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I watched the raindrops bounce off the windscreen as I drove towards Waiotapu on SH5 for a spontaneous Saturday hike. Maunga Kakaramea, or more commonly known as Rainbow Mountain, is famous for the vibrant ochre in the soil and surrounding cliffs. It may not be as colourful as the other more famous ‘rainbow mountain’ namesake, Vinicunca in Peru, but it’s definitely a must-do walk when you’re in Rotorua.

The rain only made the steam on the mountain rise higher - there was no mistaking that Rotorua is very much an active geothermal zone. A wet hike was clearly no deterrent, because although the car park wasn’t quite full when I arrived, it was close to it when I came down. 

Putting on my boots in the front passenger seat felt clumsy and cramped, and took long enough that the windows were fogged up by the time I left.

How to get there

Maunga Kakaramea is in Waiotapu, 20 minutes from Rotorua. Drive towards Taupo on SH5 on the Thermal Explorer Highway. The car park is about five minutes drive from the SH38 Murupara turn off on SH5. From Whakatane, you can also take a scenic drive through the Kaingaroa Forest - turn right at the Murupara/Rotorua (SH38) junction and turn left at the SH5/SH38 turn off.

Crater lake lookout (15 mins)

“Have you seen my wife?” A man asked me as I reached the Crater Lake lookout. “No, what does she look like?” I replied, slightly concerned that anyone would get lost since we were only 15 minutes from the car park. “She has a couple of crutches…” Say what?! We both laughed as he realised the concerned look on my face had now turned to confusion. “She’s in her 70’s and has chronic arthritis, but she still walks this part of the track quite often.” His wife then popped up around the corner, and I gave her a big smile as I made my way to the lookout. What a woman!

The track is dual use and is part of Te Ara Ahi on Ngā Haerenga - the New Zealand National Cycle Trail. This part of the track is an MTB Grade 2 (turns to Grade 4 further up) uphill/downhill until the track splits at a junction, so keep an eye out for cyclists. As the area is an active geothermal zone, make sure to keep to the track - you’ll see plenty of steam vents along the way. The incline is pretty gradual for the most part, so I say the walk is pretty achievable for people who are even only moderately active.

When you reach the junction, go left to head towards the lookout and summit (Te Tihi o Ruru). The track gradually becomes steeper and turns to a Grade 4 uphill. The other track is part of
Te Ara Ahi Cycle Trail and is a Grade 2 uphill. It’s a dual use track and can take you towards Waiotapu and Te Ranga (Kerosene Creek) - the stream is a geothermal stream. I decided to drive to Kerosene Creek after my walk instead, which was wise choice because the rain only got heavier after the junction.

Even though certain certains had plenty of roots and uneven surface, it’s well formed and you shouldn’t get lost. I stopped a few times when I saw a clearing to see if there could be some nice shots - however as the rain got heavier, I decided to keep going towards the summit.

As I got closer to the second lookout, the dirt underfoot slowly turned to red. There were even some ‘warm spots’ along the track where you felt the temperature increase a couple of degrees, then quickly drop back down as you walk further away. I couldn’t see the vents, but there was plenty of steam!

The best views I got was at the second lookout, which is about 15 minutes from the summit. Since I was alone, I took my time getting photos and admiring the view. I could hear the group of mountain bikers before I saw them - they certainly earned those views! The last 15 minutes to the summit is the steepest, though it’s definitely achievable for most.

With an elevation of 743m, the summit would have rewarded me a panoramic view of
Mt Tarawera as well as Lakes Tarawera, Rotomahana and Rerewhakaaitu. Unfortunately the rain clouds made the views a white-out that day. I had a quick snack as I read about the history of the mountain, but with no views to admire, I didn’t stay much longer after that.

fivefootronna is Ronna Grace Funtelar - a thirtyish adventurer, graphic designer and writer.
A woman with a curious mind who lives for hiking mountains, outdoor adventures and eating pizza. She has a unique brand of optimism that is a combination of her great enthusiasm for life and cups of coffee during the day.