Rotorua Highlights Tour

Located at the southern end of Lake Rotorua, Sulphur Bay is a perfect example of Rotorua's famous geothermal environment. The constantly changing landscape around the bay has everything visitors to Rotorua could wish for. Silica flats, rocky terraces, and sulphur ledges sit alongside active boiling mud pools and steam vents. Even the water is interesting, its milky colour the result of sulphur particles that are suspended in the water. The bay's closeness to feeding grounds and the warmth generated by the geothermal activity, means the area attracts many native birds. Fans of bird watching can spot around 60 different species here including the banded dotterel, the scaup, and three types of gull in this protected wildlife reserve.

Beautiful and spacious gardens near the centre of Rotorua. The Government Gardens offer a bowling club, petanque, croquet and a golf course. Within the gardens, you'll also come across various points of interest that include the 1927 Arawa Soldiers Memorial, a number of geothermal features and the Kwaqiulth Totem Pole. The beautifully maintained gardens are a short walk to Lake Rotorua, the town centre and the wildlife refuge of Sulphur Bay. The land is one of legend and historical importance to the local Maori people, with a number of significant battles having taken place. The original Maori owners gifted the 50 acres of land in the late nineteenth century for 'the benefit of the people of the world'. The Government Gardens is also home to the Rotorua Museum , Polynesian Spa and the Blue Baths. The restored Blue Baths offer the opportunity to enjoy a dip in the warm waters and relax in an architecturally stunning building.

Walking tracks lead to numerous areas of vigorous geothermal activity. Provided you stay on the cool side of the safety fences, visitors are generally quite safe. New eruptions do occur from time to time, so it pays to err on the side of caution. In 2001 mud and rocks the size of footballs were suddenly hurled 10 metres into the air as a new steam vent spontaneously announced its arrival. Two years later, similar eruptions provided a real bonus for delighted visitors. In early Maori times the small lake in the park was much cooler and was known as Taokahu. Legend tells us that a beautiful young woman named Kuiarau was bathing in the waters when a taniwha (legendary creature) dragged her to his lair below the lake. The gods above were angered and made the lake boil so the Taniwha would be destroyed forever. From that time on, the bubbling lake and the steaming land around it have been known by the name of the lost woman, although the spelling has changed a little.

Lake Tarawera, meaning burnt spear, and is one of the largest lakes in New Zealand. It was home to many small Māori villages until the Tarawera eruption in 1886. We will visit the paintings on the lake front that depict the story of the 'waka wairua' (Phantom canoe) which appeared on the lake as an ominous sign of death a few days before the eruption. In the 1800's, word spread of the eigth Natural Wonder of the World to be found at Tarawera - the spectacular Pink and White Terraces. The local tribes Tūhourangi and Ngāti Rangitihi, alongside non-Māori developers, profited greatly from this boom in tourism. Their success increased steadily until one night carved into the grounds of Tarawera - 10 June 1886. Devastation in the dead of the night, predicted by the tohunga/priest Tūhoto Ariki, New Zealand's deadliest volcanic eruption struck at around 10.00pm, 120 people lost their lives, 6 settlements were buried, and the Terraces vanished overnight.

TUHOURANGI TE IWI (The tribe) of Lake Tarawera presents their treasured Māori rock art. These Māori rock paintings were submerged by Lake Tarawera as a result of the eruption of the mountain in 1886. When the late receded in 1904 the paintings were partially uncovered. Of unknown age, there were executed in kokorai (red ochre) on the glass rhyolite face, and in common with rock carvings in this are, the canoe motif predominates. They were excavated in 1962 by the then National historical Plaves Trust. This site is protected under the Historic Places Act and is recognised as being under the guardianship of the local Māori tribe, Tuhourangi.

Lake Tikitapu is immersed in Māori history. The name Tikitapu refers to a sacred greenstone, or pounamu, necklace that is believed to have been worn by a daughter of a high ranking chief. It is understood that the daughter lost the necklace as she bathed in the crystal waters. Legend says that the Taniwha monster, named Kataore, lived in Lake Tikitapu. Kataore's initial loveable nature had changed as he grew up, and he became a mischievous taniwha who preyed on lone travellers. Kataore's actions were getting out of hand, and he soon felt the rage of the neighbouring tribes. Kataore later made a detrimental mistake; he swallowed the chief's daughter, as she was on her way to be wed to a young chief, Reretoi. After hearing of this disaster, Reretoi assembled 140 bold warriors to seek revenge. Reretoi and his men managed to draw Kataore out of his cave and noose his neck, attack and slay him with tewhatewha and kotiate. Kataore's body was stripped of his flesh.

Known to locals simply as ‘The Redwoods’, the 55,000ha Whakarewarewa Forest is a playground for mountain bikers, walkers, hikers and horse riders set amongst magnificent stands of towering Californian Redwoods, lush native forest and exotic trees. The Redwood Memorial Grove was planted in 1901, dedicated to the memory of the men of the New Zealand Forest Service who dies in the two World Wars. These iconic trees tower above you at approximately 67 metres (219 feet) tall providing incredible photo opportunities. This easy short walk also features a boardwalk over an old thermal pond, home to unique aquatic plant life.