Hells Gate and Wai Ora Spa
3.8 139 reviews
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Save 10% with promo code RANKERS
Hells Gate is where Rotorua's geothermal activity gets properly intense. Boiling pools, steaming vents, a mud volcano, a hot waterfall. And it feels less commercial than the bigger parks nearby, which a lot of travellers appreciate. Yes it smells, but you're in Rotorua, so that's the deal.
The guided walk is worth doing for the geology and the Māori cultural history, but the real drawcard for most people is finishing up in the mud baths and thermal spa. One traveller reckoned their "body felt really great for days afterwards." The mud baths aren't quite what some people picture (more of a mud-smearing situation than a deep soak), but people get into it. The Save 10% with promo code RANKERS takes a bit of the sting out of the entry cost, which does come up in reviews as a fair point.
Don't wear your good clothes. The sulphur smell has a way of lingering.
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Hells Gate and Wai Ora Spa
Hells Gate and Wai Ora Spa - New Zealand's most active and interactive geothermal park. The home of New Zealand's famous mud baths and minerals spas as well as the spritual and relaxing Mirimiri Maori Massage!
Hells Gate and Wai Ora Spa is raw, angry and a little ugly, Hells Gate is the place where the smell comes alive bubbling to the surface with purpose and intensity. Here you can get hands on with the earth and the Maori culture as you stroll through this untamed wonderland. Learn to carve and weave flax as the Maori people do and you can take away your efforts as a memento of your time with us!
At the Wai Ora Spa get down and dirty in the only geothermal mud baths in New Zealand with beautification minerals which help to clear the skin, all before you relax in the mineral spas. If your looking for something truly one of kind try a Wai Ora Massage based on the traditional Maori style of massage known as Mirimiri, which not only relaxes the body, but through karakia (Maori prayer) relaxes the mind as well.
Details
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Organisation |
Hells Gate and Wai Ora SpaCommercial organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Tikitere |
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Business Times |
Open daily from 10:00am – 6:00pm, except Christmas Day. Last entry times vary by experience, with the latest for Mud Bath & Spas at 4:30pm and Geothermal Walk at 4:00pm. |
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Promo Code Save 10% |
Use discount code RANKERS with Hells Gate and Wai Ora Spa and save 10%. |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Geothermal
Thermal Pools
Google Maps
Reviews
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Mud baths were awesome.
Stephanie -
Fantastic experience.
A Jones -
$30 is to much for a one hour walk.
marcusr -
We went for a mud bath and walk.
Sofie -
Expensive but they gave us a concession.
Lucie Rutherfurd
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We got a deal through GrabOne ($45/person instead of $75).
We arrived, checked in & were sent up to where our "spa attendant" would take care of us. She told us our time in the mud baths was limited to 20 minutes, but we could spend as much time as we wanted in the hot springs. That was it. This is important to note.
The mud baths were awesome. It's a bit more like muddy water than the thick mud I was afraid of. The showers on the outside of the building were A+. Fantastic water pressure.
We showered & headed over to the hot springs & my fiance accidentally splashed a little water getting into the hot springs & I could feel mascara mixed with water dripping into my eye. I tried to wipe it away.
Huge mistake. In wiping my mascara off, I got the water from my hands in my eyes. It felt like someone had set my eyes on fire. An older gentleman who worked there saw me & said, "Oh my god, your eyes!"
I got water from the water cooler & washed my eyes out. I got out & went to the outdoor shower & washed off. I jumped into the cold plunge pool & held my face under with my eyes open. All of these suggestions were made by the man working there. I was miserable. Finally I gave up & went to shower again & get some eye drops from the office.
I put a whole tube of eye drops in each eye. Nothing. My eyes are pouring tears & my nose is dripping.
We get to the Redwoods Tree Walk & the girl behind the counter asks what's the matter. I tell her, "We just went to Hell's Gate. It would really be worth the 5 seconds it would take them to tell you, 'Hey, just make sure you don't get the hot springs water in your eyes.'"
"They didn't take you through the health and safety briefing? I used to work there & there was a whole list of safety things we had to go through with you."
"Nope. They just said don't stay in the mud pools more than 20 mins."
"Oh wow. That's bad. Yeah, there's a whole protocol they're supposed to take you through."
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A fantastic, free guided walk explained the geographical features and cultural significance of the other worldly, wonderful collection of volcanic curiosities.
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This was a very interactive walk through a thermal activity area.
Not as tourist orientated as some of the more commercial areas.
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A beautiful walk around the hot bath (you do not bath in these ones!!!).
Up to 140 degrees. And smoke coming out from them everywhere. Guy was an amazing guide - we even saw a waterfall close to and learnt a lot about this phenomonen. To finish: bath.
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Absolutely loved this place.
We arrived just as a guide was heading off with some others and we were invited to tack on the end of the tour. Our guide was fantastic. Yes it smells, but people if you have come to Rotorua, shouldn't you expect that!! (It actually wasn't as bad a some people make out.) What did you come here for if not to experience the wonders of this natural habitat. That includes the smell. I learnt so much about this area from this short walk around the park with a guide. I would recommend this place to anyone really interested in how and why this place actually exists. Truly amazing.
