8 minute read
TE ARA AHI Thermal by Bike
BEST FOR: Non-stop geothermal wonders that will knock your socks off.
ROTORUA to WAIKITE VALLEY
Advertisement
2 days/48km
There aren’t many places in the world where you can cycle past gurgling mud pools and spewing geysers before dismounting your bike and sinking into an all-natural thermal river. This is the Te Ara Ahi cycle trail and there’s nowhere quite like it.
Volcanoes are the founding fathers of New Zealand so you’re never too far from geothermal energy. Dubbed Te Ara Ahi - Thermal by Bike, this 48km trail covers four fascinating volcanic areas and snakes through some of Rotorua’s most impressive hot spots.
Before you depart the ever-steaming (and we won’t lie, perpetual stench) of Rotorua, take a dip in Te Ranga thermal river. Locally known as Kerosene Creek, these naturally heated waters are nature’s most relaxing ointment. From here, head towards the geothermal fields of Whakarewarewa and into the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Whakarewarewa Village is home to the ancestors of those who survived the 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera, an event that completely obliterated the famed Pink and White Terraces; once considered a Wonder of the World. Continue to Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland and onwards to Waikite Valley Thermal Springs where the trail concludes.
This is a smooth and gently undulating journey. Some sections feature technical single-track and short but steep climbs, particularly between Waimangu and Waiotapu. It’s considered an all-season trail, but things can get muddy between June and August when conditions could also be frosty.
Te Puia © Shaun Jeffers
TRAIL INFO
TRAIL GRADES:
ROTORUA TO WAIMANGU VOLCANIC VALLEY GRADES 2-3 (EASY TO INTERMEDIATE) A 30km ride taking 3-4 hours.
WAIMANGU VOLCANIC VALLEY TO WAIKITE VALLEY THERMAL POOLS GRADE 3 (INTERMEDIATE) An 18km ride taking 2-3 hours.
MOBILE PHONE COVERAGE: Good along most of the trail.
DRINKING WATER: Fresh drinking water is available at cafés at the Rotorua mountain bike car park in the Waipa Valley, Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, Waikite Valley Thermal Pools and at Lake Okaro and the Waiotapu Tavern.
TYPE OF BIKE: Hybrid bikes will suffice for most of this trail although a mountain bike is better suited to off-road sections and detours into the Redwoods Mountain Bike Park, or up Rainbow Mountain.
Whakarewarewa Living Māori Village © Destination Rotorua
ROTORUA TO WAIMANGU VOLCANIC VALLEY, 30KM
Using Rotorua i-SITE as a start-point, ride east on Queen St to the official start of the trail at the Princes Gate Archway a few hundred metres away.The trail is well-signposted around the edge of Lake Rotorua. At the 6km mark it reaches Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve & Māori Village, an area inhabited for more than 700 years and home to many surviving families of Mt Tarawera’s devastating 1886 eruption. You can learn more on regular guided tours.From the village turn-off, Te Ara Ahi continues south past Te Puia, another notable geothermal park with dramatic bubbling pools and the famous Pohutu Geyser. Te Puia is also a great place to engage with living Māori culture through rousing concert performances and the beautiful work produced by the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute on site.
The trail then leaves Rotorua town via Hemo Gorge. On your left it’s impossible to miss the entrance to the Redwoods Mountain Bike Park down Waipa State Mill Rd; even if you’re not riding, it’s well worth swinging into the ‘Hub’ for a coffee and chat with local riders.Te Ara Ahi turns into a concrete pathway and continues alongside busy SH 5. It’s a smooth and easy ride to Waimangu Rd turn off, which the trail then takes to reach Waimangu Volcanic Valley – one of the world’s youngest thermal areas. Enjoy refreshments in the café here, or pay the admittance fee to take a walk amidst the park’s unique features.
WAIMANGU VOLCANIC VALLEY TO WAIKITE VALLEY THERMAL POOLS, 18KM
From Waimangu Volcanic Valley, the trail continues onward along Waimangu Rd, past Lake Okaro picnic area (where there are campsites available) and on to SH 38.After crossing the highway, the trail follows an off-road cycle path around Rainbow Mountain, passing a roadside picnic area, before dropping down to cross Old Waiotapu Rd.At this point you can turn left to go to Te Ranga (a thermally heated stream locally known as Kerosene Creek) or carry on straight ahead on an off-road trail all the way to Waiotapu. Parts of the trail are steep and some walking may be required.Waiotapu has a hotel with accommodation, petrol station, and a honey factory with a café and shop. Only 2km away is Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, another of the area’s famous volcanic areas featuring brilliantly coloured waters, steam and bubbling mud galore.From Waiotapu, the trail heads along Waikite Valley Rd for 6km to reach Waikite Valley Thermal Pools, a rewarding attraction blending various hot pools with geological sights, camping and a café.
