Scenic Walking Tour – Pāpāmoa Hills & Ōmanawa Falls

Your driver/guide will take you on a wonderful visual experience to several of the renowned sightseeing spots surrounding the city of Tauranga. Departing from the port gates you will travel through Mount Maunganui township past Mauao the iconic landmark mountain and one of New Zealand’s most popular beaches "The Mount Main Beach" home of surfing, professional beach volleyball and surf lifesaving competitions. Hear about the forming of the landscape, the arrival of man and the founding of the city, through to the different produce grown in the province and what modern life is like in the area.

Leaving the beach, you will travel a short distance along the coast to the Pāpāmoa Hills. With a height of 224 metres at the summit, the hills make up the end of the Otawa range that runs from the Mamaku Plateau out to the coast. This walk consists of a one hour (approx.) return walk across rolling farmland out to the end of the hills where you will get sweeping views along the Bay of Plenty coastline and across the city of Tauranga. The area is one of the most significant historical and archaeological sites in New Zealand. First settled by Māori around 1400AD there are the remains of several Pā (Village) across the site dating back to 1650AD.

Next your driver will take you around the edge of the city and out into the foothills of the Kaimai range to the area of Ōmanawa. Here you will take a short walk (45 min return approx.) out to the edge of the Ōmanawa gorge, an area steeped in natural beauty and local history. Revered by the local Māori tribe as a sacred site used for healing and reflection, this area showcases the local native flora and fauna as well as rock formations and a beautiful waterfall. It is also the site of New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere’s first underground hydro-electric power station with remnants still visible in the forest. 

You will then start to make your way back into the city but not before a short stop at McLarens Falls to see the rock formations below the dam of the current hydro-electric power station. Your driver will then take you back through the city and across the harbour bridge to the start of your tour.

•  Experienced local driver/guide.

•  Live commentary on board.

•  Port or Hotel pickup and drop-off.

•  12-seater clean, air conditioned minivan.

•  Entry into Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park.

•  Entry into Ōmanawa Falls Historic Site.