Private and small-group Māori cultural tours in Auckland with John Kerr
Walk the maunga (ancestral mountains). Hear the kōrero (living stories).
Discover Auckland — Tāmaki Makaurau — through its ancestral landscapes and living culture.
Whakapapa (ancestry and connection) · Whakaora (restoration) · Kaitiakitanga (guardianship)
John Kerr, founder of Kia Ora Tours, is of Waikato-Tainui descent. John created Kia Ora Tours to share Tāmaki Makaurau through Māori perspectives and help visitors understand the living connections between people, whenua (land), whakapapa (ancestry) and the ancestral maunga (mountains).
Three Auckland volcanoes in one day.
An ancestral pā on Māngere Mountain, one of Auckland’s volcanoes. Terraces, storage pits and views across the Manukau Harbour reveal settlement, cultivation and connection.
→Included in the Three Maunga TourRead the Māori history of Māngere →
Hape and Kaiwhare: the great stingray journey →
How Māngere got its name: gentle winds and ancestral stories →
Mount Eden, the maunga at the heart of the Auckland isthmus. Its pā terraces and elevated outlook reveal connections between people, whenua (land) and waterways.
→Included in the Three Maunga Tour
One Tree Hill, one of Auckland’s largest pā complexes. Settlement, cultivation and generations of occupation shaped this maunga, with commanding views across Tāmaki Makaurau.
→Included in the Three Maunga TourExplore the places that connect our full-day cultural tour.
This overview shows the relative maunga locations, not meeting points or a driving route. Your meeting point, visit order and access arrangements are confirmed with your booking.
Full-day Māori cultural tour of Auckland’s volcanoes · private and small-group enquiries welcome.
Three ancestral landscapes. One connected story.
Travel with a Māori guide through three Auckland volcanoes: Te Pane o Mataoho (Māngere Mountain), Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill) and Maungawhau (Mount Eden). Read the terraces and pā landscapes, hear how people lived across the isthmus, and see Auckland through whakapapa (ancestry), whenua (land) and kōrero (living stories). Transport included.
Te Pane o Mataoho, Maungakiekie and Maungawhau, with transport included.
Minimum four paid guests for scheduled tours. Price on request.
View tour details →
Visit the Māori Business Hub Te Ngahere for waiata, Māori arts and cultural connection.
Minimum four paid guests for scheduled tours. Price on request.
View experience details →The Te Ngahere experience followed by the unveiling and sharing of traditional hāngī kai.
Minimum four paid guests for scheduled tours. Price on request.
View experience details →A tailored introduction to the maunga for travel groups, schools, whānau or organisations. Ask about extended tours, multiple sites or groups of seven or more. Price on request. Receive a personalised quote based on your group size, tour duration and interests, with the price agreed before booking. Your quote will clearly show GST and the total payable.
Request a group quote →Your meeting location and start time are confirmed with your booking.
Comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, water and a light rain layer.
Tell us about dietary or accessibility needs when you enquire so we can plan with you.
Your place is confirmed by email. Booking and cancellation terms are provided before payment.
Tell us which experience you are interested in, your preferred date and how many people are coming. We will reply with availability and the next steps.
Price on request. Receive a personalised quote based on your group size, tour duration and interests, with the price agreed before booking. Your quote will clearly show GST and the total payable.
Prefer to email directly?
jkerr@xtra.co.nz