The density of Maori villages in Rotorua, compared to the rest of New Zealand, is impressive. The town has become the national hub for cultural experiences. But do you really get an authentic Maori experience in Rotorua? We visited Mitai Maori Village to find out.

I have to admit, visiting a Maori village in Rotorua wasn’t really on my personal bucket list. I refused to visit any indigenous villages in Thailand and elsewhere in the world. To me, it feels like a people-zoo and awkward.

Of the Rotorua Maori villages, I had a similar opinion. Before Mitai, I would call them a cultural theme park and mass processing. 

But then we were invited to visit Mitai Maori Village. And just like that, the majority of my prejudices were wiped out in one single evening.

We got picked up in front of our accommodation by one of the many Mitai Village buses that circle around Rotorua, New Zealand, every evening. The girl on our bus was already dressed in traditional Maori clothes: A piupiu (dress), a cloak made out of feathers and harakeke (flax) and a moko on her chin (traditional face tattoo, although nowadays it can also be painted). Our Maori experience has already begun.

Mitai Maori Village is only a couple of minutes’ drive from Rotorua town centre. We could’ve gone there by ourselves but considering we were going to have wine with dinner we gladly used their free shuttle service.

After arriving, we were directed to a table that was going to be our place for dinner. Our host welcomed us and then divided the room into two groups. Then we had to choose our “tribe leaders” for the night who were going to do the powhiri for us.

The powhiri is a welcoming ceremony between the host tribe and the visitors. It was used to find out whether the other party is friend or foe and to then, once accepted, invite them into the host’s marae (gathering house). There’s a whole protocol that needs to be followed, including the local haka, a little speech by the visitors’ leader and ends in the hongi (the Maori greeting where two people press their noses together). 

Lucky for me, the tribe leaders can only be men as I’m terrified of speeches in front of a group.

Once we picked our leader for the night, our group went to to the reveal of the hangi meal. A hangi consists of meat and vegetables, cooked for hours in an earth oven. Depending on the area, the oven is heated either by fire or geothermal steam.

We then moved over to the waka, a wooden canoe. Our host explained how the first Maori sailed to New Zealand from the Pacific Islands in a much bigger version of this boat and how culturally important the waka still are today (you can see modern versions of waka on almost every body of water in New Zealand).

One of the highlights of the evening was the arrival of the warriors in another waka on the stream that runs through the property. It was absolutely magical to see them arriving, singing songs in te reo (Maori language). And also quite hilarious as they started too early before all visitors were at the stream, had to turn around and do it all over again. It was still the part of the evening that stood out most for me.

Now it was time for the cultural show. And for our impromptu tribe leaders to get ready for the powhiri. 

The cultural show was great. It’s set up in a scene that looks like the ancient Maori villages and focuses a lot on local legends. I had goosebumps during the lovesong between Hinemoa and Tutanekai.  

Next up was dinner. Although I was always keen on trying THE famous Maori kai (food), the hangi, I wanted the real deal. Which to me meant being invited to a Sunday meal with the whanau. This still hasn’t happened yet but I have to admit that the hangi meal Mitai village served, tasted a lot like how I’d expect a Maori experience. It was delicious! And so was dessert. I felt like I was full for days!

After dinner, the group was divided some more. The people who had booked the Beauty By Night experience now continued to Rainbow Springs Park next door for their kiwi bird encounter.

We stayed at Mitai and were handed out torches for the night bushwalk. Although there weren’t many, we even saw some glowworms which especially excited all the kids around us. I, on the other hand, was amazed by Fairy Springs, the freshwater spring that originates at Mitai. It looked like 30cm deep but apparently it’s really 6 meters! That’s how clean this water is! Fresh water kept bubbling up from underneath the sand. It was mesmerizing to watch!

All through the walk, we learned about how the Maori used to live before Pakeha (the white people), what their houses looked like and how the family structures worked.

Living in New Zealand, I got to learn that the Maori culture and pride isn’t just for the tourists or because it looks cool. It is very much rooted in the Maori people. And now that the ban of use of the language and culture is lifted, the culture and pride only gains strength. So much that some words of te reo maori even become part of everyday New Zealand English.

Mitai Maori Village and the other Rotorua Maori villages are ambassadors who showcase the culture and heritage of the Maori culture to the world, how it used to be and how it is incorporated in the modern world.

What makes Mitai stand out from the other maori villages in Rotorua?

I love that the Mitai village is a family business. The owner, Wetini Mitai, is an award-winning kapa haka performer (this includes, but isn’t limited to the well-known haka), so you can be sure to see a really good cultural performance at Mitai. 

It’s a smaller, more intimate property than in the other places and you can feel that the owner’s and all of the staff’s hearts are really in it.

Is Mitai Maori Village good for families?

It’s perfect for families! There’s always something happening while you visit Mitai, I promise they’ll never get bored. Plus the bushwalk to see the glowworms and walking around with a torch gives a sense of adventure. 

What’s on the menu?

So much! It’s a buffet of all sorts of salads (greens, potato salad), seafood chowder, steamed potatoes, kumara, chicken, lamb, gravy…

And make sure to leave room for dessert. The custard and puddings are absolutely delicious!

Are drinks included?

No, drinks come additional (apart from tap water which is free). But compared to other tourist places the drinks are extremely reasonably priced.

Where can we park?

There’s a carpark on the Mitai property. But why drive when you can get a shuttle bus from any accommodation in Rotorua?

I’m not good on foot. How long is the bushwalk?

It’s really not long, approximately 30 minutes. There are some steps involved but it’s mostly even and the pace is slow. If you’re not sure, just ask the staff, they’re happy to help.

How long does the Mitai Maori experience take?

All in all approximately 4 hours from pick-up at your hotel to drop-off. If you’re concerned about your kid’s bedtime, they have two sessions during summer. Just book the earlier one.

Is Mitai an authentic Maori experience?

In terms of Maori heritage and cultural history, it is. It doesn’t show too much about how the Maori tribes live nowadays, and more about how it used to be in the past. But if you’re curious about the day-to-day Maori life and their whanau (family), just ask your evening host or any of the staff. In my experience, they love to tell their stories.

And is it really a mass-procession like you feared?

We definitely weren’t the only two people that evening, that’s for sure. A lot of people want to see a Maori cultural show in Rotorua. But Mitai is handling it really well, dividing the guests into groups and there are two separate rooms for the earlier and later sessions. Yes, it was busy, but it wasn’t mass-procession.

Is Mitai Village the best Maori experience in Rotorua?

I can only speak for Chris and myself. We absolutely loved it and would recommend Mitai Maori Village to anyone.

What’s you’re experience? Did you like your Maori experience in Rotorua? Which of the villages would you recommend visiting and why? Let me know!

Looking for more ideas on Rotorua? Check out our Rotorua page for more things to do in Rotorua, free Rotorua activities, how to find the best geothermal park for you, walks, hot pools and much more!