Rotorua, the Volcanic City of the North Island.

Rotorua is built at the junction of two great tectonic plates.

The underground activity rises to the surface, even in the city streets. The steam emanates from thermal springs, the mud pools are boiling and the powerful geysers gush to incredible heights.

It is nicknamed the “sulfur city” because of the sulfur hydrogen which spreads throughout the air.

If your chemistry memories go back to childhood, you may recall that this gas has an unpleasant smell! But what seems to be an inconvenience doesn't scare the visitors, on the contrary...

Rotorua is a famous for its spa activities since 1908. But the Maori had already settled in this region of New Zealand for centuries.

Over time, the Maori had learned to use hydrotherapy to heal people but also for laundry or cooking purposes.

Geothermal tourism is now booming with 2 million visitors each year.

Historical recreations, spas and amusement parks are mushrooming all around the city.

Most of these attractions require a transport solution. You must also consider the distances to establish your schedule because there are many things to see and do. Planning all the visits could become a nightmare! Fortunately, Kiwipal's itinerary is very reliable and easy to follow.

The day ahead will be dense with many different activities. This is a great opportunity to escape your daily routine to regain strength before the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Be sure to charge your camera's battery while you prepare sandwiches for today's lunch. Be sure to have a solid breakfast then get ready for departure!

The tour begins with “Champagne Pool”, a pool of 65 m in diameter as wide as deep.

It owes its name because of the gas bubbles rising to the surface.

The green colour of the 75° C hot water reveals the presence of arsenic. The orange edges are made of antimony deposits, while the ground which is white as flour is actually made of silica.

This landscape would fit better on another planet or on the White Island Volcano. Because of the sulfur steam, I already have itchy eyes, so I will step back for a moment to take pictures. Allow me enough time to put the polarizing filter to my camera, a nice trick to get better pictures.

It takes about an hour and a half to go round the 25 original attractions of the park. I'll meet you later in front of the “Primrose Terrace” (easy to recognize because of the sulfur deposits that resemble laces). Do not miss crystal caves and waterfalls of “Bridal Veil Falls”.

The famous geyser “Lady Knox” is only a few minutes' drive.

It would normally rise randomly, but it is possible to give it a little push every morning at 10:15.

More than a century ago, the convicts were washing their clothes there and one of them dropped his soap by accident. The chemical reaction produced a powerful geyser of 20 meters' height!

Today, this special trick is still used to help nature.

Although the phenomenon is a bit staged it remains interesting and fun to see.

It worths a visit if you've never seen a geyser in your life, but watching the audience in the first row getting soaked is probably even more fun ...

This is the place where I have taken some of my best pictures, thanks to the extraordinary rays of light between the trees.

In fact, the Giant California Coastal Redwood has adapted so well to the climate that the forest's name was even renamed. The contrast between the red barks and the lush green ferns is a delight. But these quiet section covers only 6 of the 288 hectares of the forest. Other trails are reserved to mountain bikes, with 60 km of slopes that will please both beginners and professionals.

The morning comes to an end and I guess you must start to feel hungry. We are only minutes away from Rotorua by car, but I prefer to avoid the sulfur smell during the lunch!

The intense volcanic activity has given birth to seventeen lakes around Rotorua.

Among them, blue Lake “Tikitapu” and green lake “Rotokakahi” (both of them close to Redwoods) are the most beautiful in the region.

The Blue Lake owes its colour to the igneous rock deposits, while the Green Lake color is due to the sand accumulated at shallow depth.

The contrast with the exotic trees of the forest is fantastic.

We will enjoy the picnic tables on the shore of the Blue lake. If we would have been given more time, I would have suggested to try water skiing or kayaking.

If you want to put your feet in the water, enjoy yourself!

Close to the Blue Lake, the Green Lake is a sacred Maori place and its access is strictly prohibited to the public.

However, we can have a glimpse of it from a promontory close to a car park.

