Reviews of Forgotten World Adventures. (Museum) in Palmerston North (Manawatu Whanganui).

Forgotten World Adventures

604 Reviews

256 Comments

Museum

Tourist attraction

Sightseeing tour agency

Tour operator

9 Hakiaha Street, Taumarunui 3920, New Zealand

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Description Map Open Hours Reviews Contact Photos

Description

Information of Forgotten World Adventures, Museum in Palmerston North (Manawatu Whanganui)

Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.

This place has good reviews, this means that they treat their customers well and you’ll feel great with their services, recommended 100%!

Map

Open hours of Forgotten World Adventures

Monday

6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Tuesday

6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Wednesday

6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Thursday

6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Friday

6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Saturday

6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Sunday

6:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Popular times

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Tuesday

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Thursday

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Friday

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Sunday

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Reviews of Forgotten World Adventures

P. F.

Absolutely a must do, the guides, the knowledge, the historic district, stories of coal mining, tunnel building, timber and farming. The river and railway bring the history alive. A huge thank you to Tina, Kahil, Oce, Krystle, Ross and the team who made our day so memorable..

J. B.

Very well run and organised without losing the friendly and personal approach. We had a wonderful day which exceeded our expectations. Can't say enough about the knowledgeable staff (Tina and Oriwia were great.) Tasty morning and afternoon tea and a filling lunch were provided as part of the package. Suitable for young and old and everyone in between. We did the rail cart ride to Whangamomona, stayed overnight and had the Hotel's dinner, bed and breakfast package, then returned to Taumarunui on the shuttle bus. We considered it all very good value for our money.

B. C.

The amazing array of tour options means you have so many opportunities to seek some unique Kiwi travel experiences from their base in Taumaranui. Based around the Whanganui River and Forgotten World Highway it is very special to see first hand the amazing scenery and learn about the history of this area. The team, led by Kara are super efficient and friendly. Definitely add one of the Forgotten World Adventures to your list We just completed the new Rhine of the Pacific Tour. This exclusive tour, with some added luxuries, shows you along the navigable length of the awa from Whanganui to Taumaranui, following the original colonial highway of the early 1900s. A very special experience.

M. B.

A great experience. We took the jet boat ride up the river. After lunch we hoped on the rail carts at Tokirima travelling up to Okahukura through ten tunnels. We were well looked after by all the staff. Krystle, Rob, Kara, Tina, kale.

j. L.

Thank you for a wonderful day. From booking... finding a dog sitter to accomodating child's car seat. Was a magical day. Christal our first driver was was fun and informative. The owners of the company were there and thanked us all for supporting them in a very tough year. Lunch was just perfect - afternoon tea was spot on! Thanks for sharing the recipe. COWBOY! You were a supper star!!! The lady who shuttled us back was also full of humour and told us funny stories. Thank you!!! A true kiwi experience. Jo & Tom

P. B.

Stunning scenery, great food and an all round superb day spent on the rail carts followed by a jet boat ride up the river. Our host Cowboy and his two delightful co hostesses were outstanding and kept us well informed of where we were and its history. Very highly recommended to anyone staying in the area or even beyond. Would definitely do again. Cheers to Cowboy and his two delightful co hostesses.

D. P.

Its nice to see Maori Guiding with sound knowledge of both European and Maori History of todays 20 tunnel tour incorporating the roads rails and rivers Excellent work by Tina as the guide and her team throughout the day I highly recommend.

C. P.

Forgotten World Adventures is an experience I will never forget. Located in Taumarunui, which is the gateway for the Whanganui National Park, this adventure will take you on a historic trip along the once abandoned railway that lead from Stratford to Taunarunui. There is rich history and the guides have a vast knowledge about the place, I really appreciated the time they took to answer any questions I had.

M. R.

Absolutely awesome trip! My Partner and I (Mid 20s) did the full day trip & loved it, even on the rainy day we had! Special mentions to Ray, Kim and Angie who were so lovely and informative (sorry if I spelt your names wrong). What a great way to explore a part of NZ that the rest of the world has forgotten. Rich in history and beauty, couldn’t recommend this experience enough! Thank you very much :)

W. H.

What an unforgettable experience. Absolutely loved the whole 2 days. Our guide deserves 10 out 10 for his fabulous friendly personality and amazing knowledge. Thankyou so much Ray. You made our trip so worth while. Homemade morning afternoon teas were a treat.

Well worth the money. Great staff awesome trip And to stay at whangamomona was the icing on the cake. Will definitely do it again

My Friend Sue and I have just finished the two day cart trip. we had a fantastic time and have recommended the company and trip to all our family and friends. We found the co. to be professional, organised , and Friendly. A special thanks to Ray, Kara, Tina, Opal, and Oriwia who looked after us on the trip. also to Sophia who did the booking and took time to work on dates for us. These people are all stars.

Had a fantastic time on the 20 tunnel tour today with a wonderful informative and fun commentary by our tour guide Cowboy. All the staff we encountered were so helpful and lovely. I highly recommend this tour.

N. S.

Very friendly, helpful informative staff, great experience on carts, great food too

Wonderful. Shane, Tim and Oriwia were great hosts sharing heaps of interesting information. We recommend the Rail Carts. Comfortable and easy to drive.

