For Pete's birthday last weekend, he requested a trip to the geothermal wonderland of NZ, Rotorua. The area sits within the Taupo Volcanic Zone, an active geothermal field covering about 250 kms from north to south. Rotorua was one of the earliest tourist destinations in NZ. It was home to the famed pink and white terraces, sometimes referred to as the eighth wonder of the natural world. Shiploads of people would arrive from the UK, Europe, and America to see the terraces and bathe in the hot mineral waters. The terraces were presumed destroyed in the late 1800s when Mount Tarawera erupted, burying everything around under a thick layer of mud and ash. However, in 2017 a team of scientists discovered that the terraces are still intact but are buried beneath 50 feet of mud and ash.
The Taupo Volcanic Zone is one of the four most active geothermal areas in the world along with Yellowstone, USA; Kamchatka, Russia; and Iceland. The Rotorua area is surrounded by a vast array of features, including mud pools, boiling crater lakes, geysers, smoking fumaroles, and colorful sinter (solidified mineral deposits) terraces. The smell of sulfur is immediately apparent when you arrive in town, and it is not uncommon to see steam rising from the ground throughout the town and the surrounding area. The geothermal activity is harnessed in the area for residential heating and hot water baths. The holiday park we stayed at even had a natural hot pool!
There are a number of areas around Rotorua that will take your money in exchange for up close encounters with the geothermal features. We chose Waiotapu because it has a range of features within a relatively small area, including geysers, boiling mud pools, sinter terraces, and CRAZY colored lakes.
It was fun to explore another geothermal area on the planet. That crosses three of four off the list for me - Iceland, here we come!
Artist's rendering of the white terraces (Charles Blomfield)
The Taupo Volcanic Zone is one of the four most active geothermal areas in the world along with Yellowstone, USA; Kamchatka, Russia; and Iceland. The Rotorua area is surrounded by a vast array of features, including mud pools, boiling crater lakes, geysers, smoking fumaroles, and colorful sinter (solidified mineral deposits) terraces. The smell of sulfur is immediately apparent when you arrive in town, and it is not uncommon to see steam rising from the ground throughout the town and the surrounding area. The geothermal activity is harnessed in the area for residential heating and hot water baths. The holiday park we stayed at even had a natural hot pool!
There are a number of areas around Rotorua that will take your money in exchange for up close encounters with the geothermal features. We chose Waiotapu because it has a range of features within a relatively small area, including geysers, boiling mud pools, sinter terraces, and CRAZY colored lakes.
Lady Knox geyser steaming...
...and erupting
Devil's ink pots (color from graphite and crude oil)
another one of the Devil's ink pots
the Artist's Palette
the Primrose Terrace - the largest remaining sinter
terraces in NZ after the burial of the pink & white terraces
terraces in NZ after the burial of the pink & white terraces
alum, sulfur, and sand
the coloration from sulfur is amazing!
the emerald green waters of Lake Ngakoro
the lower Primrose Terrace
the sinter surrounding the Champagne Pool
The otherworldly Devil's Bath!
pool of boiling mud
Exploding mud is fun to watch!
After spending much of the day at Waiotapu, we walked through Kuirau Park in the middle of Rotorua, a free geothermal area with interesting, but much less colorful offerings. Our holiday park was right next to the thermal park, making for an easy outing.
hot mud and boiling water
birthday boy
steamy lake at sunset
The forecast for the next day called for showers throughout the morning so we headed out to the museum at the Buried Village of Te Wairoa. The area was one of the many villages buried when Mount Tarawera erupted in 1886. The Smith family purchased the land in 1931 and began excavating the site to see what buildings they could find from the former village. They found remnants from a Maori storehouse, town hotel, and many dwellings. They also excavated many personal effects from the sites, including dishes, clothing, and tools. Most everything was buried under about a meter of mud and ash. There is also a lovely stream running through the property and a series of waterfalls. The Smiths built a track to the waterfall in the 1930s and was one of the highlights of the visit.
the Maori storehouse - note the stone carvings either side of the entrance
Pete's birthday umbrella is as strong as advertised!
Lake Tarawera (volcano on the right in the cloudy distance)
It was fun to explore another geothermal area on the planet. That crosses three of four off the list for me - Iceland, here we come!
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