Overview
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Buried Village of Te Wairoa, 1180 Tarawera Road RD 5 Rotorua, Rotorua 3076 New ZealandThe Buried Village of Te Wairoa, just a 15-minute drive from Rotorua city, offers a firsthand look at one of New Zealand’s greatest natural disasters. Learn about the devastating effects when Mt. Tarawera erupted in 1886, which buried Te Wairoa and ended more than 150 lives. Now, well over a century later, the excavated village provides a unique opportunity to see how the area's Maori inhabitants and early settlers lived.Guided group tours, audio/video tours, and talks, which are included with your admission ticket, are scheduled throughout the day. Learn about the geological and geothermal features of Lake Tarawera, Mt. Tarawera, and the surrounding lakes region. Find out what happened to the Pink and White Terraces, once a popular natural landmark. Discover how the village of Te Wairoa came to be, the role it played in developing the region, and how its legacy continues to influence New Zealand's tourism industry to this day. Encounter the world-class Museum of Te Wairoa and its collection of excavated objects. Explore the archaeological site, which reveals the devastation of the eruption, and walk a paved path along the very sites that the people of Te Wairoa once called home. Take the Waterfall Trail to Wairere Falls, which plunges 98 feet (30 meters) to the valley below. Head to Vi's Teahouse for delicious scones, Devonshire tea, and excellent coffee, or browse the range of gifts in the gift store. Children can search through the excavated sites for clues, or go to the Adventure Playground.Allow 1–1.5 hours to experience the entire Buried Village.Duration: 2 hours
Supplier Name
Buried Village
Additional Information
Confirmation will be received at time of booking,Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately. Bring walking shoes and protection from adverse weather. The paths are flat and paved but the optional waterfall trail has several flights of stairs.,Hat, sunscreen, umbrella or raincoat are recommended,Guided group tours and talks, which are included in admission, are scheduled throughout the day.,Video tours and self-guided tours are available,You can arrive at any time throughout the day, and stay for as long you'd like,Wheelchair available for public use - please inquire at reception,Wheelchair accessible,Near public transportation,Most travelers can participate,This tour/activity will have a maximum of 150 travelers,Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff,Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas,Guides required to regularly wash hands,Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
Inclusions:
GST (Goods and Services Tax),Local guide,Entry/Admission - Buried Village of Te Wairoa
Exclusions:
Food and drinks,Souvenir photos (available to purchase),Hotel pickup and drop-off
Lots of us went as school kids but that’s a while ago now! Nice drive from Rotorua city. Friendly and helpful service. Unique place to visit and the museum artefacts are well worth viewing to give you a strong feeling for the events of that night. Enjoyed the tea and scones at the end too.
Reviewed by: lian06, 09/25/2021 12:00:00 AM
Fantastic attraction with interesting exhibits and beautiful grounds. Our kids loved the interactive treasure hunt throughout the museum and the grounds and we saw huge trout in the stream. Thoroughly recommend.
Reviewed by: 374Kelly374, 07/23/2021 12:00:00 AM
We loved our morning at the Buried Village. I am a history nut, and this was my activity of choice for my birthday morning - we all (family of four, kids 11 & 13) absolutely loved it. We took the guided tour with the most engaging, lovely guide who really made it all come alive. She answered all our questions about Maori culture and history so knowledgeably and was really passionate about the village and what had happened there. There is also a lot of interesting information about the European settlers and travellers who visited the pink and white terraces, and what life was like back then.
It is a very poignant and sad place, but at the same time, totally fascinating. The museum is well worth a look too. Don't miss the walk to the waterfall - some of the most stunning views we've ever seen. The cafe looked very tempting, although we didn't eat there as we'd had a huge breakfast, but would definitely go for lunch there another time. The gift shop is also fab and all the staff
Reviewed by: TabNZ, 02/03/2021 12:00:00 AM
Charge a lot less. The fee is astronomical for what is there. You could maybe justify this if it was going to an ongoing excavation. Felt ripped off
Reviewed by: Kapitidon, 01/08/2021 12:00:00 AM
I'd been past here before and was really pleased to finally make it inside this lovely old building less than an hour from Rotorua.
The self-guided tour of 1km provides a great snapshot of a sad part of NZ history when people perished at the eruption of Mt Tarawera.
Parts of the buried village have been excavated and these, along with various re-presented rooms and houses and relics and letters, are presented very well.
There's an excellent museum and cafe on site and the hosts were extremely welcoming and well informed, keen to share their knowledge of this part of New Zealand's sad past.
Reviewed by: livetwodine, 08/08/2020 12:00:00 AM
