Waka

Whanganui River Māori Guides are a Māori cultural tour company who specialise in running waka and jet boat tours.

Their core values focus on deep cultural and spiritual connection to the taiao (environment), and as tangata whenua (people of the land) their objective is to enrich manuhiri (visitors) with the historic, present and future aspirations of the awa (river).
Through the sharing of kōrero, waiata and karakia, their kaitiaki (cultural navigators) will take you on a journey and leave you with a better understanding of te ao Māori (the Māori world view).

“Ko au te awa ko te awa ko au"
“I am the river and the river is me.”

Join Whanganui River Canoes for a three- to five-day canoe/kayak trip on the Whanganui River. You can choose to 'do it yourself' with a freedom hire, or have their guides cater to you and show you the best spots along the river.

Join us for the experience of a lifetime on the stunning Kapiti Coast. Right on the doorstep of Kapiti Island, sailing and paddling a holopuni on the Kapiti Marine Reserve will leave you spellbound!

The holopuni – meaning to venture everywhere – is a unique sailing craft, a fusion of modern and traditional Hawaiian outrigger design. Built to harness the wind and current, our experienced holopuni skippers provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all ages and ability. 

For the freedom of solitary adventure, book our solo tour or share the moment with a couple or group booking.  

Mt Maunganui - surrounded by ocean, and the home of New Zealand's most popular mountain, Mauao.
Come join us to experience the area like we locals do, whether it be on the ocean or the land. You can partake in a stand up paddling adventure, an outrigger canoe experience or a cultural walk, guided by our experienced locals. We have a range of activities suited to all ages and abilities. We look forward to sharing our beautiful home with you!

Native Woodcraft is a 100% Kiwi-owned factory in Dannevirke, producing a range of nearly 300 handcrafted gifts and souvenirs since 1984.
Our products range from full-size taiaha (long, wooden weapons) and tewhatewha (long wooden or bone weapons), travel-sized tekoteko (carved figures) and mere (short stone weapons) down to tiki (carved figures) and hei matau (fish hook) keyrings carved from South Island Pine and Paua shell.
For landscaping, we produce Creative Garden Panels in 50 different Kiwiana designs from Pīwakawaka and Kererū to Dolphins and Butterflies.
Our crafts are found in stores throughout Aotearoa.  Click here to view our products .

Take an adventure and step back in time!

Awesome Adventures Hokianga's experienced Māori Guides will take you back in time to 925AD, when Kupe, the great Polynesian explorer, landed right here in the Hokianga.

The historical significance of the area is unmatched by anywhere else in New Zealand, and is the only place that Kupe called home.

See and feel what life was like all those years ago. Your guide will share stories not typically found in history books – they have been passed down the generations.

We provide accommodation and a range of adventures, guided and self-guided, around the Hokianga to allow you to experience these rich, historical and cultural stories.

Take the kayaks, or go paddle boarding, hiking, cycling, kayak fishing, jetski fishing, rock fishing, jetski safaris, quadbike safaris, sandboarding on the dunes, seafood gathering and cooking classes, and more!

You choose what you want to do, but be warned, you can't fit it all in one day! Make sure you allow extra days to your stay.

We are passionate about telling the stories about our beautiful home. Awesome Adventures Hokianga has it all!

New Zealand’s most awarded cultural attraction. Experience the warmth of their manaakitanga during an evening of ceremonial rituals, powerful cultural performance, storytelling & hangi feasting. An intricately carved gateway leads you to the fringe of a lush 200 year old native Tawa forest. Warriors emerge from the forest by canoe to perform an ancient ceremony of welcome. As you wander beneath the stunning forest canopy, the village is alive with sights, sounds and activity of days gone by and witness the lifting of the hangi. Enter the ancestral meeting house and relax as they entertain you with a powerful cultural performance. Dine on the traditional hangi buffet feast!

Discover Hawke’s Bay aboard ‘Te Matau a Māui’’, a traditional Polynesian sailing waka (canoe), that has travelled across the world.  Enjoy the hospitality and warmth of a friendly crew as they share their passion for sailing with you. Hear stories of Polynesian migration and local Māori history and legend. Learn how their ancestors navigated by the stars and how they continue this tradition today. Sailing occurs from October through March (weather dependent). Delicious Māori cuisine also included.  Two hour sailing departing West Quay, Ahuriri, Napier.

Waka tours from Kaiteriteri, the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park. A truly unique cultural experience that's suitable for all ages. We begin and end all our trips with a blessing (karakia) for protection. You will learn the etiquette (tikanga) associated with waka before becoming familiar with the boat and embarking on our journey (haerenga ). Group Journeys, Haerenga ā-rōpū.  Let us create a unique experience for your school, business, iwi, tour or team-building group. Paddle as a group along the coast, try your hand at racing, or ask us to design a customised adventure. Come join us for a truly unique cultural experience that's suitable for all ages.

Whanganui River Adventures is a local tourism business owned by locals Ken & Josephine Haworth based in the small river village of Pipiriki on the banks of the Whanganui River. We share stories of the river passed down to us and our local whanau staff, keeping our tours and the service we offer unique and authentic. Our personalised tours are scenic and involve our local history and stories of the river. Experience the river and the surrounding environment by jet boat, canoe, kayak, mountain bike, or walk. We offer a range of accommodation options.