As more visitors seek to connect with local culture, communities and heritage, New Zealand In Depth has introduced authentic ways to experience the heart of the country’s cultural identity—Māori people, who have been inhabitants there for centuries. Globally, there has been a rise in interest in people wanting to experience cultural tourism, with the global cultural tourism market size worth $6.08 billion in 2023 (and it's projected to touch $17.81 billion by 2032).
Those eager to enjoy an authentic cultural experience can visit the Māori-owned whānau (family) business Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours, which integrates core Māori values, stories of identity and land into its operations. Staying in a lakeside cottage, guests will have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in a modern Māori community surrounded by tribal lands. They can also participate in cultural activities such as weaving, haka lessons and nighttime eel fishing. Culinary enthusiasts will enjoy a slice of New Zealand culture as they prepare and cook a traditional Māori Hangi feast using centuries-old cooking methods followed by ancestors, before tucking into the dishes.
Guests can book a stay on Kapiti Island through whānau-run business Kapiti Island Nature Tours, which has been offering a nature and cultural tourism experience on Māori land since 1820. They can enjoy a kiwi-spotting experience after dark, followed by a stay in a glamping tent or cabin. Travelers can explore the geothermal area of Orakei Korako and marvel at the geysers, hot springs and one of only two geothermal caves in the world. They can tour the site, which was originally occupied by the native Māori people.
Guests will then travel north to embark on the “Ancestral Footprints Cultural Tour,” offered by Totally Tarawera, a whānau-owned and operated business around Mount Tarawera, which was once home to a number of Māori settlements. They can take in the pink and white terraces along the edge of Lake Rotomahana before concluding the day bathing and relaxing in the geothermal waters. Early risers can participate in the sunrise experience on Maunga Hikurangi, the sacred mountain of the Ngati Porou people. They can journey under the dark southern skies and a blanket of stars before ascending the treasured peaks to view nine Māori carvings depicting the story of Maui, a demi-god who slowed the sun, while watching the sunrise in the background.
Finally, guests will have a special opportunity to join two celebrity chefs and Deon Muir, former Waikato Chiefs player and captain of the Māori All Blacks, for an unforgettable experience of fishing, foraging and feasting. Embarking on a guided ocean adventure across the Maketū Bar with Muirs Tours, they will catch and prepare fish, discover traditional Māori cooking techniques, and indulge in a delicious meal while enjoying cultural storytelling.
Fares are inclusive of 12 nights’ accommodation including a stay on Kapiti Island, Kohutapu Lodge, rental car, sunrise tour, and guided tour with Muir Tours, Totally Tarawera and Maori Hangi.
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