Length of stay: 3 days
Visited: April 2025
Rotorua is located in the North Island of New Zealand and is known for its dramatic display of geothermal wonders. It boasts of having one of the most active geothermal fields in the world. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the colourful landscape that is alive with steaming hot pools and bubbling mud pots.
Day 1: Kuirau Park
As we approached Rotorua we could see glimpses of geothermal activity with puffs of steam billowing in the air. Then we were hit with a strong smell of sulphur. We arrived at our motel around 3:30pm and checked in. After unpacking we headed out later in the afternoon to check out Kuirau Park. It’s a relatively small park that’s located in the city, but it’s free to visit. It features a small collection of hot springs, colourful pools, mud pots and lots of steam.
By this point we had been in New Zealand for a month and have marveled at how clean the country is. We haven’t really come across any trash on the trails or by the side of the road. But Rotorua was the exception and there seemed to be a lot of litter in Kuirau Park. There were also several homeless people in tents, something else we haven’t seen since arriving in New Zealand.
We didn’t stay long as it started to rain. We did a quick lap around the geothermal features, spotting a few flowers in bloom as well.
Day 2: Geothermal Wonders
The forecast was calling for light rain in the morning. The Lake Taupo area was looking more promising in terms of the weather so we went to the Orakei Korako Geothermal Park, located about an hour south of Rotorua. It boasts of having the most active geysers of any geothermal park in New Zealand. There are 23 active natural geysers, along with several hot springs, colourful pools, silica terraces, a cave and bubbling mud pots.
To reach the geothermal attractions requires taking a short ferry across the lake from the visitor centre. The ferry runs on demand and thankfully we didn’t have to wait very long. It was just us and two other people. Once we got to the other side of the lake, there’s a trail along a wooden boardwalk. It leads through three coloured zones that connect to form a longer loop, with a few detours. There were lots of sinter terraces, colourful basins and small gurgling geysers.
The trail also passes Ruatapu Cave. It’s unclear how it was created, but some theories include that it was from a giant hydrothermal eruption or possibly a cave-in. It’s also something of a rarity as there’s only one other geothermally situated cave known in the world.
It started to lightly rain as we were making our way back to the ferry drop-off and pick-up zone, but it was short-lived. After returning to the visitor centre, we hopped in the car and headed back towards Rotorua. We stopped at the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland along the way. It is considered to be the most colourful and diverse geothermal park in the area. One of its most famous features is the Lady Knox Geyser, which can reach up to heights of 10-20 metres. It goes off at 10:15am every day. This means the park is typically the busiest in the morning as most people time their visit to coincide with the geyser eruption. Not us though. We’d much rather visit without the crowds.
The park is a cashless site so we booked our tickets online. We arrived around noon and set off on our self-guided tour to explore the geothermal wonders. There’s three trails, which are all connected to form a longer loop that is estimated to take 90 minutes to complete. Along the way there are 22 different points of attraction each with a corresponding sign that provides some additional information and fun facts about the area and geothermal features.
The first part of the trail passes several collapsed craters. The steam coming from underground is acidic which has caused the ground to collapse, exposing a colourful range of oxidized minerals. This includes yellow (sulphur), red/brown (iron oxide), purple (manganese oxide), white (kaolin) and pink (cinnabar).
Many of the craters are still steaming and some are filled with bubbling mud that contain refined crude oil. In the late 1800s and early 1900s the sludge on the top of these pots was skimmed off to burn in kerosene lanterns.
One of the main attractions is the Artist’s Palette. Overflowing water from the nearby Champagne Pool has created this colourful landscape. The appearance of it changes depending on the weather, wind and temperature.
Part of the second walk was closed so we continued onward to the third walk, which passes through one of the most active areas in the park. This part of the path was a bit more muddy and rugged, but well worth it to see Lake Ngakoro. The lake was thought to have formed from a hydrothermal eruption over 700 years ago. Warm water springs flow into the lake making it warm year-round and allows for an algae bloom that gives the water its vibrant green appearance.
We walked back the way we came then completed the rest of the loop around the first section, passing a few more colorful pools, sulphurous mounds and collapsed craters.