What a wonderful day! So much history in this small corner of NZ, so we'll managed, the stories are well told & the catering & staff just outstanding. Thankyou Forgotten World Adventures

A. G.

I'll be perfectly honest - we were a bit unsure about doing this - especially the cost just before Christmas but, we're so glad we did it. It was such a great day out packed with information and history about the area. We did the rail and river run and both agreed that the extra cost for the river was well worth it. I think the main thing was that the staff we had were local and very knowledgable about the area and history - they spoke from the heart as only locals really can. Thank you Ray and Robert for making it so special. The carts were great fun and the team of Cowboy, Tina and Michelle made it a great 42km tour along the tracks and we stopped at various points to hear the history of the people who worked so hard in awful conditions to create the line and to learn about the small communities that sprung up to service the line. We did the 11am tour from Taumaranui and knew that it was a whole day out. I've read some reports that people said it was boring after a while - we didn't feel that and nor did the other 12 people who happened to be in our group. We enjoyed having a chance to see farmland and scenery from the perspective of 'being on a train' - things that you don't get to see on the road. The tunnels and especially the last one were wonderfu to go through. Tip the coins out of your pocket, save up and go!

P. S.

Yesterday's Republic 20 trip was amazing - from the stay at their comfortable motel, the excellent breakfast, to the day long journey, all staff were friendly and thoroughly professional - Tina and Ray's knowledge of each area was very interesting - this is a must do experience!!!!

Our Team Leader Ray was amazing with his personal commentary of families and places which made the trip very special .His back up team of Opal and Oriwia kept the tour interesting. Congratulations on hiring such quality people.

S. W.

The day dawned very cool but with a beautiful blue sky. The trip was fantastic with interesting insight into both the building of the railway and living conditions of the workers. The countryside was spectacular. The river component was also interesting with Ross filling us in on the geography and importance of this river system.

H. P.

Informative friendly guides took us on a great railcart half day adventure, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea included, and a nice stop at the Lavender farm and cafe on the way back.

G. a. B. P.

We have now done the Rail cart journey with Forgotten World Adventures. The weather was perfect the scenery is amazing and the story telling by the leaders is wonderful We learnt so much about the history in this area. A great trip and we would recommend it .

We had the pleasure of doing the 20 tunnel tour and we absolutely loved it. The staff were all very friendly and were enjoying their job. This historical trip is well worth it and the engineering feet of the day to dig the tunnels was outstanding. A full on day with morning and afternoon tea and lunch all provided. Amazing scenery along the whole 80kms of rail travel. Thanks for an amazing day.

K. C.

We spent a totally enjoyable day doing the Picnic 3 tunnel tour. The Guide was very knowledgeable of the history of the area which was fantastic! Beautiful scenery. The tunnels were awesome. We had lunch at Whangamomona and had time for a stroll around the village to view the sights. I would do this again, I enjoyed it so much. Take a jacket as the morning air is cool.

We thoroughly enjoyed the 20 Tunnel excursion. The three staff accompanying us Tina, Johnny and Oriwia were superb. Thanks for a wonderful day.

B. D.

We had a wonderful adventure at the forgotten world adventures. Was truly spectacular. We would highly recommend you visit & have a adventure in the rail tracks through the King county!

Best experience, staff were so funny and friendly, it made the experience brilliant. Everything was catered for. Scenery was stunning, just an amazing opportunity-a must do.

J. T.

AWESOME FUN EXPERIENCE WITH HISTORY EXPLAINED. I chose the 3 hour journey for my son and I and it was great. We travelled about 15k each way and went thru 5 tunnels, one is over 1500 metres long, and our expert guide stopped us along the way to give us a history lesson on the area and the rail line. The carts travel about 20 kph and are self driven with a 50 metre or so, gap between each one. So why not give it a go and enjoy the beautiful King Country NZ scenery along the way. Halfway you'll have afternoon tea, a toilet stop, and the chance to look in the local craft shop. So highly recommend this attraction.

N. H.

Wonderful experience all the staff were great friendly very helpful booked our 3 nights accommodation went out of their way to make it memorable we did the 20 tunnel trip with an overnight at Whangamomona wonderful kiwi experience throughly recommended it

What a wonderful day we had when we experienced the Forgotten World between Taumarunui and Whangamomona on the 20 Tunnel Tour. A must-do activity for locals and tourists alike. The knowledgeable guides will have lots of historical gems and stories to share. The onboard booklet is a great way to connect to former times. Dive into history and experience this hidden treasure. The heart of the King Country is calling.

K. J.

Great day doing the 5 tunnel tour. I would highly recommend getting yourself to Taumarunui and Forgotten World Adventures and experience what they have on offer. We will be saving for the 20 tunnel tour and also the jet boat tour as well.

D. S.

This was awesome trip down the Stratford to Taumarunui rail line. You get to be a train 🚉 driver for a couple of hours. Great lunch at the turn around in the matiere Hall. Brilliant guide (Ray) and intro talk.

M. W.

A great activity for a special occasion as it is quite expensive. However the cost is totally justifiable as it is an expensive business to maintain. There is some wonderful scenery and history.

J. D.

An awesome experience rich in history! Did the rail experience. Highly recommended

C. D.

Great fun afternoon, little bit expensive for what it is and the time involved. $169, maybe $40 less would see good value and make it more attractive to families and groups.

Brilliant railcart trip to Whangamomona. Very professional, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Everything very customer focussed. Highly recommended, a great experience.

T. K.

Stayed overnight at the Motel. Clean and comfortable. Will have breakfast here before we leave for Wellington.

A unique experience, seeing the heartland of New Zealand from Golf Carts on railway lines. Highly recommended.

