Home > Rotorua > Rotorua Maori Hangi Dinner and Performance
USD $88.00
Rotorua Maori Hangi Dinner and Performance
Rotorua, New Zealand
Complete your adventure through Rotorua with a traditional Maori "hangi" feast. You'll travel by coach to Tamaki Maori Village where your local guide will escort you on a cultural journey to the "marae" (Maori village), the life force of New Zealand's indigenous people. Take the opportunity to engage in an evening of local customs including a traditional Maori dinner feast.
Your journey through time unfolds when your coach travels to a pre-European village set deep within the forest, 15 minutes from Rotorua. Let this 3.5-hour tour and your imagination take over as your guide instructs you on the protocol for visiting the marae. A chief is selected, a song is learnt and the eerie cry of the welcome is heard before you enter the world of the proud warriors of the ancient Maori.
You will experience the powhiri (welcome ceremony) before you enter the village, with crackling open fires in front of traditional whare (houses). You'll hear traditional Maori instruments and watch the daily activities of days gone by. In the wharenui (meeting house), a Rangiatea culture group offers a powerful display of haka song and dance. Then, as new friendships are forged, dine on a traditional hangi feast, where the food is cooked slowly beneath the ground in earth ovens.
This is an amazing re-enactment based on actual events from history, with real characters, traditional arts and crafts, powerful song and dance while enjoying an authentic Hangi feast.
Muito bom, mas o local onde os Maori viviam é fabricada, não é original, mas dá para imaginar como seria a original. Jantar bom.
Review by: Scott B, November 2017
Great experience, enjoyed every minute and well worth the price. Dennis even made the bus ride enjoyable, we all had fun.
Review by: leilal84, November 2017
We loved everything about it. Food, dance and the tour and the busdriver was all good, very good! Loved it.
Review by: Bobbi-Jo W, October 2017
Really enjoyed the welcome and the way the group was split up to make smaller groups for a more personalized experience. Seating arrangements were awkward as my husband ended up sitting with our children and I was at another table with his parents as there was a 'rush' to sit and obviously odd numbered groups. For the price we should have been able to sit together as a group. The food was very tasty. The bus driver was awesome with an explanation of things on the way out and entertaining on the way back.
Review by: Graeme R, October 2017
Great evening
Review by: selina.barrow, October 2017
This tour was fantastic from the pick up to the drop off! We missed our bus, got the time wrong, I phoned and they quickly sent the bus back to get us. The driver was Dennis Dennis the menace and he was hilarious. He gave us informative information on the way as well as humour and songs. Once we arrived we were met by very friendly hosts, which lasted the whole night. The tour was very informative, engaging and the Hangi was delicious. The ride home was just as funny as the ride there. Definitely recommend this tour. We will be bringing our family back for sure. Loved the cultural experience. Thank you to all involved
Review by: 3, October 2017
Fabulous
Review by: Margaret B, October 2017
Fantastic evening. Very friendly and welcoming. Buffet Hangi meal mostly gluten free.
Review by: Di, October 2017
What an amazing leaning experience for a Grandma and three grandchildren. Pick up from accommodation was perfect for us drive was exceptional and fully of knowledge. Going home to Australia with a greater knowledge of the Maori people, their culture, traditions and customs. Rated this tour Fantastic it's a definite destination place.
Review by: Jaclyn R, September 2017
Tamaki Cultural tour was amazing! It's great to know about the Maori culture and learn a few Maori words. Irikau is the best tour/bus driver ever! Made us feel welcome. From the bus ride to the village to the bus ride back to the hotel Irikau made sure we were enjoying ourselves. Food is great too!
Review by: Frank F, September 2017
We had an absolutely amazing time. The Hangi Dinner was good, a little on the plain side but filling and fun sitting with other guest. Entertainment was pretty funny. The Maori people were incredibly talented and proud of their heritage and willing to share it with us. I learned a lot about their culture and New Zealand. I was an honorary chief of our tribe so that was a lot of fun as well.
Review by: Trish S, September 2017
What an amazing evening we had, our overseas cousins thought it was the best thing they had ever seen. The fact we could get involved in the activities made it even better. Very professional and well organised show.
Review by: Les N, September 2017
Excellent evening out. Picked up from our motel on time. Pleasant drive to the dinner, warmly greeted and the food was outstanding. The gift shop had been picked over by the time we got to it. Taken back to our motel on time.
Review by: Telesia A, August 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Timothy M, August 2017
Excellent tour and from what I was told it is the best Maori village to visit. I was chosen as one of the visiting chiefs. I really wanted to sit back and enjoy the Maori immersion instead, but I tell you what it was pretty cool being the chief. If you can be respectful to their heritage and follow some basic rules consider asking to be a chief. By the way it helps if you can sing.
