Explore Rotorua: 7 EPIC Things to See and Do

7 Best Things to Do in Rotorua

1. Visiting Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland

One of the first things I did when I arrived in Rotorua was to book a tour to visit the famous Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, a stunning geothermal area that people claim to be the most colorful nature you will ever see in New Zealand, and I had to agree with them.

The organized tour to Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland includes a visit to the Lady Knox Geyser, Waimangu Volcanic Valley, and a walk around the Waiotapu thermal wonderland.

The tour will pick you up as early as 8 AM from your accommodation to visit the Lady Knox Geyser, an artificially catalyzed geyser, just in time for the scheduled eruption at 10:15 AM every day. It might not be as impressive as the one in Iceland, but it is still quite an interesting thing to see here.

After the geyser eruption, the tour will take you to Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, where you will be able to see the beautiful colored lake, the Champagne Lake.

The colors of this lake are just outstanding. Pure Mother Nature, at her best. You will be able to see the colors shifting from green to bright orange as the lake goes deeper and deeper. It is quite a sight to behold.

Within Waiotapu, you will find several walking paths ranging from 35 to 75 minutes that will take you around the thermal area and visit all the attractions in Waiotapu. With the time given by the tour, you will be able to do any of the walks, as long as you don't spend longer than 75 minutes.

I recommend you go with the 75-minute walk, as I did. The walk will take you around the area, with several stops and picnic spots for you to rest and enjoy the view.

At the end of the trail, there is also a natural hot spring that you can choose to jump into, as we did. Just don't put your face in it, as the hot spring is laden with sulfur, which could impact your respiratory system if you are not careful.

Once you are done with the walk, the tour will take you back to the Rotorua city center where you can continue exploring the rest of the town. The Waiotapu tour costs around 110 USD per person and takes about 4-5 hours. You can book the Waiotapu tour with the link below:

Book a Waiotapu Tour

Where to Stay in Rotorua?

Budget

YHA Rotorua

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Mid-Range

The Heart of Rotorua

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High-End

Quest Rotorua Central

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2. Visit the Government Gardens

One of the best free things to do in Rotorua is to stroll around the Government Gardens, an immaculate park surrounded by beautiful, calm nature with a stunning wooden-framed structure, the Rotorua Museum, standing at the center.

When you are at the Government Gardens, be sure to have your camera ready as there are a ton of beautiful things for you to take photos of. You will find many beautiful flowers (including many roses) and plants here, as well as ancient geothermal pools, traditional and modern Maori-inspired art, and sculptures scattered all over the garden.

3. Admire the Beauty of the Rotorua Museum Building 🏛️ Best Museum

Within the Government Gardens, you will find the Rotorua Museum, an iconic Tudor-style building at the center of the garden, which is considered to be the most impressive Elizabethan Revival building in New Zealand.

The museum is a good place to learn more about the history of Rotorua, but unfortunately, it has been closed since 2016 due to not meeting strict New Zealand earthquake standards, and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

You can just visit the Government Garden and admire the beauty of the Rotorua Museum, which is worth a visit all in itself. The museum's opening hours are between 8 AM and 8 PM every day.

4. Explore Rotorua By Walking the Rotorua Walkway

Another cool free thing to do in Rotorua is to take a walk along the 26-km long Rotorua Walkway, which will take you to all the tourist attractions in the city and more.

The Rotorua Walkway has been developed for 10 years, and it has over 8 sections from which you can choose. Do not worry; you do not have to do the entire 26 km length of the walk if you do not want to.

Just choose the section that passes through the tourist attractions you want to see and combine them with other sections to create your own experience of the Rotorua Walkway.

That's what I love most about New Zealand: its carefully designed walk paths that you can take in almost every city in the country. They really do love walking here, and so do I!

You can get the Rotorua Walkway Map from the Tourist Information Center near where the bus drops you off, and you can follow the trail from there. You can also check out the official Rotorua Walkway map online here. I highly recommend that you do sections 3 and 4. They will take you through Rotorua Lake, Sulphur Point, and more.

5. Hike Around Whakarewarewa Forest (Redwoods) ❤️ Must Visit

One of my favorite places in Rotorua is the Whakarewarewa Forest, or as it is known locally, the Redwoods. The Redwoods are a 6-hectare grove of majestic redwoods with many trails and walking paths running through them.

Redwoods is one of the best places to escape from Rotorua's bustling city center and be with nature. There are several hiking paths you can take around the forest, most of which involve being surrounded by these majestic redwoods.

