Bay of Plenty: Exploring The Geothermal Walk At Hell's Gate
Sunday 20 August, 2017 | Hell's Gate, Tikitere, Rotorua
Walking through Rotorua’s Hell’s Gate is an interesting contrast of lush green nature versus the barren geothermal landscape of steam vents and bubbling mud baths. On a cloudy day the steam looks even more foreboding, and the heat that radiates is surprisingly intense in some craters. It's located in Tikitere on SH 30, which is about 15 minutes drive from Rotorua airport.
The walk itself is very similar to Craters of the Moon in Taupo, with the added bonus of Kakahi Falls (a hot waterfall surrounded by native bush), and the option of mud baths and soaking in the natural hot pools. These services can be purchased as a package, and it pays to book in advance via their website to avoid disappointment. I was pushed for time so I just opted for the self-guided walk this time round.
The terrain is fairly flat and there were no significant hills, so I would class this in the leisure walk category. It probably took me just over an hour to walk the full trail, and there were plenty of photo stops along the way. I do notice that I tend to walk faster when I’m by myself too. Overall it’s a nice stroll on a Sunday morning, but for the entry fee I recommend to take your time and make the most of this natural geothermal wonderland.
One of the larger hot pools along the trail - it is said that ancient Maori use the hot water rock pools as their outdoor kitchen, and soaking in the water was believed to have many medicinal properties.
The fine mud found at Hell's Gate makes it ideal for the mud baths. Although along the trail, this natural mud pool isn't open for the public to soak in.