Rotorua

Tourism is one of Rotorua's main industries, and a large number of excursions are available to visitors.

If thermal activity intrigues you, you can visit spouting geysers, steaming cliffs, boiling pools, and colorful silica terraces. Or cruise secluded lakes rimmed by native forest, walk down a thermal valley, explore a buried village, feed trout by hand, climb the side of a volcanic peak by four wheel drive vehicle, raft down a river, or take a flightseeing tour over lakes and valleys.

Aside from excursions to nearby attractions, one bus trip takes visitors south to Huka Falls, Wairakei, Lake Taupo, and Orakei Korako; another tour goes to Waitomo Caves. A 5 day hiking trek in Urewera National Park also departs from Rotorua . Most local sightseeing trips operate daily from December through April, less frequently the rest of the year. For information, inquire at the Government Tourist Bureau at the corner of Fenton and Haupapa streets.

Cruising on the lakes

Good roads provide access to most of the larger lakes. If you cruise their clear, tree rimmed waters, you'll enjoy them even more.

Launch trips. Largest of the district's lakes is Rotorua, nearly circular in shape, with wooded Mokoia Island in its center. You board the launch at the jetty at the end of Tutanekai Street. After circling the island, the launch docks there and you have time for a short walk, and perhaps a quick swim in Hinemoa's Pool and a wish by the Arawa wishing rock. Trips leave Rotorua at 2 P.m. daily (additional trips in summer).

Renowned for its trout fishing, tree bordered Lake Rotoiti is a favorite. Tourist facilities are concentrated at the western end of the lake. A launch trip on the lake departs from Okawa Bay Holiday Camp daily at 2 P.m.

You can also board a launch for a trip on Lake Tarawera, a tranquil retreat at the base of Mount Tarawera. Fishing trips. Within a 16 km/10 mile radius of Rotorua are many good fishing lakes, and catches are legendary. At Lake Rotorua, for example, anglers catch rainbows weighing 2 to 4 pounds each. During the May to June spawning season, 9 to 10 pound rainbow trout are netted nearly every day at Lake Tarawera. A local guide can introduce you to some of the district's best fishing areas.

A circuit of Lake Rotorua

Trout springs, trained sheep, and redwood trees are only a few of the sights you'll see on a drive around the lake . Looming above the countryside northwest of Rotorua, Mount Ngongotaha looks out on a sweeping panorama toward the Bay of Plenty.

Trout springs. Clear, pure, cold water wells up from underground springs west of Rotorua. In several places, visitors can roam down fern lined paths along clear trout streams and toss food to the fish. The springs are cool, woodsy retreats to visit on hot days.

You can stop at Paradise Valley Springs, west of Rotorua on the Valley Road; Rainbow and Fairy Springs, bordering Highway 5 west of the lake; or Taniwha Springs, near Awahou on the lake's northwestern shore. Rainbow and Fairy Springs has an animal park and nocturnal kiwi house. At Taniwha Springs there's a Maori pa.

The Agrodorne. Nineteen trained champion rams, each representing a different New Zealand sheep breed, take the stage during a 1 hour pastoral show at the Agrodome, set in lush pasture land at Riverdale Park in Ngongotaha, west of Rotorua. Demonstrations of shearing and the maneuvers of sheep dogs help illustrate the story of wool, one of New Zealand's most important products. Shows are presented daily at 10:30 A.m. and 2:30 P.m., with extra performances during busy periods.

Harnurana Springs. A grove of lofty redwood trees shades Hamurana Springs, on the northern shore of the lake. You can rent a boat and paddle along the willowbordered stream, watch trout in an upstream pool, feed tame deer, or golf on the nine hole course,

Okere Falls. The clear green outflow of lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti surges and foams through a narrow rift, then plunges into a broad pool of the Kaituna River. Many an angler has caught a prize trout here. Rocky steps lead down the steep wooded slope to the foot of the falls and to caves where Maori women reportedly hid in time of war.

Four wheel drive vehicles transport passengers on a halfday safari up the slope of Mount Tarawera, site of New Zealand's greatest volcanic eruption. From the brink of the crater, you peer into the deep, color streaked chasm and gaze over an awesome panorama of lush forests and sparkling lakes.

One of the best views of the lakes and thermal attractions is from the air. Float planes lift off from Rotorua's lakefront jetty; helicopters and other aircraft leave from the Rotorua Airport on the eastern shore of the lake.

