Māori Rock Carvings: Scenic Sailing Tour

Embark on a scenic sailing tour of Lake Taupo and discover the extraordinary Māori Rock Carvings. Relax on the luxurious ‘Kindred Spirit’ yacht and enjoy breathtaking views while learning about the lake’s history. Swim in the crystal-clear waters of the largest freshwater lake in Australasia.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Lake Taupo - Experience the beauty of a scenic sailing tour to the Māori Rock Carvings, one of the most extraordinary contemporary carvings in the world.
    Escape from hectic life for a while and enjoy the breathtaking views around. Listen to our experienced skippers and learn about the history of the lake. Give the crew a hand hoisting the sails…
What's Included
  • Blankets
  • Selection of non-alcoholic drinks (if option is selected)
  • Wet weather gear
  • On-board restrooms
  • Live commentary on board
  • BYO
  • Longest swim stop out of any company on the lake (weather dependent)
  • Selection of beer and wine (if option is selected)
What's Not Included
  • Accommodation pickup and drop-off
  • Food
Additional Information

Escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and indulge in a sailing adventure aboard our classic yacht, Fearless, for a timeless and genuine sailing experience.
Discover the Māori Rock Carvings, renowned as some of the most remarkable contemporary carvings globally. Visible only from the water, the likeness of Ngātoroirangi stands an impressive 14 meters…

Location
Taupo Sailing Adventures
Redoubt Street
Departure Point: Taupo Sailing Adventures Berth #16/17 Taupo Marina, next to 65 Redoubt St. Customers need to be at the boat 20min before departure time for check in. People failing to show up for check in will not be refunded.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(147 Ratings)
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Xionelmenard
Mar 15, 2026
Fun Experience! - Thanks Captain Dave, Stephanie, Jess lovely sailing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Caroline_w
Feb 22, 2026
Taupo Lake Experience - Great host very friendly and informative a great way to spend a few hours on the lake including the sailing back was brilliant
Review provided by Viator
Chris
Feb 16, 2026
Breath taking - Was the best experience I have had since visiting New Zealand. A must do! The kids loved the swimming and the sailing experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pioneer43178855310
Feb 14, 2026
Fantastic trip with great Maori roastings and a nice swim trip, but I am not impressed by the trip advisors info - Great trip, but we were just about to reach the trip, as the boat we were going with did not sail any information from Trip Advisor about this, but the boat company itself helped us get on one of the company's other boats, which actually had sailed - too stressful
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katherine_n
Feb 12, 2026
Awesome! - Beautiful afternoon experience on Lake Taupo. Very comfortable boat and excellent crew! Informative and interesting commentary. Swimming in the bay is not to be missed! Thanks David!
Review provided by Viator
Emmanuelbw8570cy
Feb 8, 2026
Classical sailing exceeded my expectations, simply Beautiful Lake Taupo - We were privileged to have sailed with Classical sailing maori rock carvings adventures. Dave and Jess were great. The Taupo lake itself is magnificent and Jess gave fantastic commentary about the Lake Taupo and its history and the sheer size and the depth of the Taupo lake are breathtaking. They stopped at the swim stop and the refreshments were amazing. The best part was they let us have an Awesome view of the spectacular colours when the sun was setting on the lake. It was truly thrilling experience and I really enjoyed the Classical sailing and I'd definitely recommend to many others.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Merrymsmouse
Feb 6, 2026
Maori Cravings Sail - We had a beautiful sail ⛵️ to the Maori Carvings, captain Dave was informative and friendly. We had a smooth sail back to the harbor after a refreshing swim & a cool drink! 100% recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Derekleen26
Feb 6, 2026
Great Boat, Great Skipper - Brilliant experience. The weather was perfect, but it was the boat and skipper that made the whole evening so great.
Review provided by Viator
Jennlehmberg
Mar 18, 2026
Pros: the lake is... - Pros: the lake is absolutely STUNNING. The carvings are just as cool as you're imaging. The sunset made the views even better. Cons: our guide... does not really seem like he really wants to be a guide? To be clear, I think he showed a genuine, deep appreciation for the beauty of the carvings and their cultural significance, and that earns him a lot of points in my book. On the other hand, he took the "cranky sea captain" vibe to an extreme. Easily 50+% of of his commentary going to/from the carvings was comprised of complaints about the people who buy vacation homes on the far side of the lake (which, fair I guess, gentrification sucks? but it was a LOT of commentary) and music coming from the other boats. My husband and I found ourselves giving each other and the other passengers knowing looks as we collectively wondered why our cruise couldn't also play some music? You got the vibe from our captain that the only appropriate way to appreciate the lake in his book was to sit in mostly contemplative silence. Tl;dr the cruise was definitely worth it and seeing the lake was absolutely a part of our trip I'm glad we opted in for. Buuuut our captain left a lot to be desired on fostering a festive/vacation vibe to the experience.
Review provided by Viator
Tn_s
Feb 17, 2026
Simple - Great trip out to the Rocks carvings, however there really isn't to much to the trip, travel out, look, maybe have a swim and travel back
Review provided by Viator
From $35
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).