Waipoua Forest: Twilight Encounter - Maori Cultural Eco Night Tour
5
Waipoua Forest: Twilight Encounter - Maori Cultural Eco Night Tour
By Footprints Waipoua
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 5-90, max of 25 per group
Duration: 4h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Local guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off within the Opononi/Omapere area
- Local taxes
- Use of a torch.
- Access to insect repellant but we encourage you to bring your own eliminating potential reactions.
What's not included- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
- Tāne Mahuta Walk, Waipoua Kauri Forest 0376, New ZealandState Highway 12, Waipoua Forest, Hokianga, Northland. 65km north from Dargaville or 18km from the Omapere township.
Pickup details- We conduct a free pick-up and drop-off service from other accommodation providers located in the Omapere, Opononi & Waimamaku townships (subject to availability). Pick-ups outside of these areas must be made by prior arrangement.
Hotel pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.Additional pickup optionsDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.- Tane Mahuta, Waipoua Kauri Forest 0376, New Zealand
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 26773P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travellers with back problems
- A minimum of 4 people per tour is required to operate.
- Free pick ups are conducted within the townships of Omapere and Opononi. Pickups start from 30 minutes before the tour departs. Enquire to see if pickups outside these areas are possible.
- Not recommended for pregnant travellers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travellers can participate
- Not recommended for children under 5 years of age.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 26773P1
From
$107.70
per adult
Select date and travellers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 1Setting out from Omapere by coach, the 20 minute journey is the perfect opportunity for your local Māori guide to connect you with your fellow passengers and brief you on the protocols for your visit to the largest remaining stand of kauri in New Zealand, the mighty Waipoua Forest. Before stepping into the domain of Tāne Mahuta (the god of the forest) your guide will conduct a brief karakia (prayer) ensuring that the evening is both enjoyable and safe. On the gentle paths that slowly wind their way through this ancient theatre you will come face to face with giant kauri trees that superseded both the arrival of Kupe, NZ’s first discoverer a thousand years earlier and the birth of Jesus Christ. Experience the affinity that Māori have with the forest and the deep spiritual respect they have for these sentinels who have stood silently witnessing the passing of time. Your guide will share thought-provoking information, humorous banter, stories and legends before respectfully greeting the oldest and largest known kauri trees in the world with spine-tingling chants and song. Witness the day transition to night and by default let your senses become hauntingly enhanced. You will learn how Māori used plants for medicinal purposes and the life-cycle of a giant. The seed to mature tree journey is a curious process of luck and tenacity. As the sun sets the nocturnal creatures begin to go about their work. Should the gods look favourably down upon us you may encounter insects like weta, our two nocturnal birds (the kiwi and the native owl) or the magnificent but slightly chilling giant carnivorous 'kauri' snail. Deep in the forest waits the stately Te Matua Ngāhere - 'The Father of the Forest', who at 3,000 years is the oldest giant; Your guide will greet this primordial presence like an old friend and before leaving you will enjoy a few moments of silence to reflect Your tour will conclude with a visit to a national icon and the largest giant, Tāne Mahuta. A short stroll later and in keeping with the evening’s theme your guide will formally acknowledge the Lord of the Forest. Suddenly you stand dwarfed before a 2000 year old silhouette; his ancient limbs seem to grasp at the blanket of stars. Sit or stand in admiration as your guide shares the Māori creation story. Final words and song are offered before the curtain is drawn on an experience of a lifetime and you are ushered back to your accommodation in the Hokianga. Just like these giant kauri trees the memories you seize are timeless treasures.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Compass460593931270 contributionsAmazing Forest AdventureMy wife and I were guided through the Waipoua forest by Merepaea and lived every moment. We did the dusk tour and were driven to the forest by Merepaea in a mini bus. As we walked the easy track, Merepaea explained Maori customs to us and gave us information about the various plants. She also sang a traditional song of respect for the forest and greeting. We were then driven to see the magnificent Lord of the Forest tree Tane Mahuta, thought to be around 2,500 years old. It was a very respectful and moving experience. Merepaea treated us as friends rather than "customers" and instilled a great feeling of respect for the forest and humility in the presence of Tane Mahuta.Written 15 November 2023