The best day out on a very different ride! Great guide, fantastic scenery and worth every dollar. Thanks to all the crew at Forgotten World Adventures for making our day so much fun. Phil and Su.

D. R.

Absolutely brilliant, and what a great way to see hidden parts of NZ. The guides are lovely and very knowledgeable. We did the 5 tunnel tour and will definitely be back to do the longer one.

J. Y.

I've done the 20 tunnel twice now with a bunch of people. Totally recommend it. Such a unique way to get into heartland New Zealand. Get out of the rat race, slow down and look around and up at the majestic countryside. Great guides with stops for commentary about a bygone era as well as time to kickback with some yummy food and cuppas. I'm so thankful someone had the foresight to put these decommissioned rail lines to good use. It's special. Thanks

H. K.

We just did the half day which was fantastic. A lot of fun riding in the carts (dress warm with a hat & gloves). Our guide was extremely knowledgeable & entertaining. It gave us a fresh appreciation of those who helped pioneer our country. Put this on your list of "Must Do's".

Was absolutely awesome out guide Tina was amazing thanks 😊 even in the rain it was fun

The 20 Tunnel trip which our group of 9 were booked on, surpassed our expectations. Our enthusiastic and thoroughly informative, as well as entertaining guides( we didn't know a few songs, plus the haka were to be included), made our day on the rails a memorable experience. The home baking was superb, and there was plenty of it. The scenery and hearing about the different settlements along the way, all added to our perfect day. The carts were comfortable, and lots of fun. Thank you to everyone at Forgotten World who helped to make our day so special.

K. V.

We had such a great time on the five tunnel tour. Great organising, interesting info shared and the ride was amazing. Scenery spectacular too

S. R.

very friendly welcome from 2 lovely ladies, Deborah and Anne, lovely clean rooms and beds are really comfortable.

We had a great day experiencing the rail cart tour on Thursday 05/11/2020 from Taumarunui to Whangamomona. Moi was a knowledgeable tour guide who spoke with passion and heart when telling us the history of each location we passed and stopped at during our journey. The two songs he sang were poignant, acknowledging those who had died in the building of the rail line and tunnels. Lisa also contributed to the storytelling and ensured we all set off safely after each stop. On our return trip with Danny, we were again given a guided account of pertinent points on our journey by road back to Taumarunui. We were well looked after and the morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea that was provided was absolutely delicious and bountiful. This was a unique experience for the young and old, a novel and enjoyable innovation that I wouldn't hesitate to do again or recommend to others to do. Thank you very much to the Forgotten World Adventures Team

d. z. z.

The most magical experience you will ever have recommend to visit around July when there are lots of baby sheep it makes it so much better and if its raining even better

We had the pleasure of completing this trip this past weekend 10.10 - 11.10.20. What great experience !!!! We had the most informative guide you could ever ask for. The gentleman was born and bred in Taumarunui, and he had the most extensive wealth of knowledge for all the parts of the country we went through. Our accommodation on the Friday & Sunday nights was A1 - the motel was very clean and well presented. On the trip we were given Morning tea, lunch & afternoon tea, with home made cooking - this too was well presented. The carts that we travelled in, were very comfortable, you had a birds eye view on all of the surrounding country side - just A1 Travelling through the King Country, with all the animals roaming around was a sight to see. Saturday night in the Hotel in Whangamomona, was a experience to be had. The meal, the staff, our room were just wonderful could not fault it at all. To Ray and Wendy, a very big thank you for all your help and experience. To Danny and all the other staff, just so friendly, helpful and informative - this was most appreciated. Thank you once again for everything VF & KF

Shane was our guide and we had an amazing day. Beautiful scenery, interesting insight about the places we stopped and fabulous lunch and morning and afternoon tea. Everything about the trip was really enjoyable.

Very different way to see the country. Nice all weather adventure for anyone.

Last weekend my wife, two friends, and myself experienced the half day Forgotten World Adventures with rail experience from Tokirima to Taumarunui. I am a tetraplegic with little balance and no movement below my armpits. I’m not a small person, however, with my friend’s help and the very willing staff I was loaded into the cart in a few minutes with no knocking around. From beginning to end, The FWA home-base staff and train staff could not have been more helpful, and enthusiastic. The lunchtime sandwiches were uber tasty, and cakes and snacks worth going back for extra helpings. The trip was down memory lane for me as I frequented the Stratford to Taumarunui train trip until it ceased running. The ride gives a glorious view of NZ rural landscape, bridges, and tunnels. Much of the time the four of us in the little self-drive train felt like we were wonderfully travelling alone along beautifully somewhat overgrown rails when the cart in front of us was hundreds of metres ahead and out of sight. All of the carts would come-back together when we all stopped to and were given a give brief history talk along at pre-arranged locations. This trip is for children, adults, and our senior citizens, and represents great excellent value. Simple to drive, a go-pedal and a brake-pedal, and away we went up to 30kms. If there were a TOP 10 great adventures in NZ, this needs to be on the list, and it is accessible to all. Two suggestions; add a small platform with ramp up to it (about a foot to 18 inches high) to make it easy for anyone to go directly from platform to cart to remove step-up for elderly and wheelchairs to transfer across. Or spectacular…. Get a cart with two front seats and a fold down ramp on the rear wear a wheelchair could roll straight on and be simply strapped down! The only regret I had immediately after this trip was that I did not choose the full multi-day tour!! I plan to go back, so Kara, Denis, Ryan and crew keep doing exactly wat you’re doing. Ian Balme (creator) I applaud you on your vision and courage.

