Whakarewarewa: Rotorua's Living Māori Village
At Whakarewarewa, the steam isn't a show put on for visitors. It's part of daily life. The Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao people live here among boiling pools, geysers and hissing vents, and they use the earth's heat to cook, bathe and warm their homes. Walking through the village with a local guide feels less like a tourist attraction and more like dropping in on someone's whānau for a cuppa.
At a glance
Where: 17 Tryon Street, Rotorua, five minutes from the city centre
Open: daily, admissions 8.30am–3.30pm (closed 24–25 December)
Best for: families, culture lovers and anyone who wants to hear the stories behind the steam
Allow: two to three hours for a tour, performance and the geothermal trails
Good to know: you can only enter the village with a guide, and it's a real home, so be respectful
A village that has welcomed guests for generations
Whakarewarewa has been hosting visitors since the early 1800s, and its guides helped shape New Zealand's tourism industry. Famous guides including Sophia Hinerangi, Mākereti (Maggie Papakura) and Guide Rangi led visitors here, and many of today's guides come from families with ties to the village going back more than five generations. Their manaakitanga (hospitality) is what makes a visit so special.
What's in a name? The full name, Te Whakarewarewatanga o te Ope Taua a Wāhiao, refers to the gathering place of the war parties of Wāhiao, whose warriors are said to have performed a war dance here, hidden by the steam.
What to do
Take the guided tour
The one-hour guided tour runs on the hour from 9am to 3pm. Your guide shows you how the village lives with the geothermal landscape: the steam boxes and hot pools used for cooking, the communal bathing pools, the church and the meeting house, and views of Pōhutu Geyser across the valley. The most popular question? What happens when a mud pool appears in your backyard. Ask and find out.
On the tour you can try corn on the cob cooked for about eight minutes in Parekohuru, the village's largest hot pool.
Watch the cultural performance
The 30-minute cultural performance runs daily at 12.30pm, with extra shows at 11.15am and 2.15pm on selected dates through the summer months. Expect waiata (songs), poi and a haka.
Walk the geothermal trails
After your tour, the self-guided trails lead past bubbling mud, boiling pools and silica flats where nature is very much in charge.
Eat a hāngī
The village café serves a geothermal hāngī meal between 11.30am and 1.30pm, plus hāngī pies for a quick bite.
Tickets and prices
At the time of writing (October 2026), adult prices are $58 for the guided tour, $37 for the cultural performance, or $123.30 for an All Day Pass that combines the tour, performance and trails. Check the village website for current prices and family options.
Don't miss the memorial gateway
The carved gateway at the entrance commemorates Tūhourangi soldiers who died in both world wars. Unveiled on 22 April 1950, it carries the words 'Kia Mau Mahara' – Lest We Forget.
Visiting respectfully
You're walking through people's homes. Stay with your guide, keep to the paths and don't peer through windows.
Ask before photographing people.
There are no hot pools for visitors to bathe in. The pools are for residents.
Where to stay and tours
Browse places to stay in Rotorua on Booking.com. Compare Whakarewarewa guided tours on GetYourGuide.
This post includes affiliate links. If you book through them, Best Bits Travel may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
FAQs
Is Whakarewarewa worth visiting?
Yes. It's a living village, so you meet the people who live with Rotorua's geothermal landscape every day and hear their stories first hand. It's especially good for families.
How long do you need at Whakarewarewa?
Allow about two to three hours to do the guided tour, see a cultural performance and walk the geothermal trails.
Is Whakarewarewa the same as Te Puia?
No. Both sit on the Te Whakarewarewa geothermal valley, but they're separate experiences. Whakarewarewa is a living village, while Te Puia is home to Pōhutu Geyser and the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. Ownership of the valley has been the subject of a long-running dispute between iwi.
Can you swim in the hot pools at Whakarewarewa?
No. The pools are used by residents for cooking and bathing. For a geothermal soak, try one of Rotorua's commercial hot pools.
