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Mountain Jade Highlights Tour

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
10 Reviews
$35.00 NZD
$35.00 NZD $35.00 NZD
SKU:
ROTOTOUR-ADULT
Or pay $8.75 NZD per fortnight
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In the heart of Rotorua, discover the art of carving jade on a guided tour of our greenstone studio. Meet local artists as they craft jade by hand and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and atmosphere of our carving workshop. Your guide will take you on an in-depth journey into the history of jade carving in New Zealand, uncovering the significance of pounamu for Māori and exploring the traditional uses and values of the stone. You'll see the highlights of our jade gallery and then head to the studio to spend exclusive time with our artists, learning about the carving process and watching them work. After visiting the studio, you'll get to choose and string a piece of New Zealand pounamu, turning it into a necklace to take home and treasure forever.

Booking
Admission is $35 for adults and children (3 - 16 years). Infants (0-2 years) are free. Family prices are not available. You will receive an e-ticket via email. *Please note our booking system requires you to enter a shipping address, but physical tickets will not be posted.

Departure times
Monday to Friday: 10 am. Tours are not available on weekends.

What you need to know
Please arrive at our carving studio 5 minutes prior to your tour departure time. Allow 30 minutes for the whole experience. We are located at 1288 Fenton Street, Rotorua. Children and infants must be accompanied by adults at all times.

What's included
Admission includes a piece of New Zealand pounamu to take home (you will choose your piece from a selection of pre-carved and polished stones). *Not included with infant tickets.

Cancellations
If you need to change or cancel your tour, please give us a call at 07 349 1828 or email rotorua@mountainajde.co.nz. For a full refund, cancel at least 48 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

Free Educational Tour
Every day at 2 pm, we also offer a Free Educational Tour. This tour lasts 15 minutes and includes a brief visit to our carving studio. Click here to learn more. *Note this tour does not include a piece of New Zealand pounamu to take home. 

Private Group Tours
We offer private group tours for groups of 15 or more people. Email rotorua@mountainjade.co.nz to learn about our private group tours and pricing.

$35.00 NZD $35.00 NZD
SKU:
ROTOTOUR-ADULT

Description

In the heart of Rotorua, discover the art of carving jade on a guided tour of our greenstone studio. Meet local artists as they craft jade by hand and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and atmosphere of our carving workshop. Your guide will take you on an in-depth journey into the history of jade carving in New Zealand, uncovering the significance of pounamu for Māori and exploring the traditional uses and values of the stone. You'll see the highlights of our jade gallery and then head to the studio to spend exclusive time with our artists, learning about the carving process and watching them work. After visiting the studio, you'll get to choose and string a piece of New Zealand pounamu, turning it into a necklace to take home and treasure forever.

Booking
Admission is $35 for adults and children (3 - 16 years). Infants (0-2 years) are free. Family prices are not available. You will receive an e-ticket via email. *Please note our booking system requires you to enter a shipping address, but physical tickets will not be posted.

Departure times
Monday to Friday: 10 am. Tours are not available on weekends.

What you need to know
Please arrive at our carving studio 5 minutes prior to your tour departure time. Allow 30 minutes for the whole experience. We are located at 1288 Fenton Street, Rotorua. Children and infants must be accompanied by adults at all times.

What's included
Admission includes a piece of New Zealand pounamu to take home (you will choose your piece from a selection of pre-carved and polished stones). *Not included with infant tickets.

Cancellations
If you need to change or cancel your tour, please give us a call at 07 349 1828 or email rotorua@mountainajde.co.nz. For a full refund, cancel at least 48 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

Free Educational Tour
Every day at 2 pm, we also offer a Free Educational Tour. This tour lasts 15 minutes and includes a brief visit to our carving studio. Click here to learn more. *Note this tour does not include a piece of New Zealand pounamu to take home. 

Private Group Tours
We offer private group tours for groups of 15 or more people. Email rotorua@mountainjade.co.nz to learn about our private group tours and pricing.

