itchyfeet5

We want to see Waimangu, Wai-o-tapu, the Buried village, the blue and green lakes and Lake Tarawera. The commercial tours are very expensive. Can we do this on our own in a day? We will have a car and are staying at the Park Heritage. Are these thermal areas better than "Whaka"? Also might want to go to a Hangi and show. Are they worth doing or are they just a tourist rip-off? If worthwhile, which are the better venues. We will be in Rotorua early November.

Thanks.

CDJD

While in Rotorua we stopped at Te Puia to see the geysers. We were extremely disappointed and felt it was a waste of money. Most of the landscape is bubbling mud pits and the geyser was tiny. We had previously been to Yellowstone and it severely paled in comparison.

We also stopped at the Waimangu Volcanic Valley (which was a lot better than what we had observed in Rotorua. Even in the heavy rain, the landscape was lush and beautiful. The rain created lots of steam off of the thermal pools. Several of the pools were a brilliant blue green. We opted not to take the boat ride due to the high winds and rain.

We chose not to see the Maori Hangi show based on recommendations of family members who had been previously. For the price they were extremely disappointed in the quality of the food.

itchyfeet5

Thanks CDJD. What time of year were you there? Heavy rain...I guess we'll have to deal with it if it happens. i had heard mixed reports on the Hangi.

ALF

The buried village area is quite interesting, although you may not need to spend a lot of time there. Whakarewarewa is still a good place to visit, despite the tourist hype. If you want better thermal areas, you should go further south towards Taupo (Craters of the Moon, Hidden Valley). You can certainly do your proposed itinerary in a (long) day, and there is no need to do it as a tour - you will then get to spend as much time at the different spots as you wish, avoid some of the crowds, and spend less money.

Rotorua Hangis tend to produce polarized opinions - folks love them or hate them. I am in the former group - yes, hangis are designed for tourists, and while the food is alright, don't expect a gourmet banquet. I enjoy Maori dancers and singers, and it seems to me to be fun night out, so if I were you I would do it. We liked the Tamaki Brothers Hangi. Not cheap. but not a rip-off either.

mlgb

You can see all of these on your own with a car.

I've been to all except Wai-o-tapu, and Whaka is fine as well. I'm not a fan of Polynesian type food so didn't go to a Hangi. You can see Maori performances inside Whaka (don't remember seing anything like that at Yellowstone!).

ElendilPickle

We went to the Mai Ora concert and hangi at Te Puia and had a really good time. It wasn't overly touristy and the food was tasty.

The next day, we spent a couple of hours at Wai-o-tapu on our way to Tongariro National Park; it's pretty incredible.

If you like, you can see pictures from our trip at http://community.webshots.com/user/ElendilPickle

Lee Ann

CDJD

We were in Rotorua the 23 & 24 of January 2006 (summer). It can obviously rain anytime of the year but we were glad that we came prepared.

Did not mean to offend anyone with the Yellowstone comment it is just that I am more into dramatic scenery than cultural dance performances. To each their own

ALF

If you want dramatic scenery, then you should definitely drive south to Taupo and the volcanoes. I really like the 'Hidden Valley' of Orakei Korako, where there are several nice geothermal features spread across a large scenic area. Closer to Taupo is Craters of the Moon, a Yellowstone-like boardwalk trail that winds through a mud pot/hot spring basin.

You can take the chairlift up the Whakapapa Skifield, which takes you 2/3 of the way up Mt. Ruapehu. From there, you can just stroll around and take in the views, or tramp up to the crater rim.

Alternatively, you could head east to Whakatane, then take a helicopter or boat to the volcano on White Island to see some spectacular scenery and a crater filled with bubbling sulfurous water.

itchyfeet5

Thanks Alf,

You seem to know a lot about this region. We have seen Yellowstone, Hawaii volcanoes, Sunset crater (in AZ), Crater Lake (in Oregon) and Mt. St. Helen so this sounds like it fits in with what we enjoy seeing and doing.
I will definitely look into these places. We only have a few hours on our day of arrival and the next full day in Rotorua but are headed to Wellington via Taupo so if we leave early we may be able to fit in one or two of these places. Do you think it's doable? I've been advised that the drive from Rotorua to Wellington(with rest and lunch stops) is about 6 1/2 hours.

ALF

I've spent several months on the N Island, looking at volcanic features, and I've been to all the U.S. spots you mention. The Ruapehu-Tongariro-Ngauruhoe mountain chain is a series of Cascades-style volcanoes, although they are newer and more active. You should be able to stop along the way here and still make it to Wellington.

Most of the geothermal areas are similar to the Yellowstone geyser basins - a must-do if you have never seen such features before, but could possibly be missed if you've spent much time in Yellowstone. The Hidden Valley is great, but it is a bit off your path, so you might not find the time for it. Craters of the Moon is quite small and manageable in a short time, so you could make a quick stop there.

You won't see much in the way of Hawaiian-style shield volcanoes or little cinder cones like Sunset Crater.