Review by: Donna W, August 2017
Fantastic cultural experience.
Review by: vincemooney, July 2017
A fun evening where it is difficult not to participate_br/_ The evening was very structured and timed to the second to accommodate a number of tour groups_br/_ Food was very good but don't expect to eat early as the show and exhibitions come first
Review by: Jacqueline P, July 2017
Really great! Took UK visitors I live here and we all thoroughly enjoyed. Lots of interactions, explanations, good food and good wine. Suitable for all ages.
Review by: Paul R, June 2017
highly recommend
Review by: Jasmine W, June 2017
Well worth it. Great food, fun bus driver, informative and entertaining.
Review by: Charles P, May 2017
This was tied for the best activity on our trip. The dinner was fabulous! I was chosen as one of the chiefs which was a lot of fun. It was a great introduction to the Maori culture. Wouldn't miss it!
Review by: Sarah S, May 2017
Great night filled with historical information, lots of fun performances, and a fantastic buffet dinner! If you're in Rotorua, make sure you meet this tribe!
Review by: Shirley H, May 2017
Very well done. Bus was At our hotel right on time and the bus driver was very personable. The tour was well organized and gave us a great history of the Maori culture as well as allowing us to participate in some of their activities. The facility is impressive . Seemed very authentic, other than the dining area which is very modern. Would be nice if there were more cultural decorations . _br/_ Food was great and plentiful .
Review by: KIM E, May 2017
We had a great night it was very informative and the food was awesome.
Review by: Natalie D, April 2017
A fun night and delicious meal! Well run and organised. You can and #39;t go to Rotorua and not do something like this.
Review by: Indra C, April 2017
This trip was one of the best I've ever been to. On arrival we went through the welcoming ceremony where the chiefs met and exchanged the silver fern. Then we were taken through the various parts of the Maorilife in the village where they explained the meanings of many of their sayings and traditions. We played games and really entered into the spirit of things. We ended up at the area where the food for the evening was cooked. A lovely meal with very tasty food. It wasn't a late evening and you could comfortably take younger members of the family there. We really enjoyed the bus ride home too, our driver was very good in getting us all to sing our favourite songs. Brilliant night out and one you should not miss.
Review by: steph.dallimore, April 2017
A brilliant, fun evening with loads of information about the traditions of the Maori people. From the moment our bus left the city centre our driver engaged us with stories and facts and an insight into what lay ahead for us in the evening. The Maori village itself is beautifully set among trees and woodland and is divided into several areas where you can watch some of the traditional activities and also get involved with things like the haka. Just before dinner we also had a song and dance performance. The meal was very tasty and plentiful. Would thoroughly recommend this tour.
Review by: Roger B, March 2017
We knew that Rotorua was a special place but suspected we would need some inside help to get the best our of our short stay. We were so glad to have chosen this small group tour of the geo-thermal wonders of the area with Elite, and delighted that our guides turned out to be Trent, who was a legend from start to finish, and his assistant Brian. They were so knowledgeable and effortlessly, explaining every aspect not just of how the fascinating thermal features of the area had been formed, but also wider issues, such as geology, mineralogy, the flora and fauna of the area, and the so-important perspective of the Maori migration to NZ and the development of their culture. Trent in particular was a mine of information! We were able to visit the wonders of the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland, the Lady Knox Geyser, and the awesome Waimangu Volcanic Rift. The intimacy of the small group meant we were all able to participate and ask questions and receive informed, detailed answers. We would not have learnt or seen a fraction of what we did without this experience. Outstanding!
Review by: Richard P, March 2017
The performance was very educational, professional, and fun. The dinner was very good. My wife wanted to learn about the Maori culture and l am glad we purchased Tanaka performance.
Review by: Michael Y, March 2017
really cool experience and insight into the Maori's and a very nice dinner.
Review by: Maria, March 2017
Amazing tour! Definitely MUST DO. I was suspicious when booking but did not regret a second. Extremely well organised so despite on incredible amount of people we had 5 or 6 buses they split people by tribes and you just enjoy the unique Maori culture. Very impressed!
Review by: Kelsey N, March 2017
This tour was great! We learned all about the Maori culture and enjoyed a wonderful traditional meal. You could tell everyone is very proud of their Maori heritage and love telling people about it. One girl let me try to blow out of the traditional conch shell and they get the groups involved with all the heritage demonstrations. For dinner you are sat family style for the buffet dinner which was great to get to talk with everyone from lots of different places! Our table had people from the USA, Australia, Belgium, Germany, and the UK. The bus driver to and from the village was very funny and had the whole bus singing songs on the drive home! Very entertaining, educational, and well worth the money!