- david l0 contributionsMerepaea the wonderfulBeautiful tour with Merepaea through the Kauri forest some of the oldest and biggest trees on the planet. Her ability to weave Māori spiritual stories with facts on the forest was wonderful as was her openness and humour.Written 7 November 2023
- Ericka O0 contributionsA spiritual and educational experience with natureA spiritual and educational experience. Our guide Merepaea shared her culture, her song, her stories and took us on a journey through the forest. You learn to appreciate what Mother Nature has given and share with us and that we must in return take care of her. Her song at the father tree touched me and made me remember my Lola and how she raised her daughter to be brave. Brave enough to go to a different country and start a family and to eventually have a daughter who was blessed to come on this experience. Sharing experiences like this with real people with real stories is a truly a blessing.Written 16 October 2023
- O8575NUmd0 contributionsOne Of A Kind Experience!The tour guided by Billy Boy was incredible. He is a natural story teller and the Kaurou (Kodi) trees were magnificent to behold. An A+ experience throughout!Written 3 June 2023
- M8221VAphilipc0 contributionsWowBilly boy was awesome, his singing to the forest was a spiritual experience. Even though the recent storms caused the tour to be shortened it was worth every penny. We watched the sunset and experience a green flash. I will never forget our tour with Billy boy.Written 22 February 2023
- benvicki0 contributionsWork neededMaintenance of hotel needed. Staff were friendly and helpful but the facility itself was very run downWritten 7 January 2023
- Jessica S0 contributionsAuthentic and memorable tourOur family of 4 from Sydney (children 13 and 17) were looking for an authentic Maori local tour of the Waipoua kauri forest. Wow! Our guides Merepaea and Amiria made this a truly memorable experience. They shared local knowledge, stories and songs from their Maori lore and connected with each of us. It felt a privilege to see these magnificent ancient Kauai trees in the twilight peace of the forest when the walking tracks were closed for other tourists. The whole family rates this tour as our highlight of our holiday. Highly recommend.Written 28 December 2022
- JenOBNz220 contributions10/10!Amazing amazing amazing amazing!! We did this nighttime guided tour a couple of weeks ago with our 4 young children (8,6,5,2). It was awesome! Our guide Merepaea was so knowledgeable and kept us all captivated (particularly our children) and entertained throughout the entire journey. We loved seeing Tāne Mahuta, what an amazing sight! Highly recommend, would love to do it again! Thank you so much Max and Merepaea!!!Written 6 December 2022
- AutumnForce0 contributionsKauri forest walkMerepaea TeTai, our Māori guide, gave us an amazing experience walking through the Kauri forest. If you want to learn something about the Kauri trees, the forest and the Māori culture, she is the one to go to. What an wonderful woman.Written 20 November 2022
- RobNL600 contributionsAn Extraordinary experienceIt was a stunning experience. Billy Boy was our guide. Simpley outstanding! The singing and the flute playing made it almost mystic! Thanks for this extraordinary memory 🙏🏻👌 Rob vd Veer Nederland.Written 13 November 2022
- NiamhR930 contributionsMUST DO IN OPONONIAMAZING!!! Incredible experience so special and the staff and just so so good!!! If you are in the Hokianga you have to come hereWritten 2 January 2022
- Lee-Anne D0 contributionsFantastic visitHighly recommend visiting. Great exhibits - photos, video and narration - followed by an informative and expert walk through te ao Māori, then an exciting live performance spanning the settlement of hokianga. Fabulous visit.Written 1 January 2022
- HoneHekeLodge0 contributionsNot to be missedWhat a special day. Thank you for sharing your stories. It was a truly magical day even with a little rain as if on cue.Written 19 May 2021
- Kerry P0 contributionsNot just a walk in the forestA walk with a guide like Billy Boy brings another dimension to the wonders around you. Stories, sing and soulful music enhance the visit and make it a magical enchanting place to spend an hour or two. We are so lucky to have these amazing kings of the forest here.Written 18 May 2021
- collchien0 contributionsAmazing guides!It was an amazing experience to join the forest in the evening and get out in the dark. The quietness and the singing were amazing and beautiful. I was touched! One of the best Mauri experiences in New Zealand!Written 18 March 2020
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
157 reviews
Excellent
152
Very good
4
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Lidija M
2 contributions
Dec 2019
Waipoua Forest is already a special, enchanted, place, but with Charlie as a guide you will get an insight that stretches beyond an ancient forest and a giant kauri trees.
