Geothermal Rotorua in New Zealand is a wonderland. I could spend all my holidays in this region! There is so much to choose from: fumaroles, mud pools, ponds with crazy colors, geysers, terraces… Below is my guide to help you choose the best geothermal parks in Rotorua for you to visit, depending on your interests.
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!
The choice of geothermal parks in Rotorua
With all that volcanic activity, the region between Rotorua and Taupo is home to many geothermal parks.
And they are all very different from one another.
So if you love geothermal features as much as I do, I recommend to spend 3 days in the area and visit all of them! (I did 2 days in Rotorua as I was driving South and 1 day in Taupo as I was driving back North). You can see my volcanic wonders itinerary suggestion.
But if you are limited in time, I am showing you in this article the different features and interest of each so that you can choose the ones that fit your preferences.
Volcanic Rotorua – Video
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
My top 3 Rotorua geothermal parks
If you don’t want to read the whole article my top 3 are:
- Orakei Korako – for the incredible multicolor terrace and the different viewpoints
- Wai-O-Tapu for the intense single color features (Devil’s bath, Champagne pool…) – see my article
- Waimangu Volcanic Valley for the variety and the great walk away from the crowds
However if a geyser is very important to you Te Puis has a great one.
And if you want to combine with Maori culture, head to Te Puia or Whakarewarewa.
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:
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- 12 easy-to-plan maps
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- 6 easy-to-plan maps
- 90+ pre-selected locations
- GPS coordinates
- Useful planning tips
- 150+ large photos
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
Need to rent a car in New Zealand?
My tips:
- Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
- Prefer a car with enough power for the mountain areas
- Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind!
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
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
More suggestions at the end of the article.
#1 – Orakei Korako Geothermal Attraction – “The Hidden Valley”
For me there is no question. Orakei Korako is my absolute favorite geothermal park in the Rotorua – Taupo region!
- 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)
See my article on Orakei Korako with many more photos - 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
Wai-O-Tapu is the most famous of the Rotorua volcanic Parks mostly because of the Champagne pool
- Rotorua to Wai-O-Tapu – 30min
- Taupo to Wai-O-Tapu – 40min
- Price – 32,50 NZD
- Access –
Opening hours – Summer 8:30 am to 6pm / Winter 8:30 am to 5pm
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
Waimangu was a pleasant surprise. For those looking for an enjoyable hike in Nature with well explained geothermal features along the way, this is a great option
- 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
Te Puia’s main Geothermal attraction is the Pohutu geyser. But you can also enjoy a kiwi bird house, a Maori show and a lot of Maori arts
- 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 dinner – check out program and book
I don’t drink coffee 
But I also like other drinks and sweets!
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#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)
If you are looking for something completely different to add variety to your geothermal experiences, head to the Craters of the Moon.
- 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. 10NZD 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.
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.
Not available anymore
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 availabilities
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 equipment I needed – Check out more photos and availabilities
Other suggestions:
- 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
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