Before cities rose, before streets were drawn across the land, there were pā.
Pā were not only fortresses. They were places of leadership, of gathering, of guardianship over whenua and whānau. Built on ridges, beside rivers, across sacred coastlines, each pā was a living heart — protecting life, preserving knowledge, standing strong against time and tide.
Today, the shapes of these ancient villages still mark the land. Terraces on a hillside. Earthworks among trees. Shadows of palisades now softened by years but never forgotten. The pā are not gone. They are sleeping stories in the soil.
Tour of Pā began from a simple truth: these places are still alive. And they deserve to be travelled to with understanding, not just curiosity. With respect, not just footsteps.
We created Tour of Pā to guide travelers towards deeper journeys. Not to see New Zealand as a postcard, but as a living, breathing home — where every ridge and waterway carries the memory of those who walked before.
Through authentic stays near pā sites, carefully chosen tours with iwi connections, and storytelling rooted in care, we hope to open pathways into the spirit of Aotearoa.
We believe:
- Travel can be relationship, not just movement.
- A hotel can be a doorway, not just a room.
- A guided walk can be a meeting between ancestors and the present.
- Every journey can honour the stories that live beneath our feet.
The pā still stand — and they still speak. Tour of Pā is our way of listening.
Thank you for stepping into this journey with us.