Top Tauranga Outdoor Activities

See the summery Bay of Plenty from a different perspective – as you’re freefalling from 10,000 feet in the air! It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time skydiver: on this tandem skydive, learn as you go as you fall with your instructor, who takes the lead and offers personalized guidance when you want to take over. Enjoy bird’s-eye views of local landmarks, from Maunganui and White Island close by to the Rotorua Lakes, Mount Ruapehu and, if the visibility’s good, even Mount Taranaki.

When your cruise ship docks in Tauranga, experience the wonders of New Zealand's North Island in a small group on this full-day tour to Rotorua. Take in sights such as Mount Maunganui, Sulphur Bay on Lake Rotorua, hot springs around Rotorua, and places of importance to the Maori people. Taste fresh kiwi fruit at an orchard, stroll through the Redwood Forest, and admire the manicured grounds of Government Gardens. Your small-group tour includes guide, entrance fees, air-conditioned transportation, and port pickup and drop-off.

Experience the magic of New Zealand’s North Island on this evening glow-worm kayak tour in Tauranga. Begin your tour with refreshments including wine from the award-winning Mills Reef Winery and delicious New Zealand cheeses on the banks of Lake McLaren. As day turns to night, hop into your kayak and paddle with your guide to the glow-worm canyon at the head of Lake McLaren. Marvel at the millions of bright green glow-worms clinging to the towering cliff sides, and gain insight into the life cycle of these fascinating creatures.

See the highlights of Rotorua on a full-day shore excursion from Tauranga. You’ll travel to one of New Zealand’s famed regions in the North Island, observing otherworldly landscapes and Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa’s thermal springs. Visit Okere Falls at the Bay of Plenty; receive a traditional welcome at an authentic Maori village where you’ll watch a 'haka' (war dance); and view the Government Gardens, a historic bath house and more in Rotorua.

Go white water rafting on the Kaituna River for a thrilling outing from Rotorua. Your guide leads you on an action-packed 1-hour ride down 14 rapids at Tutea Falls, the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall at 23 feet (7 meters). This warm water rafting trip takes place in a gorgeous jungle canyon and is suitable for active people, no prior rafting experience required.

Once you’re done exploring the Bay of Plenty on foot, discover it from a different perspective with this tandem skydive from 12,000 feet. Savor otherwise-inaccessible views of Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, White Island and more – you can even see all the way out to Mount Taranaki on a good day! At 12,000 feet, experience the thrill of free-falling in safety with your instructor in charge of your parachute.

When your cruise ship docks in Tauranga, take a small-group shore excursion that showcases Maori culture and New Zealand's natural beauty. Highlights include the Living Maori Village, the geothermal geysers, kiwi orchards, and traditional cultural performance. Indulge in a deluxe 2-course lunch and a sightseeing tour of Rotorua before a walk among the redwoods of the Whakarewarewa Forest and a visit to the Tudor-style design museum. Your small-group tour includes admission fees, lunch, and round-trip transportation from the cruise port.

Learn how New Zealand’s Maori people have adapted to life among the geothermal activity of Rotorua on this small-group shore excursion from Tauranga. At the Living Maori Village, see how residents integrate natural elements like bubbling geysers, mud pools and steam vents into daily tasks, and watch a live cultural performance. You’ll also drive past gorgeous beaches, walk through an ancient redwood forest, and taste local kiwi fruit fresh from the farm on this immersive Bay of Plenty highlights tour.

Step off your ship at the Port of Tauranga and enjoy a day around Rotorua and Mount Maunganui. Visit some of the hot pools and bubbling geysers of Rotorua and learn about how Maori traditions are woven with the landscape. Drive through the wide streets of Rotorua and see some of its beautiful locations with your guide, and visit a green kiwifruit orchard before returning to port.

Explore exquisite Tauranga in style, riding in a luxurious modern Mercedes tour-vehicle as you cruise from hilltop to seaside and sample along the way some of New Zealand’s finest honey and kiwifruit export produce. After learning about and tasting the delights of rural Tauranga this tour returns you to port comfortably, and contented - stopping at a scenic lookout to take in the natural beauty of the Bay of Plenty from above.

