Rotorua is known for bubbling mud pools, shooting geysers and natural hot springs, as well as showcasing the fascinating Māori culture. Rotorua sits within the Pacific Rim of Fire, making it a geothermal wonderland with bubbling mud pools, clouds of steam, and natural hot springs perfect for bathing and relaxing in. There are a range of wellness day spa experiences on offer as well as some spectacular viewing of erupting geysers and magnificently coloured geothermal areas.
Rotorua is a place of great significance when it comes to gaining a deep understanding of Māori culture,history, hospitality and food. Learn about the local Māori people who lived in the area, and how their and the European cultures were integrated during an important phase in our country’s social development. A visit the museum to learn of the devastating eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886 that played a significant role in shaping the Rotorua you see today. The Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao people of Whakarewarewa village have been hosting guests since the 1800s, sharing the history and stories of their ancestors and guiding visitors through Whakarewarewa Geothermal Reserve. Whakarewarewa – The Living Māori Village offers guided tours through the village which is still home to the ancestors of the original inhabitants. Hear the history and stories of the iwi from now and then from guides who are direct descendants of the original guides from the 1800’s. You can try a hāngī feast cooked in the steaming ground or take a tour of an authentic pre-European village.
Rotorua also boasts crystal-clear streams and magical forests, with epic biking and walking trails and thermal mud pools. The city is surrounded by mountains, rivers, native forests and 18 fresh water lakes, making it the perfect place to reconnect with nature. Rotorua is a mountain biking mecca with world-class mountain bike trails. Walking, horse riding, and swimming or fishing in the lakes and rivers are some of the best ways to see the wildlife, breath-taking scenery and discover the region’s hidden gems. It’s also a big trout fishing area with fishing on the lakes and tributary rivers and if you’re unlucky there you can sight some of the huge trout (but, alas, not catch them) at Rainbow and Fairy Springs.
For thrill seekers, Rotorua is home to the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world, and offers everything from bungy jumping and luging to zorbing and ziplining.
Families with children of all ages will love the great range of leisure and wildlife parks. When it comes to food and drink, Rotorua boasts a thermally-heated central city alfresco dining zone known as Eat Streat, as well as a number of popular food and craft markets.
Located in the heart of the North Island, Rotorua is also the gateway to other central destinations – it’s less than two hours to the Mt Ruapehu ski fields and less than an hour from the nearest beach towns.