A trip to Rotorua (or Rotovegas as it’s fondly known by New Zealanders) will take you to another planet. Alive with bubbling, steaming geothermal activity, the place literally feels like Mars, and on top of the inside-a-crater-of-a-volcano feeling, Rotorua is also an absolute gold mine of exploration and adventure.
Whether you’re after a soak in natural hot springs, a Polynesian Spa retreat, a full speed jet boat ride or an intimate experience with Maori cultural performance, Roturua turns it on. There’s no shortage of things to do, so grab your family, your friends or your solo mission backpack – we’re going to Rotovegas.
Hiking
As far as hiking goes, New Zealand is already outstanding, but Rotorua is as about as out of this world as you can get. Walk through the popular Waimangu Volcanic Valley, and see hot water lakes, craters and silica formations. It’s the world’s youngest geothermal system, and there are a massive variety of free trails to choose from. Plan to travel to Rotorua with the family? Great, make it a 45 minute quickie. On a solo adventure or with some adventurous pals? Head out and explore the whole of the Waimangu volcanic valley; there are trails that have a walk time of up to four hours.
Another option for the adventurous is Mount Tarawera, infamous for its explosion back on June 10th, 1886. It was one of New Zealand’s biggest volcanic eruptions in history, and created the the youngest geothermal valley in the world, the Waimangu. Explore and climb to the top, with a 4.5 hour guided Mount Tarawera Crater walk, where you’ll hear about the spiritual significance of Mt Tarawera in Maori culture, too. These tours cost about $185 per person.
Mountain biking
Rotorua is world famous for it’s mountain biking and is one of the best places to get your tires dirty. In fact, people travel from all over the world for it. Duck and weave through the mighty Redwood Forest (for free), where the air is filled with whoops of joy and the fresh smell of pine. Ride some of the world’s oldest mountain bike trails in the Whakarewarewa forest, and hit Rotorua Skyline, the world’s first year round gondola-assisted mountain bike park. There are plenty of bike shops run by passionate locals for rentals, repair and advice before you hit the trails.
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Fishing
Lake Rotorua and the area around is a mecca for trout fishing. As well as Lake Rotorua itself, there are 12 other fishable lakes in the district, filled with rainbow and trout ripe for the picking. On top of that, the many streams and rivers in the Rotorua area make it a must for any serious fisherperson’s travel itinerary.
If you’re with the family, hit the Ngongotaha Trout Hatchery. Catch guaranteed.
Waitomo Caves
The Waitomo caves experience is truly magical, and a real gem of New Zealand travel. The network of underground caves, buried deep beneath rolling Waikato farmland, can be explored (guided) by foot, boat or raft. When you reach their depths, sit back into the silence of the caves and gaze up at a constellation of glow worms – this one’s a gift from Mother Nature. Waitomo is about two hours from Rotorua, but it’s worth the mission.
Maori Culture
Rotorua has long been a place to experience New Zealand Maori culture, with many guides who can trace their ancestry back to the original Te Arawa people who first occupied the valley. Whakarewarewa, New Zealand’s Living Maori Village, is a center point of this cultural heritage. It’s home to the Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao people, who have been sharing their unique way of life with visitors from all around the world for over two hundred years.
The Maori village is owned and operated by local residents, letting visitors see day-to-day life as well as stirring displays of Maori cultural performance. Just five minutes from Rotorua, Whakarewarewa Maori Village has an abundance of activities, from self guided nature walks and Kapa Haka performances, to a Hot Water Beach campground on the shores of Lake Tarawera.
Heli Tours
The ultimate way to see the geothermal wonderland that is Rotorua? From the top, out the window of a chopper. The options are endless – soar over and land at Mt Tarawera, White Island or Waitomo, to name a few. You can get picked up and dropped off at Auckland, for a whirlwind day from the City of Sails.
For those with a hunger for adventure, there’s even Helibiking – they’ll take you up to an epic spot above the valley where you can drink in the views, then smash the downhill. That’s good old fashioned fun.
The Destination Rotorua website is a great place to find all the local tour operators, and details about what each one offers.
Touring
There are more fun things to do in Rotorua than bubbles in a mud pool, so why not tap into the wealth of knowledge and experience of some local tour operators. For many experiences, like white-water rafting and riding in a helicopter, you need a guide – obviously. Others, like the massive Te Puia geothermal valley and cultural center, you can do on your own, but a guide will make the experience exponentially richer.
Again, Destination Rotorua is a brilliant place to track down the best local tour guides.
White-water rafting
Calling all speed junkies. You can barrel down the Kaituna River by raft, starting just 20 minutes drive from Rotorua. The Kaituna River is home to the Kaituna falls, and the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world, the 7m Tutea falls. If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve found it.
