Wai-o-tapu - Rotorua Geothermal Reserve

This map was created using GPS Visualizer's do-it-yourself geographic utilities.

Please wait while the map data loads...

Route: Waiotapu Loop Road, Weather Pool, Devil's Home, Rainbow Crater, Devil's Ink Pots, Artist's Palette, Champagne Pool, Primrose Terrace, Panoramic View, Bridal Veil Falls, Lake Ngakoro, Osyer Pool, Frying Pan Flat, Alum Cliffs, Sinter Terrace, Champagne Pool, Devil's Bath

Date: 02/03/2023
From: Waiotapu Loop Road

Parking: Wai-o-Tapu Car Park
Start Point: Geyser Cafe
Finish Point: Geyser Cafe
Region: Rotorua

Route length: 1.5km
Time taken: 00:40
Average speed: 4.9km/h
Ascent: 67m
Descent: 71m

Points of Interest: Artist's Palette, Champagne Pool, Lake Ngakoro, Roto Kārikitea

Wai-o-tapu is a must-visit if you find yourself in or around Rotorua on New Zealand's North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui). The small reserve is home to some dramatic geothermal features that truly defy belief. While it is a paid tourist attraction, the area can only be accessed on foot and makes for an interesting couple of hours.

The entire area is an extremely active geothermal area at the southern end of the Okataina Volcanic Centre, in New Zealand's Taupō Volcanic Zone. Hot springs and geysers are dotted across the North Island but none are as impressive as those found in Wai-o-tapu. 

The name Wai-o-tapu (or waiotapu) is Māori for sacred waters and has been a protected reserve since the 1930s. The site is currently owned by a local Māori tribal business and has been since 2012. As a result, all the features have dropped their European names in favour of the local Māori name. I've tried to represent both here.

There are three marked, intertwined trails and if you complete all three (visiting every feature) it should take you around 90 minutes - perfect if you are short on time. From the visitor centre, the first loop begins in a clockwise direction crossing Waiotapu Stream on a bridge, where you'll see your first steaming hot spring. 

Entrance to the reserve

Waiotapu Stream

Waiotapu Stream

The spring is followed by four craters (Māhanga Rua, Te Rua Uenuku, Te Rui Whaitiri and Ipu). In total, there are around twenty craters at Wai-o-tapu that are typically up to 20 metres deep. They are formed by acidic steam rising up from beneath the earth’s surface that erodes the rock causing it to collapse.

The first of the craters - Māhanga Rua (also the Devil's Home)

Inside Te Rua Uenuku - the Rainbow Crater

The craters are tinged a variety of colours by the minerals in the steam that oxidise as they come into contact with the earth’s atmosphere creating hues of brown, purple, red, orange and yellow. At the base some are dry, others contain boiling mud, water and even oil.

Mud pools in Te Rua Whaitiri - Thunder Crater

Te Rua Whatiri - Thunder Crater

Ipu or, the Devil's Inkpot

After the first set of craters is the Artist's Palette, the first of the brightly coloured features that make Wai-o-tapu so special. The huge cauldron is a mixture of colours from green and yellow to turquoise and black. These are all naturally formed by the mix of mineral deposits; namely sulphur (yellow), iron oxide (red/brown), silica (white) and black (carbon). You'll notice the waters of the Artist's Palette spill from the neighbouring Champagne Pool.

The Artist's Palette

The edge of the Champagne Pool

Foreground Pool within the Artist's Palette

There is a wooden boardwalk that links the Artist's Palette to the Champagne Pool, passing the top of the Sinter Terraces on the way (these are better seen later. At the end of the boardwalk is the Champagne Pool which gets its name from the carbon dioxide bubbles that form in the waters, not unlike a champagne glass. It is the largest spring in the geothermal Rotorua region, measuring 65m in diameter and 60m deep. Thanks to its sensational colours, it is the most photographed spot at Wai-o-tapu.

Crossing the boardwalk

The Champagne Pool

It was formed some 700 years ago during a hydrothermal eruption, leaving a crater full of water at 74°C. The dramatic colour in the outer ring comes from orpiment, an arsenic and sulphite mineral with a deep orange-yellow colour.

