Lakes and Volcanoes: Tarawera, Helicopter Flights and the Volcanic Landscape
The Rotorua region is studded with lakes filling volcanic craters. Lake Tarawera is the most dramatic, shaped by the 1886 eruption. Helicopter tours over the volcanic zone reveal the full scale of this extraordinary landscape.
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Lake Tarawera
A large, deep lake filling the caldera of the Tarawera volcano, which erupted catastrophically in 1886. The lake shore is peaceful bush and the water is pristine. Boat cruises include the buried village at Te Wairoa.
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Buried Village Te Wairoa
The village buried by the 1886 Tarawera eruption has been partially excavated and opened as a museum. Buildings, artifacts and human stories from the night of the eruption are presented with great sensitivity.
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Tarawera Crater Hike
The hike to the rim of Mount Tarawera's crater offers one of the most dramatic volcanic views in New Zealand, looking down into the 1886 rift valley. The trail is challenging and requires good fitness.
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Helicopter Volcanic Flights
Short helicopter tours from Rotorua cross the entire volcanic zone, offering perspectives on crater lakes, geothermal fields, the Tarawera rift and the broader Taupo Volcanic Zone.
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Lake Rotorua Cruise
A cruise on the lake reveals hot springs emerging directly into the lake water, with a stop at Mokoia Island, historically significant in Maori legend as the site of the love story of Hinemoa and Tutanekai.
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Rainbow Springs Wildlife Park
A native wildlife park and kiwi hatchery beside a spring-fed stream. Rainbow trout are visible in the crystal water and tuatara, kea and other native species are displayed in naturalistic enclosures.