Three-Hour Lake Rotoiti Sightseeing Cruise for One Person incl. Lunch with Tea & Coffee, Entry to Hot Water Private Beach, Deep Water Glow Worm Caves, Storage Caves, Use of Fishing Gear & Kayaks & More - Options for up to 10 People

Time schedule: 11.00am - 2.00pm OR 4.00pm - 7.00pm

Includes:

• Picnic Lunch (for 11.00am - 2.00pm) or BBQ Lunch (for 4.00pm - 7.00pm trip) with Tea & Coffee
• Entry to Hot Water Private Beach
• Deep Water Glow Worm Caves
• Storage Caves
• Use of Fishing Gear & Kayaks
• Lawn/team building games to enjoy
• Free parking on site

About the cruise:

The Exploded House
Te Arero Bay is known where the house exploded. Gun powder and Muskets were traded and stored in a house with little knowledge on how it functioned, but knowledge of it being a form of protection. A lot of rain fell and dampened the gun powder. It was decided that the best way to dry the powder was to light a fire. The result was devastating with a massive explosion and many lives taken.

Cave exploring in your togs!
Rotoiti has many caves to explore while swimming in the warm summer waters. Early Maori hid women and children in the larger ones you can see when tribal wars passed through the area. Some even look like a cave but you can swim right around and pop out the other side. If you look carefully you can often see glow worms looking for food in the crevasses of the roof.

Boulder hunting
Hangi is a form cooking with heated rocks in dirt pit. Legend has it that Rotoiti has many boulders but hidden beneath the Sand. There is one place that has the perfect boulders for Hangi and they like to bask in the sun. The boulders are sensitive and can sense when they are going to use for Hangi and disappear into the sand quickly. You must sneak up on them when they would least expect it and grab them for the cooking fires.

Geothermal phenomenon
There is a quiet bay on the shore of Lake Rotoiti with many hot and cold springs. The steam can be seen on the surface as it gives away the location of the hottest cooking spring at 73 degrees.

The scared warm stream was used as an indicator to local villagers of warriors passing upstream stirring up the sediment as they came to attack the village.

Hot and cold – A hot water beach. Experience the boiling sands at hot water beach in a native Manuka grove. The warm waters are fun to see how far you can twist your feet into the sand before jumping out from the intense heat!

Hidden hand carved food storage caves
Caves were hand carved into the soft lime/sandstone to store food such as Kumara. They can often be found in shady areas that do not have direct sun. The caves served as a fridge that kept food cool. Punga fronds and sticks were used as a door to stop rodents from eating the food. These can be viewed in the little known bay of Te Arero.

The Whistling Tree of danger
In Ohoukaka bay there is a weathered old Pohutukawa tree. It is known as the wind omen, a singing tree and acted as a barometer. When the branches murmured in the wind drowsily like a blow fly, it was a sign the weather would be fair and blue skies. It was also safe to hold Canoes ceremonies on these days. When the branches whistled with a high screech it meant that wind and rain was coming and canoes should be bought up the beach and fares closed from the coming storm.

The little big Lake
Lake Rotoiti in English means – Little Lake. Ihenga named Lake Rotoiti. The lake is deceiving from the exact location of where he discovered it. It is hard to see another 9km of lake hence the why he named it little lake.

The wailing cliffs
Canoes were made from single tree of Totara which may have been felled a long way from the lake and carved. Totara is a hard wood and is considerably hard to carve. The Maori tribes of Lake Rotoiti held a ceremony when canoes were ready for voyage. They would propel the canoes from a high cliff to test its strength and durability. If the canoe survived it was considered worthy enough to stand up to any storm.

The wailing was cries of joy and or sadness from hours of carving and their final destruction or survival after what could be a years work carving and dragging the canoes to the lake.