Charlie brings together the legends and the facts, the past and the present, creating an even more profound understanding that the nature is a leaving thing, just like you and me and need to be treated according to that (like the Whanganui river granted same legal rights as human being).
Trees are no longer a trees when you stand in front of Te Matua Ngāhere and Tāne Mahuta and learn how kauri trees families function.
This tour with Charlie is like an environmental lesson and I will always remember his saying on how everything in life matters: “The small things, the big things, the great things, all working together, all depending on each other.”
Thank you Charlie.
Charlie brings together the legends and the facts, the past and the present, creating an even more profound understanding that the nature is a leaving thing, just like you and me and need to be treated according to that (like the Whanganui river granted same legal rights as human being).
Trees are no longer a trees when you stand in front of Te Matua Ngāhere and Tāne Mahuta and learn how kauri trees families function.
This tour with Charlie is like an environmental lesson and I will always remember his saying on how everything in life matters: “The small things, the big things, the great things, all working together, all depending on each other.”
Thank you Charlie.
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynette N
Elgin, IL5 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
We had an amazing experience! We booked this tour because we wanted to learn about the spiritual story of the ancient Kauri trees and our guide Billy boy did not disappoint. From the moment he picked us up at our motel we were treated to a wonderful evening of Maori history as it relates to the forest complete with stories, song and music. Any questions we had were answered. We are here in the winter and we appreciated the option to start the tour early so we could enjoy seeing the forest change as day gave way to evening. Booking and communication with the tour operator was also excellent. Highly recommend!
Written 20 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Salsera1040
Melbourne, Australia99 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
We had a magical evening with Merepaea learning about the mighty Kauri. She was very friendly and informative. We have been spreading the word about the historical decimation of the trees & the danger of the fungus.Listening to her chants, singing and legends made for a very special time. Merepaea generously gave me cream and healing leaves for my shoulder injury.
Written 24 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MauiEva
Makawao, Hawaii51 contributions
Feb 2020
My husband and I had been recommended to visit the ancient Kaouri trees in Waipoua. The twilight guided walk to visit Tane Mahouta, 2000 years old, (The Lord of the Forest) and Te Matua Ngahere, 3500 years old, (the Father of the Forest) was a most profound and spiritual experience. We were met and guided by a beautiful Maori woman, Merepaea, who told us stories, reminded us of our responsibility to the environment for the generations to come and tuned us into the spiritual power of the trees as she chanted to them as we approached these ancient living beings. I stood in awe with tears streaming down my face to realize that they have stood there slowly growing when Buddha and Moses and Christ and Mohammed walked the earth. This experience shall live in my heart for all my days. Mahalo nui loa.
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott S
North Island, New Zealand176 contributions
Apr 2021
A wonderful, informative, and meaningful journey among some of the world's most ancient and important trees.
Our small group spent an evening exploring the incredible kauri trees, with our amazing host Merepaea.
Merepaea was the perfect blend of facts and science (and preservation) about the trees, but also a fantastic storyteller: sharing the history and myth of the trees and the creatures of the forest. The manaakitanga (hospitality) she showed to all of us was exceptional - the perfect guide for these trees.
