Rotorua

Tauranga Shore Excursion: Rotorua Tour including Gondola ride and fun Luge (opt)

Rotorua, New Zealand
Tauranga Shore Excursion Rotorua Highlights Including Cultural Performance and Gondola Ride
  • 6 hours
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Discover the highlights of Rotorua when your ship pulls into the Port of Tauranga. You'll pass through Mt. Maunganui and learn how kiwifruit is grown. Then check out Rotorua City before a stop at the Rotorua Skyline Gondola. This 7-hour shore excursion includes pickup and drop-off by minivan.
  • Tauranga Shore Excursion to Rotorua
  • Opt for a ride on the Skyline Gondola (own expense)
  • Round-trip port transport included
  • Small-group tour ensures a personalized experience

What's Included

  • Snacks and bottled water
  • Port pick-up and drop-off
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Gondola ride to the top of Mt Ngongataha and return to the bottom
  • Lunch
  • Additional fees for the Luge Ride at the top

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

08:30 AM

What To Expect

Start your full-day shore excursion with pickup from the Port of Tauranga and travel by minivan toward Rotorua with a small group. Your driver-guide will pass through the seaside town of Mt. Maunganui and point out the sandy beaches and harbor around its extinct volcano.

Reaching Te Puke, you'll make a stop at the Kiwifruit Country Store to learn how the fruit is grown and taste some products. From here, the route continues through farmland, native bush, and forested areas past Lake Rotoiti and Okere Falls. Stop here to watch thrill seekers kayak or raft over the twin cascades. 

On arrival in Rotorua, stroll for 1 hour with your guide through Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley. You'll get a look at bubbling mud pools, steam vents, and Pohutu Geyser. Then watch a Maori cultural performance of traditional songs, dances, and demonstrations of fighting skills, including the haka, and take time for a photo opportunity with the performers afterward.

Following lunch (own expense), take a brief city tour through Rotorua, driving past the Government Gardens en route to Rachel Pool and the Polynesian Spa on Lake Rotorua. A final stop is made at the Rotorua Skyline Gondola. Purchase a ticket to ride to the top (own expense, payable direct), where you'll find a cafe and popular activities like the Luge, Big Swoop, or Zoom Zip Line. 

The return journey follows a shorter route through magnificent gorges and farmland before crossing the Tauranga Harbour Bridge back to port.

Mt Maunganui Main Beach

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Te Puke

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Government Gardens

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kuirau Park (Pass By)

Skyline Rotorua

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Infant seats available
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Reviews

4.5
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Highly recommend
Debbie_J, Mar 2020
I am not good with electronics, but wanted to leave a review about Toby and our experience. It was wonderful and he is very accommodating to make it custom for everyone to enjoy their experience. Highly recommend!!
Response from Host, Mar 2020
Thank you Debbie. You're an awesome person, and a delight as a customer. All the best with your plans to go to Brazil. Enjoy the rest of your holiday. Toby
Taranaki shore excursion
JANE_B, Nov 2019
The tour was a little disorganized. The guide Roger was running behind schedule, not sure of the time he needed to return us to the port for our boarding of our cruise ship. Didn't really comment much on history or geography of where and what he was showing us. Did take us to geothermal pools, and redwood forest. We are from California and we have lots of redwood forests, he never said much about this one, how did they get a redwood forest in New Zealand? Seemed to have alot of unexplained wondering around time. That being said the adventure park with the gondola and luge ride was great! Could have been a better tour with a different guide.
Response from Host, Jan 2020
With respect I think you maybe a little confused as I owned the company for the past 5 years . I pride myself on giving my guests the best possible day and make a point of covering the history of this area from when Capt Cook discovered the area in 1769 and that the Redwood forest was introduced in the early 1900’s. I always encourage people to ask questions and we certainly maximize your time we certainly don’t have a lot of “ wandering around time “ If I was behind schedule it would be because some people have difficulty or reading instructions on what time we meet , that being the case out tour is still longer than advertised so everyone has a great day . We know exactly what time we will be back at the Port that is the first thing we cover with passengers and no one has ever been late back , generally you are in Port 12 hours and our Tours are approx 7 hours in duration. I apologize if it did not meet your expectations but your review is a little vague and one of a minority you have even referred to the tour as Taranaki which is a different of New Zealand regards Roger

From $160.00

Price varies by group size

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

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