Tarawera Trail, Rotorua Region, NZ - 8 travel reviews for Tarawera Trail

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    Bungy Jumping / Swing
    
    Bungy Jump 101:
    Find a beautiful place. Check.
    Build a very tall structure with an elastic cord attached to the top. Check.
    Fix cord to body, and leap.
    Wooooo!
  - Canyoning
    
    Canyoning
    
    Canyoning is a mix of land and water travel, descending picturesque canyons on foot (or rear end), ropes and swimming. Born by adrenalin-seekers, the growth in popularity of Canyoning in New Zealand means gentler trips are increasingly available.
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    Don overalls and gumboots for a day underground, up and down ropes navigating the maze of tunnels - or go glowworm spotting and enjoy the serenity.
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    Galloping down an isolated beach on a trusty steed, sand flying, the salt air whipping in your hair... (admit it, that's how you picture yourself on a horse)
    Horse trekking is offered all over New Zealand, guided trips catering to both experienced riders and those with less time in the saddle.
  - Outside the Square
    
    Outside the Square
    
    Fun, crazy and unusual - these activities refuse to be put in a box. If you're looking for something a bit different, you'll find it here.
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    Snow and Ice
    
    New Zealand Glacier and Skiing tours - Good times all round.
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    Sphereing (also known as globe-riding, zorbing or orbing) is the recreation or sport of rolling downhill inside an orb made of transparent plastic.
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    Local visitor centres often work on a casual basis. Opening hours vary, and you can't always rely on them being open, but if they are you'll have access to very localised information.
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    Camping with just the bare essentials in some of the most beautiful locations across NZ. Expect a non flush toilet that's intermittently serviced. Anything more is a bonus.
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    Freedom Camping
    
    Expect no facilities. Generally for self contained vehicles only. Check our notes for details.
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  - Northland
    
    Northland
    
    The wairua (spirit) is strong in this one. Two seas clash on the outer rim while giant forest guardians look over within.
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    Auckland Region
    
    There is no other city in NZ with such an array of close natural wonders. Sometimes hidden behind poor urban design, a small effort yields great rewards.
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    Coromandel
    
    Go underground to find the gold, when you get out there, let it hang out there, use your tea towel as a loin cloth and drink herbal tea. Can you handle th' Mandel?
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    Bay of Plenty
    
    The name says it all.
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    The land of milk and honey. A mecca of dairy coupled with the sweetness of serenity.
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    Tairāwhiti Gisborne
    
    Gets up before anyone else. A birthplace of the new. Off the track, hongi a local, share a brew. Kia Kaha!
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    Rotorua Region
    
    Smell it before you see it. Rotorua is so hot right now!
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    Taupo Region
    
    Big eruption = Big hole = Big lake
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    Ruapehu
    
    Slip on your shoes, it's walk-o-rama. Vivid colour like a Psychedelic cruise.
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    Hawkes Bay
    
    Like a masquerade ball; full of pomp, ceremony, fine wine and food. The gannets are cool too.
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    Taranaki
    
    The Naki is quite the surprise package. Talk with the colloquial locals and unlock a Jack-in-the-Box of the unexpected.
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    Manawatu - Wanganui
    
    Raw and real. The Whanganui river is a major artery that has fed culture and change, shaping Aotearoa.
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    After slinking through the sounds and sipping on some Savs, keep the sounds down 'cos the spy base is in town.
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    This region is like a hippy with flash shoes. Drunk on sunshine. Replenish, reflect, restock & relax. Then relive the 70's and head down the one way street called Golden Bay, it won't let you down.
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    West Coast
    
    A diamond in the rough. Get on the offensive, cover yourself in sandfly repellent and tackle the weather & best scenery in NZ head on.
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    Squeezed between two giants, a dramatic point where the Southern Alps and Pacific Ocean meet.
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    Canterbury
    
    Lots on offer here, straight roads make for easy driving but a zig zag approach is rewarded. Good place to get lost in. Watch out for local one eyed rugby fanatics.
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    Central Otago
    
    Surreal space, if the Dalai Lama wanted to hang out in a southern NZ Tibet, then this is the spot. Get out your incense and get remote.
  - Mount Cook - MacKenzie
    
