After morning pickup from your Rotorua hotel, travel about 25 minutes in a comfortable minivan to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, taking in the sight of farmland and forests as you drive.
Upon arrival at Wai-O-Tapu, your experienced guide leads you along well-marked paths to reach a series of brilliantly colored natural pools of steaming hot water that bubble with geothermal activity. Hear a morning presentation about the Lady Knox Geyser and watch the daily eruption that shoots a fountain of water high into the air.
Your guide explains how the Tarawera Volcano eruption in 1866 formed the park's natural hot springs that glow in bright yellow, orange and turquoise colors. Your guide also points out examples of how the native bush regenerated after the eruption. As you take in bubbling mud pools, steaming lakes and more, you’ll understand why Wai-O-Tapu is considered one of the world’s most surreal places.
Expect a leisurely walk along wide trails with plenty of time for photo ops and informative commentary from your guide. Feel free to ask any questions that you may have as you admire the otherworldly beauty of Wai-O-Tapu.
See even more geothermal spots during a short drive through the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Your guide explains the ways that local Maori people have used the sites as well as how New Zealand’s volcanic processes work.
At the end of your 4-hour tour, your guide returns you to your Rotorua hotel.