Tauranga Shore Excursion: Rotorua Highlights
7 hours 30 minutes (Approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Good for avoiding crowds
Overview
See the highlights of Rotorua on a full-day shore excursion from Tauranga. You’ll travel to one of New Zealand’s famed regions in the North Island, observing otherworldly landscapes and Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa’s thermal springs. Visit Okere Falls at the Bay of Plenty; receive a traditional welcome at an authentic Maori village where you’ll watch a 'haka' (war dance); and view the Government Gardens, a historic bath house and more in Rotorua.
- Rotorua shore excursion from Tauranga
- Visit the Okere Waterfalls
- See hot thermal springs, bubbling mud and the famous Pohutu Geyser
- Learn Maori traditions and watch the famous Haka dance at an authentic living Maori village
- Covered by Viator’s worry-free policy: guaranteed on-time return to your ship
Start your shore excursion with pickup from the cruise port in Tauranga, departing Mt Maunganui for a day trip through the North Island’s lake country, sprinkled with more than a dozen pristine lakes. En route to Rotorua, hear insightful live commentary on board the vehicle as you travel past the lovely waterfront and Bay of Plenty.
A short drive brings you to your first stop in the town of Te Puke, considered New Zealand's kiwifruit capital. Visit Kiwifruit Country, and learn more about this special fruit.
Next, drive past rolling farmland and pine tree forests then disembark for a brief stroll to Okere Falls, a small town popular for its waterfalls and lakefront views. Stop for lunch beside Lake Rotorua (own expense) before visiting the thermal wonderland of Whakarewarewa in the afternoon. Follow a Maori guide through a lunar-like landscape of hot springs and mud pools, and see the eruption of Pohutu Geyser. You’ll hear how the indigenous people used the jets of steam from the bubbling cauldrons for everyday functions.
Discover more Maori customs at a Maori village, starting with a traditional welcome. Enjoy a performance of song and dance, including the warlike haka. After, go sightseeing in Rotorua city. View the Government Gardens, historical bath house and natural hot springs at Whangapipiro (Rachel's Pool) as well as Lake Tarawera if time allows.
Complete your Rotorua shore excursion with the return to Mt Maunganui, following a scenic route via the Tauranga city center before crossing the harbor bridge to the port.
Worry-free Shore Excursion:We will ensure your timely return to the Tauranga port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
A short drive brings you to your first stop in the town of Te Puke, considered New Zealand's kiwifruit capital. Visit Kiwifruit Country, and learn more about this special fruit.
Next, drive past rolling farmland and pine tree forests then disembark for a brief stroll to Okere Falls, a small town popular for its waterfalls and lakefront views. Stop for lunch beside Lake Rotorua (own expense) before visiting the thermal wonderland of Whakarewarewa in the afternoon. Follow a Maori guide through a lunar-like landscape of hot springs and mud pools, and see the eruption of Pohutu Geyser. You’ll hear how the indigenous people used the jets of steam from the bubbling cauldrons for everyday functions.
Discover more Maori customs at a Maori village, starting with a traditional welcome. Enjoy a performance of song and dance, including the warlike haka. After, go sightseeing in Rotorua city. View the Government Gardens, historical bath house and natural hot springs at Whangapipiro (Rachel's Pool) as well as Lake Tarawera if time allows.
Complete your Rotorua shore excursion with the return to Mt Maunganui, following a scenic route via the Tauranga city center before crossing the harbor bridge to the port.
Worry-free Shore Excursion:We will ensure your timely return to the Tauranga port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
Itinerary
Leaving the port at Mount Maunganui, your shore excursion begins with a trip beside the port's pristine ocean beach and waterfront.
Your first stop is Te Puke, New Zealand's kiwifruit capital, the Kiwifruit Country. Then, travel through the Bay of Plenty's beautiful farmland, past forests of pine trees, and stop to take a short walk to Okere Waterfalls, home to rainbow trout, eels and freshwater crayfish.
Duration: 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Continue into the North Island’s lake country, where more than a dozen beautiful lakes dot the countryside. Your tour includes a stop for lunch beside lovely Lake Rotorua (own expense).
In the early afternoon, visit the unique thermal wonderland of Whakarewarewa, an amazing landscape of erupting hot springs, bubbling mud and the famous Pohutu Geyser, which erupts up to 20 times a day. Take a walk with a Maori guide to hear how people came to live in harmony with this volatile environment, learning to use the boiling cauldrons and jets of steam for everyday purposes such as cooking and communal bathing.
After learning about Maori traditions and culture, see this way of life in action when you visit New Zealand's only authentic living Maori village. Experience a traditional Maori welcome with songs and dances, including the famously warlike Haka dance.
Duration: 3 hours
Admission Ticket Included
Worry-free Shore Excursion:
We will ensure your timely return to the Tauranga port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
Traveler Photos
Traveler Tips
- "The thermal spa and Maori village fascinating this tour is a must." See review
- "We would suggest that people take an umbrella for shade if it is going to be a hot clear day or raining." See review
- "Easy to find as they are just right outside the terminal." See review
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Product code: 6050PRTTRGRTFD
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