Mountain Jade Highlights Tour: Discover the art of jade carving in Rotorua

Join our exclusive Mountain Jade Highlights Tour in Rotorua and uncover the art of jade carving. Immerse yourself in the carving workshop, learn about the history and significance of jade, and create a personalized pounamu necklace to cherish forever.

Duration: 40 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Mountain Jade - 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…
What's Included
  • Live jade carving demonstration
  • Exclusive time with New Zealand jade artists in their studio
  • Fully guided experience with jade experts (40 minutes)
  • Piece of New Zealand pounamu to take home
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST)
What's Not Included
  • Infant tickets (0-2 years) are free of charge but this tickets does not include a piece of pounamu.
  • You do not get to carve your own pounamu. Instead, you will observe our artists carving.
Additional Information

Located in the vibrant center of Rotorua, just a short stroll from the iconic Government Gardens, our talented artists are deeply engaged in their work, lovingly hand-carving New Zealand pounamu with passion and dedication. They warmly invite visitors to explore the stories behind their creations and enjoy an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of our…

Location
Mountain Jade
1288 Fenton Street
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(40 Ratings)
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Bob_m
May 18, 2026
Mountain Design shop tour - Informative look into the history and culture behind Pounarmu (New Zealand green stone) followed by a hand crafting demonstration. The shop items were also very reasonably priced.
Review provided by Viator
S4057ppsaskiab
May 10, 2026
Amazing experience! - Amazing experience and worth the money, you even receive your very own Pounamu necklace to cherish!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
566lynns
Apr 2, 2026
Absolutely recommend this experience! - My friend and I had a fabulous visit in Rotorua with Kaylynn as our "tour guide". She shared authentically about the cultural and historical significance of pounamu, and Dylan did an excellent job explaining the art of cutting and shaping the pieces. James was also in the room and had a magnificent design he was working on. Beautiful showroom and pieces for sale in all budgets. I've been wearing mine since our visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marion_g
Mar 31, 2026
Interesting activity - Very interesting history of pounamu carving in NZ, and tge different types of stone. Fascinating demo of the stone shaping and carving which shows how much work goes into these. An added bonus was being able to choose a pendant to take home
Review provided by Viator
Kaleighwoodcox
Mar 12, 2026
This was really cool to... - This was really cool to learn about and watch the carvers in action. The piece of jade you get at the end is chosen by you and placed on a string then and there so you can wear it and feel part of the deeply meaningful jade culture. Loved it!
Review provided by Viator
Kristie_n
Mar 9, 2026
One of a Kind - Wonderful experience with an experienced guide and jade carver. We learned a lot and felt very warmly welcomed. The small jade gift at the end was the icing on an already wonderful tour. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Matth_asp2019
Mar 1, 2026
Not jaded anymore - Very cool multifaceted (pun intended) overview of Jade in New Zealand. Goes over the history and the culture surrounding jade or pounamu, and a cutter shows us his process and equipment live. Very informative and cool. The souvenir was great too and I’ll wear it as a necklace. P.S. that’s one huge chunk of nephrite jade
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paulhw6489cp
Dec 21, 2025
A great experience - Very informative about both the cultural significance of pounamu for Māori and the techniques used for carving. Guides were helpful in selecting pieces to gift my family.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tn_s
Feb 21, 2026
Jade time - Very nice experience, informative demonstration on jade, its significance in the Maori culture and how it is crafted
Review provided by Viator
Tiffany_h
Apr 6, 2026
Hoped to see more in... - Hoped to see more in depth carving by the artist. The carving portion of the tour was 5 mins. The staff was kind and helpful, the completed pieces in the shop were beautiful. I wouldn't recommend the tour, just visit the shop.
Review provided by Viator
From $27
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).