The duration for each trail ranges from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours, with some of them taking you up to the viewpoints where you will be able to see Mt Ngongotaha, Rotorua City, the lake, the airport, and the countryside of Rotorua.

You can spend the entire half of your day just exploring the Whakarewarewa Forest. You can also rent a bike from the city and follow one of the many bike tracks here in the Redwoods for a day of adventure.

Redwoods' opening hours are between 8.30 AM and 6 PM in the summer and 8.30 AM and 5 PM in winter, and entry to the forest is free. For more information about the hiking paths in Whakarewarewa Forest, you can check out the official Redwoods website here.

You can also go on the Redwoods Tree Walk, which will take you up one of these beasts of trees, and then you can walk from tree to tree on suspension bridges. It is another cool way to experience the wonders of the Redwoods. You can buy the ticket with the link below:

Buy the Redwoods Tree Walk Ticket

6. Visit Waitomo Cave

For a day trip to explore the surrounding areas of Rotorua, I recommend that you go on an organized trip to Waitomo Cave and witness the beauty of the glowworm cave, which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Zealand.

You will be gliding through the ancient cave in the lower level of the Waitomo Cave as you witness the magical glowworm doing its thing and creating this galaxy of tiny living lights, which is something you don't see every day.

The cave also has an upper level where you can walk around and explore the delicate cave formations. To book a tour for the Waitomo Cave, click on the link below:

Book the Waitomo Cave Tour

7. Admire the Beauty of Hobbiton ☀️ Great Day Trip

Last but not least, we will be visiting the Hobbiton village, the famous movie set where the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movies were shot. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions for fans of the high-fantasy J.R.R. Tolkien novels or those who are looking for something unique to do in Rotorua.

Within the Hobbiton Village, you will be able to take stunning photos of the iconic houses with rounded doors, get lost among the hobbit holes, visit the Green Dragon Inn, and learn about how the Hobbiton movie-set came to be. To book the Hobbiton Village tour, you can click the link below:

Book the Hobbiton Tour

When to Visit Rotorua?

The best time to visit Rotorua is in the summer months beginning from November to March, when the weather is warmer. This allows you to enjoy the outdoors more, which is essential for a country as pretty as New Zealand.

It will also get quite touristy, so if you want to avoid the crowds, I would recommend you visit the shoulder season instead, which is from September to November and March to May.

You will see considerably fewer travelers during this time, while most accommodations will offer discounted prices, making your trip way more cost-effective than if you visit during the summer.

How to Get to Rotorua?

In order to get to Rotorua, you will have to make your way to Auckland, the main travel hub of New Zealand, where most international flights fly in and out of the country.

From the US, there are no direct flights to Auckland, so you will have to rely on transit flights from airlines like Qantas, which often transit in Fiji and take about 19 hours.

From Europe, you can fly from most popular European hubs like London, Paris, or Frankfurt via Lufthansa, Qatar, Emirates, or Singapore Airlines where you will then have to transit through their headquarters to get to Auckland. The flight will take over 24 hours, so gear up and prepare for a long ride.

From Asia, there are several airlines offering various routes from many hub cities such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Jakarta, Bangkok, and Hong Kong that will directly fly you to Auckland. Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, and Singapore Airlines are excellent choices for traveling this route, with the fastest flight time being 9 hours.

To find a cheap flight to New Zealand, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and choose the best one.

Getting from Auckland to Rotorua

By Air: Rotorua has a small airport where Air New Zealand often flies regularly from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. You can fly from Auckland to Rotorua in about 50 minutes and it costs around 56 USD. You can book your flight here.

By Bus: Taking an intercity bus is a great and affordable way to travel around New Zealand. There are 6 buses per day that run between Auckland and Rotorua, starting at 8:30 AM and ending at 7 PM. The bus will drop you off at Rotorua's Bus Station located in the city center.

The Intercity bus from Auckland to Rotorua will cost you about 35 NZD per person and take you about 4 hours. You can book your Intercity Bus tickets here.

If you are planning to travel longer in New Zealand via buses, I recommend getting the Flexipass where you can buy hours and travel any route in the country depending on the bus's duration. It is a great way to hop around the country without having to pay a ton of money.

For more information about Flexipass, please visit the official Intercity Flexipass page here.

By Campervan: One of the most popular ways to get around New Zealand is to rent a campervan, which will allow you to travel anywhere you like and save a ton of money on accommodation by allowing you to sleep at campsites around the country. I recommend you rent a campervan in Auckland and drive to Rotorua if you are visiting Rotorua as part of a larger trip in New Zealand.