The Champagne Pool

Champagne Pool sits at the top of the first loop so you could head back to the car park from here if you were short of time. Otherwise, continue on and start the second loop. There is a brief climb that takes you along a ridge that passes a couple of viewpoints overlooking the Sinter Terrace and thermal lake Papa Wera.

The Sinter Terrace

Overlooking thermal lake Papa Wera

Papa Wera and Lake Ngakoro

Papa Wera and the Alum Cliffs crater

Some steps take you down to the boardwalk that marks the beginning of the third loop. This section has by far the most steps. First, the loops take you past some sulphur mounds to a junction that has two arms - one leads to Lake Ngakoro and back, the other into Papa Wera (Hot Flat). We opted for Lake Ngakoro first.

The bottom of Te Rere Ārai Mārena (Bridal Veil Falls)

Lake Ngakoro is at the far end of the trail. It’s a stunning jade green colour due to the elevated temperature that provides the perfect environment for an algal bloom. There is even a small, steaming waterfall flowing into it - Puna o Ngakoro.

Lake Ngakoro

Lake Ngakoro

Lake Ngakoro

Lake Ngakoro

Puna o Ngakoro

Lake Ngakoro

Puna o Ngakoro and Lake Ngakoro

We backtracked from the lake to Papa Wera then followed the other part of the third loop past Rua Whānāriki (the sulphur cave) and Te Puna Tio (Oyster Pool). The path leads to the Alum Cliffs and Papa Wera - the thermal lake we had viewed from the lookout. Part of the third loop track was closed during our visit (the link from Alum Cliffs to Te Rere Arai Marena) so we took the long way back to reach the same point.

Rua Whānāriki - the sulphur cave

Te Puna Tio - the Oyster Pool

The Alum Cliffs and crater lake

Papa Wera (Hot Flat or Frying Pan Flat)

No touching!

The closed section of the third loop

An erupting geyser

Te Rere Arai Marena is located at the bottom of the Sinter Terrace, where the rock ends and the stream begins. A sinter terrace is formed when water from hot springs overflows and cools, leaving fine sinter sediments behind. The sinter is made of very fine-grained silica and takes the form of flat, layered terraces. There were some famous Pink and White Terraces (Te Otukapuarangi) in the past but these were destroyed in 1886 when the nearby Mount Tarawera erupted. The path leads alongside the Sinter Terrace back to the Champagne Pool.

The fine layers of Sinter Terrace

Sinter Terrace

Champagne Pool

Champagne Pool

Champagne Pool

Champagne Pool panorama

We lingered at the Champagne Pool for a while as the sun emerged from behind the clouds before moving on, completing the circuit back to the visitor centre. The path passes the dark maw of Rua Pūmahu (Inferno Crater), home to a boiling mud pool that was recorded and used as a sound effect in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The Artist's Palette boardwalk

The Artist's Palette

Rua Pūmahu - the Inferno Cave

From Rua Pūmahu the path passes Rua Ōwhanga (Birds Nest Cave). The large crater has been put to good use by nature. Swallows, starlings and mynahs have built their nests on the crater wall and the heat that rises up helps to incubate the eggs. The large mountain you can see in the background of the image below is the volcano Maungakakaramea,  also known as Rainbow Mountain.

Rua Ōwhanga

Small nests dot the walls of Rua Ōwhanga

The final highlight is the spectacular Roto Kārikitea (the Devil's Bath or Green Light Lake). The bright green pond really has to be seen to be believed and, despite its appearance, it's entirely natural. The bright green water gets its colour from deposits of sulphur that rise to the surface and float on top.

Roto Kārikitea - the Devil's Bath

Roto Kārikitea - notice the change in colour as soon as the sun went behind a cloud

While there are many sites listed on the map, each loop is well worth doing. Despite the Champagne Pool, Artist's Palette and Roto Kārikitea being located close together, a trip to the far end to see Lake Ngakoro and its waterfall are highlights not to miss. If you have the time and are able to walk the distance, it is all well worth seeing.