Ex Auckland: Rotorua Māori Village With Haka And Hot Springs

An excellent use of a day. Beautiful nature, views. chill vibe and a friendly and hospitable host who made us feel wanted and welcomed. Highly recommend.

The highlights of this tour were definitely the Māori village, where we learned about the history and culture and got to see a traditional performance, as well as experiencing Rotorua’s geothermal hot springs. Ending the day relaxing at the Polynesian Spa was also a really nice way to finish. That said, it is a very long day from Auckland, and in hindsight I’m not sure all of the stops were necessary. We also spent quite a long time at the Māori village — while it was interesting and absolutely worth visiting, I personally would have preferred a slightly shorter visit there (perhaps less idle time after the guided tour and before the performance?). The guide for overall day was also a little more subdued than I expected. The energy felt somewhat lacking on our tour from our guide. He also was pretty abrasive / mad at us because we were 7 minutes late to meet him in the lobby, and did not make small talk. Overall, there were some memorable highlights and I’m glad we got to experience Rotorua and Māori culture, but I think the day could be improved with a tighter itinerary.

This was a great family experience. The living village tour was informative and interactive. We loved the Haka performance and the best part was ending our day at the Polynesian spa. Shoutout to David our driver/guide who went out of his way to assist our 86 year old father with mobility issues.

I had a wonderful experience in Rotorua today, and I would especially like to compliment Aaron. He was an excellent guide — very professional, friendly, attentive, and helpful throughout the entire day. He made sure everything went smoothly from beginning to end and was always very considerate of our comfort and experience. We visited some beautiful places, enjoyed amazing views, and Aaron’s knowledge and attention made the whole tour even more enjoyable. I was very impressed with his service and genuinely appreciated the way he conducted the tour. Please pass along my compliments and thanks to him. He did an outstanding job and represented Expedigo extremely well. Thank you again for a great experience!

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.

We loved every aspect of this experience, except for the very long journey, 3 1/2 hours each way. That's obviously not anything under the tour operator's control, but it's worth bearing in mind before you book. The van is comfortable enough but we were both awfully stiff and achy the following day. We did think that a better rest stop could have been chosen for the way back. The place we stopped was only about an hour before getting back to Auckland and there was literally nothing there except toilets and an odd McDonald's. The rest stop on the way, however, was brilliant, featuring an excellent café with incredible homemade baked goods, called Ronnie's. The driver, Jason, picked us up promptly. He had a very complicated job ensuring that all of the tour participants got to their selected tours once the tour group arrived in Rotorua. Everyone is shuttled off to their first selected location and then picked up later, to be taken to their second location, and then everyone is collected at the end. My friend and I had chosen the Rotorua Maori Village with Haka and Hot Springs tour. The village was fascinating and we definitely recommend a visit. The tour (our guide was Uncle Philip, everyone in the village is related in some way) was interesting and we got to sample sweetcorn that had been cooked to perfection, dunked for about 10 seconds in one of the hot pools as we watched. Best sweetcorn we've ever tasted, thanks to the minerals in the water. Seeing the steam rising from people's gardens, the various pools and the geysers, and even an ancestral tomb or two was a unique experience! The cultural show was impressive and a lot of fun. The performers obviously really enjoy participating in the show! The Haka was especially brilliant. I would have happily watched it again and again. Jason was there to meet us afterwards and took us to our next stop, the Polynesian Spa. This was enjoyable, several different natural pools of varying temperature. Very relaxing and the rocky bottoms of the pools have been smoothed, which I was happy about. Nice for sitting in the shallow water and comfortable for wading. Pretty views from the pools. We loved it! I was a bit surprised that we only had an hour here, as I had thought I read that it was two hours. One hour felt somewhat rushed, as the last 10 minutes are lost showering and changing. Luckily, we had worn our bathing costumes under our clothes, or we would have lost more of that hour getting ready. There is a nice café here too, but I was just able to get an iced coffee to go as we needed to be off to collect another group elsewhere. Overall, we loved this tour and both of us wouldn't hesitate to book it again someday.

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

This was a great tour! I went solo and felt very comfortable the entire time. Jason was wonderful and made this a great experience!

Enjoyed this excursion immensely! Everything was well organized, it ran smooth, Matt guided us through everything so we felt completely taken care of. The Māori people opened their villages and culture to us. I’ll never forget this trip!

We had a wonderful time at Rotorua Māori village! Our driver, Matt, was really friendly, informative, and helpful. We spent our morning at the Māori village and geothermal park, and our early afternoon at the hot springs spa. Such an amazing experience! Would highly recommend!

The tour was so fun and interesting. From the pick up to the drop off the guide, Alfredo, was informative, helpful and fun. He made helpful suggestions, answered all of our questions and had a great attitude. Enjoyed spending the day with him. The visit itself to the village was a special treat. The guide there shared his love for the village and their way of life in a way to make it easy to understand and interesting. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Auckland. Regarding the tour operation, they were very communicative, answered questions and made the process very easy. Would book with them again.

