Manea Footprints of Kupe

The Twilight Encounter through the Waipoua Forest with Manea Footprints of Kupe was a wonderful experience and we were so glad we did it! Our guide Peter was extremely friendly and knowledgable. Walking through the forest was absolutely magical, and we felt very connected to nature throughout this entire experience. Highly recommend booking this tour, you won't regret it and it was the most unique thing we did during our entire trip to NZ!

The concept of the tour was very strong, but we had trouble following along. Beautiful intro walk through the park with traditional chanting/singing and explaining the varying taniwha (spirits). The theatrical/4D experience was beautiful but very very hard to understand at certain points. Perhaps offering headphones would optimize the sound to help, or offering some form of legible text/subtitles to help follow along. Especially for non-native English speakers or the hard of hearing. The performers and guides were stunning. The story room was also a really lovely idea but very hard to follow. Having the sound play out loud along with coming through the headphones made it very difficult for people in the room to concentrate on just one story. Choosing to have the sound just play through the headphones would be much better. Our favorites were the interviews with members of the community who spoke in the native Māori language, we would have loved to hear more of those. It gives you such a true feeling of the culture/people. Also having a bit more of a chronological lineup/guiding arrows through the room would have been useful. Regardless of all of these tidbits we really enjoyed the experience. Thank you so much for sharing with us!

Honestly SUCH an amazing experience! Learned much more than I thought I would have about Maori culture and Hokianga. It was done in such an in-depth way that kept it entertaining as well as educational. The 4D experience was also a huge surprise! Highly recommend!!! We caught the 10am session and glad we did with the amount of people coming for the afternoon sessions.

Beautiful experience for my family and me. The tour was informative and captured the spirit of the Maori people. Our guides were great their performances were perfect. The video and effects show was top notch. It made Disneyland's theater look like child's play. Well worth the money, plus we got some good fish and chips on Opononi. We also got to see the Koutu Boulders.

I can second the reviewer that said this is a solid concept, but could be so much better. We were hoping to gain an understanding of the Maori culture, but walked away more confused than educated. We visited February 5, 2025. It was just us and one other couple. We had a male and female presenter. He was engaging, she looked as if she wanted to be anywhere but there. She spoke so softly, even with a microphone, we couldn't understand anything she said. You start off walking through the carvings outside, which are beautiful, explaining the world creation story. You then go into a theater to learn about Kupe, the first person to discover NZ. The stories didn't connect. The theater presentation was impressive, but the two presenters participated, but, again, you couldn't hear anything they were saying. At the end, they leave you to explore their interactive video exhibit - but there is no real flow to it. We walked out more confused than enlightened. We had to go back to our lodging to look up the stories to better understand what we saw. At $40 (USD), this wasn't quite the experience we had hoped for. Maybe it's a different experience if there is a huge cruise ship crowd visiting?

During my visit to the Manea Footprints of Kupe, I was treated to a profound cultural journey. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Hokianga region, the experience is an immersive dive into Maori history and the adventures of the great navigator Kupe. From the warm traditional welcome to the interactive and high-tech exhibits inside, the storytelling prowess of the guides and the authenticity of the live performances made the legends resonate with me on a personal level. The full-scale waka and the engaging exhibits provided a tactile, enriching educational experience. Stepping outside, the guided walks allowed me to appreciate the historical and spiritual significance of the land. The facility is designed with respect for tradition and accessibility in mind, though it's worth checking ahead for those with specific mobility needs. In conclusion, the Manea Footprints of Kupe is an enlightening experience that offers visitors a window into the Maori soul. It's educational, emotional, and undoubtedly a must-visit for anyone interested in the rich tapestry of New Zealand's indigenous heritage.

An in depth look at indigenous populations on NZ and their connections to generations before them. It included videos, a walk around a park with hand carved historic depictions and a 20 minute really cool show.

We'd previously thoroughly enjoyed both a cultural show & also visited a large Maori centre in Rotorua. However we have to say that Manea was truly excellent. It took a different approach to story telling & incorporated an innovative large scale 4D experience, with talented live performers exceedingly well. We highly recommend this wonderful cultural journey to both domestic & international travellers alike.