Best geothermal parks in Rotorua (New Zealand) – Complete guide + Photos

The Rotorua Geothermal Parks - options

Geothermal Rotorua - intro

Rotorua is often the name used to refer to the whole geothermal area because it is home to some of the most famous parks.
However it is part of the Taupo Volcanic Zone that extends from White Island to Mt Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park, South of Taupo.
Rotorua is considered the birthplace of New Zealand's Tourism because one of the main geothermal features used to be the magnificent Pink and White terraces. Sadly there were destroyed by the eruption of Mount Tarawera in the late 19th century.

But with such an active volcanic zone, there is still plenty to see! A region not to be missed on your NZ itinerary.
Geothermal features in the region include volcanic cones, mud pools, fumaroles, geysers, Sinter terraces, colorful ponds, explosion craters... With a great variety of colors and surrounded by dense vegetation!

Some of the best things to do in North Island! 

And below is a short video to give you an idea of what it looks like to be visiting all those parks in geothermal Rotorua:

Best geothermal park in Rotorua - Overall result

Geothermal Parks in Rotorua - Map

Below is a map listing my selection of geothermal parks in the region of Rotorua -Taupo to help you get oriented and plan.
Note: Rotorua to Taupo = 1h drive

Practical maps including all my favorite parks can be found in my eBooks, to help you plan an unforgettable road trip:

How to visit the geothermal parks?

• DRIVING  - The easiest option to explore those parks is to have a car, especially for Orakei Korako.
• BUS - However if you are staying in Rotorua you can take the bus to Te Puia and Whakarewarewa - see routes and timetables
• TOURS - You can find day tours from Rotorua that take you to several parks in a day such as Wai-o-tapu, Te Puia and Waimangu - Check out program and book

Planning to rent a car in New Zealand? Check out the local company Snap Rentals

 I selected it myself and paid my rental in full. 

• They were very nice and responsive, they pick you up and drop you off at the airport
• The car I rented was in perfect condition
•  In addition, they have all-inclusive insurance packages with AAA roadside assistance, which means I didn't have to worry (I think it's worth the price)

Check out the cars and prices

Where to stay to visit the parks?

Rotorua and Taupo are only 1h drive away from each other. Therefore you can stay in either one.

• In Rotorua I stayed in a room at a B&B (Rotorua City Homestay) They were very welcoming and I enjoyed the breakfast a lot - Check out photos and availabilities
• Or check out the best rated accommodations in Rotorua
• In Taupo I stayed at Sails on the Lake in an apartment with Lake view and all the equipments I needed - Check out photos and availabilities
• Or check out the best rated accommodations in Taupo

#1 - Orakei Korako Geothermal Attraction - "The Hidden Valley"

• Rotorua to Orakei Korako - 1h drive
• Taupo to Orakei Korako - 30min
• Price - 39 NZD
• Access -
  Opening hours - 8 am to 4pm in Winter and 4:30pm in Summer
  Off the beaten path - Easy drive, large carpark
  Small boat on demand to cross the lake and reach the area (included in ticket)
• Getting around -
  Plan 1h30 to really enjoy and look in detail (but the loop can be done in 1h)
  The main terrace is easy to access the rest requires some up and down staircases (I counted 885 stairs total)
  Well maintained paths
  Café and toilets at the entrance (before crossing by boat)
• Main features -
  The main silica terrace flowing into the lake with crazy colors
  The hole shaped like Africa
  The many platforms to see the terrace from different angles
  The geothermal cave, a rare feature
  The forest and birds living around this environment!
• You can pre-purchase your entrance ticket in your currency here

#2 - Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland

• Rotorua to Wai-O-Tapu - 30min
• Taupo to Wai-O-Tapu - 40min
• Price - 32,50 NZD
• Access -
  Opening hours -
  Easy road, close to the main one
  Large carpark + carpark for Lady Knox geyser (4min drive from visitor center)
  (no cash accepted on site)
  Café and toilets at the visitor center
• Getting around -
  Plan 1h30 if you are doing the 3 loops
  The First loop is easy and offers the best features - 30min
  But you can keep going and combine with loop 2 and 3 all the way to the lake
  Well maintained paths
  See my article on Wai-O-Tapu
• Main features -
  Of course, the Champagne pool with the orange deposit at the border of the crust
  The Devil's bath with neon-green color
  The Artist's palette with the main stains of colors
  The Lady Knox Geyser
• Pre-purchase your entrance ticket in your currency here 

With your Wai-O-Tapu ticket, you can also see the lady Knox Geyser erupting. The eruptions are triggered everyday at 10:15am. Don't be late!

