Top Tauranga Cultural Tours

When your cruise ship docks in Tauranga, take a small-group shore excursion that showcases Maori culture and New Zealand's natural beauty. Highlights include the Living Maori Village, the geothermal geysers, kiwi orchards, and traditional cultural performance. Indulge in a deluxe 2-course lunch and a sightseeing tour of Rotorua before a walk among the redwoods of the Whakarewarewa Forest and a visit to the Tudor-style design museum. Your small-group tour includes admission fees, lunch, and round-trip transportation from the cruise port.

Swap the Tauranga cruise port for the Shire, featured in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies, on a Hobbiton Movie Set shore excursion. Your tour includes movie structures such as hobbit holes, the party tree and the Mill. Sip a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, and then suit up in a favorite LOTR costume with a stop at McLaren Falls Park.

Learn how New Zealand’s Maori people have adapted to life among the geothermal activity of Rotorua on this small-group shore excursion from Tauranga. At the Living Maori Village, see how residents integrate natural elements like bubbling geysers, mud pools and steam vents into daily tasks, and watch a live cultural performance. You’ll also drive past gorgeous beaches, walk through an ancient redwood forest, and taste local kiwi fruit fresh from the farm on this immersive Bay of Plenty highlights tour.

Once your cruise ship docks in Tauranga, get the most out of your time in port with this combo trip to the Geothermal Valley and a local kiwi fruit orchard. With a guide teaching you about the geology and history, explore the geysers, hot pools, and steam vents in the valley, then head to the kiwi orchards to learn about New Zealand's most famous export. Tastings of jams, juices, and different kiwi varieties included.

Take a shore excursion to the Hobbiton Movie Set and sightsee Rotorua with a guide when your cruise ship pulls into port at Tauranga. Journey to Middle-earth and The Shire of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ fame, featured in the popular LOTR trilogy and ‘The Hobbit.’ Then learn traditional customs at the Maori village of Whakarewarewa before strolling past the spouting geysers and steaming hot springs of thermal Rotorua. Numbers are limited to 19 participants in this small-group tour to the land of hobbits and hot pools.

When your cruise ship docks in Tauranga, experience the wonders of New Zealand's North Island in a small group on this full-day tour to Rotorua. Take in sights such as Mount Maunganui, Sulphur Bay on Lake Rotorua, hot springs around Rotorua, and places of importance to the Maori people. Taste fresh kiwi fruit at an orchard, stroll through the Redwood Forest, and admire the manicured grounds of Government Gardens. Your small-group tour includes guide, entrance fees, air-conditioned transportation, and port pickup and drop-off.

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.

Step off your ship at the Port of Tauranga and enjoy a day around Rotorua and Mount Maunganui. Visit some of the hot pools and bubbling geysers of Rotorua and learn about how Maori traditions are woven with the landscape. Drive through the wide streets of Rotorua and see some of its beautiful locations with your guide, and visit a green kiwifruit orchard before returning to port.

Explore exquisite Tauranga in style, riding in a luxurious modern Mercedes tour-vehicle as you cruise from hilltop to seaside and sample along the way some of New Zealand’s finest honey and kiwifruit export produce. After learning about and tasting the delights of rural Tauranga this tour returns you to port comfortably, and contented - stopping at a scenic lookout to take in the natural beauty of the Bay of Plenty from above.

This Tauranga shore excursion stands out from others by offering a 2-course lunch and a visit to a Polynesian spa. The basics of local shore excursions are included too: travel with a small group to the Rotorua geothermal geyser, mud pools, and steam vents, and then see a Maori dance performance. At the spa, soak in hot mineral springs with views of Lake Rotorua.

Experience the magic of New Zealand’s North Island on this evening glow-worm kayak tour in Tauranga. Begin your tour with refreshments including wine from the award-winning Mills Reef Winery and delicious New Zealand cheeses on the banks of Lake McLaren. As day turns to night, hop into your kayak and paddle with your guide to the glow-worm canyon at the head of Lake McLaren. Marvel at the millions of bright green glow-worms clinging to the towering cliff sides, and gain insight into the life cycle of these fascinating creatures.

When your ship pulls into port in Tauranga, explore Rotorua on a guided shore excursion. Your full-day itinerary includes a welcome concert at the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute at Te Puia, where you’ll explore the extensive geothermal grounds, see a flax-weaving demonstration, and visit the nocturnal Kiwi House. Then tour Rotorua highlights such as the Government Gardens and stop at Okere Falls and Kiwi 360 for tastings.

Spend a day off your cruise ship and get out of the city on this day trip to two popular North Island attractions, Whakarewarewa and Hobbiton. Save time hiring a car and getting used to New Zealand roads; your guide meets you at the port and heads straight into the heartland. Visit Whakarewarewa, a bubbling geothermal landscape and home to the local Māori iwi (tribe), then head across the Kaimai Ranges to Hobbiton, an authentic movie set from the Lord of the Rings.

