In hindsight, it seems a bit strange that I am writing about the place we go the most after writing about lots of other places we have only visited once.  Yes we go to Rotorua a lot, but I thought that I didn’t have much to share as we mostly go mountain biking and the tips on that would pretty much be; go to Redwoods, get on bike, ride. Then I was talking to someone in the weekend who was going to Rotorua and they asked me what we enjoy doing there and it turns out I had quite a lot to say.

 

Firstly, if you are considering going to Rotorua, what are you doing reading this, go and book your accommodation now. We have been going to Rotorua for about five years now and cant believe how popular it has become. There are so many events held there now, along with the awesome mountain biking, that at times we can find it hard to get accommodation.

Rotorua has accommodation to suit everyone so just check out your favourite accommodation search engine. So now you have your accommodation booked what are you going to do when you get there? Of course we would put mountain biking at the top of the list. You don’t have to be a gun mountain biker, the Redwood forest has something for everyone and it was the first place our son rode when he was 5. There are even younger kids out there on the trails, so if they can do it so can your kids. If you don’t have a bike they hire them at the forest. To check out the easy tracks head for Waipa Mill Rd, talk to the friendly guys at the pro shop and grab a map. The best thing is, if you have your own gear its free to ride here although you can donate to the Rotorua Trails Trust so they can keep delivering awesome trails for us. If you are more into riding downhills than going up then you might want to buy a shuttle pass and head for the bus stop at the bottom of Hill road. You can link tracks together and ride downhill for over an hour, it is so worth it.

More on riding with beginners in Rotorua and tips for riding with kids

Other things to do in Rotorua are;

The Gondola and Luge – slightly pricey but then I tend to think any activity that costs money is pricey. On a sunny days the views from the top of the gondola are pretty stunning and there is lots to look at from the top even if you don’t do the luge. Younger children can go on the luge with an adult which makes your luge tickets go further. Also the younger kids get to experience the thrill in relative safety if they may not want to ride it by themselves.

Rainbow Springs – again I think its slightly pricey but when we went we spent about 4 hours there so on an hourly rate its probably pretty cheap. They have great trout viewing pools and an awesome native bird aviary. Go when the birds are about to be fed and they are getting excited. The tui love to show off their flying skills and dive bomb the visitors. The other attraction is the Big Splash boat ride which includes a waterfall and you guessed it a BIG SPLASH.

Te Puia / Pohutu geyser– we have driven past the geysers at Te Puia many times on the way to mountain biking but it was only when we had a home stay student that we thought we should check it out. Bubbling mud, geysers, trails through native bush, a cultural show – this place has it all. We were a little put off by the entrance price but were delighted to find that New Zealanders get a domestic discount ( the first time we have come across that ) I think even at full price it would have been good value for money. Again we spent about 4 hours here – those geysers sure are mesmerising and the Kiwi even came out to play in the Kiwi house.

 

Whakarewarewa Living Maori Village. Firstly, if you are wondering about the name, its called a ‘Living Maori Village’ because for over 200 years the Tuhourangi/Ngati Wahiao tribe have welcomed visitors in to their village, opening the doors to their way of life and sharing their geothermal treasures. There are several options for experiencing the Village and we got to enjoy the cultural show and a guided tour – both of which were very enjoyable and informative. We also explored one of the nature walks complete with bubbling mud and boiling water. 

Waimangu Valley. The world’s youngest geothermal system, giving a unique insight into just how powerful nature can be when the whole area was created by the Tarawera eruption. It’s a hidden gem with something amazing and other worldly around every corner from geysers to stunning crater lakes. It’s also the place that the Pink Terraces and the White Terraces once existed. Can be enjoyed as a walk, a boat trip on Lake Rotomahana or both. 

Okere Falls – about 20 minutes out of Rotorua on the highway to Tauranga. Okere Falls is a great place to spot rafters and kayakers go over the grade 4 waterfall and many other rapids. There is a great track down the side of the cliff to see all the action from water leveI. Its also a delightful walk through native bush beside the Kaituna River.

Tarawera Trail – there are lots of walks in the area, in fact many people enjoy walking through the Redwood forest. Personally, I think why walk when you can mountain bike. One walk that you can’t mountain bike is the Tarawera Trail. Its 15km-20km one way depending on where you park and unless you want to walk the track back to the start then it does involve a water taxi. You can either get dropped off at Hot Water Beach and walk back or walk to Hot Water Beach and taxi or walk back. We chose to taxi first so we didn’t have to worry about rushing / running for the water taxi. It’s a stunning walk through gorgeous native bush around the Lake. There is an amazing hot pool down a side trail which is great to soak the feet in, or go for a swim like our kids did. Hot water beach is at the start/end of the track and this is where a hot spring trickles out of the rock and flows into the lake.  Another great place for a soak. There is a popular camp very close by which kind of spoils the ambiance but its still an amazing natural place.

As of June 2017 sections of the trail were closed due to slips, so check out the Department of Conservation website before we plan this one.

Waikite Pools – a little way out of town on the road to Taupo but well worth the drive. A great range of size and temperatures of pools with something to suit everyone and a great little nature trail that leads to the largest single source of boiling water in New Zealand.

Kerosene Creek –  if you are looking for a natural experience of thermal water then check out Kerosene Creek. About a 20 minute drive out of Rotorua heading towards Taupo. Aim for Rainbow Mountain and follow the signs to Kerosene Creek which is just past the Rainbow mountain carpark. Once you have parked and got to the creek keep walking downstream as the water cascades over a waterfall into a dammed up pool. The hot water creates quite a warm micro-climate as its sheltered underneath tall trees. Very beautiful in the afternoon sun. The path to the creek can be very muddy after rain.

And if you like riding on concrete paths you can ride out to Kerosense Creek on the Te Ara Ahi trail.

See bubbling mud for free. Sulphur Point is in the south-eastern corner of Lake Rotorua. Sulphur Bay is a great spot to see steam, bubbling mud, smell sulphur smells and is also home to a Wildlife Sanctuary so great for bird watching. The trail starts behind the Rotorua Museum.

Head to Lake Okareka to explore the boardwalk through the wetlands and then on to the outlet. An easy 5km return walk.

Once you have been to Rotorua you will want to go again and again – now I had better go book my accommodation.