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Maori Rock Carvings Scenic Cruise
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Taupō, New Zealand
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From $23.13
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Maori Rock Carvings Scenic Cruise
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation
- 24 hours prior100% refund
- Within 24 hoursNo refund
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.
Learn more about cancellations
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Safety measures
Keeping you safe during COVID-19
Vaccine? Quarantine? Masking?
Vaccine? Quarantine? Masking? We know, there’s a lot to keep track of. Be sure to check local guidelines so you’re aware of all travel requirements before you go.
What you can expect during your visit
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitized between use
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
Safety precautions are provided by the tour operator and are not checked by Viator for accuracy
More questions?
(888) 651-9785
1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours (approx.)
Offered in: English
Overview
Carved in the 1970s by one of Aotearoa’s master Māori carvers, the Mine Bay rock carvings are a striking Taupō attraction. They’re also impossible to access on foot, so hop on board a charming replica steamboat and take a scenic cruise out to the carvings instead. Learn all about the history and the myths behind the carvings from your steamboat crew, and along the way enjoy pristine views of Lake Taupō and beyond, including the nearby volcanoes Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe.
- If the weather’s fine, summer cruisers can even take the chance to swim in Mine Bay
- Free coffee, tea and snacks on board – and hot chocolates for the little ones
- Upload your photos to Facebook instantly with free WiFi on board
- Easy to find departure point near the Taupō visitor center
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From $23.13
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What's Included
Coffee and/or Tea
Departure & Return
Ernest Kemp Cruises , Berth 2/65 Redoubt Street, Taupō 3351, New Zealand
This activity will end right where it started.Please go to the black Booking Office, 65 Redoubt St Taupo Marina to pick up your boarding pass. The Booking Office is by the coffee caravan at the Marina.
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Well behaved dogs welcome.
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 38 travelers
- OPERATED BY ERNEST KEMP SCENIC CRUISES
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.
Learn more about cancellations.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Maori Rock Carvings Scenic Cruise?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Maori Rock Carvings Scenic Cruise?
A:The policies on sanitization are:
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Maori Rock Carvings Scenic Cruise?
A:The policies on staff health & safety are:
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
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Reviews
4.5
337 Reviews
5 stars
229
4 stars
83
3 stars
17
2 stars
7
1 star
1
Reviews by Viator travelers
We perform checks on reviews
Showing 1-10 of 337 reviews
Not bad but needs more content and destinations to hVe the tour more interesting
Justin_K
, Aug 2022
Noce old boat with awesome Lake Taupo, staff friendly and professional, tour average with inly one main thing of interest and needs lots more to justify 3 hrs
Response from Host , Aug 2022
Hi Justin, I am unsure of some points you have mentioned.
Our cruise is a maximum of 2 hours duration in total, not 3.
It is intended and clearly billed as a Mine Bay Maori Rock Carving Cruise, with the incredible Maori Rock Carvings being the significant (and halfway) focal point of the journey. We cruise through many stunning bays all the way through, with a live and informative commentary given by your onboard skipper as you go.
We don't agree that there is only one interesting aspect of this 2 hour cruise on the Great Lake.
Thank you for joining us all the same.
You dont realize how...
Mike_T
, Jul 2022
You dont realize how beautiful it is on the lake until you do the cruise, that was awesome, the hospitality on the boat was awesome the captain was awesome I'd give this 10 stars if they were there have told a lot of whanau and friends about this ,was Definitely worth it
Response from Host , Aug 2022
Operator well organised...
Elaine_T
, Jul 2022
Operator well organised with area set up for our large group of 19, and they boarded us first to ensure we had our space
Host friendly and informative during the whole trip
Great Family Fun
Lauren_W
, Jul 2022
Amazing hosts, the boat was lovely, the tour guide/driver was very knowledgeable and the other tour guide was great with assisting us with whatever we needed.
Excellent from start to...