#3 - Waimangu volcanic valley

• Rotorua to Waimangu - 25min 
• Taupo to Waimangu - 45min
• Price - 42 NZD (for walk and bus) - more if you wan to cruise Lake Rotomahana at the end
• Access -
  Opening hours - 8:30 am to 5pm (6pm in January) - Last admission times depend on what you plan to do
  Easy drive  and large carpark
  Café and toilets at the entrance
• Getting around -
  Plan half a day
  There are 3 legs of the walk you can do and buses picking you up between them if you want to do only part of it
  The beginning of the walk is a very steep path down. If you have knee problems, I recommend using walking poles. After it is generally flat, except to go see the Inferno crater
  Well maintained paths
• Main features -
  The valley with no buildings around - it really is like going for a hike
  The inferno crater with its depth variations
  The smaller lakes at the beginning
  The small streams with mini-geysers and incredible colors
  The Rotomahana lake where used to be the Pink and White terraces
• Pre-purchase your entrance ticket in your currency here

#4 - Te Puia

• Rotorua to Te Puia - 5min
• Taupo to Te Puia - 1h
• Price - 56 NZD without the show
• Access -
  Opening hours - 8am to 5pm
  Very large carpark (do not enter at the carpark of the big entrance, this is only for tours being dropped here. You have to drive to the round about to park there (large carpar)) - it adds 5 to 10min to walk to the entrance
  Café and toilets at the entrance
• Getting around -
  Plan half a day (or just 1h if you just go for the geyser)
  Access to the geyser, the show and the performance is really easy
  If you complete the whole walking loop there are slopes and stairs (but you are away from the crowds)
  Well maintained paths
• Main features -
  The Pohutu geyser is the largest geyser in the southern hemisphere - It erupts once or twice each hour. The blow can reach 30m in height.
  The kiwi bird house (great if you don't have time to visit an ecosanctuary 
  Te Puia also offers Maori experience and is home to a lot of Maori art
• Pre-purchase your entrance ticket in your currency here
• Or you can book a ticket combined with an evening performance and a geothermal diner - check out program and book

#5 - Whakarewarewa

Whakarewarewa is very close to Rotorua. It is famous for its living Maori village. This is a great place to combine Maori culture and geothermal activity.

• Rotorua to Whakarewarewa - 5min
• Taupo to Whakarewarewa - 1h
• Price - 45 NZD (entry + show) - but you can also get  geothermal lunch
• Access -
  Opening hours - 8h30 am to 5pm
  You can call it Whaka and people will understand 🙂 - the real name is actually: Te Whakarewarewatangaoteopetauaawahiao
  In town, carpark can fill up quickly
  Café and toilets in the village
• Getting around -
  Plan 1h to half a day
  Easy to walk around the villages and the lake.
  The rest of the walking loop has some slopes to viewpoints (note that the map and indications are not so good - I was not the only one to have difficulty finding where to go once outside the village and main path)
  Well maintained paths
• Main features -
  The most fascinating part is the lake Te Roto A Tamaheke with the bridge going through it. You can see many holes with the crust and transparent water
  I enjoyed the color of the Green Lake (Roto Kanapanapa)
  You can also see from the distance the Pohutu Geyser that is in Te Puia
  Plus you can enjoy the Maori living village and their show
• Pre-purchase your entrance ticket in your currency here (combined with the Geothermal meal)

Difference - Whakarewarewa or Te Puia?

Note that things can get confusing between Whakarewarewa and Te Puia because:

• You can see the Pohutu geyser in the distance from Whakarewarewa, but it is actually in Te Puia Park, 
• And Te Puia is located in the Whakarewarewa Valley

So they play with those and confuse you to try to get the most visitors (both of them in my opinion).
Those are 2 different parks. I think they both deserve a visit:

•  I enjoyed better the Maori experience in Whaka because it was smaller and less of a big spectacle
• but getting close to the geyser in Te Puia was great!
  (I know, sorry, I am not helping you reduce the number of parks you want to visit...)