We have just done the Ultimate two day trip and loved it. Highly recommend this. The guides and team were amazing, nothing too much trouble. Food was great, and there was no pressure to keep to a timetable so had plenty of photo opportunities.

Absolutely wonderful day. Staff were informative and caring. Loved the place

A great day out, we did the 10 tunnel run, started at 11am, returning at 5.30pm. Very informative guides, Kara, Danny and Waka, gave us some amazing history of the areas we passed through. A great ploughmans’ lunch, afternoon tea and wonderful scenery. Well worth it.

S. S.

Absolutely fantastic. A great adventure with a wonderful team at Forgotten World Adventure. They made us feel so special! A must do trip for your bucket lists to see an amazing part of New Zealand.

My family came from Australia to do this tour which was a second time for me. I enjoyed it every bit as much this time as the first. Everything about the whole experience is absolutely first rate. Great staff from the smiling welcoming receptionist, the motel and the day. Very well done. We are coming next year to do the helicopter and jet boat experience.

We did the Stratford to Taumaranui journey along the railway tracks in golf buggies with overnight stop at Whangamomona. Fantastic. Well worth the time for very little effort. Lovely guides & good food along the way with good facilities. A must do.

B. S.

A fantastic way to see the early settlers world and how the area developed then mutated to what it is today. The guides are great as is the hospitality. Many things are just not visible from the road . Great for all ages, though small ones may need run around at each stop. We did the 20 tunnel trip which with the bus back took a full day. Well worth every minute spent.

This trip is an amazing kiwiana adventure. Thank you Ray (our guide) for your commentary on the local history. A little frustrated with the booking errors for our accommodation and breakfast. It appears that whatever you have in writing and no matter how you recheck, those errors kept reappearing. That aside, staff tried their very best to fix it all, which speaks volumes. Thank you. We had such a good time.

We had an awesome day with outstanding and knowledgeable guides . would thoroughly recommend this trip for all people --not just train enthusiasts or historically minded. there is something for everyone to enjoy even if it's just the old fashioned home cooking for smokos or the wild animals in their natural habitat.

Awesome day. Homemade morning tea and Lunch then a Jet boat home what fun. Very professional and clear instructions. Safety concerns were a priority. Ryan and Ross keen to share knowledge on their province. Well done guys

Really enjoyed our tour with Barney. The carts were unique and great fun

F. E.

Excellent day. Knowledgeable guides, easy carts to operate, highly recommend

Awesome rail journey through the heart of NZ beginning At Whangamomona which is just over hour drive from Stratford. Riding on self driven modified golf carts you are taken on an 82 km journey through 20 man made tunnels , over viaducts and across bridges. Taking in the natural beauty of country side not seen from the road. Riding and stopping at what was once bustling communities occupied by the rail workers and their families and now just remains with a shelter or a few bits of machinery. Breaks along the way with snacks and lunch along the track.Provided from a thermos with homemade baking.The old outhouse is your toilet stop. Guides are very informative and friendly and tell the stories of working on the line years gone by. Wild turkey roam the back country in packs, pity couldn’t hunt them. Arriving in Tauramanui, quick change over for snack and return via shuttle over forgotten Highway to a nights stay At Whangamomona Hotel. Staff from Forgotten World are fantastic no faults.

A. C.

Great trip on Republic 20 Tour last week. Thanks Ray, Moe and Jason for your really interesting guiding through the area. Enjoyed our stay at Whangamomona Hotel and shuttle ride back the following day. Would heartily recommend the experience. Take warm clothing though. Gets a bit cold towards the end of the day. Don't change anything FWA. Loved the true Kiwi experience including morning/afternoon tea/lunch in the woop woops. Lovely home baking too. Thanks to the lady selling the goats milk soaps etc at our afternoon tea stop.

A super unique and awesome experience! We booked The Expedition package which included 20 tunnels a stay at Whangamomona Hotel then a helicopter and jet boat ride. The scenery was incredible and the whole tour from start to finish was well organised, the staff were knowledgeable and the food was great - especially the home baking! I would highly recommend to anyone.

H. C.

We were a group of 6 and met another 6 lovely people. We stayed at Whangamomona Hotel on the Sunday evening and enjoyed a lovely meal, and hospitality and then completed the 20 Tunnel Tour all day Monday. Mio was our wonderful, knowledgeable guide for the day. The weather mostly behaved itself. The food was delicious and plentiful and the scenery was magical. 10 out of 10 for all involved in giving us all such a memorable day. Special thanks to Crystal for getting us all safely back to Whangamomona.

What a magic experience! Absolutely unique - something to remember!! Would strongly recommend this to anyone!!

Just finished going on the 20 tunnel rail tour. This was one of the most interesting and enjoyable things to do. The team at Forgotten World Adventures are extremely professional and accomodating, giving a shout out to Jessie for her informative narrative throughout the day. Your every comfort is catered for from the blanket to keep your legs warm, to the home baked morning and afternoon tea, and the lovely lunch. The unique way of traveling on the rails meant you experienced a different view of our beautiful country. I am definitely going to do this again!

Have just done a Custom tour with these guys. Was awesome. Quad bike tour, Canoeing, Rail carts, Whangamomona Republic Day, Chopper ride to Bridge to Nowhere, Jet boat ride back. Going home for a rest☺☺ Stayed at Forgotten World Hotel really good food. On diet now🤣🤣

I did the Tokirima 10 it was awesome! Everyone was so friendly. Shout out to Ryan was a fantastic tour guide had an amazing amount of knowledge on the area. Highly recommend.

