New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute

Ngā Kete Tuku Iho

Pātaka Kai Restaurant

Our World-famous buffet dining

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Sharing Our Taonga

Te Puia spans 70 hectares within the historic Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley, on the edge of Rotorua. We are home to the world famous Pōhutu geyser, mud pools, hot springs and silica formations. You will also find the native Kiwi bird and the national schools of wood carving, weaving, stone and bone carving. We have shared these taonga (treasures) with manuhiri (visitors) for over 170 years and proudly continue that tradition today.

Our Values

The values of manaakitanga (hospitality) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship) underpin everything that we do at Te Puia. Our world-famous guiding tradition shows our regard for treating visitors with respect and making them part of our whānau (family). Our commitment to kaitiakitanga means that we will protect the rich natural and cultural taonga (treasures) at Te Puia and ensure that they thrive for generations to come.

Qualmark Gold Status

Te Puia is proud to hold Qualmark Gold Status – the official mark of quality for sustainable tourism in Aotearoa New Zealand. This prestigious recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to protecting the natural environment, supporting local communities, and delivering a safe, high-quality experience for all manuhiri.

Qualmark Gold signals that our values and practices meet global sustainability standards, giving our visitors confidence that their experience at Te Puia is not only exceptional, but also responsible and future-focused. It’s a reflection of our dedication to kaitiakitanga – guardianship of our land and taonga – and manaakitanga, the warm hospitality we extend to every visitor.

Health and Safety

With numerous natural hazards including geysers, hot mud pools and boiling water pools, Te Puia’s geothermal area presents many hazards. Therefore, the health and safety of our manuhiri and staff is our top priority, and we aim for a zero serious harm injury rate. Te Puia has a full-time Health and Safety Coordinator, whose responsibility is to coordinate all Health and Safety initiatives. They work in close collaboration with a site-wide Health and Safety Committee.

We encourage all manuhiri to wear suitable footwear and have invested extensively in cobbled pathways to safely guide visitors through the geothermal valley. There is also a significant investment in fencing to ensure manuhiri do not venture into potentially unsafe zones. We provide wheelchair access wherever possible, though some steeper and unsealed or un-cobbled paths are not wheelchair accessible.

Please call 07 348 9047 or email [email protected] with any queries and we will be in touch as soon as possible.