Journey through the stories of the people of Poutini Ngāi Tahu and the Māwhera Pā (settlement)

Duration

We recommend allowing 60 - 90 minutes to walk through the experience hub. You don't have to arrive at the exact time of your booking, ideally within 30 minutes of your booked time.

Open daily from 9am

Pounamu Pathway: A Place Of Legends

The Pounamu Pathway takes you on a journey through the ancestral lands of Tai Poutini rūnanga Ngāti Waewae and Makaawhio, on the wild west coast of New Zealand’s South Island, from Karamea in the north to Awarua Haast in the South.

It is a place of epic landscapes shaped by gods and titanic natural forces.

A place of legendary battles and the fearless warrior chiefs and warrior women who fought them.

A place of natural treasures and the innovation and human endeavour they inspired – from the earliest Polynesian settlers to today.

Along the Pathway, four unique immersive visitor experience centres each tell a different story of the West Coast.

About the experience

Discover the life at the Māwhera Pā - the ancestral home of Poutini Ngāi Tahu!

Encounter ancestral legends, like Tūhuru the Warrior Chief and Tuterangiwhānoa who carved these great landscapes.

Listen as the stories of giants and fearless warriors unfold around you, and experience tales of conquest, travel, conflict and kinship through the trade of Pounamu.

Please Note

• No food or drink available inside. Cafes and restaurants around the centre.
• We have a bag check-in.
• Toilets are available onsite.
• Parking available across the site.
• Duration in the experience centre is not capped, though no pass-outs are allowed.