About
Te Tihi Ao includes some of the best manuhiri (visitor) experiences within Te Tai Tokerau Northland; united to offer an exclusive opportunity for guests to engage with our people and stories.
These experience create a timeline of their stories and their ancestors that connect each to the other. We encourage you to follow them in order to get the true Te Tihi Ao experience.
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Starting with Footprints Waipoua, meet Tāne Mahuta and hear the creation story from a Māori world perspective. A truly moving and connected experience.
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Manea Footprints then shares the story of our ancestors' first migration to Aotearoa New Zealand. A sensory experience like no other.
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At Ngawha Springs, you will find a tranquil and beautiful place to bathe, connecting the west to the east. It is a place to rest, heal, and connect.
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Head east to Waiomio to the heart of Ngati Hine, founded by their ancestor Hineamaru who was born in the Waipoua Forest. A special place of awe and wonder.
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End your Te Tihi Ao journey at Te Ahurea and learn about life on the pa (village) and the arrival of early settlers. An interactive experience of connection, learning and understanding.
The manuhiri experiences include:
Footprints Waipoua
Intimate and spiritual encounters through the Waipoua Forest. Our majestic Kauri giants have stood silently over thousands of years, through the generations, witnessing the passing of time.
Manea Footprints
The descendants of Kupe welcome you, as do the spirits of our ancestors. Enter Te Hokianga-nui-a-Kupe, our sacred cradle of tribal histories. Walk with us in the footprints of our ancestor – Kupe the intrepid, Kupe the voyager, Kupe the discoverer.
Ngawha Springs
The mineral rich hot water of Ngawha bubble up from deepwithin the earth. We invite you to bathe in the healing waters at Ngawha Springs and let the ancient energy revitalise your senses while the minerals from deep within the earth permeate your body.
Waiomio Glowworm Caves
Explore the world-famous milky way, a cavern filled with glowworms as far as the eye can see. Journey underground
through networks of stalactites and stalagmites to hidden chambers like the Waiomio night sky where the glow worms are so close you can almost touch them.
Te Ahurea
Situated in the picturesque Kerikeri basin alongside historic Kororipo Pā (Hongi Hika’s fortified enclosure) the Kerikeri Stone Store, and Mission House, Te Ahurea is an interactive pā site that will transport you back in time.