Afterwards we drove to the Mud Pool, the largest of its kind in New Zealand. It was originally the site of a large mud volcano. It was very satisfying to watch all the various mud bubbles simmer and spew.
Our little one fell asleep moments after getting into the car so we drove around for an hour and a half. We stopped by the grocery store then had a quiet rest of the afternoon at our motel. Our room came with an impressive spa pool, which we made good use of.
Day 3: More Steam and Mud
Today was my birthday. What better way to spend the day than by seeing more geothermal attractions. After eating breakfast we set off for the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. It is home to one of the world’s youngest geothermal systems that was formed from a volcanic eruption in 1886. The park contains a self-guided walking tour and an option for a guided boat cruise to see the popular pink and white terraces. We didn’t want to push our luck with little M so we decided to just do the trail. Our game plan was to hike to Lake Rotomahana and then take the shuttle bus back to the visitor center (for an additional fee). It would save us an hour of walking, mostly all uphill, to get back to the entrance.
The valley walk is divided into three different sections. The first section follows the Crater Track (1.5km one-way) to the first bus stop. The path is wide, gravel and mostly downhill. This section has the largest concentration of geothermal features and contains a few viewpoints overlooking the valley.
We followed the Terrace Track (1.3km one-way) from the first to the second bus stop. There’s a side trail that passes several craters, but it was unfortunately closed. Not to worry as there was still lots to see on the main path.
The Wetland Track (0.8km one-way) leads to the lake. It was the least exciting of the three trails, but it’s mostly flat. The trail ends at a dock on the lake which marks the meeting point and start of the boat tour. The last bus stop is also located here. But we had 45 minutes to kill before the next scheduled bus time. So we ended up walking back to the second bus stop.
M took a nap on the drive back to our motel. We ate a late lunch and tuned in to follow the federal election results in Canada. Some of the early results were being reported and it was looking like a close race.
We headed out later in the day to go to Hell’s Gate Geothermal Reserve and Mud Spa. They offer a few different experiences, including mud baths and sulphur spas, but we opted for the self-guided geothermal walk. There are three trails that connect to form a longer loop. For the most part, the trail follows along a wide gravel path or boardwalk. The landscape looked otherworldly covered in browns, whites and yellows with simmering steaming mud pools everywhere. That being said, there wasn’t much variety and out of all the geothermal parks we visited, this was the most underwhelming considering the steep entrance fee.
Nevertheless we took our time exploring the trail. It was oddly satisfying watching the pools gurgle and bubble with mud. It was lightly raining outside and there was no one else around. Part of the trail in the second section was closed due to some flooding from all the recent rain, but we were still able to get to the third section that leads to Medicine Lake. From there we retraced our steps back to the first section then completed the rest of the loop.
We headed back to our motel to make dinner and continued following the results from the federal election.
L
It’s good that you enjoyed a bright, sunny day for your birthday hike. It’s over 20 years since we visited NZ and our stay in Rotorua was the most disappointing for us. The geothermal activity was interesting but we were not impressed by the Lady Knox Geyser being triggered each morning by the addition of soap! We had planned to stay in Rotorua for three nights but moved on to Lake Taupo which we preferred and where we found a gorgeous lakeside apartment that was vacant.
I know, especially since the forecast was calling for rain the entire time we were supposed to be in Rotorua. It’s always so much better to go for a hike or walk when it isn’t raining! Sorry to hear that your visit was disappointing. I didn’t realize that using soap was how they made the geyser erupt every morning. That’s wild! I don’t feel bad that we missed out on it then. I think next time we’d stay in Lake Taupo too. We found Rotorua a bit sketchy and weren’t a fan of all the trash and homeless people around town. A lakeside apartment sounds lovely.
It’s always great spending a birthday traveling! I’ve never seen any hot springs of geothermal pools in real life. They are so intriguing! NZ sure has a lot to see!
For sure. I always try to plan a trip around my birthday (and now my little one’s birthday too). The geothermal features were fascinating, but a bit challenging to photograph given all the steam. You’re right, there is definitely a lot to see in NZ. And there’s a lot of variation in the scenery.
What a cool place! Love the photos!
Thanks Kymber. Rotorua was very otherworldly with all the steam and geothermal wonders. Not sure I could get use to the strong smell of sulphur though!
