Visiting New Zealand's Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland

Among the North Island’s amazing natural features you’ll find the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. As its name suggests, this is the place to emerge yourself in the geothermal marvels that make New Zealand’s volcanic activity so compelling.

The active geothermal area is situated within a 30-minute drive south of Rotorua and a 40-minute drive north of Taupo. If you happen to be coming in from Auckland, expect the drive to take approximately 3.5 hours, or slightly longer during the busy summer season. As you make your way towards the visitor centre, these wonders start steaming into view.

Wai-O-Tapu is a place for self-guided exploration. Walks around the thermal park take between 30 and 75 minutes, depending on which attraction you’ve set your sights on: the colourful hot springs, some stunning lakes and waterfalls and exquisite mud pools you’ll be hard pressed to encounter elsewhere.

Erosion has meant that the pool’s original volcanic cone eroded in 1925, but thermal activity still occurs.

As gas and steam rise to the surface, bubbles start appearing…

…only to burst not long after.

Make sure to come by early: every day at 10:15 a.m. the Lady Knox Geyser puts on quite a show.

Sit yourself by the surrounding ampitheatre and watch as this spouting beauty lets her warm waters blow.

This magnificent eruption can soar to heights of up to 20 metres (65.6 feet). How’s that for impressive? Once you’ve finished watching the spectacle, you can make your way to the geothermal park to catch a glimpse of the intriguing hues that make this area so memorable.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.