Ziplining
This was voted number one activity in the North Island on TripAdvisor, and for good reason. It’s the only place in the country you can swing (well, zipline) through native forest canopy – this is fun as it should be.
Family activities
Rotorua is the perfect place for wholesome family fun. The hot pools are abundant, and the many geothermal parks are like big Jurassic playgrounds. Orakei Korako, for example, on the shores of Lake Ohakuri has the only thermal cave in New Zealand, multi-colored silica terraces and boardwalks exploring the extra-terrestrial landscape. Plus, it’s only accessible by boat and you can bring your dog – how cool is that?
One of the most famous things to do in Rotorua is Te Puia, a 60 hectare geothermal valley full of fun activities to keep the kids entertained for hours – if not days. Explore the volcanic landscape and giant hot spring, discover Maori carving and weaving, visit the Kiwi Conservation Centre and dive deep into Maori history. There’s even a zone dedicated just for the kids, and Te Puia is also home to the Pohutu geyser, the biggest active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere.
For a powerfully spiritual place where ‘the center of the earth meets the sky’, Hell’s Gate is a must. Not far from Lake Rotorua and the city center, this is a unique opportunity to soak in a healing mud spa, the very same that Maori warriors used to heal their battle-scarred bodies. The nutrient-rich waters and mud of the spa pool are believed to ease inflammation and arthritis and rejuvenate the skin.
While it’d probably be more relaxing without the kids, the Polynesian Spa is a deeply nourishing retreat center on the shores of Lake Rotorua that offers a Family Spa (aka zone for energetic little ones) amongst its many options.
Wai-o-Tapu thermal wonderland
It’s been dubbed ‘one of the most surreal places on earth’, and Wai-o-tapu geothermal park offers some of the best things to visit in Rotorua. With mud pools (the largest in New Zealand), hot springs and the impressive Lady Knox Geyser, there are a few reasons it’s so popular. Find Wai-O-Tapu about half an hour from the Rotorua city center on the Thermal Explorer highway.
Redwoods Treewalk
Wind your way along suspended walkways and bridges through the magnificent, ancient gentle-giant canopy of the Redwood Forest. Perfect for the family, this is one of the top attractions Rotorua has to offer – good luck keeping your jaw off the floor.
Rainbow Springs nature park
This wildlife and nature park has been around since the 30’s, and they’re serious about conservation. Take a tour of their National Kiwi Hatchery, the world’s largest and most successful hatching centre, visit the the trout nursery or take a ride on The Big Splash, their aptly named water ride. Find it just five minutes from Rotorua.
3D Trick art gallery
This is one of the quirkier things to do in Rotorua (and New Zealand for that matter) and perfect for a rainy day. The only gallery of its kind in New Zealand, stoke your creativity and free your imagination with over 50 pieces of life-size and hyper realistic murals.
Jet boating
Clamber into a zippy little jetboat and speed, spin and spray your way through the waters of Lake Rotorua. A jet boat ride is the best way get your blood pumping and the quickest route to an ear to ear grin, and there are plenty of knowledgeable, adventure-crazed tour operators to choose from to make the most of your experience.
Museums & attractions
Rotorua Museum
The Rotorua Museum is a wonderful place to learn about the rich culture of the area, discover the history of its extraterrestrial thermal landscape, and take one of their tours of the Government gardens.
Government gardens
This is an expected gem in the middle of Rotorua – carved into the wild geothermal landscape, hot pools and bubbling geysers are peaceful, colonial-style gardens. The land was gifted to the crown in the 1800’s by the Ngāti Whakaue, with the original idea for the thermal waters to be used as a health spa. With ancient trees including multi-trunked Japanese firs and Californian weeping redwood, and the museum offering free tours, it’s one of the more peaceful attractions Rotorua has on offer.
The Buried Village
The village of Te Wairoa existed for only 40 years before being completely buried by the 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera, along with the nearby Pink and White Terraces. It may be underground, but there are still plenty of activities – free multi-media guided tours of the archaeological site, which continues to be excavated today, the museum, a playground for the kids and a cafe to rest and refresh. Find the village 20 minutes from Rotorua.
Shopping
It’s not all culture, hot pools and adventure activities – Rotorua is actually a great place to shop, too. Whether it’s souvenirs, art or outdoors gear you’re after, browse to your hearts content along the avenues of Rotorua city center.
So there you have it; geothermal wonderlands, relaxing mud pools, fast-paced adventure, Maori culture at its most authentic and plenty of free family fun – Rotorua is the bee’s knees. Get ready to get out of this world.
