Our new geothermal nature trails provide exclusive access to an untouched geothermal landscape where visitors can experience the raw nature of Papatuanuku (mother-earth). The Jurassic park-like landscape is described as providing regenerative powers as you find yourself face-to-face with Nature, Hot Spring Lakes, Mud Pools, Geysers and native manuka bushlands.
In demand: 24 of the next 30 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 7.
The trails are self-guided walks ranging between 30 and 60 minutes and suitable for people with a low level of fitness. These trails combine views of native ferns, edible plants and eerie glimpses of our unique geothermal landscape, including colourful steaming lakes and thermal pools that you can only view at Whakarewarewa. You will definitely find a most memorable photo-snap opportunity for your social media profile! The Whaka Geothermal Trails will be an ongoing reserve development as we open new areas to be discovered. PLEASE NOTE: The times set for this self-guided tour are the last entry times, you may enter anytime from 9am through to 4pm.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 123 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Whaka Geothermal Trails Self-Guided Tour lasts about 30 min–1h. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $25 per person for this Rotorua experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 3:15 PM.
Children aged 5–15 pay from $13, adults from $25. Infants go free.
It can: 24 of the next 30 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is 17 Tryon street, Whakarewarewa. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 30 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Absolutely loved it! Despite the weather, I had a great time. Because of the rain, there was more steam from the lakes. I have seen both the Pukeko bird and the New Zealand fantail, which made a great intro to my trip. I enjoyed reading about the Maori life and traditions on my tour.
It is a very interesting and informative tour. We can feel the connection between Maori people with the land. That is their home and their land. We appreciate their generosity of opening their home for visitors and welcome their guests.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you found the tour both interesting and informative. It’s great to know you felt the deep connection between the Māori people and their land. We appreciate your kind words about the hospitality experienced during your visit!
Wear good shoes not open toes. Makes sure you have sunscreen and hat. Look in the shops before you go. For further Maori experience get guided tour.
Really lovely walk with great information all the way around we weren’t disappointed. Saw the geyser at the end
We went and did the thermal walk around the natural wonders of the village. We got to see some of the amazing buildings at the village as well. There are lots of stories of the Maori attached to the various parts of the natural thermals that are fascinating.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Richard! We're thrilled you enjoyed the thermal walk and the fascinating stories behind our village. It's great to hear you appreciated the unique blend of nature and culture. Your feedback means a lot to us!
the mix of geysers, hot springs, and deeply fascinating Māori cultural performances. The guides are warm, knowledgable, and it feels very authentic — carvings, traditional songs, stories, hangi smells in the air.
Thank you, Jessica! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the unique blend of natural wonders and Māori culture. Our guides are passionate about sharing their heritage, and it’s great to know their warmth and knowledge made your experience even more special. We appreciate your wonderful feedback!
We had great weather for our tour but the best part was our Guide Ngatiroirangi! What a comedian - we laughed our way around the geothermal area for two hours. Very interesting facts learned and we saw lots of bubbling mud pools etc. Well worth the money and a great coffee afterwards
An interesting walk looking at various facets of geothermal activity. However, I thought it was a little overpriced for what we saw. Lady at check-in saw us waiting to get tickets but took her time in serving us as if we were an interruption to her day.
A really good example of bad planning and over pricing! The natural mud and hot pools are great to see, but the city has been built far too close up to it. From every point you see houses and even a very ugly multi-story hotel. Entrance fees are ridiculous for such a gift of mother nature. If you want to see the geysers and the mud pools and hot pools, it will cost you 72 NZD. That for a short trail around gifts of mother nature. The track is not even that well maintained. Numbers on the map do not match the numbers on of the sights of the track. The entrance building where you have to buy the tickets is far over the top on luxury, while the toilets are dirty and falling apart. This is a shameful tourist trap. New Zealand, you can do better and should do!
The self-guided geothermal pool tour takes you around some geothermal pools. They’re interesting but there are lots of other places in the area where you can walk around geothermal pools for free. The map they give you is all messed up, with places given the wrong numbers on the map, more than one place given the same number placard, etc. You can also see the geyser (partly hidden behind a tree) maybe around 800 meters away from the end of the trail if you don’t want to pay the additional admission for the guided village tour that takes you to it. Kinda cool but not sure it was worth the price of admission.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whaka Geothermal Trails Self-Guided Tour | 30 min–1h | 3.8 (46) | $25 | |
 Ultimate self-drive rail car journey | 2 hours | 4.3 (98) | $46 | View |
 Hell's Gate Geothermal Walk, Mud Bath and Sulphur Spa Experience | 1h 30min | — | $38 | View |
 Rotorua Canopy Tours: 2.5Hour Native Forest Zipline Adventure | 2h 30min | 5.0 (4,681) | $120 | View |
 Rotorua’s Ultimate Zipline: 6 ziplines, 400 m Tandem, Cliff Walk | 3 hours | 5.0 (2,613) | $160 | View |
 Rotorua Rafting: Kaituna River White Water Rafting & Free Sauna | 2h 30min | 5.0 (2,156) | $77 | View |
 Cultural Experience & Seasonal Māori Cuisine at Te Pā Tū | 3 hours | 4.8 (1,701) | $161 | View |