Anna_K
, Jun 2022
We had perfect weather! A...
Sue_L
, May 2022
Amazing
Dawn_K
, May 2022
Memorable
Keri_B
, Apr 2022
This was so memorable with two of my children. I took my toddler in a carry pack and she did great! Beautiful weather meant we could enjoy the cruise from the outside deck, the sights were stunning especially the rock carving - ka mau te wehi!
Beautiful
Irene_F
, Apr 2022
Ernest Kemp day trip
Johan_D
, Mar 2022
The Captain & 1st Mate were very knowledgeable regarding the area & appoachable with any query. The Rock carvings were well worth the trip to see. We loved every moment on the Ernest Kemp & would recommend this vessel to visit the carvings to everyone.
The day was stunning, sun shining & the lake was beautiful.
wonderful carvings - good cruise to get there
Grant_N
, Feb 2022
Pleasant boat ride on a flat calm lake - well looked after by crew who were friendly and happy to talk. The carvings are just great - unbelievable the efforts that must have been made to do them. The skipper was a top class driver - had the boat right up to the carvings so everybody had plenty of time to view. Plenty of comment as we went back around the lake edge with lots of interesting facts pointed out. Only one drawback - the day was so hot I got sunburnt - wasn't expecting that! Highly recommend
Family venture
Luma_G
, Jan 2022
The clear water where Maori Carving site. Great service given by great staff. Served refreshments, clear guide giving us opportunity to take a swim before sailing back. Money's worth and would recommend highly especially for my family of ten. My children enjoyed it thoroughly
Views from Lake to Land
Rangi_T
, Jan 2022
Relaxing, enjoyable cruise. Great service of a variety of drinks & snacks along with meeting good people. Weather was beautiful, where you could be inside or outside. Excellent way to see the whole lake with great views from the lake to the land. Enjoyed the swim in the lake also. Thank you crew. I would so do those cruise again.
A day to remember
Haupokia_J
, Jan 2022
Enjoyed the entire trip, highlights were the carvings and my son being allowed to drive the boat. Was an awesome day out for my family celebrating a 6th birthday
Toka trip on the lake
Liz_M
, Jan 2022
Great experience
Paddy_A
, Dec 2021
The carvings were...
Gracie_K
, Oct 2021
Awesome experience
Helen_F
, May 2021
Fabulous experience. We enjoyed every minute. Even the wet weather didn't spoil it. Highly recommend.
Definitely a must
Donna_F
, Apr 2021
We had a lovely trip . The crew were friendly and helpful. A taupo local for 12 years and never been out on the boat. 5 stars
Londoners in Taupo
njdrakeirons
, Feb 2020
We perform checks on reviews
You can only submit a review or rating of an experience to Viator if you were the person who made the booking through Viator. Before publication, each review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information for each of the following criteria: who, what, how, and when. If the system detects something that contradicts our publication criteria, the review is not published. When the system detects a problem with a review, it 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. In some cases, we will also send you an email asking you to validate your review before it is published. All you need to do is click on the link provided in the email. After publication, our team checks each review reported to it as not meeting our publication criteria. Tripadvisor reviews that appear on the Viator site are subject to the same checks and moderation processes as set out above. It is not necessary to have booked an experience through Viator (or Tripadvisor) to submit a review of an experience to the Tripadvisor site.
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On some pages, you can select how to sort the results we display and also use filter options to see only those search results that meet your chosen preferences. You’ll see explanations of what those sort options mean when you select them.
You’ll see some experiences with a “Promoted” badge, which means that the operators of those experiences have agreed to pay Viator more to have their experience highlighted.
If you see an Experience Award Winner label, the award is based on average review ratings, share of bookings with a review, and number of bookings through Viator over a 12-month period.
The importance of any one factor over any other in a sort order varies, and the balance is constantly being reviewed and adjusted. We’re always updating our systems and testing new ways to refine and improve your results to make them as relevant as possible to meet your needs.
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