Explore our jade carving studio, meet local artists and choose a piece of pounamu to take home!
In the heart of Rotorua's city centre, just steps away from the iconic Government Gardens, our skilled artists dedicate themselves to the intricate craft of hand-carving New Zealand pounamu (jade). With passion and care, they invite you to explore the unique stories behind each carving and offer an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into their creative process.
Step inside our studio for an unforgettable experience, where you can observe live demonstrations and spend quality one-on-one time with our talented artists. You’ll learn about the detailed jade carving process and dive into the rich cultural heritage and significance of New Zealand pounamu.
For a hands-on experience, you can even try your hand at traditional Māori carving techniques using sandstone to shape pounamu. To make your visit truly memorable, you’ll select your own piece of pounamu and string it into a necklace to take home as a treasured keepsake. Perfect for all ages, our 40-minute tour offers a fun and engaging activity, especially on rainy days!
All prices are shown in NZD ($)
So happy you enjoyed the tour! Thanks for the review :)
We thoroughly enjoyed the Mountain Jade Highlights Tour in Rotorua and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area. The guides were friendly, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable. We learned so much about New Zealand jade (pounamu), its cultural significance, how it is sourced, and the craftsmanship involved in creating each piece. The live carving and polishing demonstrations were fascinating to watch, and seeing the process firsthand gave us a much deeper appreciation for the skill and artistry involved. We also loved hearing the stories behind the different designs and meanings. It was an educational, interactive, and enjoyable experience for the whole family. We left with a greater understanding of Māori culture and some wonderful memories. A must-do experience in Rotorua. 💚🪨✨
Very Informative - we learnt a lot about the history of Pounamu. The staff were exceptional and our family thoroughly enjoyed this experience. We really appreciated being able to pick our own piece at the end of the tour.
Kia ora Reine, Thank you so much for your review! We are so glad you enjoyed spending time with us and we hope you love your new taonga ð NgÄ mihi â Mountain Jade
My friend and I had a great time, the explanations around the green stone and it's importance for Maori people was so interesting. We loved being able to witness the artist carving the stones. We even got a present at the end of the tour !
Kia ora Louis! Thank you for taking the time to write such a lovely review! We absolutely loved hosting you and your friend, we love that you learnt something new! Ngā mihi - Mountain Jade
We really enjoyed this tour, it was fascinating learning about the Jayde and how it’s carved
Kia ora Emy, thank you so much for taking the time to submit a review. We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour and went away feeling educated about jade. See you again!
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Lara from Germany wrote on 24 February 2023
Sehr interessant!
Zu Beginn gab es eine allgemeine Einführung und dann haben wir viel Zeit im Studio verbracht. Alle Fragen wurden beantwortet und es war sehr interessant dem Künstler bei der Arbeit zuzuschauen! Super schön, dass man am Ende eine Kette erhält.