comfort and that you enjoyed the authentic Māori village experience. We're also so glad you loved the jade jewelry and honey – it really is a great find! The Polynesian Spa is the perfect way to unwind after a long flight, and we're happy it was just what you needed. Your recommendation means a lot to us. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you on another tour soon!

The smell… bleh

Casimiera_B, Sep 2024

Huzedefa was great! He made it his priority to make sure everyone had a great time! I wasn’t impressed with the Māori village. Just looked like a rundown small town but the geothermal pools were cool! Interesting to see how they used the natural resources to cook food and live/survive. The hike around the area was cool too! The sulfur smell was pretty bad tho. It was still on my clothes by the time I got back to Auckland and the next day. The performance was authentic but didn’t have the background I was hoping for for good pics.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hi Casimiera, Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to hear that Huzefa made a positive impression and prioritized ensuring everyone had a great time. The Maori Village, is the only living Maori Village where the community continues to maintain their traditional lifestyle, which can give it a more rustic appearance. We strive to keep the experience as authentic as possible, and we hope that unique aspects of the village added to the overall experience. We look forward to hosting you on another one of our tours when travels bring you back to Aotearoa.

Our Tour Guide, Huzefa, Rocked!

Timothy_B, Sep 2024

Our tour guide, Huzefa, was the best part of the tour. He catered to our every need. He went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed our trip. He asked us if the temperature inside the van was comfortable, he had snacks, he had water, he asked us if we needed to stop for bathroom breaks or just to stretch. He was very knowledgeable about everything around us and was a joy to spend the day with.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hi Timothy, Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear that Huzefa was the highlight of your tour. It’s wonderful to know he took great care of your needs, ensuring your comfort and enjoyment throughout the day. His knowledge and enthusiasm truly make a difference. We look forward to welcoming you on another tour soon!