I'd give it 6 stars if I could. For anyone wanting to learn the ancient art of the Blacksmith or just have a fun day and go home with something you've made and a great story to tell, this experience is well worth it. Rob is always willing to pass on his wealth of knowledge and experience. His enthusiasm for the craft is contagious and the full day experience is honestly not enough for any avid fan of crafting glowing hot metal. I could have spent a week there. Arja's authentic, home cooking was phenomenal and really added to the whole experience. You can't learn on an empty stomach. I will definitely be going back to Kowhai Forge.

This was such an awesome experience. Blacksmithing is SO HARD! But Rob makes it look so easy, bringing life into steel! So good.

Set high in the hills this workshop is a great place to spend the morning. Very welcoming and friendly atmosphere. With no past experience we crafted a piece of artwork under Rob's skilled guidance. Enjoyed a scrumptious morning tea and left with a great sense of achievement. Even got to keep our prized creation! Amazing to see the skill and passion Rob has for blacksmithing Thanks Rob and family

Rob & Arja were very welcoming and the course was awesome. I did full day course so i was available to forge my own kitchenette knife i'm so grateful to have a knife i'll carry for all my carrer. I'll not forget to tanins Arja for the beautiful lunch. (And thank's again for the receipe!!!!) well if you want to spend a good day and learning some blacksmith that's definitly the place to be Cheers Seb

There are not many most do in Nz but this is definitely one. Just go for it. You wont doubt it. I did it with my father and we both enjoyed it really much. Together with the waitomo caves the two best things on the north island. It is just awesome, Rob is funny, friendly and knows and loves what he does. The food is good and so are the drinks. It came out that the knife in the end was just ,,Das Sahnehäubchen" as we would say in Germany. Hands down that's a 5/5 without any hesitation.

A MUST DO if you like crafting! It's the most enjoyable and rewarding activity I've payed for in 5 months spent travelling around New Zealand! You'll know everything about the blacksmith job and how a forge works. Rob and Arja take a great care to make sure you feel good, the atmosphere is familial and the food was absolutely delicious! I've spent a full day with Rob, We've made a fantastic sturdy Khukuri knife and I really did a lot of it myself. It's greatly rewarding to leave with your own creation.

Thanks for an awesome trek. Definitely recommend and we will be back!

My partner and I were total beginners, but Nicole made sure we both felt comfortable and knew what to do. The farm is beautiful and there's some nice variety on the track (hills, bridges, etc.) to keep things interesting for two hours. We stopped for a snack, including fresh spring water and homemade bread. Overall a really lovely experience. Would definitely recommend!

It was the best ride I've had in a long time. The horses were awesome, the nature incredible (there are some spots where they shot a scene for The Hobbit) and Nicole was really nice. When you book through this site and are an experienced rider make sure to give Nicole a call before you go do you don't end up in a beginner's group. This way you'll be able to trot and race up the mountains as well. You definitely leave with a smile on your face

This was the most wonderful experience you can imagen! With Nicole and Shawn who told us about their life and about NZ history while riding in beautiful the surondigns we couldn´t have wish for more. The horses were very nice and we loved their dog, Luk who came with us on our tour. Thanks a lot and an extra tanks for the cold and lovely milk!!!

I would highly recommend this activity to anyone. Nicole is a great teacher and makes you feel welcome and safe from the very beginning. The horses are beautiful and very friendly. Not to mention the track gives you access to the most surreal, relaxing scenery. 10/10, we loved it!