Rotorua tours, things to do and tickets

Nowhere else in the world can you soar through an untouched New Zealand Forest and become a part of a conservation success story all in one!

Since James and Andrew opened our doors in 2012, we have been working hard to preserve one of New Zealand’s most unique and untouched forests. We created this experience to transport you into a Jurassic world, showcasing New Zealand’s unique plants and wildlife. You help this project; your entry contributes back to our conservation efforts to save this ancient world. Thank you for your support!

You will be part of a small group (maximum 10 per group) with two of our knowledgeable kiwi guides who will delight you, making sure you safely enjoy every moment. Ask as many questions as you'd like and capture the moments with pictures and videos (although we have free photos of your experience for you after the tour).

There’s good reason we have been named the best nature activity in the world! – come and see for yourself!

Experience New Zealand’s one and only cliff walk, built around a volcanic rock 50-metres above the valley floor. Soar down a 400m tandem Zip-line and race your loved ones. Climb up through the layers of the canopy on our staircases that are truly an amazing engineering feat. This adventure is the ultimate way to explore the ancient giants and lifeforms in this forest that you can’t see anywhere else in the world!

Since we opened in 2012 we have been protecting this special place and when you come along, you will be too! A portion of your entry goes straight back to our conservation project to help us continue to rescue and look after this magic place.

We take photos for you and they are FREE after your tour via an email link. You are welcome to take as many videos and photos as you like too – you’ll be wanting to share this experience with everyone!

Spend three adrenaline-crammed hours white water rafting down the Kaituna River on this tour from Rotorua. Start at a spot where wild waters meet subtropical rainforests and canyons engraved in the earth. Raft past beautiful cascading waterfalls, including the stunning Tutea Falls, and even take the opportunity to do some adventurous cliff diving. This tour is good for novice and expert rafters.

Feast on song, drama, tradition, and divine seasonal kai (cuisine) within our forest Pā (village) blanketed by towering Tawa trees, its blazing bonfires, and forest-formed amphitheatre.

Te Pā Tū offers 4-hour evening events that change with each season of the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar.

Across summer, Tū Te Rā celebrates an abundant harvest, and we explore concepts, rituals, and stories of ancient Māori warfare and peace.

Throughout winter, Tū Te Ihi marks promise heralded by the arrival of the Matariki star cluster which high and bright in winter skies, signalling the new lunar year – we share the energy and passion of this celebration.

Cultural knowledge unique to each season is shared from the outset – rituals, songs, stories and continue across the night. From the beginning too, we share local, seasonal kai - plentiful and delicious. Kai horotai (indigenous canapes) is followed by a torch lit walk to a lavish 3-course fusion feast.

Mitai Maori Village offers you an authentic cultural evening incorporating a traditional earth cooked Hangi feast. Witness warriors in traditional dress paddle in an ancient canoe. Be captivated by the displays of weaponry, Haka, coupled with the grace of the poi dance. Learn about carvings and ta moko (tattoo art). Marvel at the sacred Fairy Spring flowing directly from earth, view our glow worms in their natural habitat. This experience is powerful, truly captivating and memorable.

Raft through 14 rapids including cascades ranging from 3 to 22 feet (1 to 7 meters), including the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall. Pass through steep, bush-clad canyons and New Zealand native forest, ideal for rafting enthusiasts and first-timers alike. River guides provide a full safety briefing with quality clothing and equipment for this 2 hour white-water adventure on the Kaituna River.

This is a once in a life-time experience and different from any other Glowworm Tour you'll go on!

Our adventure begins late afternoon / early evening at Riverside Adventures' base in South Waikato. Paddle along the southern edge of Lake Karapiro, over the old submerged Horahora Dam that produced electricity for the early Waihi goldfields.

Learn the history of the Horahora village and enjoy the twilight & silence of being on the water as the day draws to an end.

As night arrives over the lake , paddle slowly up the Pokaiwhenua Stream and through the canyon carved out by water over many hundreds of years. Native ferns & trees drape over you, bird life is all around.

When darkness falls we float silently back downstream, being guided by the glow worms on either side sparkling like Christmas lights.

Discover Rotorua on a unique 90-105 minute sightseeing adventure on-board a WWII amphibious vehicle able to travel on land and water! Our tours leave at regular intervals from a central city location and explore Rotorua's most stunning scenery. We have 18 lakes in the Rotorua region all set within lush native New Zealand bush. Our tours are fully guided as well with our tour guides covering everything from Maori migration, geothermal history, history of Rotorua and much more.

Setting out from Rotorua, your Hobbiton Movie Set Tour starts with a scenic drive across to Matamata where your local driver guide will provide informative commentary and share stories about the region and its history. Take a guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set and learn how this picturesque farmland was transformed into a living, breathing piece of Middle Earth. Your guide will show you Hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn, the Party Tree, the Mill, and many other structures from the movies. Then enjoy a tasty lunch at The Green Dragon Inn before making your way back to Rotorua.

Construction on the Hobbiton Movie Set: A major and very exciting development project is underway at Hobbiton Movie Set until December 2023

Glow-worms are the highlight of any night-time stroll in New Zealand, and when found in abundance they can be as breathtaking as our clearest night sky. Join our experienced guides on a trip into the native bush to witness this phenomenon for yourself. Learn about the life-cycle of this fascinating insect, experience New Zealand’s wildlife by night and top off this stellar evening by relaxing under the stars.