I hear you on that!
What better way to celebrate your birthday, than travelling ion NZ. We celebrated both our birthdays there this past November. The geothermal region is filled with wonders and while we did not go there on this trip, we recall the area well from the 2 times we have been there. Like being in an alien landscape. Have a great day Linda. Allan
I love it! And agreed, NZ is a wonderful place to celebrate your birthday!! The geothermal features were fascinating and it felt like we were exploring a different world. I don’t think I could get used to the strong sense of sulphur though! Enjoy the day as well. Hard to believe it’s almost Christmas!
Wow, such an amazing place! Lovely colors and bubbly mud would be fun to see. I’m glad you had your birthday while on a nice holiday!
Rotorua reminded me a lot of Yellowstone. It’s a neat place to explore. Makes you feel like you’re in a different world. I could have done without the smell of sulphur though. I tried to time my birthday to coincide with our visit to Hobbiton (which we did the day after), but we couldn’t quite make it work. This was a good consolation prize though.
Sulpher really stinks! Hobbiton sounds so fun, overall you guys had a great trip!
That it does! Visiting Hobbiton was one of the highlights of our trip. We’re both big LOTR fans.
It’s a great series!
Absolutely! One of the best – both in terms of the books and movies!
What a cool place! I’ve only ever seen geothermal features in Yellowstone, but not with bushes and trees right up to the edges like this. I really like the contrast of the bubbles and steam with the green of the foliage. And a great way to spend your birthday, too.
The geothermal features in Rotorua aren’t nearly as impressive as the ones Yellowstone, but we still enjoyed seeing all the colourful pools and gurgling mud pots. In my opinion, travelling is the best way to celebrate a birthday!
Hope you’re enjoying the holidays. Have a merry Christmas!
Great photos, Linda. Much of the geothermal activity you saw seems very similar to Iceland’s. I like watching the mud bubbling, too. I agree that it’s very satisfying somehow. We took full advantage of the hot springs and mud baths, too. So relaxing, especially after a busy day of walking/hiking. Nice that you enjoyed your birthday there but it must have been a nail-biter watching the election from so far away! Thanks for the interesting post. Cheers.
Thanks Lynette. The landscape in New Zealand reminded us a lot of Iceland. There’s geothermal activity, glaciers, volcanoes and mountains. Such beautiful scenery. The hot springs in Iceland are fantastic and it seems like every town has their own. I imagine they are popular this time of the year.
As to the election, you’re right, it was a nail-biter! The timing actually worked out well and they called the results before we went to bed, which if we were back home in Ontario, would have been in the early hours of the morning. We were pleasantly surprised by the outcome (although a majority would have been better)!!
Happy Christmas! Hope you’re enjoying the holidays!
This place looks amazing and you really explored New Zealand, didn’t you? Happy very belated birthday!
Thanks! I couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate my birthday than in New Zealand! The landscape in Rotorua is very colourful and otherworldly. Not sure I could get used to the smell of sulphur though.
Happy Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
Thanks!! It’s been a busy past few days but glad we have some down time today to clean up and relax. Enjoy the rest of the holidays!
Thanks for sharing. Very interesting and great photographs.
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. All that steam was a bit problematic for taking pictures, but we managed to get some decent ones of the colourful and strange landscape.
This definitely is a beautiful and fascinating area. And the Artist’s Palette is something else. Happy New Year!
For sure, and very different compared to any other area we visited in NZ. The Artist’s Palette is beautiful and it’s supposed to be even more colourful when the sun is shining. While it was overcast when we visited, at least it wasn’t raining! Merry Christmas and have a happy New Year as well! Cheers!
Amazing photos. Looks like such a great hike and time. Bet you’re loving the nice weather too. When it’s been so cold like it has been this week, seeing your lovely sunny pictures makes me miss the warm hot sun
Thanks for your kind words. The entrance fees were a bit steep, but I imagine it was a massive undertaking to construct all those boardwalks to safely view the hot springs and other geothermal features. We visited at the end of fall when it was starting to cool down. It was actually nice being in Rotorua as the temperature was a few degrees warmer relative to the surrounding area because of all the steam and geothermal activity. I’m missing the warmth from the sun as well. It’s overcast and snowy here in southern Ontario, but it looks very festive. And we’re supposed to get another 10-15cm of snow tomorrow. Hope you’re having a merry Christmas!