Product Info

All our pendants come on an adjustable cord, unless otherwise stated. Our gold necklaces come with a complimentary gold-plated chain.

Shipping and Delivery Dates

Shipping within New Zealand is FREE. For orders over $50 to Australia, shipping is also FREE. Find out more

Returns

If you are not satisfied with your purchase let us know within 5 working days of receipt of goods. Conditions apply. More Info

Discover pounamu

Discover pounamu

Pounamu is the Māori name for greenstone or New Zealand jade. It is found only in New Zealand’s South Island, which is why the island is also known as Te Waipounamu, meaning “the greenstone waters”. Deeply treasured for its strength, beauty, and connection to the Māori spiritual world, pounamu has formed over millions of years, forged deep under our mountains and concealed in our rivers. It is rare, and no two pieces are the same.

Spend exclusive time with New Zealand jade artists in their studio

During the tour, you'll get to meet local Rotorua artists Tamaora Walker, Akapita Scally and Makaire Raharuhi. They will show you the tools and techniques they use to carve jade and reveal some of their current work in progress. Watch as they transform raw stone into carved art and ask them questions while they work.

Learn about our artist's passion, inspiration and the stories they carve in the video below.

Click to play

Click to play
Choose your pounamu

Your piece is waiting

The act of gifting greenstone is steeped in New Zealand tradition. So our gift to you is a piece of pounamu to take home and treasure forever. During the tour, you'll get to choose and string your piece of pounamu turning it into a necklace.
NZ'S LARGEST JADE COLLECTION

Explore our gallery

Our gallery hosts the largest and most diverse collection of jade carvings in New Zealand. After the tour, you're welcome to visit our gallery and see the many different artworks crafted by talented kiwi carvers.

A PIECE OF NZ

Gifts and Souvenirs

Visit our Rotorua store and explore our collection of greenstone necklaces, earrings, bracelets, earrings and rings and find the perfect souvenir or gift for someone you love.

Rotorua Store
QUALITY ASSURED

New Zealand Sustainable Tourism Business

A Qualmark Silver Award for our Rotorua store shows that as a tourism operator, we are committed to protecting our beautiful natural environment, enhancing connections with our local communities, and delivering a quality, safe experience for all visitors.
Free Educational Tour

Free Educational Tour

If you can't make the Mountain Jade Highlights Tour, then you can also join us daily at 2pm for our Free Educational Tour.

Learn more

Our promise

Hand carved

Hand carved

Smooth lines, soft finishes, no scratches and no cuts.

Sustainable packaging

Sustainable packaging

Wherever possible we use sustainable packaging.

Gift wrapping

Gift wrapping

We offer a Premium Gift Wrapping service.

Free Shipping

Free Shipping

On all domestic orders.

What our customers are saying

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
Based on 10 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 10 Total 4 star reviews: 0 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
100%would recommend this product
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10 reviews
  • DM
    Dwayne MOU CUN S.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Mar 27, 2023
    Wonderful experience

    It was wonderfully explained and the lady was energetic and dynamic. I loved it and even bought a Pounamu for each member of my family.

    Was this helpful?
  • JH
    Jayson H.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Apr 27, 2023
    Awesome experience

    Awesome experience

    Was this helpful?
  • PL
    Pat L.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Apr 15, 2023
    Pat from US

    We learned a lot about NZ Jade. A watching them work was nice. Thank you for sharing!

    Was this helpful?
  • SA
    Sandra A.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Jan 20, 2023
    Friendly, informative tour

    Very informative and interesting seeing the skilled craftsmen produce beautiful work. Every piece individually created.

    Was this helpful?
  • BE
    Britta E.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Jan 15, 2023
    Educational and Fascinating

    Loved learning and asking questions. Would recommend for anyone interested in learning an about pounamu or the carving process.

    Was this helpful?
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