G. D.

We enjoyed a great day during our 20 tunnel tour. Awesome guide (Thanks Ray!) and great team in general. It's well worth a visit - seeing New Zealand a different way. Would very much recommend!

The actual rail cart tour was absolutely fantastic, with very informative guides and lots of stops along the way. The staff at the hotel are honest and friendly and fixed anything that wasn't right. Loved our trip.

If you grew up in rural New Zealand or want to be transported back in time to a place where time stands still, I can highly recommend a trip with Forgotten World Adventures.

I did the 5 tunnel tour and was so cool! Our guide knew SO MUCH and could answer everything we asked. They provided us with an afternoon tea which was hot pumpkin soup with rolls, tea/coffee, juice, and even home made baking. The tour was so great I would certainly go back to this company. This would be an all weather excursion too as the carts can be protected by rain with their little side curtains! The staff were amazing and friendly. Loved it. Thank you so much

We really enjoyed our 5-tunnel tour with Luke. He was very informative about the area, the rail and the lives of those who built it. And surprise! Delicious hot soup for lunch! A great way to see a different side of New Zealand.

The 5 tunnels tour is a great way to spend a relaxed afternoon. Beautiful scenery in historic landscape, with just the right amount of information from local guides (no long boring lectures!). The carts are simple to drive and you can swap drivers along the way. Best in groups or couples because you're not supposed to drive and photograph.

Was a really good trip , the weather wasn't that flash but it gave you some perspective of what the workers building the line had to go through. Knowledgeable guides ,and staff all round very well done, and the motel was very comfortable

M. S.

Great trip. The guide was very knowledgeable and told us the history of the area. My one little gripe is that perhaps you could provide a step of some sort to get in and out of the carts for those of us that aren't quite as agile.

A very well run activity with an active history of the area..

We completed the five tunnels tour. It was so awesone! The tour guide and staff were excellent and so much history to tell and show. Our last stop was for us to be turned around and have to stop for a picnic. They supplied the tour with pumpkin soup which was delicious with cheese and plain rolls and there was coffee, tea, juice, water an even a piece of slice or two definitely more which was delicious all homemade😍. Even a toilet stop👍 a credit to Forgotten World Adventures 👍👏❤

Did the Rail Trail from Whangamomana to Taumarunui. It was so good I want to do it again. Wonderful people run this. Great history, great food and met some wonderful people on the trip.

Awesome weekend with FWA. We did the Republic 20 tour and overnight at the Whangamomona pub. Jason and Shane our guides were both excellent, knowledgeable and good for a laugh. A very well organised tour, everything ran like clock work. Hope to be back for the jet boating.

Recently we did the 20 tunnel trip. Most enjoyable. Our guide & commentator was very knowledgeable & humorous. Food &drinks provided were fresh &delicious. Unfortunately my husband had a fall. We appreciated how kindly he was looked after. We will recommend this trip to friends & family. Thanks for the awesome day. 😊 Joy & Murray Paton

Having just completed one of the most unique adventures with this Company I would strongly recommend it.. We started the 20tunnel adventure from Taumarunui where we stayed the night before the rail journey. The motel is part of the company with friendly staff and comfortable beds. The rail trip was absolute magic with morning and afternoon tea and lunch provided. Also a great commentary of the pasty and present as we passed thru. Again staff were helpful and nothing to much bother. A must do experience.

C. K.

For my birthday, partner surprised me with the short but sweet 5 tunnel turnaround train track journey. It was a very pleasant experience. I loved the unique idea of using the previously abandoned train lines to see a part of the country side you would normally not see. All the guides were very friendly and knowledgeable. The views were stunning. And the small village that we stopped in for tea was cute and quaint. We would have never seen the place otherwise. Since this was for my birthday, they went out of their way to make sure it was a special one for us. They even gave me one of their nice hats as a gift! I definitely want to come back and do the full line all the way to Stratford! Maybe with a peddle version of their train cart, too!

I. J. S.

We did the full two day tour down to Startford from Taumarunui. What a totally excellent experience at was too despite a couple of rainy periods. I really do highly recommend it for those who want a totally different trip that's mainly away from 'civilisation'. Also of note were the excellent picnic stops and lunches we had with cakes by [I believe] Jan. Briefing en-route by Barney/wayne were of interest as well given that he and family have lived in the areas for many decades.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip on the 20 Tunnels tour, even though it was raining. The History of the area was fascinating, and our guide was interesting, amusing, and put up with alot of ribbing. The Baking was delicious. Thanks.

I spent 2 weeks touring through Australia and New Zealand with my husband, daughter, and granddaughter between Thanksgiving and Christmas 2016. Everyday was packed with activities and sightseeing. When my daughter told me we would be spending an afternoon riding golf carts along an old railroad route, I thought how exciting could that be? We were late arriving at the office for our tour due to a missed turn en-route. The owner loaded us into his car and delivered us to the embarkation point in time to make our tour. As it turns out I think the afternoon spent riding those golf carts was possibly the most enjoyable adventure I had on the entire trip. Maybe because I was so tired rushing from one location to the next while still adjusting to an 18 hour time difference that having the chance to sit for a couple of hours seemed like a welcome reprieve, but it was absolutely some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. The staff was extremely friendly, the guide was informative, and the scenery was amazing. Its away from the bigger cities in New Zealand, and not on what I would call the main tourist line, but I think it's worth the effort to get there. There were two seat golf carts and 4 seaters like the one we rode in. I definitely recommend the golf cart trip at Forgotten World Adventures, and I absolutely loved New Zealand - gorgeous country - courteous, friendly people!