The walk in the darkening woods, seeing some of the forest only by torch light, listening to the sounds of the night forest (we several times heard wild Kiwi calls, both male and female) gave the outing its own special style.
At the end of the tour, to make sure the experience hit ALL our senses, Merepaea served us delicious hot tea made from local plants and manuka honey, which we sipped while gazing up at the full brilliance of the Milky Way in this dark sky part of the world.
Truly a wonderful experience
Our small group spent an evening exploring the incredible kauri trees, with our amazing host Merepaea.
Merepaea was the perfect blend of facts and science (and preservation) about the trees, but also a fantastic storyteller: sharing the history and myth of the trees and the creatures of the forest. The manaakitanga (hospitality) she showed to all of us was exceptional - the perfect guide for these trees.
The walk in the darkening woods, seeing some of the forest only by torch light, listening to the sounds of the night forest (we several times heard wild Kiwi calls, both male and female) gave the outing its own special style.
At the end of the tour, to make sure the experience hit ALL our senses, Merepaea served us delicious hot tea made from local plants and manuka honey, which we sipped while gazing up at the full brilliance of the Milky Way in this dark sky part of the world.
Truly a wonderful experience
Written 8 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hippie-sam04
2 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
The generosity of the Maori people will never seize to amazing me. I was taking a stroll at Te Matua Ngahere, basking in all the magical energies of this place when Merepaea(I hope I'm getting her name right) invited us to join her twilight tour (Tane Mahuta portion). I love all the forest I have the chance to walk through so naturally I had tears in my eyes at this offer.
I loved learning about the history of Tane Mahuta and hearing the stories our guide had to share. She sang a beautiful song and we had a moment of silence. During this moment of silence I could feel my heart and soul overflowing with love and joy. I couldn't thank our guide enough, I just had to give her a hug for her kind generosity and knowledge. This has been one of my favorite experiences in NZ so far and I will be sure to recommend to everyone I come across that wants to visit the Kauri trees. Thank you a millions times over
I loved learning about the history of Tane Mahuta and hearing the stories our guide had to share. She sang a beautiful song and we had a moment of silence. During this moment of silence I could feel my heart and soul overflowing with love and joy. I couldn't thank our guide enough, I just had to give her a hug for her kind generosity and knowledge. This has been one of my favorite experiences in NZ so far and I will be sure to recommend to everyone I come across that wants to visit the Kauri trees. Thank you a millions times over
Written 24 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave S
4 contributions
Walking into t the forest at twilight with Merepaea (the guide), listening to her share her stories and appreciation for the forest was really awesome. Merepaeas genuine respect for the fathers of the forest was both inspiring and emotional. There was a genuine emotional connection between everyone in the group and the spiritual nature of the forest. Without doubt - the only way to experience the true awesomeness of the forest
Written 13 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kath
2 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
I would totally recommend doing this tour as opposed to going to see it yourself. Our knowledgeable and lovely guide Merepaea made is feel so comfortable and she shared her wealth of knowledge in a way that was first class. It was a truly spiritual and magical experience and we were lucky enough to have a small and intimate group. Surpassed all expectations we had!!! I am not a fit person and was a little worried it was going to be a hard walk with the length of the tour but it was easy and taken at a pace that we could all enjoy and stop for stories and sharing along the way.
Written 29 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fickle
1 contribution
Wow! Just Wow! It was absolutely incredible! Merepaea is the most beautiful wahine and is so passionate about what she does. Her knowledge and aroha pores out of her which makes the whole experience even more magical. Miss 12 enjoyed it so much she even sketched Tane Mahuta instead of taking a photo with her phone.
Written 18 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AMD1920
5 contributions
Amelia enthusiastically led us on this fascinating walking tour, using knowledge and skills she has developed from an early age to make it truly authentic. A great insight into Māori culture. Much recommended. Thank you!
Written 3 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Showing results 1-1 of 1
