What is Matariki and why celebrate it on the water?
Matariki marks the rising of the Pleiades star cluster — known in te reo Māori as Matariki — and signals the Māori New Year. It’s a time for remembrance, renewal, and looking to the future. Across Aotearoa, communities gather under the stars to reflect, celebrate, and connect with the natural world.
And what better way to connect with the night sky than from the still, dark water of a kayak? Here at Waimarino Kayak Tours, we’ve two extraordinary evening experiences that are perfect to make your Matariki unforgettable — one on Lake Rotoiti and one in Tauranga’s on Lake McLaren.
Our Matariki night-time kayak experiences
We run two signature evening tours perfect for the Matariki season. Whether you’re based in Tauranga or heading to Rotorua, we have a paddle experience that will take your breath away.
Starlight Gourmet Kayak Tour — Rotorua
Picture this: gliding across a mirror-flat Lake Rotoiti as the Matariki star cluster climbs above the horizon — and then pulling up to a candlelit feast set up right on the water’s edge. Our Starlight Gourmet Kayak Tour combines peaceful paddling with a carefully curated gourmet dinner, all under an ink-dark sky far from city lights.
This is Matariki the way it was always meant to be experienced — outside, under the stars, with good food and good company. Our guides share the stories of the Matariki stars throughout the evening.
Ideal for couples, and small groups looking for something truly special this Matariki season.
Location: Rotorua · Duration: Approx. 3–4 hours · Includes: Gourmet dinner, stargazing and glowworm caves · Experience level: No experience needed
Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour — Tauranga
If you’re in Tauranga for Matariki, this is your night. Our Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour takes you silently through the darkness toward one of the Bay of Plenty’s hidden treasures — a natural glowworm canyon, where hundreds of tiny bioluminescent lights turn the cave walls into its own private constellation.
It’s a magical experience on any evening, but during Matariki — when the skies above are bright with stars it becomes something truly extraordinary. Paddle beneath the glowworms, then drift back out under the rising Matariki cluster.
This tour is perfect for families, first-timers, and anyone who wants to experience the natural wonders of Tauranga from a completely new perspective.
Location: Tauranga · Duration: Approx. 2–3 hours · Includes: Guided paddle & glowworm canyon · Experience level: All welcome
Why kayaking is the perfect way to celebrate Matariki
During Matariki, when the nights grow crisp and clear and communities gather to honour the stars, heading out on a kayak tour gives you something that no festival event or indoor celebration can: genuine connection with the natural world.
Away from streetlights, on the calm water of Lake Rotoiti or Lake McLaren, the Matariki stars are vivid and close. Tauranga has no shortage of Matariki events, but a kayak tour offers something intimate and memorable, enjoying the stars, connecting with friends and whanau and spending time immersed in nature.