The legend of the ghost canoe is still as popular since the eruption of Mt Tarawera, which buried an entire village in 1886.

A disaster that did not discourage the survivors, and the Maori community of Rotorua is now the most important of the country.

But we have enough explored the region for now, it is time to return to the city.

The proximity of “Sulphur Point” explains the rotten egg smell that impregnates the area. But this minor problem usually does not prevent the visitors to appreciate the English garden.

There are large beds of roses, ponds with large nenuphars, and green lawns where beautifully dressed locals enjoy to play croquet.

After the great Te Papa of Wellington, the Rotorua Museuma is one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand. This former Spa is built in an elegant Tudor style. It takes about two hours to explore the large indoor galleries without rushing the visit.

The ground floor offers a fascinating kinematics about the geological history of the region and narrates the best Maori legends.

You will be surprised to feel the seats vibrating during the volcanic scenes. And as the smell of sulfur came with us from the city up to the museum, the recreation is nearly perfect!

The old Spa installations are located in the basement. This is the part of the visit that I like the least and I find the place a bit sinister.

Some experimental treatments, such as exposure to radium or even electric shocks did not really meet the expectations of the so-called "doctors" of that time...

The galleries of the north wing are dedicated to temporary exhibitions of paintings or photography.

If the daily theme does not interest you, you may join directly the south gallery dedicated to the Maori culture.

Before entering, you must observe the ritual of purification and dip your fingers in a basin filled with water and leaves.

The cheap products sold in the souvenirs shops all around the country can't match the beauty of the authentic sculptures exhibited here. The pounamu jewels (the jade of New Zealand), are true wonders. Unfortunately, taking pictures of these sacred treasures is prohibited!

Do not forget to climb to the belvedere where you can enjoy an overall view of the Government gardens and the Rotorua Lake.

The Spanish-style building that can be seen on the edge of the park houses the famous “Blue baths”.

Our tight schedule does not leave us enough time to enjoy the hot pools at 37° C. But this is for a good cause because you can't leave Rotorua without greeting the local celebrity.

But the park's star is undoubtedly the kiwi mascot of New Zealand and Kiwipal!

This flightless bird easy to recognize thanks to his long beak only comes out at night. These adorable Kiwis are protected from the predators and artificially plunged into darkness until 17h.

At Rainbow Springs, four brown kiwis waddle in search of earthworms. I have always been amazed to see how quickly they move despite their awkward and funny gait.

The thin barrier allows us to admire them closely, but we must be very discreet.

Our new friends are very shy and they hate the flashes of cameras (naturally prohibited in here).

I advise you to pay the extra to gain access to the “Kiwi Wild Park” section where veterinarians help the kiwi babies to grow up safely. A circuit allows to observe the incubator and every step that will prepare these cute animals to the great return in mother nature. Your 10 bucks will not be spent in vain because the chances of survival of each kiwi increases by 90% thanks to your donations!

However, the kiwi is not the only of the endangered species having found refuge here.

The kea is a mountain parrot, known to be the most intelligent bird of the world. However, another species, the tuatura, has always fascinated me.

This creature belongs to a distant branch of reptiles, surviving since the dinosaurs' epoch, nearly 65 million years ago!

The “Big Splash Water Ride” is a boat tour that follows a stream in the forest.

Try to take a sit in the middle row and forward, because there will be a surprise before the end of the trip...

The nine minutes of this attraction allow visitors to discover the ecological evolution of New Zealand.

The Weta Studios of Peter Jackson, director of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, designed the special effects and the audio commentaries you can hear along the tour.

The full-scale animatronics dinosaurs are particularly realistic and might even scare the young ones!

Then we go back in time to meet the moa, a three-meter high ostrich that Maori hunted until its extinction in the 13th century. At the same epoch, the giant Haast eagle was able to fly at 80 km / h, and was being feared because it was able to attack and even kill children!

Before the very end, our boat hurtles down a steep slope and a big splash is spraying a great amount of water in every direction. If you sat in the middle row as I said before, you won't have to change clothing before dinner.