    Mount Cook - MacKenzie
    
    Like a great road trip movie, wind down the windows, put on your favourite tunes and prepare yourself for a sensory intake of freedom.
  - Wanaka Region
    
    Wanaka Region
    
    The outdoor fitness capital of NZ. You get the feeling every local is capable of giving you 10 one-handed push ups, while holding a coffee in the other. All roads from here lead to goodness.
  - Queenstown Region
    
    Queenstown Region
    
    A beautiful place where the locals have devised any conceivable way to scare you silly.
  - Coastal Otago
    
    Coastal Otago
    
    An oddity that works. The Scots did their best to tame the beast but wildlife still prevails. Get a hip flask of whisky, a kilt and stride the coast with purpose.
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    Fiordland
    
    Meditative Milford - Get yourself in a zen state as this place is intense. Once the tour buses depart by 4pm, the locals are in their element (including sandflies). Find yourself in a quiet space and do what you need to do to take it all in.
  - Southland
    
    Southland
    
    A true blue, quirky mix of heartland and bogan, add a dash of the gay in Gore and gregarious local penguins on lonely beaches.
  - Stewart Island

Ranker's Qualmark Silver Award is evidence of a sophisticated tourism operation that consistently exceeds visitor expectations.

Tarawera Trail

8 Rankers Reviews

8 Face-to-Face

5 Tarawera

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Tarawera, Rotorua Region

Camping near Tarawera

Information

Time: 5-6 hours one way Distance: 15km one way

The trail starts at Te Waiora car park on Tarawera Road, an easy and scenic 15 minute drive from Rotorua past Blue Lake (Tikitapu). A water taxi is available to ferry passengers from the end of the track at Hot Water Beach to Tarawera Landing, approx. 5 km from Te Waiora carpark - make your own arrangements between the landing and the carpark.

If walking the track in reverse, the water taxi can also ferry walkers from Tarawera Landing to Hot Water Beach.

Pre-booking the water taxi in either direction is essential.

Details

Feature	Value	Info
Organisation	DOC Bay of Plenty Central government organisation
Location	North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Tarawera
Categories	Walking Free

Feature

Value

Info

Organisation

DOC Bay of Plenty

Central government organisation

Location

North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Tarawera

Feature	Value	Info
Track Difficulty	Hard walk Track Difficulty Considering the track's terrain, safety, facilities - how hard is this walk to complete? Hard walk	Track Difficulty Considering the track's terrain, safety, facilities - how hard is this walk to complete? Hard walk
Track Duration	4 to 8 hours Track Duration How long does it take to walk this track on average? 4 to 8 hours	Track Duration How long does it take to walk this track on average? 4 to 8 hours
Payment Requirement	Free access/participation Payment Requirement Is there a cost for this experience or is it free? Free access/participation The experience costs no money to access or take part in.	Payment Requirement Is there a cost for this experience or is it free? Free access/participation The experience costs no money to access or take part in.
Track Length	10km to 20km Track Length What is the physical length of this track? 10km to 20km 15km one way	Track Length What is the physical length of this track? 10km to 20km 15km one way
Track Accommodation	Hut/Cabin Track Accommodation What type of accommodation is available on this walking track? Hut/Cabin At least one building is available on this track to stay in overnight.	Track Accommodation What type of accommodation is available on this walking track? Hut/Cabin At least one building is available on this track to stay in overnight.
DOC Track Category	Tramping track DOC Track Category What type of category does this walking track fall into (as defined by the NZ Department of Conservation)? Tramping track Challenging day or multi-day tramping/hiking. Track is mostly unformed with steep, rough or muddy sections. Suitable for people with good fitness. Moderate to high level backcountry (remote areas) skills and experience, including navigation and survival skills required. Track has markers, poles or rock cairns. Expect unbridged stream and river crossings. Tramping/hiking boots required.	DOC Track Category What type of category does this walking track fall into (as defined by the NZ Department of Conservation)? Tramping track Challenging day or multi-day tramping/hiking. Track is mostly unformed with steep, rough or muddy sections. Suitable for people with good fitness. Moderate to high level backcountry (remote areas) skills and experience, including navigation and survival skills required. Track has markers, poles or rock cairns. Expect unbridged stream and river crossings. Tramping/hiking boots required.
Track Managing Organisation	DOC Managed Track Managing Organisation What type of organisation operates this walking track? DOC Managed This track is managed by the Department of Conservation. DOC is a New Zealand government organisation.	Track Managing Organisation What type of organisation operates this walking track? DOC Managed This track is managed by the Department of Conservation. DOC is a New Zealand government organisation.

