Rotorua Te Puia: Māori Arts, Kiwi Bird & Geothermal Valley Tour

4.52

(311 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing that hit me was the smell — not bad, just sharp and earthy, like boiled eggs mixed with wet moss. We’d barely made it past the carved gateway at Te Puia when our guide, Mereana, grinned and said, “That’s the valley saying hello.” Steam curled around our ankles as we walked. I kept stopping to watch it rise from cracks in the ground — you could almost feel the old stories in the air. At one point a tui bird sang somewhere above us, but all I could see was silver fern and that thick white mist.

Mereana led us to Pōhutu Geyser just as it started rumbling — she timed it perfectly (or maybe she just knows this land inside out). The ground shook a little under my shoes. When it finally erupted, water shot higher than any tree I’ve seen. There were kids giggling behind me; someone else muttered “woah” under their breath. I didn’t expect to feel so small watching boiling water fly into the sky. Afterward we ducked into the Kiwi Conservation Centre — dark inside, cool after all that steam. The kiwi shuffled around in its enclosure; honestly, I felt lucky just seeing one awake.

The part that surprised me most was the arts school. We watched students carving greenstone and weaving flax — their hands moved so confidently. One of them let me touch a piece of unfinished wood (felt rough and oily) while he explained how each pattern tells a family story. I tried repeating a word in te reo Māori; Li laughed when I butchered it but helped me say it again anyway. It’s weird how quickly you start feeling connected to people you’ve only just met.

I still think about that moment standing by the hot pools with Mereana telling us about her grandmother’s weaving. There was something grounding about it — maybe it was the steam or maybe just hearing real voices sharing what matters to them. Anyway, if you’re ever near Rotorua and want more than just photos, this day trip through Te Puia sticks with you long after your shoes stop smelling like sulphur.