You can fly over the town of Rotorua and the lake district, Mount Tarawera's gaping volcanic chasm, and steaming geothermal areas. Longer flights circle volcanoes at White Island and Tongarirct National Park.

East to fishing lakes

Northeast of Rotorua, the Whakatane road (Highway 30) passes the thermal area of Tikitere and skirts the southern shore of three bush rimmed fishing lakes Rotoiti, Rotoehu, and Rotoma. A side road south of Rotoiti leads to unspoiled Lake Okataina. The lakes figure prominently in local history as links in the Maori canoe route to Lake Rotorua. In 1823, Hongi Hika and his warriors paddled across the lakes, portaging their heavy wooden canoes when necessary, on their way to attack the fortified Arawa settlement on Mokoia Island.

The district's most active thermal area, Tikitere is an inferno of sulphurous steam, boiling water, and bubbling mud. White pumice and golden sulphur combine to shape bizarre formations. Take the short bush walk through native trees and ferns to Kakahi Falls, where thermal waters cascade into an inviting pool.

A bush bordered avenue south of Lake Rotoiti leads to lovely Lake Okataina. Totara trees and punga ferns shade the road, and kotukutuku (native fuchsia) brightens your way in late spring and early summer. Dense forest rims the lake. Okataina attracts people who enjoy peace and quiet along with some of the area's best trout fishing.

Waimangu Valley Lake Tarawera loop

Situated southeast of Rotorua are the steaming Waimangu Valley, lakes Rotomahana and Tarawera, and the buried village of Te Wairoa.

Half day and full day guided tours depart from the New Zealand Railways Travel Centre on Amohau Street. The shorter trip includes a tour of the valley, a launch cruise on Lake Rotomahana to the steaming cliffs, and transport back up the valley. Only travelers on the fullday tour make the entire loop.

Early on the morning of June 10, 1886, Mount Tarawera erupted in tremendous volcanic fury, awakening Aucklanders nearly 280 km/175 miles away. Splitting open from end to end, the volcano spewed forth a cubic mile of molten rock, boiling mud, and volcanic ash, which covered the countryside for miles around. Three villages were buried and more than 150 people died. The eruption destroyed Lake Rotomahana's famous Pink and White Terraces, fan shaped silica staircases world renowned for their beauty and shimmering colors. When the smoke cleared, Mount Tarawera was left with a gaping chasm and craters up to 210 meters/700 feet deep.

Evidence of the area's thermal activity abounds on the 4 km/2'h mile walk down the Waimangu Valley.

Steam rises from the surface of the Waimangu Cauldron, a large thermal lake fed by subterranean boiling springs. Off the main path is Ruamoko's Throat, a turquoise lake rimmed by colorful cliffs. Your path down the valley follows a scalding stream. Near the lake, thermal waters fan over Warbrick Terrace, its silica deposits patterned with colorful algae.

At the bottom of the valley, you'll board a launch and cruise slowly past Lake Rotomahana's stratified cliffs, laced with steaming furnaroles.

Travelers on the full day excursion disembark on the lake's northern shore and hike across the narrow saddle separating it from larger Lake Tarawera Another launch waits at the Tarawera dock for a leisurely trip across the lake, where a bus picks up passengers and transports them on the final leg of the trip.

Before Mount Tarawera's eruption, Te Wairoa Village was the departure point for excursions to the terraces. Buried under 5 to 6 feet of volcanic mud, the village has been partially excavated. A self guided walk links a museum and several structures. You can follow Te Wairoa Stream, Green Lake's outlet into Lake Tarawera, as it tumbles over Te Wairoa Falls.

On the way back to Rotorua you'll pass a pair of jewellike lakes Green Lake (Rotokakahi) and Blue Lake (Tikitapu). Off the main route is secluded Lake Okareka, a relaxing spot for a picnic, a swim, or a bit of fishing.

South to Waiotapu

Located 30 km/19 miles south of Rotorua near the Taupo road (Highway 5), Waiotapu is noted for the colorful silica surrounding its thermal attractions.

Lady Knox Geyser erupts daily at 10:15 A.M. Other attractions include the Artist's Palette silica terraces, tinged in delicate colors; lovely Bridal Veil Falls; and the shimmering Champagne Pool, which bubbles when sand is tossed into it.