Waimārama, New Zealand
498 Te Apiti Road
N/A
+64210570935
An incredibly humbling experience. I grew up in the South Island and have spent numerous summers visiting the North Island. After spending some more time in Hawkes Bay, I became aware of Waimarama. I was fortunate to be invited to the reserve with a wider tour group. Listening to the stories and taking in the culture was amazing! I have little knowledge of New Zealand history especially the early Maori history. I found this interaction got me wanting to know more about where I have come from and my family ties to the North Island. The hosts were very passionate, and I could tell how proud of their culture they were. Whether you are from NZ or visiting from around the world I feel this is a very fulfilling experience and I would highly recommend it.
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This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Maori culture. The reforestation with native trees on the Conservation Reserve is a wonderful contribution to re-establishing the original forests and vegetation of this landscape. A really beautiful and interesting place and an interesting story told by lovely hosts. Thank you.
Wonderful family, a very emotional/spiritual experience, worth the long trip to a beautiful local scenic setting! The young performers are to be commended as well as our tour guide(s)! KIA ORA!
Ike and Anne have been so welcoming. What a wonderful experience, thank you so much! I will be bringing the kids out soon.
For a relaxed and intimate encounter with Māori people, this is the place to go! You come away having made friends, and having learned quite a bit. It's a tour to do if you are interested in learning about a culture - it's past and present.
We were hosted by the delightful Robert and Ike and spent 3.5 hours being guided around the restored bush homeland of Hakikino and Robert's own home nearby. The tour was authentic, enlightening, entertaining and lots of fun. The tour included useful commentary on the area, the local iwi (people) who lived there and the flora and fauna. Robert, Ike and their team achieved a rare and special balance of compelling information and plenty of jokes and lightheartedness which kept us all smiling and giggling in the hot summer heat. They provided water to keep us hydrated and plenty of shade stops along the way. After the time at Hakikino we moved back to Robert's own house, where he spent time describing his whakapapa (ancestors) and whanau (family) lineage as well as showing us an impressive collection of various artifacts. I was born in Hastings which is 20km from Hakikino and grew up on a farm about 10km from Hakiknio and I learnt an amazing amount about the surrounding area of Waimarama, wider Hawkes's Bay and its heritage. My overall feeling was wishing that I'd done this sooner! What the team at Waimarama Maori Tours have achieved so far with restoration of their native lands and show you in the tours is impressive. What they intend to achieve with their vision for the future is even more inspiring. This is an experience worth doing, whether you are a local or a visitor to the area / Aotearoa.
absolutely beautiful people, wonderful information about the Maori people, and culture. 100% recommend to anyone.
Still remember the morning spend on Te Mata peak with Robert as a highlight of my stay in the Hawkes Bay. Loved the stories, the history, the personal detail. Best thing you can do.
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