Waimangu Volcanic Valley (Rotorua) New Zealand

Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Rotorua Overview

Waimangu Volcanic Valley, one of the youngest geothermal hot springs in New Zealand, is now becoming one of the typical tourist attractions in the country. One can enjoy a range of self-guided tours among volcanic craters, hot springs and wildlife. This attraction represents the volcanic eruption of Mt. Tarawera and how it affected this area's people and landscape.

Waimangu Volcanic Valley is a must-visit for those who want to immerse into the ecology and botany of one of the world's most recent geothermal activities, one of which is the only geothermal system created within written history. This attraction not only has a range of sceneries to witness, such as lakes, hot springs, geysers and craters, but also has a wide variety of activities for visitors to indulge in. These include boat cruises, hiking trails and tours. What's more, you can add a guide sheet to your entry fee to get more information as you walk through this valley and make it a richer experience.

Frying Pan Lake and more

Lake Rotomahana is one of the deepest lakes in New Zealand’s North Island with a range of wildlife especially birdlife in the surrounding area.
Cruises and tours are available at Waimangu Volcanic Valley such as the Rotomahana Lake cruise, walk and boat cruise combo, etc.
Walks and hikes are very common at Waimangu Volcanic Valley where visitors explore the different geysers, hot springs, sinter terraces, coloured microbes and regenerating native forests.
Inferno crater is known for its interesting activity. One can see it rise and fall as it heats and cools down during the day.
Frying pan lake which is one of the hot water springs in the world! Visitors can see this during their tours, walks and hikes.

Conservation Efforts

Waimangu Volcanic Valley has one of the most recent phenomenons in the world. Hence, its history is not very far from present day. The volcanic eruption occurred on 10th June 1886, causing the Mt Tarawera to break into 2 pieces. Similarly, lake Rotomohana erupted around the same time and became 20 times bigger and 170 metres deeper. As a result, people around this area had to evacuate and many hot springs were generated in the craters. This was followed by a series of eruptions such as Trinity terraces and Raupo Ponds in the early 1900s. Since then, this place has been preserved as a natural geothermal area open to all.

History

Important Information

Visitors can use the car parking available at the entry.
There are family passes available on the website.
There is a cafe and a gift shop at Waimangu Volcanic Valley.
Since it is a geothermal activity area, visitors are requested to follow the signposts and not explore unknown areas without a guide.
The free Waimangu App allows you to take a look at undiscovered content about Waimangu Volcanic Valley such as the pink and white terraces and Mt. Hazsard.

How To Reach Waimangu Volcanic Valley

This attraction is located on Waimangu Road in Rotorua. The closest airport is Rotorua airport which is around 30 kilometres away from Waimangu road and it would take around 31 minutes via State Highway 30 and 5. There is a Waimangu Road sign on State Highway 5 which takes you to Waimangu Volcanic Valley. This attraction is also around 50 minutes from Taupo township and around 25 minutes from central Rotorua. Visitors can take cabs and taxis from the airport and can also get on to buses that go from central Taupo or Rotorua to Waimangu Road.