Reviews

Department of Conservation

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Fleur

Netherlands

Ranking: 9/10

This trail I really do recommend! Awesome views. We just passed 10 other people on our 6 hour walk. At the end we took a nice swim.

Reviewed over 5 years ago and experienced in December 2016

Tom Wouda

Netherlands

Ranking: 9/10

Nice bushwalk with good views of the lake..... not crowded. Finish at a hot water beach with a hot spring! Nice ending, bring your swimwear.

Reviewed over 5 years ago and experienced in December 2016

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Tatiana Racheneau

France

Ranking: 10/10

We were very happy because we did it in 6 hours. We do not know about the hot pools at the end, a surprise, wonderful and magic.

Reviewed about 6 years ago and experienced in January 2016

Florian Bisault

France

Ranking: 4/10

Good walk in the bush with lovely views of the valley, but definitely too long. Hot springs at the end are hot and cold which means burning or freezing.

Reviewed about 6 years ago and experienced in February 2016

Veronique Kaplan

France

Ranking: 9/10

A great hike! 15 km in beautiful native forest to get to a hot spring at the beach on the lake. A reasonable fee for the water taxi to get back, if you do not to walk back.

Reviewed about 6 years ago and experienced in January 2016

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Pierre and Alexandra

France

Ranking: 8/10

The walk is not so hard and you even have a hot spring at the end. Great!!

Reviewed over 6 years ago and experienced in December 2015

Iwona

Spain

Ranking: 7/10

The track heads along the south end of Lake Tarawera. First 3.2km are mainly in bushland but after this you get some nice views.

Reviewed over 6 years ago

Maria Ulitzsch

Germany

Ranking: 9/10

Nice track with the possibility to go back by water taxi.

Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2014

DOC Managed

Thanks to all the good people working for the NZ Department of Conservation - for all your hard work - making NZ more beautiful, accessable and healthy! Cheers 😍

Cymen Crick

Rankers Owner

Rotorua Region ▷ Tarawera

Land Activities

4WD Adventures

Bungy Jumping / Swing

Canyoning

Caving

Cycling & Mountain Biking

Horse Trekking

Outside the Square

Railbiking / Railcarting

Snow and Ice

Sphereing

Walking and Trekking

Water Activities

Boat Cruises

Diving

Fresh Water Canoeing / Kayaking

Jet Boating

Marine Animal Encounters

Air Activities

Visitor Centres

i-SITE Visitor Information Centres

Visitor Information Centres

Animal Attractions

Art & Culture Attractions

Natural Attractions

Stargazing

Camping Grounds

Camping Grounds / Holiday Parks

Basic Facility Camping

Freedom Camping

Land Transport

Motorhomes / Campervans / RV

Rental Cars

Shuttle Buses

Water Transport

Air Transport

North Island

Northland

Auckland Region

Coromandel

Bay of Plenty

Waikato

Tairāwhiti Gisborne

Rotorua Region

Taupo Region

Ruapehu

Hawkes Bay

Taranaki

Manawatu - Wanganui

Wairarapa

Wellington Region

South Island

Marlborough

Nelson Region

West Coast

Kaikoura Region

Canterbury

Central Otago

Mount Cook - MacKenzie

Wanaka Region

Queenstown Region

Coastal Otago

Fiordland

Southland

Tarawera Trail

Tarawera Trail

Online Maps

Camping NZ NEW

Information

Details

DOC Bay of Plenty

Track Difficulty

Track Difficulty

Track Duration

Track Duration

Payment Requirement

Payment Requirement

Track Length

Track Length

Track Accommodation