Visit Rotorua for the unlimited adventure in amongst some spectacular scenery. Whether you like adventure, the outdoors, culture, or luxury experiences, this activity-rich region never disappoints. Anyone who’s visited Rotorua will tell you that it’s not just sulphur in the air. Check out this list of things to do in Rotorua for your next trip to this geothermal wonderland!
1. Ziplining
If you make a habit of getting your adrenaline pumping, you should try careening through Rotorua’s native canopy. It’s not often you get the chance to see New Zealand’s forests the way our birds do, so Roturua’s Canopy Tours provide an unforgettable adventure. With 6 different ziplines and several suspended swing bridges, this is the best way to inject some excitement into your next Rotorua trip. If you don’t have the need for speed, then the walkways still give you a unique view of the canopy.
If you’re getting into the swing of ziplining, check out The 8 Best Zipline Tours in New Zealand here.
2. Luging
Another great activity for thrill-seekers visiting the area is the Skyline Rotorua luge. For the uninitiated, the luge involves piloting a small cart along a winding outdoor track at high speed among other adventure-chasers. If acceleration isn’t your speed, then you can choose to ride the scenic gondola and soak in the scenery. Otherwise, their Skyline ziplines allow you to soar high while enjoying the view.
3. Learning about Māori Culture
A popular way for people to experience Māori culture when visiting Rotorua is to see the Mitai Māori Village. Here, visitors can learn about Māori history through an entertaining dance performance and enjoy traditional food from the hangi buffet. If you’re visiting Rotorua for the first time, or simply want to learn about Māori culture, these experiences are an immersive introduction.
4. Nocturnal Glow Worm Tours
New Zealand is famous for our glow worm caves, but you can still encounter these magical creatures above ground at night. Real Rotorua offers night time tours through the native bush, where you find yourself surrounded by glow worms as soon as you turn your torch off. It’s hard to know where the stars end and the glow worms begin! Amazing!
5. Unwind in Geothermal Pools
One of the most popular ways to relax and enjoy the geothermal activity that makes Rotorua so special is to visit hot pools like The Polynesian Spa. They have naturally heated pools of different temperatures for anyone who wants to unwind and soak up a unique spa experience. Rotorua’s hot pools showcase one of the natural phenomena that makes New Zealand so special.
6. Zorbing
Perhaps one of the most famous activities to do in Rotorua is zorbing. Thrill seekers enjoy a visit to the Zorb track by donning their togs, and hopping inside giant inflatable bubbles.They then roll down a steep grassy hill at high speed in their gravity and adrenaline powered capsules. Invented right there in 1997, zorbing has long given fun-seekers a great reason to visit Rotorua!
7. Cruise Lake Rotoiti
While Lake Rotorua is famously beautiful, it’s lesser-known neighbour, Lake Rotoiti is a true gem. With services like Pure Cruise, you can explore this stunning lake and all of it’s hidden, bush-clad coves. You can swim into glow worm caves, relax on the shores, or enjoy lunch on the luxury yacht, all led by their friendly skippers. There’s even a hidden geothermal pool for an end-of-day soak.
8. Whitewater Rafting
If you’ve never been whitewater rafting, Rotorua has one of the best rivers to do it on. With a knowledgeable guide to instruct your boat, there’s no experience needed when you go with tour providers like Kaituna Cascades Rafting. When else would you get the opportunity to paddle a raft over the seven-meter Tutea falls? These tours are not for the faint of heart, but offer a truly unique journey through New Zealand’s native bush.
9. Sitesee From a Floatplane
If your favorite way to view Rotorua’s dramatic volcanic scenery and gorgeous lakes is from the air, then tour services like Volcanic Air offer an unforgettable experience. Board the floatplane at the shore of Rotorua Lake, before soaring over Mokoia Island, Mount Tarawera, and the craters of the largest eruption in New Zealand’s living memory.
10. Stroll Through the Free Geothermal Park
Undoubtedly one of the coolest things to do in Rotorua for free is explore the Kuirau Geothermal Public Park. Walkable from the city centre, this is the only free geothermal park in New Zealand. Visitors stroll through while observing the bubbling, steaming, and boiling mud pools that draw people to Rotorua year-round.
11. Explore the Redwood Forest
One of the most budget-friendly things to do in Rotorua is to journey through the mighty redwoods of Whakarewarewa forest. This is an immersive and scenic activity any avid hikers are sure to enjoy. Whether on foot or on a mountain bike, the many trails through the forest offer endless outdoor fun. If you want to pay to level up the experience, you can walk high through the forest on the walkways of the Redwoods Treewalk. Their night time treewalk is an otherworldly experience!
12. Paddle Board into a Glow Worm Cave
If you’re an avid paddle boarder, or have always wanted to give it a go, this is an unmissable experience. Join an evening paddle board tour with Paddle Board Rotorua that has you drifting right into the glow worm caves on the shores of Lake Okareka. If kayaking is more your style, then they also offer steaming cliff kayak tours during the daytime.
Cover Image Credit: Polynesian Spa
