Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Rotorua, New Zealand

Last Updated on 9th February 2021

This post about Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Rotorua contains affiliate links.

Known as the world’s youngest geothermal system, Waimangu Volcanic Valley is something that should be on everyone’s New Zealand North Island bucket list.

I hadn’t heard of Waimangu until we arrived in New Zealand and began researching things we wanted to do, but I’m so glad we made our way over there as it turned out to be one of my favourites places so far!

Check out this guide on what you can expect from Waimangu Volcanic Valley and I dare you to not add it to your travel bucket list! 😉

Ticket options for Waimangu Volcanic Valley

When visiting Waimangu, there are various different ticket options available to enhance your experience even further; the self guided walk & hike, Lake Rotomahana Boat Cruise or the walk and cruise combo.

Unfortunately you can’t visit Waimangu for free, but there are various ways to obtain discounted tickets.

We used BookMe to purchase our self guided walk and hike tickets. We paid $27.30 (£14) each for our ticket; as opposed to the $42 (£22) each that it costs to book through the Waimangu official website. This post isn’t sponsored btw, we just found BookMe to be a great alternative to purchasing discounted tickets for things all over NZ!

You can also book a full tour to Waimangu Volcanic Valley and Wai-O-Tapu which is well worth doing!

The self guided walk and hike was absolutely incredible and takes around 2 hours to complete (depending on how fast you walk and how many times you stop to take pictures!). Once you arrive at the lake which is technically the final stop you’ll reach, you can either choose to take the free shuttle bus back to reception or walk back (or take the cruise tour around the lake).

We opted for the shuttle bus as we didn’t arrive at the lake until 4pm; which is around the time that the last bus runs.

The Waimangu Volcanic Valley official website has a detailed breakdown of how long you can expect each hiking trail to take, as well as details of the shuttle bus timings.

How to get there

Waimangu is located just a short 25-minute drive from Rotorua, 1 hour and 30 minutes from Tauranga or 50 minutes from Taupo.

It’s easily accessible from Rotorua via State Highway 5 via car or campervan (if you’re travelling there yourself) or you can make use of the Rotorua to Waimangu shuttle bus options instead.

There’s plenty of signposts dotted along the road from both Rotorua and Taupo and it’s easily picked up by your phone GPS or SatNav.

What you can expect from Waimangu Volcanic Valley

Waimangu aims to show people ‘how the world began’; this message is the premise of all the natural and unique geothermal activity that occurs in the Volcanic Valley and it’s one that’s easily resonated with.

Home to immense volcanic craters, geothermal features, unusual and unique wildlife and plant life, as well as giant hot water springs and lakes; Waimangu is an excellent place to visit for those interested in nature, biology and scientology.

You’ll also learn about the Mount Tarawera volcanic eruption and the dramatic effects that it had on the landscape and surrounding areas in 1886.

The Waimangu Volcanic Valley is also home to Frying Pan Lake (the largest hot spring in the world), Lake Rotomahana, Cathedral Rocks and the ever-impressive, stunning blue, Inferno Crater Lake.

While these remarkable features are obviously impressive, they also pose a significant importance on the surrounding ecosystem.

The steam that’s emitted from the geothermal pools is crazy cool and swarms around you like you’re in a 90s music video!

Matt and I both enjoyed taking pictures in front of the steam and were astounded as to just how impressive it really is!

When Mount Tarawera erupted back in 1886, it left no less than 13 astonishing craters behind, spanning across more than 17km; creating the now aptly named Waimangu Volcanic Valley.

The Valley has also won various accolades for its contribution to New Zealand’s eco tourism and as soon as you step foot there, it’s clear to see why.

I was honestly blown away by all the things to see at Waimangu; it seemed that everywhere you turned, there was another sensational natural feature to discover and explore!

The spectacular scenery is what makes Waimangu so truly unique; that, and its enigmatic and unnerving history.

If you didn’t know about what caused the Volcanic Valley to look like it does now, you’d just see an unexplained creation of nature. However, once you discover that a mighty volcanic eruption that caused a plethora of damage to the surrounding areas made Waimangu what it is today, it has an even more imposing feel to it.

Once you’ve made your way through the Valley, you’ll come to a clearing where you’ll see Lake Rotomahana for the first time. As you can see from the picture above, the mystery and enigma still surrounds the lake and the atmosphere feels intense and full of secrets.

While the photos look great, they really don’t do Waimangu Volcanic Valley and its consequential geothermal activity any justice at all. I feel like it really is one of those places that you have to see to believe!

The lake will be your final point before you either turn around and walk back, or you jump on the shuttle bus that will take you back to the reception and gift shop.

Alternatively, if you’ve booked the cruise on Lake Rotomahana as well as the hike, here’s where you’ll hop on the small boat that will take you on your tour.

We didn’t embark on the boat tour when we went but I’m sure it’s an amazing experience and a unique way of seeing the Valley from a different perspective!

The colours, the nature and the overall enigma that exudes from Waimangu is what makes it such a charming and charismatic place to visit in the North Island.

I’m so glad we added it to our list of things to see and places to go in New Zealand as it turned out to be one of the best experiences we’ve had so far!

Top tips for visiting Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Rotorua

• Waimangu Volcanic Valley is open everyday from 8.30am until 5pm (6pm in January).
• Last admission times for the walks are as follows: self guided highlights walk – 3.30pm (4.30pm in January), Lake Rotomahana cruise – 3pm (4pm in January) and walk/hike and cruise combo – 2pm (3pm in January).
• While you don’t have to book tickets in advance when visiting Waimangu, it’s a good idea to do so in peak season (you’ll also save on your ticket prices if you book online in advance!).
• Waimangu Volcanic Valley is wheelchair accessible in most areas, but there are some restrictions and limitations so make sure you check their guidelines before booking.
• Don’t forget to bring good walking/hiking boots, a camera (you’ll want to take plenty of pictures of the geothermal activity!), comfortable walking attire, plus clothes and equipment suitable for both rain and shine as the weather can be temperamental at Waimangu!
• You can bring your own food and drink into the Valley; providing that you don’t bring any alcohol and that you’re respectful of the wildlife and clean up after yourself!

Waimangu Volcanic Valley is an enigmatic, educational and incredible experience in Rotorua! It’s definitely one of my favourite places in NZ North Island and I couldn’t recommend it enough!

Have you ever been to Waimangu Volcanic Valley in Rotorua? Is it something that you’d be interested in seeing? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter @imjustagirl_16.