#6 - Craters of the Moon Thermal Walkway (Taupo Geothermal Park)

• Rotorua to Craters of the moon - 1h
• Taupo to Craters of the moon - 10min
• Price - 8 NZD
• Access -
  Opening hours - 8:30am to 5pm (Winter ) and 6pm (Summer)
  ​Easy drive, large carpark
  Snacks and toilets at the entrance
• Getting around -
  Plan 1h
  45min loop walk + 20min if your walk up to the viewpoint (slope up and stairs down)
  Well Maintained paths
• Main features -
  I really enjoyed the loop to see the many craters smoking.
  However I was disappointed by the view at the top

Other geothermal attractions in Rotorua

Free geothermal parks in Rotorua

There are no free parks, but there are a few areas where you can see the geothermal activity that are free to access especially around the Rotorua lake:

• Along Hatupatu Drive near Sulphur point - 38°08'05.4"S 176°15'47.8"E
• Kuirau Park (public park) with a small lake and mud pools - 38°08'01.9"S 176°14'41.7"E
• You can also enjoy some hikes on volcanoes 

Geothermal Spas

It is not my thing but Rotorua is home to famous spas using the geothermal activities around. For example:

• The Polynesian Spa right by the lake: mineral hot pools, cold plunge pools, heated recliners... - pre-book your experience
• Hell's gate with mud baths and other spa experience - pre-book in your own currency
• Or near Taupo the Warakei terraces & thermal health spa - note that the terraces are were not made by nature

Smaller geothermal walks

• Warakei geothermal walk - This is a small walk behind a cafe - path is small and taken over by nature. 10NDZ 40min- small features to see (not to be mixed up with the Warakei terraces)
• Tokaanu thermal walk - 20min walk with hot pools and pud pools (South of Lake Taupo)

Flying over the volcanic region of Rotorua

Another great way to see the region is to fly over it - you can opt for an helicopter or a floatplane. I had never been on a float plane, so this is what I chose.
The longer tour take you above the Mount Tarawera fault line (from the 1886 eruption) and you can also admire the lakes and valleys. 

• Book an helicopter tour over the crater lakes 
• Book an Helicopter tour with the fault line
• or book a floatplane tour above the fault line

White Island

But the most famous volcano is white island because of how active it is. You can either fly over or take a boat from the coast to be able to walk around it.

Book your day trip to White Island from Rotorua

Where to stay in Rotorua and Taupo

Should you stay in Rotorua and Taupo?

• Both cities have a lake
• They are both close to many volcanic attractions
• Rotorua has more attractions with many lakes, water activities, springs... But Taupo is closer to the hiking opportunities in Tongariro
• Rotorua is more of a living city while Taupo feels more like a holiday city (in my opinion)
• Rotorua often has bad smell because of all the volcanic activity

During my last trip, I stayed 2 days in Rotorua as I was driving down on my road trip and 1 night in Taupo as I was driving North.

Where to stay in Rotorua

In Rotorua I stayed in a room at a B&B (Rotorua City Homestay).
They were very welcoming and I enjoyed the breakfast a lot - Check out more photos and avail​​abilities

Other suggestions:

• MOTEL - Aura Accommodation is only 3min from the Lake and offers access to a pool - Check out photos and availability
• HOTEL  - The Regal Palms Resort with studios, suites and apartments - Check out photos and availability
• BACKPACK - a fantastic location for the Rotorua Central Backpackers - Check out photos and availability
• Or check out the best rated accommodations in Rotorua

Where to stay in Taupo

In Taupo I stayed at Sails on the Lake in an apartment with Lake view and all the equipments I needed - Check out more photos and availabilities

• B&B - The Amori Lodge Bed and breakfast is close to the lake and allow you to meet locals - Check out photos and availability
• MOTEL - Taupo has many great motels - Acacia Lake view also offers great views of the lake... - Check out photos and availability
• RENTAL - You can even find rentals right by the lake such as the Ultimate Luxury Lake Taupo - Check out photos and availability
• Or check out the best rated accommodations in Taupo