There are several well-known campervan rental companies that I have seen people driving all over the country, such as Jucy, Spaceships, and Britz. So be sure to check them out when you are in Auckland.

By Car: You can rent a car directly from Auckland International Airport for only around $25 USD per day. It takes around 3 hours to drive from Auckland to Rotorua via Hamilton on State Highway 1. You can rent a car with the link below:

Rent a Car in Auckland

How to Get Around Rotorua?

By Walking: Rotorua is not big, so if you want to save some money, you can walk all over and visit some of the tourist attractions within the city. For further attractions, you will either have to take a bus, a tour, or rent your own car to get there.

By Bus: You can also take the local lime green-colored bus around Rotorua for 2 NZD per trip. It is a cheap way to get around the city, but make sure you know which line to take before you hop on one. Ask your accommodation for suggestions, or you can use Google Maps to see which bus line you can take.

By Car: Again, if you can rent a car from Auckland or in Rotorua to explore the city as well as the surrounding areas. You can rent a car in New Zealand here: Rent a Car in New Zealand.

By Tours: You can also travel around Rotorua with an organized tour, which will allow you to go further and visit places like Hobbiton or Waitomo Cave. Click the link below to book tours in Rotorua.

Book Day Trips in Rotorua

How Many Days To Spend in Rotorua?

One to two days (3 nights) should be enough to explore Rotorua and its surrounding attractions. Here's a sample itinerary for Rotorua:

Day 1: Visit Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, the Government Gardens, Rotorua Museum, and walk the Rotorua Walkway.

Day 2 (optional): Visit Hobbiton or Waitomo Cave.

How Much Money Do I Need For Rotorua?

With the rough itinerary above, we can calculate approximately how much you will be spending in Rotorua. Here is a rough estimate of the entire Rotorua itinerary budget.

Accommodation: For 3 nights in Rotorua, you will be spending around 57 USD on accommodation.

Food: An average meal in Rotorua costs around 10 USD, so you will be spending approximately 60 USD for 2 days' worth of food.

Transportation: If you decide to walk and only rely on organized day trips to visit other tourist attractions outside of town, then you would not be spending anything, so it's 0 USD for transportation.

Activities: If you only spend a day, you will only be spending for the Waiotapu tour, which will cost you around 115 USD. If you want to spend the second day, you will have to pay for the Waitomo Cave or Hobbiton tour, which is 150 USD. So, in total, you will be paying 265 USD for activities.

Total Budget for Rotorua: 405 NZD (292 USD) for one full day, 613 NZD (442 USD) for two full days.

Which tourist SIM card is best for New Zealand?

Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend checking out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace. It allows you to stay connected affordably while traveling in Rotorua, New Zealand without having to switch out your physical SIM card.

Gone are the days when you needed to scramble to find a local SIM card at an airport upon arrival. You can purchase an eSIM before your arrival, and you'll be good to go. If your phone doesn't support eSIM, here is how you can get a local SIM card in Rotorua, New Zealand:

Don't expect much from New Zealand's WIFI. They are terribly outdated, with some cafes offering free 25 MB and 15-minute time-limited WIFI to their customers. Yes, really!

For a more reliable internet connection, I would recommend that you get yourself a local SIM card where you will be able to find a 4G connection in all major cities around the country now.

Spark is a recommended carrier with the widest coverage throughout the country. You can purchase their prepaid SIM card "Data Lover" package at the Auckland airport, which is available in 2 price points: 20 NZD for 1 GB (+1 GB for social) and 40 NZD for 4.5 GB (+1 GB for social), both valid for one month.

With Spark, you can top up your data via stores around the country, or you can simply do it online with your credit card. It is very easy and convenient.

For more information about SIM cards in New Zealand, visit: New Zealand's Prepaid Data SIM Card

Tips: To stay connected with people at home, be sure that you have a VPN, such as ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and you can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

What to Pack for Rotorua, New Zealand?

As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Rotorua, New Zealand:

• Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
• Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
• Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
• Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
• Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
• Down Jacket: In freezing temperatures, a down jacket is essential. The Columbia Men's Lone Fir Hooded Jacket (for women) is my choice. They are warm, lightweight, and available in various colors.
• Wool Beanie: A wool beanie is perfect for keeping your head and ears warm.
• Wool Gloves: I always have wool gloves handy to keep my hands warm in cold weather.
• Wool Socks: Don't forget to keep your feet warm with wool socks.
• Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
• Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
• Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
• Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
• Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
• Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
• Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
• Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.