We had a wonderful family adventure on the 20 tunnel tour. Our guide Griff was friendly and super knowledgable about the history of the area. The rail carts are an ingenious use of an otherwise unused asset and so much fun. We really enjoyed exploring this forgotten part of our beautiful country.

T. W.

Wonderful unique historic experience. Excellent rail trail and jet boat options. A must do for tourists, visitors and fans of steam rail history. Easy to drive safe buggies with experienced knowledgeable tour guides.The 5 tunnel round trip to Matiere was superb with a visit to the 1930 native timber hall. A village where my grandparents lived, worked and where my father was brought up.

J. H.

We did the 11am 10 tunnel tour with our guide Waka, who was very pleasant and informative. We thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and would recommend this tour.

S. K.

A superb experience. We did the 20 tunnel trip with a night at the Forgotten Highway Motel before the trip and one at the Whangamomona Hotel at the end. Every minute was special. Fun, informative, and a real walk back in time to a relaxed and simple way of NZ life. We made fabulous new friends and thoroughly enjoyed our trip. Rob, our guide was entertaining, knowledgeable and really authentic. His passion for the area was so apparent in the stories he shared. The delicious home baking was a surprise and a real treat - fruit and nut loaf like my grandma used to make, ANZAC biscuits and shortbread, all freshly made. Can highly recommend to NZers as well as overseas tourists. NZ as it should be seen.

B. C.

A great experience and friendly staff love the tea break half way through and the different size carts keeps groups together

We were a family party of 6 adults and 3 children - ages 8,9,& 11. This was our first visit, and we all enjoyed the 5 tunnel trip. All staff were helpful and friendly. A lot of interesting facts and stories were passed on.

C. M.

We did the 4-tunnel experience. Our guide was great and the day lived up to expectations. The lasting memory for me was appreciating the laborious pick-and-shovel work done to create those tunnels. Years of hard slog in a remote and challenging environment.

Absolutely awesome day with very friendly and knowledgeable staff to tell you the history of this fabulous part of our country. An absolute MUST to put on your 'bucket list'. The jet boat ride was a highlight too!!

We did the 10 tunnel adventure with the FWA team and loved every minute. The history they share is fascinating and the journey itself is so peaceful. Highly recommend 😊

S. D.

We have had a lovely 3 days with Forgotten World Adventures staying at their motel and riding the rail carts and jet boat ride. Visit to a lavender farm and Cafe. Very good people to deal with, a comfortable bed and meals were superb. Thanks staff at Forgotten World Adventures. Would recommend this to everyone.

An absolutely fantastic trip. We have just completed 'The Expedition' and had a wonderful time. Many thanks to all the brilliant staff, especially Jesse, Michelle, Allen, the people at Forgotten World Motel and Whangamumana Hotel amongst others. Highly Recommended.

The rail and river run tour was an amazing experience, both knowledgeable and fun. The staff were amazing from the get go. Firstly Robyn had the base looking spotless. Wendy checked me in for my trip, and had great chat and explained/showed on the map my route for the day. Michelle and Hunter (skittles) our rail guides were amazing, very knowledgeable and fun to be around and safety procedures were clearly explained. Leon and Luke were waiting at Tokirima (our last stop) with a very tasty lunch. Both were super chatty and good craic! While on the way to Ohinepane to do the river tour, the lads shared lots of information and facts about the area, which was great. Allan our jet boat driver, he was great craic, knowledgeable and the boat spins were sweet as! We were greeted by a friendly, smiley face, Andrew, he brought us back to the base from Cherry Grove, all the way chatting to us and being an absolute gent!! Forgotten World Adventures is one of the most well run, entertaining, scenic adventures that I have done to date. Once again the staff are all super friendly, knowledgeable and great fun to be around. What a great team you have at FWA. Thanks for an amazing day/experience and have an awesome season!! Graham.

An awesome experience and Sophia went out of her way to accommodate us after a mix up with our bookings - cannot thank you enough. Highly recommend dealing with a company like this.

This was an adventure. We were guided through some interesting countryside riding the carts which were reliable transport. Our guide provided us with good background material as dis the signage at various stopping places. Loved the lunch and snacks - most suitable for the outing. Thank you for a great day.

S. T.

Absolutely brilliant. Loved it. Luke was a most excellent guide and is a credit to the company, as are Jessie, Terry and the rest of the team, including staff at the motel. Thank you for helping to keep this impressive part of New Zealand's history alive!

We did the Rail River Run & had an amazing time. Great tour guides & lots of wonderful NZ scenery to enjoy.

We did one of the rail car adventures, and had such a fun time. The scenery was magnificient, and the home made slice at the break point was delicious!

L. D.

Was an excellent tour! Guides Ryan and Krystal were very knowledgeable. Highly recommend! Especially the homemade baking 😊

#FWALOCALS, very impressed with the quality of the staff, despite being extremely busy, their laid back style made you feel very welcome, safe and confident that the experience would be a great one. The knowledge that the staff imparted was interesting and entertaining, all equipment worked as it should - a terrific day out. Thankyou.

Recently did the Rail River Run staying the night before at the Forgotten World Motel which was very clean and comfortable. All the staff were helpful from Michelle who scheduled the trip we wanted on the day that worked for us to Brett, the guide on the Rail part of our trip, John our transfer driver and our jet boat driver Rob was fantastic and knowledgeable about the Wanganui river. We will definitely be back to do The Epic journey when we have more time.

