Things to Do in Rotorua

Started in 1939 as a trout sanctuary, Paradise Valley Springs Wildlife Park is now a popular destination for animal lovers of all ages. Visitors can feed and interact with many of the animals, most of which are native to the island.

Given New Zealand's isolation from the rest of the world, its flora and fauna evolved differently than continental creatures, and as such, New Zealand's wildlife is unique. While many New Zealand trips involve outdoor activities and visitors see much of its indigenous animals in the wild, the Paradise Valley Springs Wildlife Park has the most interesting native critters under one roof.

Guests to the park explore the different wildlife sections, including the popular Treetops Canopy walk. A series of wooden bridges and pathways have been built high up in the trees, giving visitors a chance to wander through the native birds' natural habitat.

In addition to the animal exhibits, the park is also known for its natural spring. Before Europeans came, Maori tribes would bring their battle-wounded to the spring, because they believed it had medicinal properties. Magical healing power or no, the spring produces an unending supply of clean water with high mineral content, and guests can sample directly from the source or buy water from the recently constructed bottling plant.

Te Puia, the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute was established by the New Zealand Parliament to guard and preserve Maori culture, housing the national schools of carving and weaving. Visitors interact with master craftsmen as they turn native hardwood and plant fibers into beautiful pieces of traditional art, spinning stories as they work.

Touring the facilities is interesting, informative and not to be missed, but the highlight is Te Po, Te Puia's authentic evening experience. As evening falls, you'll assemble in a carved meeting space and go on to participate in Maori rituals of friendship and greetting. As the night progresses, you'll feast on traditional cuisine as your guides will share Maori heritage, song and weaponry.

Te Puia is also the staging area for tours of the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley, where there are numerous geysers and 3 regularly erupt - Kereru, Tohu and the world famous Pohutu geyser, which erupts around 20 times a day reaching heights of up to 30m (100ft).

Near the northeast coast of the North Island is Mount Tarawera, the volcano responsible for a massive eruption that destroyed the famed, naturally occurring Pink and White Terraces and buried three Maori villages, including Te Wairoa, in 1866. The volcano is currently dormant, but visitors can book several different guided tours of the mountain, ranging from helicopter, 4-wheel drive vehicles and mountain bikes.

The area around Mt. Tarawera is breathtaking in its beauty and captivating in its thermal characteristics. Nearby are both the Geothermal Wonderland of Wai-O-Tapu and the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley near Te Puia, the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. At Tarawera's foot is Lake Rotomahana, which offers numerous recreational activities including fishing, water skiing and boating.

In addition to Lake Rotomahana, Mt. Tarawera's eruption formed many others, as the rift and domes formed from the explosion dramatically altered the surrounding landscape. In fact, the blast was so massive that its ash could be seen as far away as Christchurch, nearly 500 miles to the south. The resulting topographic challenges have created some of the most exhilarating bike trails in the world.

The Rotorua region is steeped in New Zealand's history, from the days of the Maori settlers to the advent of European explorers. At the Rotorua Museum, you'll get an in-depth view of the city's past, seen through cinema, galleries and historic locales.

The Buried Village of Te Wairoa offers a unique glimpse into 19th century New Zealand life, as it was buried and preserved by volcanic ash in an 1866 eruption. One of New Zealand's most popular attractions, this archeological treasure houses a museum to the village and the interaction of Maori and colonial cultures. You'll see towering, carved Maori artwork in the museum and then tour the excavation points around the site.

If you're visiting New Zealand for its outdoor-centric lifestyle, the Buried Village is a good hub for great hiking. Beyond the village is the spectacular Waterfall Trail. It provides two different hiking tracks of breathtaking scenery and the famed rainbow trout that live and spawn in the Te Wairoa stream. The Tarawera area is crossed by several other trails, including one at Lake Okareka.

Ohinemutu was the first settlement in the region established by the Ngati Whakaue people. Originally used as an entry hub for visitors and food headed to the neighboring villages, Ohinemutu is now a suburb of Rotorua city, but it is still a perfect example of how Western and Maori cultures integrated. Visit the Te Papaiouru Marae and St Faith’s Church, and you'll see how the two peoples collaborate, as Maori carvings and woven panels complement the Tudor-style architecture.

Ohinemutu's preservation of Ngati Whakaue is not to be missed. St. Faith's church is well known for a window etching of Jesus wearing a Maori cloak - it faces the lake, giving you the impression that Jesus is walking on water. The century-old church's rich decorations are a must-see.

A geothermic wonderland of hissing geysers, bubbling hot springs and natural silica terraces, the Orakei Korako Cave and Thermal Park serves up some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery and makes a popular day trip from nearby Taupo or Rotorua. Nicknamed the ‘Hidden Valley’, the park is the country’s largest and one of its most impressive thermal areas, with the all-natural scenery providing a suitably dramatic backdrop for a walking tour.

Take the bush walk through the heart of the park and you’ll be surrounded by untouched geothermal landscapes – gurgling mud pools, piping hot springs and steaming fissures interspersed with 35 active natural geysers, spurting steaming water up to 9 meters in the air. Most notable are the series of fault-stepped silica terraces, over which up to 20 million liters of water flow per day. The ‘Emerald Terrace’, aptly named for its striking jade-green color, is the largest of its kind remaining in the country; above it the terraces take on a rainbow of shades – blue, green, yellow, black – thanks to the hot water algae growing on their surface. The highlight of the park is the unique Ruatapu Cave, one of only two geothermal caves in the world and stretching 120 foot to the Waiwhakaata ‘pool of mirrors’ hot pool.