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Enrich your summer holiday with these 8 cultural adventures

Deepen your understanding of NZ culture with these rich and meaningful holiday adventures.

After a long time confined to our immediate neighbourhoods, there’s never been a greater desire to see and do something new. This summer, walk in the footsteps of forest gods, enter subterranean worlds and witness the magic of Aotearoa’s native wildlife with these enriching cultural experiences that will broaden your worldview, perspective and understanding of the land in which we live.

1. Whale Watch Kaikōura

Is there any experience more spectacular than seeing a Giant Sperm Whale against the spectacular backdrop of the Seaward Kaikōura Range?

Whale Watch Kaikōura is owned and operated by the Ngāti Kuri, a sub tribe of Ngāi Tahu. They take visitors on an unforgettable journey in purpose-built vessels through this place where nature is revered and respected.

If the Sperm Whale proves elusive, there’s a myriad of other marine life to be sighted, including the Royal Albatross, Hector’s Dolphin and New Zealand Fur Seals.

Tours from $150 per adult and from $60 per child. Visit whalewatch.co.nz

2. Footprints Waipoua - Hokianga

From some of Aotearoa’s tiniest inhabitants to giants of the natural world, step into the mighty Waipoua Forest with Footprints Waipoua.

Here you’ll find kauri trees that have been standing for two thousand years. Your guides will share the stories of their ancestors, capturing the legends of the Atua (forest gods), the waiata (songs), the rongoa (medicine) and their magic. It’s an enchanting experience where you’ll learn how these trees are intertwined with the lives of Te Roroa, Ngāpuhi and the important role they play in the forest ecosystem.

Twilight experience $105 per person.

Visit footprintswaipoua.co.nz

3. Waka Abel Tasman

This unique adventure will connect you with a mode of transport used by tūpuna to navigate the oceans and waterways for thousands of years.

Waka tours with Waka Abel Tasman use doublehulled or single-hulled outrigger canoes, and the journey is an inclusive experience by which you’ll get to work as part of a team and learn the etiquette of this special mode of transport.

Trips range from an hour to several days, so you can choose the style and duration of trip that suits you.

Tours from $95 per person. Visit wakaabeltasman.nz

4. Manea Footprints of Kupe - Hokianga

Art, culture, film, performance, digital interaction and natural landscapes combine in this 75-minute immersive experience.

Manea Footprints of Kupe is a multisensory journey of guided storytelling, with live performance and a 4D digital extravaganza recreating Kupe’s intrepid ocean voyages. Your guide will deepen your understanding of tikanga and the significance of the Hokianga harbour, which was Kupe’s final departure point. You’ll then have plenty of time to reflect and absorb in the Footprints of Kupe Interactive Gallery.

The Footprints of Kupe Experience $65 per adult or $142 for a family of 4. Visit maneafootprints.co.nz

5. Te Puia – Rotorua

Discover one of New Zealand’s incredible natural and cultural wonders at Te Puia, a 60-hectare geothermal landscape filled with native bush, bubbling mud pools and the biggest active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere.

Wander along the geothermal trails, hear stories ofT ūhourangi Ngā tiW āhiao and Ngāti Whakaue and their connection to the land, you can also watch master wood, stone and bone carvers and flax weavers at work.

At the Kiwi Conservation Centre, you can get up close and personal with kiwi in their nocturnal enclosure and learn about the conservation efforts to protect our national bird.

Geyser By Night $50 per adult or $119 for a family of 4. Visit tepuia.com

6. Waitomo Caves - Waikato

Beneath the surface of the Waikato’s rolling hills, a 30 million-year-old world awaits in the Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

Embark on a magical boat tour with one of the guides, many of whom are direct descendants of the Rangatira who originally explored the caves. As you glide along the water, marvel at incredible cave formations and thousands of tiny Arachnocampa Luminosa (the glowworm native to New Zealand), that fill the cavernous space with a galaxy of light.

Waitomo Glowworm Caves tour $55 per adult or $140 for a family of 4. Visit waitomo.com

7. Timmy Smith – Waiheke Island

Local artist Timmy Smith (Ngati Porou/ Whakatōhea) has created an inviting space that’s become a favourite of Waiheke Island locals.

Drop in to Timmy Smith for a tea tasting, to browse the jewellery collection or pick up a sweet treat and be inspired by the warmth and creativity of the space that encourages connection and reflection.

Learn about different teas and blending herbs and create your very own tī (tea) blend. Pick up a memento for a loved one, like one of the sand lockets encasing memories of Aotearoa’s coastlines.

Tea Blending Experience from $145 per person. Visit timmysmith.co.nz

8. Whakarewarewa – Rotorua

Home of the Tūhourangi Ngā tiW āhiao people, who’ve been sharing their way of life with visitors from all around the world for over 200 years, Whakarewarewa provides an intimate glimpse into life in a Living Māori Village.

It’s owned and operated by local residents who can trace their ancestry back to the Te Arawa people who first occupied the valley in 1325. Walk or e-bike the Jurassic geothermal landscape of Te Whakarewarewa Valley and take a guided tour to learn about the daily life of living in a volcanic plateau.

Whaka E-Bike Trails from $45 per person. Visit whakarewarewa.com

For more inspiration around how to enrich your summer with meaningful cultural experiences head to NewZealand.com/nz

Please travel safely and check guidance at covid19.govt.nz for any requirements related to the Covid protection framework (the traffic light system) in the region you’re travelling to.

January 23, 2022

en-nz

2022-01-23T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-23T08:00:00.0000000Z

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