Logistics

TRAVEL TIME TO OTHER CENTRES

Rotorua - 1 hour
Hamilton - 1 hour 30 minutes
Auckland - 3 hours

LOCATION

Licensed to operate from Pilot Bay, Mt Maunganui, maintaining a mobile station and all equipment needed.
5-minute walk (350m) from the cruise gates at the Port of Tauranga, 15-minute walk to Mauao, the mountain (650m), 10-minute walk (600m) to the main surf beach.

OPERATING SEASON

Based around NZ school holidays, begins approximately start of October and ends approximately end of April.
Peak period is 26 December to 6 February.
Open for walk-in options 9am to 6pm during peak period, 10am to 4pm during school holidays and weekends in the shoulder periods. October to December, February to April, we mainly service school, tourism, business and social groups.

BOOKING

The booking system we use is Rezdy.
Most services can be booked online, group bookings that require dedicated communications are managed via email.
Exclusive services, such as for cruise, are managed in-house and are given their own dedicated booking process.
While we prefer agents that can connect through Rezdy, we do accept other methods, but request that our admin requirements are reduced to a minimum.

PRICES

All prices are commissionable and inclusive of GST.
Mauao Adventures reserves the right to change pricing before the operating season, unless contracted to a price point.
Our general commission rate is up to 20% based on minimum requirements for that rate. A higher rate may be negotiated with added expectation from the agent.

WEATHER

We can operate in showers and moderate winds up to 15 knots. We will not operate in lightning storms, strong winds and heavy rain.
In the event that winds impact a water activity, participants can opt for an available land-based activity or full refund.

We allow 24-hour cancellation to receive a full refund.
If we cancel due to weather concerns or minimum numbers not met, participants can choose an alternative activity or a receive full refund.

PARTICIPANT NUMBERS

Our mid-range services have their own maximum and minimum number requirements, refer to the product info.
For all other activities, we are resourced for up to 20 participants at a time in each activity and can comfortably cater for up to 60 participants in a full-day packaged booking.
We can consider larger numbers depending on the circumstances.
For waka ama services, we require a minimum of 2 adult participants.

PICK-UPS

We can meet cruise passengers at the Port of Tauranga and escort them onsite by foot.
Potentially can provide transport for SUP adventures that are scheduled for locations outside of Pilot Bay through associated transport operators.
We cannot provide transport to our Pilot Bay location.

AGE RESTRICTIONS

Children 7 years and under must be registered and actively accompanied by an adult guardian.
Children 8 to 15 years must be registered and actively observed by an adult guardian.
Ages 16+ years are classified as adult for our services.

PREPARATION

ARRIVAL

Upon arrival, participants will be greeted and introduced to their guides.
Safety briefing will follow along with a karakia/prayer.
Participants will then be suitably equipped and prepared for their activity.
Personal belongings can either be left onsite with our staff or locked in our mobile trailer. Belongings are left at the participant’s own risk.

WAKA AMA

We have access to a range of canoes that can fit up to 3, 5 or 11 participants.
Canoes are provided by our local waka ama club, Hoe Aroha Whānau ō Mauao. A portion of proceeds go towards the club, resulting in an annual contribution in excess of $5000.
Participants will be equipped with a life jacket and paddle.
Depending on the service, participants may be required to assist with transferring the canoes in and out of the water.
Participants will get wet up to their knees.
Where children 7 years and under can participate, they will sit either on the lap of, or on the canoe hull in front of their adult guardian.
There is a 5% chance for a 6-person canoe to tip which will result in participants being fully submerged. Our instructors are trained to manage such incidents, and participants are fully briefed before entering the water.

STAND UP PADDLING

Participants will be equipped with a life jacket, board, paddle, leg rope.
Participants should come prepared to get wet as there is no guarantee to stay dry. Children 7 years and under will share a board and equipment with their adult guardian.
Our instructors work to the capabilities of the participant.

OUR TEAM

All staff are local, 90% are tangata whenua/indigenous people of the area, the business is 100% Māori owned.
Senior guides require a full year of employment and assessed to qualify at a senior level. They will have received the relevant qualifications available, and where qualifications are unavailable, they are trained and graduated according to industry guidelines.
There will be at least one senior guide leading most sessions, with the exception of SUP hires and Express lessons.

BUSINESS QUALIFICATIONS

Qualmark - we have opted out of Qualmark for the 2024-2025 season due to resetting the business. Bronze level achieved in previous seasons.
WorkSafe accreditation in progress.
Licensed to operate from our beachside location through Tauranga City Council.
Maritime Navigational Safety License.
Full business insurance cover for public liability, all equipment including third party, anywhere in NZ.

AFFILIATIONS

Tourism Bay of Plenty - RTO
New Zealand Māori Tourism - National tourism body
Tourism Industry Aotearoa - Member, advocates for quality sustainable NZ tourism
Tāpoi Māori o Tauranga Moana - collective of Māori tour operators in Tauranga
Mauao Trust - the trust representing the three iwi of Tauranga as owners of the mountain, Mauao
Hoe Aroha Whānau o Mauao Waka Ama Club - local waka ama club who provide the waka ama canoes we use
Waka Ama New Zealand - national waka ama body
SUP NZ - national stand up paddle boarding body
Ngaiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pūkenga - three iwi of Tauranga
Local tourism operators - well-connected with other operators