Easily explore the area outside the Port of Tauranga during this guided tour that includes port pickup and drop-off. First visit a New Zealand kiwi orchard, and get the chance to taste the native fruit yourself. Catch sight of natural wonders such as Okere Falls, Blue Lake, and Whakarewarewa Forest before going to taste New Zealand honey at a local farm (time permitting).

Explore New Zealand’s Maori culture, and marvel at geysers and mud pools beneath Mt Maunganui on this full-day Rotorua tour. Travel from Tauranga Port by coach with your guide and discover some of the North Island’s top attractions. Admire pristine beaches and million-dollar homes in Mt Maunganui. Visit the Kiwi 360 Visitor Centre to sample homegrown wine and fruit. Discover dense forests, shimmering lakes and rolling farmland, and immerse yourself in Maori culture in Rotorua. See bubbling mud pools and shooting geysers, and gain insight into traditional Maori crafts.

Explore the thermal wonderland of Wai-O-Tapu and see Pohutu Geyser blow its top at Whakarewarewa during this full-day private Tauranga shore excursion to the Rotorua region. Witness colorful thermal springs, hissing steam vents and bubbling mud pools as your guide details the area’s geothermal activity, then discover traditional customs at New Zealand's only living Maori village. Port pickup and drop-off by private vehicle included.

Experience the highlights of Rotorua on an easy, comprehensive day trip from Tauranga that’s especially designed for cruise ship passengers. Limited time on land doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the best sights. After being picked up in Tauranga you’ll be driven to Rotorua. There, you’ll experience the Tudor-style Government Gardens, a working kiwifruit orchard, and the geysers, mud pools, and Maori culture of Te Puia Thermal Reserve.

Discover many of New Zealand’s top attractions in one day on this 6-hour private shore excursion to Rotorua from Tauranga Port. Sample kiwifruit and local wines at the Kiwi 360 Center, and admire the sandy beaches of Mt Maunganui with your guide. Travel past dense forests, shimmering lakes and rolling farmland to Okere Falls. Immerse yourself in Maori culture in Rotorua, and marvel at mighty geothermal activity at Whakarewarewa or Te Puia. See famous sites such as the Government Gardens, Blue Baths and Rotorua Museum before returning to your ship.

Some of the Bay of Plenty’s most exciting towns and attractions are some way from the coast, which can make them tough to get to if you’re exploring the region on a cruise ship. This day-long tour to Rotorua solves that problem by picking you up direct from your cruise ship in Tauranga. Drive just under 50 miles to Rotorua and explore the town, including stops at Te Puia, a hub of local Māori culture and geothermal activity, the beautiful Government Gardens and the towering Redwood Forest.

Take a walk around Tauranga and see the city’s landmarks and attractions on this self-guided audio tour. Instead of getting crammed  into a stifling hot tour bus or waiting for other travellers, stroll along the waterfront at your own pace while learning about the history of local iwi (Māori tribe) Te Arawa, then visit significant sites like the Strand, The Elms Mission House and the old cannon at Monmouth Redoubt.

Departs 9:00am. Visit Kiwifruit Country and learn all about the kiwifruit industry before heading to Rotorua to take in the breathtaking sights of beautiful lakes, towering Redwoods, boiling mud pools and gushing geysers. Your guide will take you on a tour of the park sharing about the Maori culture, the history of the area and how the Maori lived day to day along with beautiful views of the geothermal areas. The tour will end with a cultural performance including a welcome on to the Marae or meeting house, examples of traditional songs and the famous haka.

Together with the professional guide, you will visit the most charming places in the city. You will have a chance to explore the city, while hearing fascinating facts and legends. Why is Tauranga known as a very popular lifestyle and tourism destination? Tauranga has many outlying islands and reefs that make it a notable tourist destination point for travelling scuba divers and marine enthusiasts.You will be surprised how many stories are hidden in the streets, buildings and corners of Tauranga. Your charming guide will tell you what is special and unique about living in this city. Perfect for those who are visiting the city for the first time and want to get the most of it! * You will be guided by a local charismatic guide * You will hear the stories and legends of the city * You will visit the charming places

The focus of this historical and cultural self-guided audio tour is the tales and myths that surround Mount Maunganui, also known as The Mount, including the arrival of the Maori in New Zealand. Perfectly suited for discovery on foot, our self-guided audio tour allows you to set the pace and explore at your leisure as you uncover the stories of this exciting city. Wander along white sand beaches while listening to the stories of the natives’ past. Learn about the battles that took place between the Maori and the European settlers, and the lore that brings the mountain to life. To discover this wonderful city in your own time and at your own pace just download this self-guided audio tour, pop in your headphones, open the map that comes with your download and start walking. The tour will take approximately two hours, but you can pause the audio guide when needed. Grab a bite to eat or do some shopping along the way. Please note that this tour is only available in English.