Pohutu Geyser — Attraction in North Island

Te Puia was the last place we visited on our three-week trip New Zealand. Previous to our trip we had booked and paid for a tour and Cultural Experience online for Sunday December 4th 2022 at TE Puia.

We arrived at Te Puia just before 9am and were told the cultural experience had been cancelled for the day. We were asked if we would like a refund for the cultural experience or if we could "come back tomorrow". We explained we had a flight out of Auckland on Monday December 5th and this was our only opportunity to see the Cultural Experience.

I asked the staff member if they would be willing to "comp" the tour price for my wife and I since we really only wanted to see the Cultural experience and had been to Hells Gate the previous day. They explained they were unable to do so.

The staff explained they only learned earlier in the week of the cancellation of the Dec 5th Cultural Experience. I asked why no one had bothered to let us know since they had our contact information. They did not have an answer for us. I asked how many other people had also booked online and was told one other couple.

I reached out to Connor Rogers, Te Puia’s Guest Experience Manager when I returned home and was never given the courtesy of a response to my complaint.

Usually when a business makes this type of error, they compensate the customer in some form. My wife and I were disappointed we were unable to participate in the Cultural Experience and were appalled Te Puia did nothing to rectify the situation.

My takeaway and advice:

Te Puia mission is to make as much money as possible with no consideration for the “Customer Experience.

It is way overpriced

There are better places to see New Zealand’s geological marvels and experience...

Interesting. My and my sons came here. I liked it you could say for the most part. I would say, you have to stay cautious of some of the workers though. While on our way to get pudding with the rest of the tour group. I noticed one of my sons was falling back from the crowd. I decided to leave my other sons and sus out the situation. Had a musli bar ready for my boy. Until I noticed he was being pressured by a worker to go on his train and ‘go to the top’. This is one of the the most concerning things for a mother. So much unknown, what is the top!? Is his train safe?! Has it been checked by WOF?!

But it was too late by the time I got to my son, the worker had caught onto me to ‘are you going to the top??’ He said with a tone of worry in his voice ‘Where’s the top!?’ I asked ‘The top!?’ He said. I had given up, and my son Adam was already on the train.

To my shock, the train took us away from the group and down to the bottom of the hill. I missed out on the pudding!!! Once we got to the bottom, or as he called it the top. All made sense I think he did this often, his manger was upset with him since he had left his tour group to come take us on his train. The poor lad risked his job to take us to the top. ‘You’ve done it again!! Your group is waiting for you!’ His manager yelled upset. My other sons were upset that we left them. One of them actually ending up leaving me due to that incident. He went to his dad :/ But I would say it was worth it for the top.

Can’t wait...

Total scam. I was very exited to witness my first 30m geyser and I'm still waiting to tick that box. Don't get me wrong. It's a beautiful place, the trail in particular, but the main reason I was there was to see the highest geyser of the South hemisphere in action and it never happened. (Supposedly every 45 min.. at least that's how they advertise it..) 79$ for both the village guided tour and the trail.. So, folks, I suggest that if your intention is to see the (small) geysers only, you better pay just for the trail (which is nice) and head straight away to the geyser lookout after that. It is located at the right hand after you passed the bridge, about a 100m from the...