Relax aboard a sailing yacht on Great Lake Taupo during this sightseeing cruise to Maori rock carvings. Accessible solely by water, this impressive rock art on the cliffs of Mine Bay was created by a master carver in 1976. You’ll come up close to the 22-foot-high (10-meter) gallery and enjoy postcard views from the deck. Relax with a complimentary glass of wine or beer if you sail in the evening.

Sailing cruise on Great Lake Taupo
Set sail for the Maori rock carvings of Mine Bay
Learn about the history of the art from a knowledgeable guide
Enjoy a complimentary beverage on board

What's Included

Local guide providing commentary on the lake, the carvings and the volcanoes
GST (Goods and Services Tax) included
All cruises include a complimentary beverage and a Sail Barbary postcard
Evening cruises include a glass of wine/beer/soft drink
Swimming is encouraged
Private transportation

Additional food and drinks
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Sail Barbary eco-sailing to Maori Rock Carvings Taupo
Berths 9 &, 10 Redoubt Street, Nukuhau, Taupō 3330, New Zealand
We are located in front of Stir Cafe - a little grey caravan converted into a cafe. Look for a blue flag with Barbary written on it in yellow. Berth 9 and 10.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Maori Rock Carvings

2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
What to Bring: Dress casual, comfortable and warm (layered clothes work best), windproof/showerproof jacket, swimwear and towel (during summer), sunglasses, hat and don’t forget your camera!
Not wheelchair accessible
Please note: You are welcome to bring your own prepared food and beverages. NZ law requires adults to be R18 and over to drink alcohol.
All departures are subject to demand, minimum numbers, lake and weather conditions. We reserve the right to transfer customers to an alternative boat should weather conditions allow it. This will not alter the tour route or inclusions.

Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 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 good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
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

Featured review

Jacky_P

Amazing Experience viewing the Maori Carvings & sitting out on the calm, peaceful lake waters within the cove. Guide & Captain was great, easy to talk to & funny - adding to the Experience.

Reviews

5.0

665 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 665 reviews

Great to see

Gail_B, Mar 2024

Shame that we had to change boats due to the poor weather, but we still really enjoyed the trip and it was great to see the rock carvings.

Great value for an up close experience.

Alysha_B, Mar 2024

Loved having the chance to sail on a sailboat! The skipper was great and had the typical Kiwi sense of humour which we love. The views, epic, as usual and you get up pretty close to the carvings with plenty of opportunity to get your photos in. The boat had comfortable seating and drinks available down below deck.

Worth your time - go sailing!

Karen_B, Mar 2024

Loved the whole experience of being on such a beautiful lake in a sailboat. Our captain had such a wonderful dry humor and yet was full of fascinating info about the lake, the carvings, and the area.

Taupo Eco Tours

john_c, Feb 2024

Just the experience of sailing on a yacht. A laser light pointer at the rock carvings would helped to show which particular part of the rocks the Guide was talking about.

Worth it!

Sophie_B, Jan 2024

Had a wonderful time on Lake Taupo, the guide was wonderful. The lake was breathtaking, along with the carvings. We would definitely recommend this experience for something different and relaxing.

Brilliant

Hannah_M, Jan 2024

Brilliant trip. The skipper was funny and gave lots of info. Got to swim next to the Maori carvings as well. LOVED this trip

Wonderful sailing time

Anne_A, Jan 2024

Excellent trip, host was fun and interesting. Perfect weather for our memorable sail. Would recommend.

The evening cruise

Stuart_H, Jan 2024

A very good trip with a great Captain and his daughter-Ruby. A beautiful yacht. An experience not to be missed.

Worth taking a small sailing adventure to see it.

maika_p, Jan 2024

I thought the wall carving remains of an ancient Maori settlement, but it's just something over forty years old. I'm happy I didn't know, because otherwise I would have missed a beautiful sailing journey and an impressing artwork because of its size.

