Glorious NZ

01/09/2026

Forget about today being the “first day of Spring!” I am still using my heater & it’s snowing in the South Island! ❄️

For Māori, we wait for nature to signal the change of seasons. Spring/Koanga is coming and so is Māori Language Week. If you haven’t decided how you will honour the first language of this land, let Glorious help! We can come to your office/school and help you to celebrate Mahuru Māori (Māori Language Month) and Te Wiki o te Reo Māori/Māori Language Week.

Following on from our successful Matariki corporate workshops, we offer Māori Language Week classes that are interactive and include Māori words, songs & games. Don’t delay - get in touch today.

01/08/2026

When people ask, are you still doing tours? YES! It's winter so there aren't many tourists around but we are still offering our 'Auckland Urban Māori Experience' Day Tours and we are looking to add a Māori wellness tour out to West Auckland and we are expanding overseas to Waiheke Island in the summer! We recently did a private tour to Waiheke with filmmakers from France and an American living in Japan. The tour included wine and olive oil tasting, a long lunch, an ocean dip, shopping in the village and stories about the island from a passionate local. It was a GLORIOUS day!

29/07/2026

Another Glorious 5-star review...

"My partner and I had the privilege of doing the Full Day 'Auckland Urban Māori Experience' Tour, and it was one of the best experiences of our trip.

What set this tour apart was the genuine connection our guides had with the communities they introduced us to. Rather than simply visiting places as tourists, we were welcomed into culturally significant spaces where culture, history and community are lived every day. Seeing our guides so deeply connected to and respected within their communities added a level of authenticity that simply cannot be replicated.

The storytelling was exceptional and, at times, it felt more like we were visiting friends than being guided on a tour. We gained a rich understanding of Māori history, culture and traditions, while also learning about contemporary challenges and the innovative ways communities are strengthening identity, supporting one another and creating opportunities for future generations. The conversations were honest, respectful and deeply educational.

Our guides shared their personal experiences and cultural knowledge with warmth, pride and generosity. Their passion for their people and communities was evident in every story, making the experience engaging, thought-provoking and inspiring.

We left with a much deeper appreciation of Māori culture and the strength, resilience and creativity of Māori communities."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An unforgettable and enriching experience.

29/07/2026

We pride ourselves on giving our Glorious guests unique and memorable travel experiences but we don't always know HOW to describe how we do what we do!

A recent guest used her skills as a comms worker and website reviewer (we didn't even ask what she does as we know people DON'T want to talk about their work when they are on tour.)

She said (shared with permission).. "reflecting what I considered before booking the tour, I wish I had known these things as I would have booked with you sooner!"

Written for us by a guest that did our 'Auckland Urban Māori Experience' Day Tour in June.

WHY BOOK WITH US:
Our tours are led by local Māori guides who bring deep cultural knowledge and lived experience to every journey. Based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), our experiences are designed to connect you directly with places of cultural significance—without long travel times, so you can spend more time learning and enjoying the day.

We are proud to be a Māori-owned and operated business. Every aspect of our tours is grounded in supporting and uplifting Māori communities—from the people who guide you, to the places you visit.

Our tours explore both the rich history and the contemporary experiences of Māori in Auckland today, offering a genuine and respectful understanding of culture as it is lived now.

* * * * *

I almost cried reading this because she really understood what we are about and I am so glad to have had her on our tour. Thank you Cate & Nic!

23/07/2026

Māori Tourism holds the key to Aotearoa's Visitor Future

"(NZ) visitors are increasingly seeking meaningful experiences that connect them with people, place and culture rather than simply ticking attractions off a list.

For Māori tourism operators, that means creating experiences grounded in manaakitanga/hospitality, whakapapa/genealogy and kaitiakitanga/guardianship, where visitors leave with a deeper understanding of Aotearoa and the people who have cared for its landscapes for generations." Dale Stephens on Waatea News

https://waateanews.com/2026/07/22/maori-tourism-holds-the-key-to-aotearoas-visitor-future-says-industry-leader/

18/07/2026

Glorious Publicity: We are proud to have helped share this story about talented young South Auckland artist Mosese Inoke. Sending love & gratitude to Mosese and his family, our friend Haley Te Rupe and our mates at Tagata Pasifika. We have takiwātanga (autism) in our family and we want to raise awareness of this condition on behalf of all of us that are learning and giving grace to our autistic loved ones.

Autism is a lifelong condition that affects how a person communicat...