Kia Ora- the first word Jason taught us on our tour—means - have a good life or be healthy. Indeed, we had an amazing adventure that day. The immersive Māori village cultural experience, the powerful Haka dance, and exploring the scenic trails filled with geothermal mud pools and geysers made it unforgettable. We ended the day with a must-try Polynesian spa, where the soothing waters relaxed both body and mind, leaving us fully refreshed after soaking in the beauty of nature.

Better than my expectation. The haka dance was the highlight of the tour. Polynesian spa was also very nice with good view. Our tour guide, Jason, was helpful and friendly. I definitely recommend this tour.

I had the great priviledge of sitting shotgun (passenger seat) next to our tour guide John Paynter. This man is a national treasure. He is simply the most knowledgeable, generous tour guide we could ever hope for. Any questions I could muster about plants/animals/history, you name it related to NZ he has an amazing wealth of knowledge and lived experience to share. I will never forget my time connecting with him and learning about NZ culture. The Maori village was really cool and the hot springs were super relaxing. Great experience. Thank you John, you're a gen.

It was a long day, but we had a terrific trip out to Rotorua with our guide Matt, who was full of local knowledge and had a lot of solid tips for our further travels in NZ. He made sure we had rest stops and even managed to get around some of the terrible holiday traffic we experienced heading back into Auckland. The Maori village was worth the visit, we were shown around by Michael who explained everything clearly and concisely about village life and the surrounds. A musical and dance performance and delicious hangi lunch in the local café capped off the memorable visit. The Polynesian Spa was incredibly relaxing and we had a fabulous time soaking in the pools for a solid couple of hours. It must be said that it was a long day with the travel times from and to Auckland, but definitely worth it.

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.

Such an amazing experience! Beautiful landscape, views, culture and relaxation at the Polynesian spa. So many wonderful memories made.

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

Firstly, I'd like to mention Paul, our host/driver/guide on the day's tour. He was very helpful, thoughtful, informative and, most importantly in my opinion, a very good and safe driver - we spent many hours on the road for this trip. As for the tour, Rotorua was fascinating as we're the cave and glowworms at Waitomo. I've never seen or experienced anything like it and I consider myself well travelled. So I'd highly recommend this trip. It was a great and memorable day out.

We had a fun, informative and relaxing tour with Paul, who provided witty commentary on the way to and from Rotorua, except for the intervals when he correctly predicted that we would all fall asleep after our 6 am start and after the spa. We had another witty guide at the Māori Village, WhyMaria, who I would recommend to anyone going there. She cooked us some corn in a boiling hot spring! The Polynesian spa was very nice, but a bit crowded for my preference. It reminded me of a Korean spa, except we could wear bathing suits (vs being naked).

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

Our guide was very knowledgeable, friendly snd the whole tour was made very interesting. Also, the driver was amazing and gave us info while we drove to the village. We would definitely recommend this experience to anyone:

The destinations (Maori village and redwood tree walk) were very good. Our guide was very accommodating with a last-minute ticket transfer. We would've liked more commentary from him during the 3-hour ride to the destinations.

Picked up at Cordis Hotel in Auckland for the 3 hour ride to Rotorua. Met Ally our driver. Nice guy. First of all he tried to make his microphone work. Did not work. 7 of us in Volkswagen van. Even if microphone would work you would not have been able to hear him. The van was a total piece of crap starting from the windows. I don’t think they have ever been cleaned. No way to take pics out the window. Then…the van had more rattles and squeaks. It was almost unbearable!!! The shocks were totally gone on this van. The seats were like sitting on boards they were so worn out. Every little bump was absolute torture. When we stopped to take a break he asked if we needed anything. I said a “chiropractor!” I rarely write reviews but it was unreal they would put a group of people In this bucket of bolts!!! The village was interesting and the spa was nice. Thank god for the spa, because then you have the torture of riding the van back to Auckland. Do not take this tour if they use this van. It’s a junker!!!

Loved the tripe worth the money and time our guide Ali was wonderful we made a coffee stop which is what we needed for the trip and another on our way back the spa experience is very relaxing and was much needed Loved the village very interesting the sweet corn is a must try and the Haka performance was amazing

If you want to go to Rotorua this the only tour you will need. They provide alternatives on which tour you want to do, we chose the Māori Village and Polynesian Spa. The living Māori Village is a must experience, it is a guided tour in which you get to see what it’s like living in a Māori village that uses geothermal energy in their everyday life. You get to experience the singing and dancing which includes the famous “Haka”. Still enough time to do a walk around the geothermal trail. And to finish off, an hour soaking in a Polynesian Spa is very relaxing. We would like to thank Ali, for guiding and driving us around by sharing infos and stories around the area as we drive around.

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

Ali was a great tour guide. Tour was as advertised. I loved that this tour was small; 11 onboard in total. Great to meet new faces from around the world. My favourite part of the trip was the Māori village.