We really enjoyed our trip.

We enjoyed two days experiencing the Ultimate Package. This trip created a memory for life. Can happily recommend this experience to others.

T. W.

A very relaxing trip with a very nice guiding, absolute must if you are in the area.

A. M.

We booked the room in conjunction with the adventure tour and found all of the staff to be super friendly and helpful. The room was basic. We enjoyed the little touches like the home-baked biscuits and plunger coffee.

Fantastic trip, guides so knowledgeable with local history past and present. Definitely worth doing.

My husband and I did the 2 day experience,unfortunately my husband had hurt his knee and wasn't finding walking very comfortable.But the team changed a few things in the plan to make his experience as enjoyable as the rest of us.A huge thank-you to all the team FWA you are such a special bunch of people working hard to make this experience world class.I highly recommend everyone try to get down to the King Country and enjoy this wonderful part of NZ and the great action packed professionally operated part of NZ Tourism.I can't Thank-you all enough.

W. R.

Today we went on the 5 tunnel tour. What an adventure..the weather was superb the experience and history amazing and informative and our tour guides Michelle and Adele made the day sooo enjoyable. Thank you ladies you rock!!

L. O.

This was such a fantastic way of learning about the area. Jessie as guide was simply amazing. highly recommend Whangamomona to Taumaranui 20 Tunnels direction as bus trip is over in the morning and then rail carts as a return. Just DO IT.

Did the 20 tunnel rail trail and stayed the night in Whangamonma was a great trip, very helpful and knowledgeable staff - loved it

Lovely knowledgeable guides friendly and helpful.

A very enjoyable and informative day. Excellent scenery. Nice lunch etc provided. A very different type of activity.

Truly fabulous.. Great guides, loads of knowledge and care.. awesome team at Forgotten World Adventures. Would definitely recommend.

Had a wonderful time, even though it rained !

B. J.

As we have said on trip advisor way to much content about the maori in the district should have focused on or about the rail link and it's construction and those involved.smoko at the end was a joke it was certainly not a kiwi style smoko.Pricing is aimed at the tourist.Not the every day New Zealander or pensioner.

D. M.

FWALOCALS 5 Tunnel rail cart adventure. Fantastic. Staff very knowledgeable, enthusiastic, courteous. NZ rugged King Country at it's most scenic - the tunnels and history. Fond memories travelling this line 1950's 😃Thankyou FWA.

L. U.

Had a wonderful trip with these Guys on the self drive carts. We did the 5 tunnel trip, we were lucky with the weather. Great guide. Would highly recommend

Lived this experience. Staff were amazing

M. F.

Great rail trip in modified golf carts

awesome trip last year for my brother birthday over the labor weekend a lot of history on the golf cart trip thru 25 tunnel trip and a fantastic commercator rob was the man full of knowledge and history of the area.

Really enjoyed the jet boat rail car trip. Staff were fantastic. Great day.

k. t.

Absolutely the best trip. You're taken such great care of Fed and watered. All the greatest points explained so well. We would do again in a flash

Well done An experience like no other

What a fantastic 2 day journey, and wonderful staff, with Ray as an amazing and knowledge guide about the history.

Had a great day out. Well organized, imformative and friendly staff. A good variety of tour options. Can't rate it high enough.

It's a wonderful informative adventure and the staff very down to earth and humoristic to make that much more enjoyable.

V. H.

Incredibly friendly and informative staff. Ray was an excellent guide. Other staff also went above and beyond to help us - even with our car troubles!

A wonderful experience, lovely people and great food. Would recommend it to anybody. Would do it again in a heartbeat!

This was an outstanding experience that should be a iconic Kiwi trip. Keep up the good work as it is appreciated

Awesome trip down memory lane. Brett was such a great host and lovely ladies in the office. Thanks to you all for a fabulous day.

Absolutely worthy to have a try, 40km self driving a cart on real railway, fantastic, wonderful activity for kids.

P. K.

We did the 20 tunnel experience and based on our experience we must pencil in the balance of the track from Whangamomona to Stratford. I suggest the best accolade is, would I do it again, the answer would be yes

The river rail adventure was just right for us ..had a great day with a good guide and blankies ta keep us old people warm...enjoyed it thanks 😊

Great experience, excellent guides(1@each end) nice cuppa and slice, glad we went day we did as it poured down all next day.

S. G.

We did the 5 tunnel Ride and I definatly Recommend it to everyone Such a family friendly environment and the staff are Amazing 5 stars deffinalfy.

We have had a fantastic day. All staff were wonderful....informative chats....awesome local knowledge....loved the 10 tunnels and jet boat ride back.

Good staff & great views. Would happily reccomend.

Stunning stunning stunning scenery. Thru an amazing wooden tunnel built early last century. Easy driving on some gravel roads

This was the most memorable holiday trip I have ever had.all thanks to our guide .the little fellow who's married to the lady in the bakers shop.cant remember his name .never stopped talking .he should be promoted to chief cart man.all the staff just fantastic .once again thanks to every one.all my love Peter Nendick. England.

Fun thing to do. We did the 5tunnel ride. Nice view, great concept. With a funny tourgide!

A. K.

The rooms are very nice and include a mini-kitchen. Double room costs 90$. There is wifi, but our room was too far from the office, so there were no signal.

Had a great day doing the 5 tunnel tour thought the guide was very knowledgeable and looked after everyone so well.

5 tunnels was great, especially the 1.5km tunnel where you get to stop and turn out the light!