Please, do not spend all your budget in such products, and save some cash for the dinner instead.

The Fat Dog is my favorite restaurant, with its funky atmosphere and poems that adorn the walls.

I'm a big fan of their “Dollox Burger” and the roast lamb is not bad either! The addition is not of the lightest, but the portions are very generous.

Look at the menu on the large slate and place your order directly at the bar. You'll receive a colorful plastic toy that will allow the waiter to recognize our table later.

We will have other opportunities to taste the Hangi, which is the traditional Maori food. This is a cooking method that cannot be improvised. It consists to deposit ashes in a hole, with the wrapped food to be cooked (meat and vegetables). The hole is covered with earth and the food is cooked slowly. The result is a healthy meal with an inimitable smoky flavor.

You may have seen postcards of the Rotorua Lake in the souvenir shops. We were so close to the lake today without having the time for a pause.

So, I suggest ending the day with a nice walk on the waterfront to enjoy the sunset and admire the lake.

Lake Rotorua is the largest in the region with 10 km in diameter. In the Maori language “Roto” mean “lake” and “rua” means "two".

This is the second largest lake discovered by the Maori tribal chief Ihenga (who lacked some imagination that day, apparently).

At this late hour, one can still spot the Mokoaia Island in the middle of the Lake. The legend says that a couple of lovers were living here, against the will of their rival tribes.

This kiwi version of Romeo and Juliet is celebrated by a famous Māori song known as the “Pokarekare Ana”. Even the last fishermen are leaving, and the black swans are going to sleep. I believe that we will imitate them. Tomorrow is another adventure in New Zealand.

You certainly took a thousand amazing pictures today, and you probably want to share them with your friends. Best place for this is probably at the hotel bar, with a last evening drink.

There are so many things to do in Rotorua, with completely crazy activities that will attract thrill seekers like a magnet!

There is a free fall simulator at the Agrodome, but the best activity is undoubtedly the “Zorb” which consists to descend from a hilltop inside a giant water-filled plastic ball.

You can also reach the Skyline using the gondolas, to enjoy the summer luge tracks on the mountainside.

Of course, Rotorua is not devoid of some negative points. By multiplying the motels with neon lights, the city has earned its nickname of “Roto Vegas”.

Fortunately, this weak point does not affect the whole city, and the most beautiful attractions, like the Government Gardens and its museum are not concerned at all.

The sulfur smell may eventually bother you... but this is part of the Rotorua's experience. This is a souvenir that you will evoke with pleasure long after the trip!

I will not bother you again with security issues. Honestly, do I need to state that going off-track would be a very bad idea in a geothermal region?

The region is famous for its Maori spectacles. Te Puia, Whakarewarewa or Tamaki allow their visitors to attend dances and traditional songs in reconstituted villages. But these are entertainments not to be confused with cultural events. Do not forget it or you might be disappointed by the atmosphere.

I rather recommend a short visit to Ohinemutu, the real Maori heart of Rotorua.

The beautiful marae Tamatekapua and its Wharenui (the communal Maori house) can be visited for free (with great respect of course). This is a truly authentic place and not too much crowded for the moment.

In this regard, it is noteworthy that most costly activities also have free alternatives in the region.

Kuirau is a free geothermal park downtown, but it suffers from the comparison with Wai-o-tapu (but worth a look if your hotel is nearby).

Te Puia, however, is a great geothermal park that should be visited if you spend two days in Rotorua (there are impressive geysers to be seen).

Lake Rotorua is superb, but it is not the largest lake in New Zealand. You should visit Taupo and its les chutes des Huka Falls, a little further south. These powerful waterfalls can fill an Olympic swimming pools in few seconds!

May I introduce Ben the Kiwi, our adorable mascot. Ben is above all an expert guide who knows everything about the activities of the region. You can ask him any questions. As for me, I will be happy to publish your best pictures of Rotorua on Kiwipal.