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Experience - New Zealand

WAI-O-TAPU Thermal Wonderland

The bright colors are caused by the sulfides and oxides contained in the volcanic rock, which, reflected on the lake bottom, make the water appear colorful.

Orange and pink glow at the hot steaming Champagne Pool.

Highlights at Thermal Wonderland include Devils Home, Artist's Palette and Champagne Pool.

Wai-o-tapu is Maori for "sacred waters."

Highlights

Experience New Zealand's natural wonders live
It bubbles, it steams - be in the middle of it all
Great photos await you

Description

Join us at WAI-O-TAPU Thermal Wonderland, south of Rotorua, and experience how New Zealand's stunning volcanic landscape meets traditional Maori culture up close. Get to know New Zealand's hottest corners on a guided walk through the volcanic thermal region. Bubbling mud holes, bubbling springs and New Zealand's only Champagne Pool await you.

Destination

Oceania & South Pacific

New Zealand
North Island New Zealand

About your experience

The steam rises and the smell of sulfur reaches your nose - welcome to the famous WAI-O-TAPU Thermal Wonderland. Experience an exciting tour through New Zealand's thermal wonderland that will touch all your senses.

New Zealand's natural wonder was formed about 160,000 years ago and means something like "holy water" in the Maori language. Its intense colors, as seen in the neon-yellow water or the green lakes as well as a special olfactory experience, make this recreational nature park a unique area. But the rare stone and limestone formations are a real eye-catcher. Your guide will lead you along easily accessible paths to hot bubbling springs, deep craters that smell like rotten eggs and bubbling mud holes. A real highlight of this tour is also the visit of New Zealand's only Champagne Pool, a steaming hot water pool with a diameter of 60 m, which stands out especially because of its orange-colored rim - a great photo for Instagram. Tip: Keep your camera handy here to take great, steam-free photos.

After also marveling at New Zealand's largest thermal spring, your tour continues to the nearby Lady Knox Geyser, which is artificially activated with soap powder every day at 10:15 am.

Services and information

Services & Notes

Meeting point: 201 Waiotapu Loop Road, RD 3, Rotorua 3073
April - October: 8:30 am-5:00 pm (last entry 3:45 pm)
November - March: 8:30 am-6:00 pm (last entry 4:45 pm)
Christmas: 8:30 am -5:00 pm (last entry 3:45 pm)
Takes place daily
Transfer: Shuttle (for a fee)
Group size: No limit on group size
Guide: Guide Map available at the entrance in Dutch, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Korean, German, Russian & Czech.
Equipment: sturdy shoes camera; in the summer: sunscreen, sun hat & water.
Stations: Geothermal area, Lady Knox Geyser: eruption at 10:15 am, Mud Pool.
Difficulty: easy, some stairs
Meals: Cold and hot food and/or drinks can be purchased at the Geyser Cafe.
Return transfer to hotel: Shuttle available (for a fee)
This excursion can be done on the round trip Australia & New Zealand: Koalas & Kiwis on day 16 (on the way from Rotorua to Taupo and Wellingtion)