Review by: Barbara M, February 2017
This dinner and performance are a must do! Very informative. Very ceremonial. And the Maori people certainly know how to entertain us and make us smile. A true family event.
Review by: Sabrina M, February 2017
I was a little worried about going to Tamaki. I've experienced two other cultural performances here in New Zealand and was worried about its quality because one I saw was incredibly good and the other a huge disappointment. Luckily Tamaki was a good one!_br/_ We had such an amazing bus driver, she had me laugh tears because she was so funny. I found the performance nice but a little short. What I really liked were the 5 workshops at the beginning where Maoris made us do the haka, use the poi etc. The food was delicious, especially the dessert!
Review by: Todd B, February 2017
Worth it for the food alone! A great, fun night!
Review by: Kim S, February 2017
This is one of those tours you do in order to get to know the indigenous culture and learn what to do to show respect of the culture. It was a well-oiled machine they have several groups go through each night and the tour guides are all well trained in the routine. Ours was loud and a little over the top but amused the group and kept everyone entertained on the bus ride to the marae._br/_ The greeting was fabulous with the maori men coming in a canoe and doing the hangi challenge. Following this we went in one group at a time to a specific place for one of several displays with explanation of a part of the Maori culture and moved onto the next when it was finished. This was interesting also and the performers were all very good at engaging the group._br/_ After this we were shown a hangi oven with the food being pulled out of the pit and guided to the dining hall where we sat down and were given permission one table at a time to go and help ourselves to the food with a dance performance also to entertain us. _br/_ The food was nice but that, for me, was not the highlight of the evening it was a bit mass-production style and I was left wondering why our Kiwi friends raved about a hangi being good food.
Review by: StevenTan, February 2017
The coach driver was super entertaining and humorous. The performance was also amazing and allowed us to better appreciate the Maori culture. Dinner was great!
Review by: Vanessa M, February 2017
Experience not to be missed. Very informative and enjoyable evening in the Tamaki Maori Village. Efficient coach pick up and very interesting and humourous guide. The cultural show by the Villagers was first class, the singing was really wonderful. Don't eat before you go, delicious meal and pay bar.
Review by: Gayle L, February 2017
Highlight of our trip to Rotorua. Learned a lot about the history, traditions and culture of the Maori people. Great experience. Some Invitation to participate in the different aspects of the culture made the experience fun as well as informative. The dinner itself was good but not great which is the only reason I didn't give 5 star.
Review by: James A C, February 2017
Plenty of food and new information to learn.
Review by: Lynne J, February 2017
Amazing evening. To see the cultural aspect of New Zealand was amazing. We had fun and enjoyed our feasst.
Review by: howie, January 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Jeremy C, January 2017
This tour is an absolute 'must do' event, informative, entertaining an insight to the Maori Culture with the best lamb dinner I have ever eaten. I was honoured to be Chief of the Tui tribe for the evening and delighted to perform a short Haka under the guidance of the Maori performers.
Review by: Craig E, January 2017
Great fun evening with our guide entertaining us on our bus trip to the village location, and a night of wonderful cultural performances, demonstrations of their traditions, followed by a Maori hangi dinner. Would highly recommend.
Review by: Glenn H, January 2017
This was one of the best tours I've been on, informative, enjoyable, interesting and interactive throughout and I would thoroughly recommend it. The performances by the Moari hosts were brilliant and the food was outstanding and plenty of it. It was great to see the enthusiasm displayed by everyone throughout the evening. Well worth it.
Review by: RC, October 2016
An absolute must do while in Rotorua! The bus picked us up at our hostel and immediately began telling us how we as a tribe would be greeted by Maori elders and the protocol to follow. We were then taken in the village to learn more about Maori customs, weapons, games, and watch our tribesmen learn the Haka. We were entertained by beautiful Maori song and dance before a sumptuous feast with more song and celebration. It was a wonderful evening spent learning about a new culture with our warm, generous hosts.
Review by: Kay L G, October 2016
Enjoyed every minute. Picked up at our hotel. All very professionally organised, interesting, audience participation, plenty of food. Ideal for all ages. Value for money.
Review by: Lynn T, October 2016
Excellent
Review by: Isabella B, October 2016
A great evening learning about the Maori people. They are proud about their culture and heritage which is so nice to see. New Zealand does a great job of respecting their ancestry. Dinner was excellent as well as the performance.
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