This place is seriously like stepping back in time. Yes, there’s numerous geothermal parks in and around Rotorua to explore and realisticly it will take a lot of $$$ and time to experience them all, but Waimangu Volcanic Valley (my chosen one) did not disappoint. And plus it was on the way to Lake Taupo, the next stop in the road trip.
Arriving at opening on a coolish day meant as soon as you enter the carpark you see the heat from below creating mist and steam that envelopes the mountains. Their are various different options to exploring the Valley, however we chose the Full Waimangu Experience where you trek from the top of the valley to the lake before taking a cruise and catching a bus back to the top. The walk from top to lake varies from 1.5 to 4.5 km depending on your route, however you can opt for the bus at several bus stops along the way. Allow about 3 hours to do the full experience.
I’ll let the photos do the talking from here.
The Wayfarers Lens 