Admission is $45 pp for Adults and Children (3 - 16 years). Infants (0-2 years) are free of charge.
You will receive your e-ticket via email. We highly recommend booking online as there are limited spaces available.
Tours depart Monday to Sunday at 10 am only. Allow 40 minutes for the experience. Tours are not available on NZ Public Holidays.
Please arrive at our carving studio 5 minutes before your tour departure time. We are located at 1288 Fenton Street, Rotorua. There is free and paid car parking available. We have limited seating available, so you must be able to stand for 40 minutes. We are wheelchair and stroller/pram accessible.
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.
If you need to change or cancel your tour, please call 07 349 1828 or email rotorua@mountainjade.co.nz. For a full refund, cancel at least 48 hours in advance.
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 named Te Waipounamu, meaning “the greenstone waters”.
A gift from Papatuanuku (Mother Earth), pounamu is treasured deeply in New Zealand for its strength, beauty, and spiritual significance. Over millions of years, it has formed, forged deep under our mountains and concealed in our rivers. It is rare, and no two pieces are the same. Traditionally, pounamu is gifted between friends and family and passed down through generations.
No trip to New Zealand is complete without discovering the beauty of pounamu.
Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and atmosphere of our jade carving studio and experience the creativity and skill of our local Rotorua artists, Tamaora Walker, Akapita Scally, Daniel Malcolm, Jason Vercoe and James Pirika. They'll show you the tools and techniques they use to carve pounamu, including the intricate process of designing, cutting, grinding, and sanding, and you'll get to watch them transform a raw piece of stone into a finished toki pendant.
You'll be captivated by their passion, knowledge, and stories and you will have the chance to ask them all your burning questions!
Guided by one of our experts, you will delve into the rich history of pounamu and learn fascinating facts about its original uses and values. You will discover how different types of pounamu vary in colour and translucency and even have a chance to try your hand at original Māori carving techniques using sandstone sticks to shape pounamu
If you would like to book this tour as a private experience, please call 07 349 1828 or email rotorua@mountainjade.co.nz for prices. We also offer educational experiences for large groups of 12 people or more, contact us to find out more.
A Qualmark Gold 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.