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Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and happy New Year as well! Enjoy the holidays! Cheers! Linda
Okay, so your birthday was April.🤩 Belated happy birthday, Linda. It’s been months. This had me laughing:” we’d rather visit there without the crowds.” Wait, that’s me.🤭 I love the green lake and the mud bubbles. But, overall, your post is delightful. A month of vacation in New Zealand sounds so good. I’m looking forward to another adventures of you and your family.
Thanks so much for your kind words and belated birthday wishes!! As you can tell, I’m very behind on my posts!! This was by far the longest vacation we’ve ever taken and was one of the most memorable moments for us in 2025. Have a merry Christmas with you and your family today! Sending you lots of love and hugs!
It looks like Yellowstone National Park.
The geothermal features at Yellowstone are way more extensive and impressive, but we still really enjoyed our time visiting a few of the geothermal parks in NZ. It felt like we were on a different planet!!
Very interesting post to view 🌷🙏👍🏻 wonderful lakes and mud bubbles are amazing 🤩 Belated Happy Birthday 🍰 💐and Merry Christmas 🎄 to you and your loving family ❤️🎉 Be Blessed 👏🌷
Thanks so much for your kind words! We enjoyed exploring the geothermal activity in the area and it felt like we were on a totally different planet. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas as well. Enjoy the rest of the holidays!
This brings back good memories of our visit in 1998…I always like volcanic geothermal areas; they are so fascinating. Best wishes for the holiday seasons! (Suzanne)
I’m such a fan of geothermal activity too and just find all the geysers, colourful hot springs and bubbling put pots so fascinating. I could do without the smell of sulphur though. Hope you had a lovely Christmas. Enjoy the rest of the holidays. Cheers. Linda
Wonderful post, Linda. It’s disappointing that you saw some litter and homelessness there. That seems odd for NZ. However, what a wonderful place to spend your birthday and experience some geothermal activity! Your photos remind me of Iceland, and Yellowstone NP. Happy holidays!
Thanks Tricia! We spent five weeks in NZ and Rotorua was the only place that we saw quite a bit of litter, which seemed very uncharacteristic. That being said, the geothermal parks were all very well maintained. I tried to time my birthday to coincide with our visit to Hobbiton (which we did the day after), but couldn’t quite make it work. Seeing the geothermal activity was not a bad consolation prize though! Hope you had a merry Christmas! Cheers, Linda.
Love visiting places like this with thermal activity, one of those things that makes you marvel at the world we live in. Looking forward to visiting here next year.
Absolutely! Me too! I’m such a fan of the geothermal activity. There’s something so satisfying about watching water and steam gush from the ground and mud simmer and gurgle. Hope all is going well with your trip planning! And hope you had a merry Christmas!
Fascinating and breathtaking post. Thank you for sharing! Wishing you a wonderful holiday season. ✨
Thanks for reading and for leaving a comment. Hope you had a Merry Christmas! Enjoy the rest of the holidays! Cheers, Linda.
Happy to do so and thank you, Linda. 😊 Cheers! ✨
Happy holidays to you and your family.
Thanks! Hope you had a merry Christmas! Enjoy the rest of the holidays! Here’s hoping for many more travels and adventures in 2026!
What a landscape….those geothermal pools are just out of this world. Your photos are beautiful so I can only imagine in real life. Have a very Merry Christmas 🙂
Thanks for your lovely comment. The geothermal features were fascinating, although a bit hard to capture given all the steam. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas too. Cheers! Linda
It is such an amazing landscape isn’t it? I visited years ago, but don’t have many pictures from those day. Lake Rotomahana looks gorgeous, and a great birthday present! We just visited Atacama Desert in Chile.where there is also a lot of thermal activity and otherworldly landscapes. Have a wonderful Christmas Linda and family, Maggie
Oh I know! I’m such a fan of travelling to celebrate our birthdays and I couldn’t think of a better place to so than in NZ! Good to know that there is some geothermal activity in Chile. We’d love to visit. Seems like there’s some beautiful hiking and scenery there. Hope you had a lovely Christmas too. Enjoy the rest of the holidays!