Book Last Minute, Very Poor Customer Service!!

Brennan_B, Jan 2024

Do yourself a favor and book this one last minute just in case!!! My family of 4 was unable to make our trip due to half our party being extremely sick. I let the company know the day before but less than 24hrs. I did this out of concern for others, including the staff of the boat and fellow customers. Nothing is worse than being on a boat with people that are so sick they shouldn’t be there. I requested a refund or reschedule and was told NO because the weather was fine. I responded that I wasn’t needing to cancel due to weather but rather due to illness, they then said NO because I needed to provide a doctor’s note! I’m in a foreign country and nobody was sick enough to take up value resources at an emergency room. The business would only correspond through Viator about the money. I also asked Viator to ask again if we could instead reschedule. I WASN’T offered that option either. This was Not good business for the crew or customers!

Our captain was so...

Gurkan_T, Dec 2023

Our captain was so friendly; the stories and the lake were interesting. It was a mix of sailboat and electric engine which is pretty unique and clean for the environment. Overall, great experience, and highly recommended.

Taupo Carvings

john_s, Nov 2023

Seeing the Carvings up close was cool. Chris the captain and guide was fun and knowledgeable and made the experience a good one.

Great guide

Annelies_H, Nov 2023

Amazing experience with beautiful views on the water and an amazing guide telling us stories about the area, the lake, the carvings and other fun facts/stories.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Thank you. We love our area.

Peaceful and interesting experience

Tory_M, Sep 2023

Very relaxing and enjoyable experience. Our skipper shared stories of the lake, of the Maouri legends and of the carvings. He was happy to answer any and all questions.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Thank you for the review. So glad you enjoyed your experience.

Worth doing

Brent_D, Sep 2023

Lovely cruise down the lake with Chris, very funny man. The yacht was so peaceful instead of a noisy motor. The carvings were fantastic, very detailed. Tea and coffee available on board too. Well worth it.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Hi Brent I will pass on your kind words and appreciation to Skipper Chris. He certainly is a funny guy. Thank you for mentioning our electric sailboat and how it improved your Maori Rock carvings experience.

Chris was a great...

Sharon_C, Aug 2023

Chris was a great guide... Good banter with the Aussies on the boat. Well practised patter. Lovely to be on a boat without diesel fumes

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Hi Sharon, I am pleased our humorous Skipper entertained you. Yes, you certainly notice the electric engine difference especially at the Maori Rock Carvings - no smelly diesel fumes swirling around while you enjoy the carvings.

The captain was...

Angela_R, Aug 2023

The captain was wonderful, with great details but also quiet time to reflect on the history of the Māori heritage and the volcanic history of lake Taupo. Overall a great experience!

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Hi Angela, I am sure Skipper Chris will appreciate your comments on his informative commentary and enjoyment of the trip.

Great family outing

Mansoor_B, Jun 2023

Chris was a really good tour guide, gave us great insights and facts about the area, and overall very friendly. We really enjoyed the trip and highly recommend it to others. Aside from my family of five, there were only two other people on the tour aside from Chris. Really loved the small setting and we left on time.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thank you for your review. We are very pleased your family all enjoyed our experience. We offer a quality sailing experience with up to 18 seats available for this reason. Chris can chat to you as he sails making the experience more personable. You can ask questions about Lake Taupo/sailing that interest you.

Fantastic views and amazing experience!

Stephanie_F, Jun 2023

This was amazing! I would have been happy to do it again immediately after! It was a wonderful experience!

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Hi Stephanie, that is not the first time I have heard someone say that. Usually it is as they leave the boat after a very exciting breezy sail. Thank you we are thrilled you enjoyed yourself.

The carvings were...

toyodamastertech, Apr 2023

The carvings were awesome. Pretty cool that the vessel was run on a electric motor! We had a good time!

Response from Host, Apr 2023

We are so grateful for your kind words and appreciation our electric motor. Thank you for your review.

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