16/07/2026

Phew! Finally coming up for air after a FULL ON Doc Edge Festival. Our word to describe Doc Edge (Auckland) this year was PUKUMAHI (busy!) Glorious came onboard last year to greet and transport all of the foreign filmmakers from/to the airport and this year our role expanded to full hospitality/manaakitanga services.

We are grateful to Alex, Dan, Hunter, Rachel and the Doc Edge team for being so good to work with. This year’s theme was “F #&K THE ALGORITHM” and included 75 films from all over the world, 40+ international filmmakers, many more local creatives, a World Press photography exhibition and immersive experience, world premieres, mihimihi/acknowledgements, karakia/blessings, an industry & pitching competition, friends & family catch ups, Māori & Pasifika films, an Oscar-qualifying awards night, Q&As, Matariki (Māori New Year) and the Māori Queen in attendance!

It was a successful and fulfilling festival and we are proud to have been part of it. Thanks to our partner INTREPID TRAVEL for giving us the use of two essential vehicles for transportation! Arohanui to our Glorious team - Raniera, Louisa & Ama for all the mahi - there were some tiring late night/early morning, 18-hour days - and they were handled gloriously. Mahia te mahi!

Congrats to all our friends that had films in the festival or participated at the Industry event. Ngā mihi nui Otene for answering our desperate plea and doing a mihi to our Kuini on behalf of the festival. Chur Jourdene & Skyler for coming through as Doc Edge volunteers. Vinaka Annah Pickering, Dame Catherine & the NZ Prostitutes Collective for stepping up to look after Andrea Werhun 🇨🇦 filmmaker & subject of Modern W***e.

The film festival continues in Te Whanganui a Tara (Welly) this week then Ōtautahi (Chch) later this month. If you missed the films - some are also available virtually (in NZ only) right now.

F**K THE ALGORITHM by consuming media that is engaging, educational and entertaining! Support filmmakers (not AI!)

09/07/2026

When Soleil Moon Frye aka ‘Punky Brewster’ arrives in Aotearoa NZ and receives a Glorious welcome. As part of this year’s Doc Edge Festival, we had the honour of sharing manaakitanga (Māori hospitality) with 40 documentary filmmakers from all over the world 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇯🇵🇵🇭🇫🇷🇺🇦🇹🇼🇦🇺🇮🇳🇳🇿

The highlight for us is greeting them at the airport and spending time with them in the Glorious Intrepid van. It’s only 30 minutes but we like to make a lasting impression - in that time we mihi to (acknowledge) them on behalf of our people - the indigenous people of this land. We share our Māori language, culture & brief history with them. We answer questions, make recommendations and set the tone for their stay.

Soleil posted this to her 374K IG followers using our Māori language and referencing the story we told her about this place as the Land of the Long White Cloud. She is now a reo ally because of the connection we made during our brief but glorious encounter. ☁️☀️⛰️

Contact us if you want to welcome your VIP visitors to Aotearoa NZ in our unique Glorious way or if you need a ride from the Auckland (Māngere) airport to your accommodation that is more than just transportation - because we focus on connection!

10/06/2026

Hari huringa tau (Happy Birthday) to our guest Nic and his partner Cate from Melbourne. They spent Nick’s special day on our Auckland Urban Māori Experience tour. At our debrief over kava, they mentioned their tour highlights were the haka and hangi. Our Glorious trainee guide Mabel sang Nick a beautiful birthday song at the beach and we all ended the tour as whānau (family). Thanks Cate & Nick for your open hearts and minds. Travel safe back to Victoria. 🙏🏽🌈🌀

🥣 The Hangi Shop, Otahuhu
🥥 Four Shells Kava Lounge

03/06/2026

Jumping from one film festival to another - Glorious is providing transportation and manaakitanga (guest services) to filmmakers at the upcoming Doc Edge Film Festival in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland from June 24-July 12. We are in search of a few good volunteers for the festival (unpaid) and an extra driver (paid) for our Glorious airport pick up/drop off & hotel/cinema shuttles team. Fill out the online form to become a festival volunteer and DM us if you are available to drive during that time. To drive for us, you must have a full license, clean driving record, P-endorsement, current First Aid Certificate and be able to pass a drug/alcohol test.

Register here to be a volunteer - day/night shifts, weekdays and weekends available. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Rct4UHQAEU6Twcy6IP2Fer0Q7OJreHBCmQz5t4RYMWRUQ1hXOFlIT0pRRkZGWFVOSjE2Wlo4VUlQWS4u