Captivating and awe-inspiring post—thanks for sharing! Wishing you a magical holiday season.
Thanks so much for reading and leaving a comment. The landscape looked so magical and colourful with all that geothermal activity. Hope you had a Merry Christmas! Enjoy the rest of the holidays as well.
That’s proper brilliant!, Buzzin’, mate! Thanks for this and all your smashin NZ posts! 🛵
Awww you are too kind. NZ is such an amazing country and I’m glad we were able to spend five weeks enjoying the beautiful scenery. Hope you had a happy Christmas!
Yes, it was another great Christmas! Thanks. Please keep on spinning out your fantastic posts! 💿
Glad to hear. And thanks! I only have a few posts left from our time in NZ. It’s such an amazing country and it was tough to leave.
Champagne Pool reminds me of the Ink Pots on the way to Radium. Seems like you had no “second loop” luck but still managed a lot of kms and trails and saw some amazing sights. Little M is the best trooper!
Love the Ink Pots in Banff. The drawback to visiting NZ in the shoulder season was that there were quite a few trail closures. But there were a lot less people around, so overall I really can’t complain.
What a great place to spend your birthday!! The world is certainly an amazing place and you seem to find the best of it!
Oh I know! It’ll be tough to beat next year!
What a great way to celebrate your birthday surrounded by such amazing scenery. It did sound a bit treacherous though with the scent of Sulphur and the acidic steam, but what a treat with the spectrum of green water. So so beautiful. The bubbling mud pits sound appealing too.
I’m alway impressed by how much detail you can remember and share so clearly considering this was 8 months ago. Thank goodness the federal elections work out the way it did.
Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas! It’s a relaxing stay at home day for us over here.
Hiking amid Geothermal activity can be a risky time if you trek the wrong path. What precautions did you take along the way. Where’s your next adventure?
Oh I know. There were a lot of cautionary signs advising visitors to stay on the designated trails. Everything was well signed and the path was easy to follow. As to our next adventure, we’re not entirely sure yet. We’re thinking some sort of Canadian road trip over the summer through Quebec, Labrador and the Maritimes. And maybe somewhere in Europe in the spring. We’re still in the brainstorming phase.
Absolutely wonderful photos… The landscapes look breathtaking, and it must have been such an amazing trip to experience all those geothermal wonders up close. I can only imagine how incredible it was to see the steaming pools, colorful terraces, and bubbling mud in person, what a memorable adventure…
Thanks for your kind words Willie. It felt like we were exploring a different planet where the landscape was alive and always changing. It was certainly a memorable adventure and one of the best trips we’ve ever taken.
It’s not common to have federal elections on your birthday. As for Rotorua, I admire your energy in visiting all the parks available. I stopped at one of them with the geysers and that seemed enough for me. But it’s true that it’s not that common either.
Technically it was the day before my birthday in Canada, but we were in NZ where they are 18 hours ahead! So the timing worked out well! We probably only really needed to see one geothermal park as the landscape and geothermal features are very similar. But we had some time and really enjoy all the colour, steam and bubbling mud. Some of the entrance fees were a bit steep though.
I am always so fascinated by these kinds if geothermal wonders- it’s amazing the colors they create and how they move with the land. I love your pictures and the steam coming up. I am loving seeing these beautiful parks!
Oh I know! The landscape was mesmerizing with all the colour, steam and geothermal activity. You really get the sense that the place is alive. Enjoy the rest of the holidays! Cheers, Linda.
The landscape looks somewhat familiar (since there are also a lot of volcanic activities in Indonesia), yet it also appears different from what I’m used to seeing here. How cool that you got to do all those hikes with the raw power of nature displayed right before your eyes!
Oh I know! I find all the geothermal activity so fascinating. It was a bit expensive to visit all the various geothermal parks, but I figure we’re only here once! Hope you had a lovely Christmas Bama. Enjoy the rest of the holidays!
You too, Linda! And Happy New Year!
Thanks! Have a happy New Year as well! Wishing you many more adventures and delicious food in 2026!
