5 Awesome Nature Walks in Rotorua
Rotorua is a nature lover’s paradise. Beautiful lakes, wild forests and geothermal activity around every corner. There truly is something for everyone in the city of Rotorua.
And there are a number of awesome walks that explore these natural landscapes.
Read on to find out 5 Awesome Nature Walks in Rotorua
Blue Lake Walk
This is a circuit walk that takes you around the Blue Lake. There are parts where you are walking along the water’s edge, and can have a swim in the clear water or chill on the lake beaches, and there are other parts where you are taken into the bush, lush with ferns, kawakawa and redwoods.
The walk takes around an hour and half, longer with stops. And I do recommend stopping for a swim, because the water is perfect and a great way to wash off some sweat from the walk.
Distance - 5.5 km loop
Difficulty - Easy
Where - Blue Lake Track, Rotorua 3076
Facilities - Toilet at the start of the loop and rubbish bins.
Highlights - Can swim in the lake along the way, gorgeous views of the lake and redwoods.
Lake Ōkāreka Reserve and Walkway
If you love birds, then this is a great walk for you.
A wooden platform runs over a wetland. This is home to many different birds, from pied stilts to pied shags. There is even a bird hide where you can spy on birds. In a non creepy way of course.
The walk is gentle and is mostly a flat boardwalk going through this interesting place.
Distance - 5.5km
Where - 50/62 Acacia Road, Lake Ōkareka, Rotorua 3076
Facilities - no toilets or bins.
Highlights - Birds. Birds everywhere. And seeing what community spirit can achieve.
Rainbow Mountain Summit Track
Hard. If I was to use one word to describe this walk, it would be hard.
But it is also beautiful. So it is worth the sweat and tears.
The summit track is a steady climb to the owl perch, thus named because of its unique shape. You share the track with mountain bikers so just be aware of that. There are a few rest stops along the way where you can have a breather on a park bench, which is most welcome where you are hiking this during a hot day.
At the summit, there are beautiful 360°C views of the surrounding landscape. Have a breather, before returning the same way you came up. If it has been wet, the path can get quite slippery. So just be aware of that.
Distance - 2.5km to the top
Where - 99 Sala Street; Rotorua 3010
Facilities - Toilet at the start of the walk.
Highlights - The views from the top and during the walk. The blue blue pools you see at the crater and the rainbow rocks on the cliff face.
Redwood Memorial Grove Walk
If you want to immerse yourself in the Californian Redwood Trees, then this is a great walk to go explore.
The walk goes through the Redwood Forest and you can see these giants of the forest up close and personal. There are also some interesting features along the way including going over a boardwalk and exploring an old thermal lake with clear clear waters.
The trees you walk past are dedicated to the men of the NZ Forest Services who lost their lives during World War 1 and 2.
Distance - 2km
Where - Whakarewarewa, Rotorua 3074
Facilities - Toilets and bins
Highlights - Treeeeees. Trees everywhere. It is such a cool walk to get close and personal with the Redwoods. There are also many great photo spots along this walk if you want a photo framed by these beautiful giants
Sulphur Point Walkway
The Sulphur Point Walkway follows along the Sulphur Bay and takes you to some pretty interesting sights. You will see the colony of the most endangered gull in the world, a mud pool where people one hundred years ago used to bath and get high in and steam rising from the rocks where sulphur deposits shine bright yellow. It is a very interesting walk. It is also a easy walk. Flat and well maintained.
Facilities - Toilets and bins.
Where - Hatupatu Drive, Rotorua 3010. Behind the Government Gardens and old museum.
Highlights - This is a wildlife reserve, home to nesting black billed gulls, the most endangered gull in the world. You can also see a lot of geothermal activity along the walk.