Easily explore the area outside the Port of Tauranga during this guided tour that includes port pickup and drop-off. First visit a New Zealand kiwi orchard, and get the chance to taste the native fruit yourself. Catch sight of natural wonders such as Okere Falls, Blue Lake, and Whakarewarewa Forest before going to taste New Zealand honey at a local farm (time permitting).

Swap the Tauranga cruise port for the Shire, featured in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies, on a Hobbiton Movie Set shore excursion. Your tour includes movie structures such as hobbit holes, the party tree and the Mill. Sip a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, and then suit up in a favorite LOTR costume with a stop at McLaren Falls Park.

This Tauranga shore excursion stands out from others by offering a 2-course lunch and a visit to a Polynesian spa. The basics of local shore excursions are included too: travel with a small group to the Rotorua geothermal geyser, mud pools, and steam vents, and then see a Maori dance performance. At the spa, soak in hot mineral springs with views of Lake Rotorua.

Take a shore excursion to the Hobbiton Movie Set and sightsee Rotorua with a guide when your cruise ship pulls into port at Tauranga. Journey to Middle-earth and The Shire of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ fame, featured in the popular LOTR trilogy and ‘The Hobbit.’ Then learn traditional customs at the Maori village of Whakarewarewa before strolling past the spouting geysers and steaming hot springs of thermal Rotorua. Numbers are limited to 19 participants in this small-group tour to the land of hobbits and hot pools.

Get up close to wild dolphins in their natural habitat during a 5-hour dolphin cruise from Tauranga. You can watch from the boat or interact with these playful marine mammals as you swim and snorkel alongside them in the water. Hear informative live commentary and enjoy hot drinks and muffins on board. Tour operates during summer months from November to May.

See the summery Bay of Plenty from a different perspective – as you’re freefalling from 10,000 feet in the air! It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time skydiver: on this tandem skydive, learn as you go as you fall with your instructor, who takes the lead and offers personalized guidance when you want to take over. Enjoy bird’s-eye views of local landmarks, from Maunganui and White Island close by to the Rotorua Lakes, Mount Ruapehu and, if the visibility’s good, even Mount Taranaki.

The only full motion F-18 simulator in NZ or Australia outside of the military. Highly rated by ex military and commercial airline pilots. Whether it's just flying around, taking off and landing or full on combat, this is the most realistic combat aircraft simulator around. NB: Combat is not recommended to 1st time flyers

Explore one of the North Island’s most impressive natural wonders and see the national symbol of New Zealand on this shore excursion from Tauranga. Walk through the caves to see stalagmites and stalactites before boarding a small boat to the incredible Waitomo Caves, filled with glittering glow-worms. Then visit the Otorohanga Kiwi House to learn more about the native birds. Port pickup and drop-off is included.

New Zealand’s well known for adventure tourism, but it can be difficult to find exciting locations that are fun for the whole family. Adrenalin Forest solves that problem – located in the heart of the Bay of Plenty, surrounded by pine forest and native ferns, it has over 100 challenges ranging from the child-friendly to the ultra-challenging. Book in advance to avoid getting shut out by group bookings.

Docking in Tauranga? Get a taste of Maori culture and have a wild white water adventure with this charter tour. With a professional and experienced guide (and of course safety equipment!), careen through a river canyon on a white water raft, then pick from a range of options, from a gondola to clay bird shooting, for the second part of the tour.

Travelers with small kids don’t need to miss out on cycling around Mt. Maunganui/Tauranga with this family-friendly bicycle rental service. Bikes are fitted with safe and secure child seats so little ones can enjoy the views while parents pedal. Go wherever you like during the one-hour rental period.

This private shore excursion from your cruise ships arrival into the Port of Tauranga and take you on an 8 hour Tauranga photography tour and workshop. On this workshop, you’ll learn how to shoot dramatic, awe-inspiring coastal landscapes, plus forest and river photography.

A truly unique experience visiting the world-renowned Waitomo Caves. Experience a short boat trip to the Glow worm Grotto. Visit the Kiwi House in Otorohanga and try to spot the adorable flightless bird.

Cruise around beautiful Mount Maunganui on a Harley Davidson. Experience the sights, sounds and smells of the immediate area.