A different way to spend your birthday! I had no idea there were so many geothermal pools. I guess you were at home for Christmsa? Hope you had a good one, and very best wishes for next year xx
The bar was set pretty high for this year’s birthday! The geothermal activity was mesmerizing. Yes, we are home for Christmas, which has been nice as we’ve been able to spend time with family and friends. Enjoy the rest of the holidays and wishing you lots more walks, adventures, good health and happiness in 2026!
That landscape feels vaguely familiar (with all our volcanic action in Indonesia too), but still so refreshingly unique. How awesome that you tackled those hikes with nature’s raw force unfolding right in front of you
The landscape looked otherworldly and so strange yet beautiful. It was a neat place to explore. We’ve never been to Indonesia before, but would love to someday. Wishing you a happy New Year!
These are pictures are super interesting! I agree that some of them look other worldly. Like you, I prefer the colorful ones, but seeing them all must have been amazing, especially the bubbly ones. 🙂
The landscape was so strange yet mesmerizing. All the colourful hot pools, steam, geysers and gurgling mud pots were fascinating. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. The strong smell of sulphur on the other hand wasn’t so nice.
Happy belated birthday!!! I also had no idea there were that many geothermal pools! I knew of Wai-o-tapu ones. Delighted to discover about the other ones, too!
Thanks! New Zealand has a lot of volcanic activity and it was neat to see such a large collection of geothermal activity. The stinky smell of sulphur wasn’t too delightful though!
Haha! I don’t blame you. It must have been quite something. Have you “experience” an earthquake whilst in NZ?
Nope, thankfully we didn’t experience any earthquakes while visiting! Instead we dealt with some heavy rain at times.
It’s a shame when people litter. I’m glad you didn’t see a lot of litter elsewhere, though . The springs sound nice. Are there any that are able to sit in ? It’s sad seeing homeless people. There’s a local park near us that has a lot of homeless people in tents. I feel bad for them. It has to be hard . That green pool is so neat. Wow
Oh I know. It’s always disappointing to come across litter, especially when it’s a lot. I must say though, besides this instance, everywhere else in NZ that we visited was pristine. There are some springs that have been turned into spas that people can go in, but not too many. We have quite a bit of homelessness and tent cities here in Ontario too. I always wonder how they can deal with the cold, snow and wind this time of year.
I know. It’s really sad. We are having a rough winter too. Some days it was only 9 degrees, which is literally freezing. I hope they have places they could stay in to keep warm at night, like a shelter.
It’s been a cold and very snowy winter here too. Earlier this week we had a bunch of freezing rain too. Not fun for being outside.
We did too! It’s not fun scraping your car at 530 in the morning before work. Definitely not ! The weather is breaking a little bit here. We’ll see how long it lasts
Freezing rain sucks. I actually fell while shovelling my driveway last week. Thankfully I wasn’t hurt (just my pride). It’s been warm these past few days but supposed to get really cold again in a few days. I’m counting down the days to spring.
I know what you mean. I’m sorry you fell. I fell pretty hard the one day myself. My iced coffee spilled everywhere and I got a gnarly bruise on my knee. But I’m ok thankfully and I’m glad you’re ok. My pride got hurt, too. Luckily, it was so early so no one saw. Yeah spring will be nice 🙂
Oh gosh, sorry to hear that you took a tumble as well. I’m finding the older I get, the longer it’s taking for bruises to heal and my body to recover. I guess this is jut a preview of what old age is going to be like!!
It terrifies me !!! I am so afraid to fall now. I hate it !!, I went ice skating Sunday and didn’t fall,thank God. I want to be less afraid but my job is very physical, the one I’m at now. I need my limbs fully functional haha .
Glad to hear you didn’t fall while skating. I’m terrified of falling as well and breaking or spraining something. Once you lose your mobility and movement, it’s so tough to recover and regain muscle when you’re older. I’d like my limbs fully functional too!
The geothermal activity around Rotorua surprised me when we traveled there. The Maori Arts Center was fascinating and was a highlight.
It’s a neat area where the landscape is so dynamic, colourful and constantly changing. It’s also reputed to be a great area to experience the Maori culture. Our little one can be unpredictable at times so we opted for more outdoor activities where we were on the move, which she seems to enjoy.