My trip was amazing. Our guide mister Ali explained everything during the route, also he offered water and snacks all the time. He did also extra things out the plane, we went to the lake and also transferred us for free to the Red Tree Forest spending our time, because we didn't like to go to the spa with the other group. Also the miaori village, the time there and the full show are the best in Rotorua, we have a real experience there. I suggest everyone choose this tour! Thank you mister Ali for everything!

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 .

If you've never visited a Polynesian village before, this promises to be an eye-opening experience. You get to experience how the Maori people lived (and still do today!). You also get to see the wonders of geothermal power. From using it for cooking, to the healing powers of the mineral spas. This visit serves as a reminder that the best nourishment comes directly from mother nature. Lastly, I would like to extend a special thanks to our guide Huzefa for his dedication to giving us the best experience possible. His extensive knowledge of New Zealand definitely added a lot to our trip as we were visiting NZ for our first time.

Mr. Baj was truely an amazing guy; sound knowledge nice communication skills and was too good at time management. He picked me up from the Crown Hotel and them dropped off at the same spot. He has this professional style!

Huzefa was a fantastic guide, very informative with great insight and recommendations for local food and coffee. Highly recommend.

Had a great day with our guide. Lots of fun being a part of a small group of 10 - Rotorua is very interesting and we loved this combination.

This tour was amazing! Our guide, Husefa, made sure the ride was comfortable, pointed out all the sights on the way, suggested great spots for photos. He is very knowledgeable and gave us suggestions for later visits if Aukland and surroundings. We chose this tour because we wanted to experience Māori culture. With this tour you spend all day in Rotorua, including a guided tour of Whakarewarewa village which is an active Māori village where people live and work. The Maori guides are very passionate and we learned a ton. After the guided tour is a cultural show and Haka performance which was the highlight for us. After the show, we were free to walk around the geothermal park and explore all the mud pools and geysers at our own pace. From there, Husefa took us to the Polynesian spa, which was the perfect activity to wind down from the long day. We felt so relaxed. Thank you Husefa.

Huzefa was a fantastic tour guide, best I have ever experienced and the whole trip was really fine. Thanks! Rafal & Sandra

Highly recommended! Our guide Huzefah was absolutely amazing! He educated us about the floral/fauna, economics, culture and history of NZ, and notable sights on our ride to and from Rotorua. Whakarewarewa Village Is a must visit- learned so much about the Māori history/culture and experienced the boiling hot pools and geothermal geysers. The Paradise spa was a wonderful way to end the day.

I had an amazing day and learned a lot. It was so interesting and fun hearing from the guide, Huzefa, and all the stories about Māori and New Zealand in general. The spa is awesome and relaxing. Thank you so much.

During my recent trip to Rotorua, I had an amazing experience thanks to an exceptional guide, Huzefena. He made our tour incredibly memorable by sharing his deep knowledge of Rotorua and the Maori culture. The visit to the Maori village was enriching, giving us a real insight into traditional practices and customs. Huzefena’s enthusiasm and expertise truly brought the experience to life, making it both educational and fun. Highly recommended for anyone looking to dive into the heart of Rotorua and its cultural heritage.

It was an amazing day with a great tour guide and great memories. The spa is awesome and relaxing. Thanks so much expedigo.

I would absolutely recommend Expedigo Tours and Transfers, the tour was amazing and the places are incredible, but Baj’s attention and service was entirely perfect. He was always paying attention to details and he made our experience beyond confortable. He knows so much about the culture and geography. It was our favorite tour, if you have the opportunity I would recommend you to book with them.

It is such a pleasure to write this review. From the first contact made by Fatima to the precise and on time pick up by our guide, to the drop off at our hotel, the day was so much more than we expected. Perfectly clean car, attention to details, our intelligent conversation, our guide picked up on what we liked and made the day really special. Yes of course we did tour the village with a sweet and gentle speaking guide and did see the Maori demonstration/show but more than that, our guide walked around with us and took care of making sure we were getting a great experience. The spa was meticulously clean and so very relaxing. I would wholeheartedly recommend this tour with this company. They cater to smaller groups which permits you to have a more personal experience. I do hope we get a chance to come back and experience other tours with these very caring people. They know hospitality!

We had an amazing experience me and my dad. Our guide, Huzefa, has been fantastic and was very interesting hearing from him all the stories about Māori and New Zealand in general. Throughout the day he has been helpful and fun. I absolutely recommend this tour and especially Huzefa as a guide.

6th October 2024. What a wonderful day we had with guide Huzefa. I highly recommend him and tour with him. Very passionate 👏 about his work and very safe driver. I will definitely return to go on a next one soon.

Great Trip and a really heart warming Guide! We also had a relaxed Time in the Spa and an amazing Maori Dance Show, with much Infos.

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.

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.

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.

With our tour guide, Huzefa our tour got very interesting and enjoyable. With his good knowledge of New Zealand and good tour guide’s skills he made every moment enjoyable and vey informative.