Awe-inspiring earth forces
Rotorua is a geothermal city where nature's forces escape bubbling, steaming
and hissing from the inner earth.
- Brilliant colours are a feature of Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland's Artist's Palette
and Champagne Pool. Lady Knox Geyser plays every day
- Visit the amazing Waimangu Volcanic Valley, formed during the eruption of Mount
Tarawera in 1886
- Watch the famed Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve. Scalding water
shoots 30 metres into the sky as the geyser plays almost constantly
- Hell's Gate is another fascinating thermal park. It features the only hot waterfall
in the Southern Hemisphere. It also has an on-site spa complex specialising in
traditional Maori massage (Mirimiri) and mud baths
- Enjoy thermal pools for long hot soaks in most of Rotorua's hotels and motels
- Be pampered at the Polynesian Spa. Massage, mineral pools and skin treatments
will renew your sense of wellbeing
- Gain a different perspective of Rotorua from the air. Choose a flightseeing excursion
to White Island (New Zealand's only active marine volcano) or over the gaping
red crater of Mount Tarawera (now dormant)
Intriguing history and culture
As well as an astounding landscape, Rotorua has a rich cultural history.
- Take a journey back in time at the Tamaki Maori Village. In the depths of the
forest, you will gain a clear picture of Maori lifestyle and traditions - from
pre-European times to the present day
- View, appreciate and learn about the traditional Maori arts preserved at the
New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. Speak with expert carvers and weavers
and learn the history and processes involved with each art form
- Visitors looking for a 'real slice of New Zealand' should seek out a marae stay,
hosted by an extended Maori family (whanau)
- At the Rotorua Museum of Art and History you can watch a film show that brings
alive the 1886 Mount Tarawera eruption
- Bathe in a crystal clear hot spa at the Blue Baths. A museum in the old changing
rooms showcases the building's colourful past. Dine upstairs in the elegant 1930s
tearooms, with views over the beautifully manicured Government Gardens
- Visit the excavated sites at Te Wairoa, the village that was buried by the 1886
Mount Tarawera eruption
- Enjoy hangi food and a Maori concert on Mokoia Island or at one the city's hotels
The scenery is an adventure in itself
Forests, lakes and volcanic cones make Rotorua a brilliant place for walks, bikes
and hikes.
- Visit the giant Californian redwoods in Whakarewarewa Forest. Walk, jog, bike
or horse trek on the forest trails (bikes and horses are available for hire).
The forest is a favourite with mountain biking enthusiasts and services like RideRotorua.com provide everything you need to know
- Take a half-day 4WD tour to the summit of Mount Tarawera, then take a hike around
the crater's edge. A scree run down into the crater is the grand finale
- Explore the region on foot. Tackle the 26 kilometre Rotorua Walkway that circles
the city. Other walking options include the Blue Lake, Lake Okareka Boardwalk,
Okataina Walkway, Tarawera Falls or Sulphur Point
- Choose from a variety of lake and river excursions - cruise, kayak, raft or go
white water sledging
- Fly-fish the rivers and lakes - hiring a guide almost guarantees a catch. Rotorua
has 15 fishable lakes, a myriad of crystal clear streams and four different species
of trout
- Cruise on the Lakeland Queen, a traditional paddlewheel vessel that offers lunch,
morning/afternoon tea and dinner cruises on Lake Rotorua
- Get aboard the 50ft catamaran that cruises Lake Tarawera
- Blast across the Waikato River in a Hamilton jet boat (invented by a New Zealander)
and discover the hidden geothermal valley of Orakei Korako
- Get a taste for white water rafting. Brave the thrilling rapids of the Rangitaiki
River or New Zealand's highest commercially rafted waterfall on the Kaituna River
- The famous Maori love story of Hinemoa and Tutanekai is brought to life with
a day trip to Mokoia Island
A new slant on family fun
Rotorua is a place to expect the unexpected. The region's natural assets provide
huge scope for entertainment.
- Experience an action-packed, highly amusing farm show featuring trained rams,
sheep dogs, sheep shearing, cow milking and lamb feeding
- Visit Rainbow Springs, where the ponds are full of wild trout. See Kiwi Encounter,
the new 'conservation in action' attraction; feed the fish, watch native birds
and study the tuatara (a unique prehistoric reptile)
- Catch the gondola to the top of Mount Ngongotaha. Luge down the side of the mountain
on one of three purpose-built tracks or scream your heart out on the Sky Swing
- Climb inside a giant inflated ball and roll 150 metres down the side of a hill
- it's called zorbing
- Enjoy a family soak at the Polynesian Spa
- See the lions, trout, giant eels, waterfowl, deer and other interesting residents
at Paradise Valley Springs
|
|
| Trout fishing - catch of the day! |
|
|
|
|