Te Ranga thermal river © Destination Rotorua
Highlights of the trail
• Te Ranga thermal river (aka Kerosene Creek) is a bathing experience like no other. Enjoy nature-made hot pools beside a small waterfall. Better yet, it’s free.
• In Rotorua, dine well at lively Eat Streat, visit up to 18 lakes or walk under the umbrella of almighty Redwood giants in The Redwoods – Whakarewarewa Forest.
• Just minutes away from Rotorua city centre are the free Kuirau Park foot pools.
• Disappointed you missed the Pink and White Terraces by 134 years? While in Waimangu Volcanic Valley, download the free Waimangu app for a digital representation.
• With steaming vents and boiling mud pools right on the shores of Lake Rotorua, Sulphur Point is a particularly stunning section of the trail.
• In Waimangu Volcanic Valley, self-guided walks range from 1.5km jaunts to 4.5km hikes, while the 45-minute lake cruise visits geothermal sites not accessible on foot.
• The surreal landscape of Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland includes a lunarlike terrain, mud pools and coloured ponds. Don’t miss the daily explosion of Lady Knox Geyser at 10.15am.
• At Waikite Valley Thermal Springs, water is supplied from the largest single source of 100 per cent pure geothermal water in New Zealand.
Redwood Forest © Destination Rotorua
More mountain biking, please
W e think Rotorua is one of the world’s premier mountain biking destinations, but if you don’t believe us, believe the industry’s star riders – every March Rotorua hosts the international mountain bike festival, Crankworx.
Whakarewarewa Forest is one of the most established mountain bike networks in New Zealand and well regarded for its whopping 180km of trails. Accommodating everyone, there are Grade 1-5 tracks which all loop around two central points: the Waipa car park and the visitors’ centre at The Redwoods. Short trails make up the core of the circuit and interlink with an outer, more technical section. With a steady supply of shuttles and continual upgrades, this is a mountain biking forest that keeps every rider happy.
For a series of constantly evolving trails, you can’t go wrong at Redwood Forest Park. The tracks cover 130km of terrain and are divvied into several riding areas to suit every skill level. If you’re a fan of extreme downhill riding, Skyline Gravity Park is the world’s first all-season gondola-accessed mountain biking park, complete with an exhilarating 12km downhill course. Need more? The Rainbow Mountain Summit Trail is also a spectacular, albeit challenging, Grade 4 mountain bike loop.
Whakarewarewa Forest © Destination Rotorua
Rotorua will test your nerve
ZORBING: Rotorua invented ZORB (or zorbing), the bizarre yet thrilling sport of rolling downhill inside a giant, inflatable ball. It’s also the only place in New Zealand where you can experience it.
Zorbing in Rotorua © Destination Rotorua
WHITE WATER RAFTING: The highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world – the 7m Tutea Falls – can be conquered by white-water rafting down Kaituna River, 20 minutes from Rotorua.
VELOCITY VALLEY: A park made to peak your heart rate. Find giant sky swings, jet boats, aerodynamic racing pods, bungy jumps, simulated skydives and a soft freestyle airbag to practice your bike tricks.
THE LUGE: This family-friendly go-kart (of sorts) can be driven downhill at great speed on specially designed tracks. Catch the gondola up Mt Ngongotaha to access the start line.
AGROJET: Just as ferocious as it sounds, this is New Zealand’s fastest jet boating experience, delivering 3Gs of force, speeds of up to 100kmph and 360-degree twists.
White-water rafting on Kaituna River, Rotorua © Destination Rotorua
LOVABLE LAKES
Taupō may have Australasia’s largest lake, but what the Rotorua region lacks in size it makes up for in numbers, with a staggering 18 freshwater lakes, 14 of which are easily accessible. The lakes are of volcanic origin, filling craters, calderas or valleys blocked by lava flows, and many are ringed by forest and farmland with fantastic walking trails. Lake Rotorua is the largest lake in the region, while the smaller Blue and Green lakes are just as impressive.
Lake Rotorua © Destination Rotorua
5 ways to have fun in the treetops
1. Mamaku Forest’s southern nib tickles the Mamaku Plateau near Rotorua. A haven for both birds and birdwatchers, chirpy fellas include kaka, tui, bellbirds and more.
2. In the ancient forest of the Mamaku Plateau, Rotorua Canopy Tours has sympathetically built ziplines, swing bridges and tree-top walkways into the 1000-year-old forest.
3. Not a forest per se, but Rotorua Centennial Park is growing into one fine woodland. There are barbecue facilities, toilets, picnic tables, a Maple Grove and Peace Memorial and in spring, the cherry blossom trees are dressed in splendid, bubble-gum pink flowers.
4. Climb 12m into the treetops at Redwoods Treewalk in Whakarewarewa Forest. This elevated walkway weaves through the giant trees via 23 suspension bridges.
5. From dusk onwards, the lights at Redwoods Treewalk switch on for the enchanting ‘Redwoods Nightlights’, causing the forest to dance with dreamy silhouettes
Redwood Forest, Rotorua © Destination Rotorua