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Great thermal area to be able to explore at your own pace.
The mud baths and thermal spa is a must-do activity. The mud baths are not quite what we expected, muddy water with mud in a pot available to smear over yourselves, but fun to do all the same. The thermal spa pretty hot. Well run and organised, and friendly staff.
All in all a good day.
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Hells Gate pools are under construction so there is only 1 sulphur pool.
Usually there are 3. We thought this place is way overpriced. Make sure construction is done if you're going to go!
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Stinky as hell!
Really nice to see those hot pools for the first time, but the smell was nasty and the entrance price was way too high.
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A lot of thermal activity on a small piece of ground.
Friendly staff. Information shee of walk was outdated. We did not use spa facilities.
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Similar to Nature Connection but self guided.
Mud spa worth trying, beneficial to chronic skin conditions. Relaxed atmosphere.
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Expensive.
Circle around hot springs interesting with describing what is going on. Personnel nice and smiley.
-
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Hells Gate pools are under construction so there is only 1 sulphur pool.
Usually there are 3. We thought this place is way overpriced. Make sure construction is done if you're going to go!
-
We got a deal through GrabOne ($45/person instead of $75).
We arrived, checked in & were sent up to where our "spa attendant" would take care of us. She told us our time in the mud baths was limited to 20 minutes, but we could spend as much time as we wanted in the hot springs. That was it. This is important to note.
The mud baths were awesome. It's a bit more like muddy water than the thick mud I was afraid of. The showers on the outside of the building were A+. Fantastic water pressure.
We showered & headed over to the hot springs & my fiance accidentally splashed a little water getting into the hot springs & I could feel mascara mixed with water dripping into my eye. I tried to wipe it away.
Huge mistake. In wiping my mascara off, I got the water from my hands in my eyes. It felt like someone had set my eyes on fire. An older gentleman who worked there saw me & said, "Oh my god, your eyes!"
I got water from the water cooler & washed my eyes out. I got out & went to the outdoor shower & washed off. I jumped into the cold plunge pool & held my face under with my eyes open. All of these suggestions were made by the man working there. I was miserable. Finally I gave up & went to shower again & get some eye drops from the office.
I put a whole tube of eye drops in each eye. Nothing. My eyes are pouring tears & my nose is dripping.
We get to the Redwoods Tree Walk & the girl behind the counter asks what's the matter. I tell her, "We just went to Hell's Gate. It would really be worth the 5 seconds it would take them to tell you, 'Hey, just make sure you don't get the hot springs water in your eyes.'"
"They didn't take you through the health and safety briefing? I used to work there & there was a whole list of safety things we had to go through with you."
"Nope. They just said don't stay in the mud pools more than 20 mins."
"Oh wow. That's bad. Yeah, there's a whole protocol they're supposed to take you through."
-
A fantastic, free guided walk explained the geographical features and cultural significance of the other worldly, wonderful collection of volcanic curiosities.
-
This was a very interactive walk through a thermal activity area.
Not as tourist orientated as some of the more commercial areas.
-
A beautiful walk around the hot bath (you do not bath in these ones!!!).
Up to 140 degrees. And smoke coming out from them everywhere. Guy was an amazing guide - we even saw a waterfall close to and learnt a lot about this phenomonen. To finish: bath.
-
-
Absolutely loved this place.
We arrived just as a guide was heading off with some others and we were invited to tack on the end of the tour. Our guide was fantastic. Yes it smells, but people if you have come to Rotorua, shouldn't you expect that!! (It actually wasn't as bad a some people make out.) What did you come here for if not to experience the wonders of this natural habitat. That includes the smell. I learnt so much about this area from this short walk around the park with a guide. I would recommend this place to anyone really interested in how and why this place actually exists. Truly amazing.
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Stinky as hell!
Really nice to see those hot pools for the first time, but the smell was nasty and the entrance price was way too high.
-
Great thermal area to be able to explore at your own pace.
The mud baths and thermal spa is a must-do activity. The mud baths are not quite what we expected, muddy water with mud in a pot available to smear over yourselves, but fun to do all the same. The thermal spa pretty hot. Well run and organised, and friendly staff.
All in all a good day.
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You have different packages.
Walk to see the sulphur waters and mud spa. Honestly for the price, having a look at the sulphur water is enough.
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Expensive.
Circle around hot springs interesting with describing what is going on. Personnel nice and smiley.
-
-
-
Similar to Nature Connection but self guided.
Mud spa worth trying, beneficial to chronic skin conditions. Relaxed atmosphere.
-
-
A lot of thermal activity on a small piece of ground.
Friendly staff. Information shee of walk was outdated. We did not use spa facilities.
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First paid activity we did in New Zealand.
Never seen anything like it, staff looked after us and we even carved our own wooden plaques. Slightly expensive considering some thermal parks are free.