For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.

Looking for a more comprehensive packing list for New Zealand? Check out:What to Pack for New Zealand - The Essential Packing List

Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:

Flights: Skyscanner and Expedia are the best places to start looking for cheap flights and great deals from your home country.

Accommodation: Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Agoda.com are the ultimate go-to platforms to search for amazing hostels and hotels at affordable prices.

Travel Insurance: Heymondo covers theft, medical emergencies, cancellations, and more during your travels. Get a 5% discount if you sign up today.

Transportation: For buses, I always go with Omio when traveling in Rotorua, New Zealand while for trains, Omio is my go-to place to book all my train travels in advance.

Car Rental: DiscoverCars.com is a great and reliable platform to find rental cars.

Internet: Airalo is the best way to get a sim card and has reliable internet access for your trip. All you need is an esim compatible smartphone, install it on your phone prior to your trip, and you are all set.

VPN: To stay connected with people at home, I always make sure to have ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and I can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

Day Trips & Tours: Viator, GetYourGuide and TripAdvisor are great platforms to search for trips and tours to join.

Tickets & Deals: Klook is always my go-to website when I want to find cheaper deals for entrance tickets to tourist attractions.

Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.

Further Reading for Backpacking in New Zealand

I've spent 5 weeks backpacking in New Zealand, and I have written a ton more about my journey traveling throughout New Zealand from the North Island to the South Island that might help in your trip planning.

Here's a selection of articles about New Zealand:

• Looking for a complete backpacking itinerary for New Zealand? Check out One Month Itinerary for New Zealand.
• Don't have one month in New Zealand? How about spending 2 weeks visiting all the highlights of New Zealand on the South Island? Check out our 2-Week Itinerary for the South Island, New Zealand.
• Want to visit New Zealand but not sure what to pack? Here's a packing guide to help you: What to Pack for New Zealand.
• Planning a trip to New Zealand? Here are the 12 Best Places to Visit in New Zealand.
• New Zealand has a special place in my heart. It is one of the most memorable trips I have ever done, and here are 10 things I love about New Zealand.
• Did you know that you can climb Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings in real life? Check out: The Ultimate Hiking Guide to the Tongariro Crossing.
• Planning to travel across Cook Strait from Wellington in the North Island to Picton in the South Island? Here's How to Get From Wellington to Picton.
• Nelson is one of the most laid-back and sunny cities in New Zealand, making it a great place to relax and enjoy the abundant sunshine. Here are the 7 Best Things to Do in Nelson.
• Did you know that you can do parts of New Zealand's Great Walks in one day? The Abel Tasman Track offers a wide range of hiking trails to choose from. Here's The Ultimate One Day Hiking Guide to the Abel Tasman Track.
• Want to do a road trip along the Great Coast Road in New Zealand? Better start in Westport. Here are the 5 Best Things to Do in Westport, New Zealand.
• Want to go hiking on a glacier in the Glacier Country of New Zealand? Here is the Ultimate Backpacking Guide to Franz Josef.
• Wanaka is a must-visit lakeside town, full of incredible nature and wonderful mountains waiting for you to explore. Here are the 8 Best Things to Do in Wanaka.
• Queenstown is the adventure capital of the world, and whatever extreme activities human bodies can endure, they probably have them in Queenstown. Here are the 10 Best Things to Do in Queenstown.
• Queenstown is also one of the best places in the world to go skydiving. Here’s my experience skydiving with NZONE in Queenstown.
• The Milford Sound is one of the most popular attractions in New Zealand, and it would be a shame to miss it when you are in New Zealand. If you want to visit the Milford Sound, check out: A Day Trip from Te Anau to the Milford Sound.
• One of the best Great Walks in New Zealand is the Routeburn Track, and if you have to pick one Great Walk to do, make it this one. Here’s The Ultimate Hiking Guide to the Routeburn Track.
• Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook are some of the most photogenic places to visit in New Zealand, and it is best to visit them together. Here are the 8 Best Things to Do in Lake Tekapo and Mt Cook.
• Dunedin has so much to offer for nature lovers. From the sight of the world's largest birds to the beautiful cliffs of Tunnel Beach, here are the 10 Best Things to Do in Dunedin.
• Not convinced by my words about New Zealand? Come follow me, and I’ll show you New Zealand in 70 photos.
• You can see all my New Zealand travel guides and related articles on my New Zealand Travel Guide page.