Good adventure, Did the full thing from Taumarunui To Stratford. Nice guides and good views loved every bit of it.

Was a great time. Weather was lovely. Great story and fabulous scenery.

Amazing raw New Zealand experience. Our guides were great!

Great adventure with the kids. Might pay to take your own drink bottle & snacks though as the offerings were very limited.

c. m.

Awesome team of guides. Everything went very smoothly. Tunnels were great. All good fun.

Great day great comentry great product.

Looks can be deceiving! Beautiful clean and tidy rooms, beautiful service, enjoyed our stay immensely. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! 👍

All seven of us had a great day we were well looked after

A great day out even with the rain. Fantastic guide who's stories took us on a journey by themselves.

Great weekend adventure, amazing history of the tenacity of early railway construction in this country

Warm, clean, friendly stay, definitely recommend

C. G.

A fantastic way to real rural breath taking scenery and learn of history that once prospered this region

Enjoyed the day carting to Whangamomona so much we have told our friends & we will do again with some of them, well worth it

M. H.

Well organizers and flexible retaining its outdoor experience charm even on a rainy day

Awesome experience. Highly recommend to everyone. Suitable for all ages. Passionate & knowledgeable guide.

Confirm all the good reviews - thanks for a great trip!

Really great fun, would wish they have the longer version avaliable during our stay

Great experience and historical overview of the rail line and local people.

Great half day experience on the rail 5 tunnel! Would highly recommend!

A great fun outdoor thing to do, interesting history and stay in the Whangamomona hotel

Had just the best day! Very interesting and fantastic knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended!

Loved the tour, well worth the visit! However is quite expensive!!

An amazing experience with our wonderful guide Moi 🙂

Had a great day with great company, have wanted to do for a long time.

Wonderful experience Great weather and views

Website helps sell the experience. We've booked.

Fabulous tourist attraction. Very popular and a lot of rave reports

Timing out of Hastings needs to be earlier to help time between lunch and the evening meal but otherwise so good

Great day - great service, good pace. Very enjoyable

Fantastic self-drive rail tour. RECOMMENDED

Fantastic journey to take although I may be biased as I live in the area 😃

J. H.

Awesome working partnership with these guys.

Great day out - lots of local history and knowledgeable staff

Awesome experience the tour guide was awesome

I work there great place to work great boss great workmates Loving it...

So glad the operator thought outside the box otherwise we wouldn't have got to see this. A must do

Awesome experience here kids absolutely loved it

If you love adventures you're going to love this place

What an excellent afternoon. Great friendly staff

Great trip with excellent guides.

Absolutely recommend this to anyone. Very well worth doing.

Great experience. Very friendly guide.

Really enjoyed on a lovely sunny day

Great fun and great experience even in the wet.

Awesome fun family trip

Amazing guide. Very interesting with a difference

Lovely peacefull motel

Great view's and helpful staff.

Worth the ride something really out there a ride to oblivion

C. S.

Fantastic concept - loved the 5 tunnel

Fabulous trip

Thanks to all staff for a great experience

Friendly 🙂

A great bucket list option...

Loved the day. Do it again in a flash

good venture worth the time and money

Absolutely fabulous trip.

Loved the history and the ride

Comfortable clean and nice staff

Back to natural surroundings 😊 wow

Fantastic

Such a unique experience...

1 day

worth the drive 😍

Great friendly staff

Great time

Brilliant experience

Awesomeness Personified!

Fabulous adventure. Expensive.

Good place to get lost

Excellent

Good for a drive

Nice drive

Lovely tpur

Excellent service

Great experience

Awsome trip

Lay back scenery

Eye opener

Well run, well managed, great and well informed guides, and over fed!! Highly recommend

J. C.

What a great experience. This is different to other holidays, this time riding the rails we were seeing sites you can't see by road. Our tour guide Shane was very knowledgable about the area with a few laughs as well with the other staff Tommo & ? (Sorry I didn't get her name). Staying at the Whangamomona hotel was great with an fabulous meal that night. Overall this was an awesome adventure.

(Translated) Fortunately, the weather is good, and the self-driving golf cart runs along the tracks. We selected 20 tunnel projects, starting at 7.30 in the morning, and the whole journey was about 80 kilometers. The en route is beautiful scenery, which is suitable for those who are a little old or have limited mobility to enjoy the beauty of nature. (Original) 很幸運天氣美好，自駕高爾夫球車延鐵軌前行。我們選擇了20個隧道的項目，早上七點半出發，全程約80公里。延途都是美麗的風景，很適合有點年紀或行動不便者享受大自然美景。

(Translated) We did the short tour. 5 tunnels, duration 3 h. A great experience, the organization was great and the local guide made it very interesting and varied. (Original) Wir haben die kurze Tour gemacht. 5 Tunnel, Dauer 3 h. Ein tolles Erlebnis, die Organisation war super und der local Guide hat das sehr interessant und abwechslungsreich gestaltet.

(Translated) We did the unique, epic tour with two great cave guides. An unforgettable day with lots of beautiful pictures. (Original) Wir haben die einzigartige, epische Tour mit zwei tollen Höhlenführern gemacht. Ein unvergesslicher Tag mit vielen schönen Bildern.

(Translated) The ride on the tracks was great fun and the organization was great. The local guide had many interesting stories in store. (Original) Die Fahrt auf den Schienen hat großen Spaß gemacht und die Organisation war top. Der lokale Guide hatte viele interessante Geschichten auf Lager.