An unique experience for all your senses.

Highlights
• Glow-worm, waterfalls, wildlife and star gazing.
• New Zealand Native Forest - all by the cover of darkness.
• Small group, relaxed atmosphere.

Kaituna River features grade 5 rapids plus the awesome 7 meter (23 feet) Tutea Falls, the worlds highest commercially rafted waterfall. Take the ultimate thrill ride on this Kaituna River white water rafting tour.

Experience a theme park like no other, where the rides are more like extreme sports. Located just minutes from central Rotorua, Velocity Valley is an adrenaline junkie’s paradise. Not for the faint-hearted, these rides have one thing in common – extreme, heart-thumping, blood-pumping fun. Be prepared to take it to the next level, with edge-of-your-seat thrills, chills and adrenaline-charged, non-stop action.

Complimentary pick up and drop off is also available from Rotorua.

Experience the majesty of Mt. Tarawera, infamous for its volcanic eruption in 1886. This guided 4-hour trek encompasses the stunning landscape and unique history of the area. You'll follow a winding trail to the crater's edge for a panoramic view of the geothermal area. Travel by 4WD vehicle from central Rotorua hotels.

Take a wild and wacky ride with ZORB - roll down the longest tracks in the world. Owned and operated by inventors of this iconic activity, you get to slide around inside the inflatable ball in a warm water bath for a new type of thrill. Before you set off, your instructor explains how to ride and enjoy the twists and turns as the ball rolls downhill - don't worry it's like a giant water slide, no tumbling involved! Choose from four different runs that promise lots of laughs and fun.

Explore New Zealand’s geothermal landscapes at your own pace on this independent  Waimangu hiking tour. Follow rugged hiking trails through the Waimangu region, and take in top natural attractions like Frying Pan Lake, Inferno Crater Lake, and Lake Rotomahana. Trek past the unique craters and steaming geysers, and capture the spectacular scenery on camera. At the end of your hike, return to your starting point via the shuttle bus.

Are you ready to soar over waterfalls, zoom through pristine native forests, and be enlightened through a hands-on cultural and ecological experience in Okere Falls, Rotorua? If so, then Rotorua Ziplines has you covered. Suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities, a network of ziplines, swing bridges, and boardwalks will have you in awe for 2.5 hours as you fly, walk and gaze at the stunning taiao (Environment) that is Ōkere.
Born through an intimate connection with the Ōkere Awa (Kaituna River), this joint venture between Ngāti Hinerangi and Rotorua Rafting’s Ōkere Falls born and bred, Sam Sutton, has been created to showcase its mauri (spirit) and importance with Aotearoa’s soon to be premier zipline experience.
Ensuring that our taiao is enhanced through the very operation will have every guest leaving a tree in their name as Rotorua Ziplines reforestation project plant its way towards 60,000 native trees by the end of 2025 to see Ōkere Falls thrive for generations to come.

Experience the rejuvenating powers of the world-famous mud bath & sulphur spas at Hell’s Gate. Used by local Maori for over 800 years, open and clean your skin by lathering it in the unique mud, before exfoliating and cleansing with a soak in the sulphur spa. While you relax, take the opportunity to admire the geothermal reserve. Your body and soul will feel revitalized after this soothing experience.

Elite Adventures tours depart from Rotorua at 8 am. Pickups are scheduled for between 8 am and 8.30 am depending on your accommodation (will be listed under the pickup tab)

This Elite Adventures tour first journeys to Wai O Tapu, one of the world's most surreal geothermal locations. Here you and you will be guided around a collection of stunning colorful geothermal features such as the Champagne pool and the Devil's Bath.

Following Wai O Tapu our journey will guide you to the Lady Knox geyser, who is very punctual and only goes once a day.

At the conclusion of the geyser eruption, our journey leads you to Waimangu Valley, the youngest geothermal ecosystem in the world.

*Please note that due to staff shortages, Wai o tapu is closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. As an alternative option, Elite adventures will substitute Wai O tapu for the beautiful lake Rotomahana boat cruise at Waimangu. We do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The Tarawera and Lakes Tour is the best way to appreciate the scenery of the Rotorua lakes district and learn more about the history of the land, the people, and the devastating 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera. This unique 120 minute fully guided adventure takes place on land and water on-board in a genuine WWII Amphibious Duck. Visit 4 of Rotorua's stunning lakes and travel on 3 with the highlight being the stunning Lake Tarawera at the base of the mighty Mt Tarawera. Comfortable seating for all and great for families, couples and single travelers wanting to learn about our rich history and view natural landscapes. We pride ourselves on having tour guides that are highly knowledgeable and engaging. Our tours are done in a small group environment.

Hop into the saddle and experience the best of New Zealand’s great outdoors on this 1 hour horse trekking adventure from Rotorua. Choose the start time to suit your schedule, then follow a guide on horseback into the countryside around Mt. Ngongotaha. Explore green paddocks and working farmland, and enjoy fine views over Lake Rotorua in the distance. This tour includes all safety gear plus wet weather gear if raining.